Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands

[Jason Aiken]

I watched episode 5 last night. The show isn't bad, but I think it doesn't quite know what it wants to be.

The faction aspect seems to have taken a back seat for now, but there is still plenty of "political" intrigue to be explored I think.

I'd like to see more action, but seeing Beowulf and company fighting a bunch of creatures just doesn't seem very appealing in my mind. I know they're telling this in the format of a serialized television series, but my fear is the story of Beowulf's rise to kinghood is going to get too stretched out and watered down. I'm already not liking how they're making Grendel one of a number of "mud born" type creatures and throwing him in with trolls, and these other weird humanoid wildmen.

The acting also isn't the best. I wish I could say there was someone who really stood out on the show, but sadly, everyone is just adequate.

I'll keep watching, as I said on the old forum it's good enough to sit through for an hour and something to watch until Vikings comes back later this month.

Here are the first two episodes via YouTube:

[Jason Aiken]

This series is now on Episode 7. I've been watching it and am enjoying it enough to keep going.

They're definitely extending the story of the poem, though in their interpretation.

Grendel is playing a small roll so far, although he seems to have formed a relationship with Beowulf's love interest. He's been mostly lurking in the shadows, though.

The big plot point right now is politics, sadly. Hrothgar's wife is now the Jarl of the Shieldlands and her brother and son have some machinations going on.

It looks like next episode, Beowulf's buddy, Brecca's (who traveled to Heorot with him) past comes back to haunt him.

I'm wondering how long this first season/series is. I'm guessing 12-13.

Beowulf has cut off Grendel's arm already. Perhaps he'll finish him off at the end of the season, setting up for Grendel's mother to appear.

One weird thing about this series is the use of an African warrior tribe called the Varni. I'm going to have to research them a bit to see what their source is, if any.