There is no denying that Kurt Sutter knows how to make incredibly solid television. The former “Sons of Anarchy” creator brings his signature twist back to the small screen, this time with the medieval drama “The Bastard Executioner,” which premiered Tuesday night on FX.
Though the pilot had a tendency to get bogged down by exposition and character backstory, it’s clear that Sutter has crafted another overall intriguing show.
Set in 14th century Wales, “The Bastard Executioner” is on the surface about a man who executes people for a living. Lee Jones plays Wilkin Brattle, an executioner who vowed to lay down his sword.
However, circumstances force him to pick it up once more as he searches for revenge and attempts to set the world right, even if it requires him to do reprehensible things.
Jones turns in a solid performance in the show’s premiere, as does Sutter’s wife and “Sons” alum Katey Sagal, who plays the mysterious witch Annora of the Alders. Former “True Blood” star Stephen Moyer also stars, stealing the show each time he appears onscreen.
Though the show certainly shows potential at the end of its two-hour pilot, Sutter crams in as much exposition and backstory as possible into the premiere, which makes it a bit tough to get through.
As laid out in the opening, the show takes place at a time when the ruling Englishmen are fighting the Welsh push for independence. Sure, this is important information to establish character relationships and identities, and perhaps battles down the line, but it ends up feeling like heavy-handed exposition.
The first half of the pilot served to establish characters and their role in the show’s universe. The second half very much establishes the show’s narrative. We learn that Brattle was once a knight in King Edward’s army, but Brian F. O’Byrne’s Baron Ventris stages a siege in an attempt to take his life.
After laying down his sword to protect his pregnant wife Petra, Brattle leads a siege to attack on the English emissaries. This goes horribly wrong and results in Ventris killing Petra. Thus begins Brattle’s quest for revenge.
There’s no denying the show looks fantastic. The set-decoration and costumes are all incredible. Other shows in the genre such as “Game of Thrones” have the upper hand in its use of violence. Petra isn’t just murdered, she’s stabbed and has her insides pour out, while her child is also removed and put on display for Brattle.
"Game Of Throne's" violence is used to further the plot and the story, but “Executioner” makes Petra’s death an entirely exploitative experience, one that was actually quite tough to sit through. The show does feature some well-done special effects, including a spear to the throat of one character and a knife in the mouth and out the back of another character’s head.
Overall, “Bastard Executioner” gets off to a shaky start but certainly has potential to be one of the most interesting shows debuting this fall. Those looking for something akin to “Game of Thrones” may want to look elsewhere as it seems like “Executioner” may fall more in line with “Spartacus” or “Vikings." Still, I look forward to seeing where Sutter and company take this one.
Reach the reporter at seweinst@asu.edu or on Twitter @S_Weinstein95
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