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THE NEW KING, PART 1
Written by Kara Lee Corthron
Directed by Ed Bianchi
While shooting my KINGS episode, the first part of our two-part finale, something rather odd happened on the fourth day.
I'm totally new to the world of television. This is the first episode I've written for any show, so the whole experience has been a fast-moving education. But pretty quickly, I learned some of the rules of set. The phrases "checking the gate," and "moving on" tend to make everyone happy. However, lunch delays tend to have the opposite effect. Nothing too shocking about that. And, as one might expect, time is always a pressing issue, because there never seems to be enough of it. So, understandably, the crew of approximately a hundred people give or take a few, is more often than not, under tremendous stress and suffering from sleep deprivation.
Back to that interesting fourth day of shooting. We'd had a morning of exterior scenes--quick moving scenes without dialogue, but of course, these things always take time and in this case, it was about four hours--so we were all relieved to finish the day indoors. Did I mention this was the last day of January and we were shooting near Battery Park? Yes. We were cold indeed. So we moved inside and it was a good hour before we realized that the building we moved to was barely heated. But it was a still an improvement.
Early in the afternoon, we filmed a particularly intense scene. Princess Michelle is mourning a great loss and being comforted by Paul Lash--a man in love with her despite her inability to reciprocate the sentiment. During this difficult scene, which was performed beautifully by Allison Miller and Michael Stahl-David . . . a panda bear walked on set. No, not an escapee from the Bronx Zoo, a human in a giant panda suit. Fortunately he wasn't close to the cameras and we were between takes when he made his entrance (now that I think about it, he had impressive instincts), but the best part was the reaction of everyone who witnessed this occurrence. Stressed-out crew members, stand-ins, guests, actors--everyone laughed! I still have no idea where the bear came from or why he decided to show up at that moment on our set. It seemed to be a random little message from out of nowhere reminding us all to lighten up! And after that, we all certainly did.
14 Comments
I just happened upon the show and fell head long in love with it. What the show really needs is for NBC to promote it big time. I think the term is 'sleeper' and that's what KINGS is! The politics, the sex, the intrigue, the family relationships are so cleverly written and the whole idea of a modern-day monarchy is just plan fascinating!!!
NBC did a very poor job promoting the show during the fall season of 08! I didn't tune in at first because I thought it was a period piece just by the name alone. My instincts tell me that if the powers that be give this show a new lease, with propoer promotion, the sleeper would awaken and they would have a long awaited hit on their hands. If they use low rating as the excuse to cancel the show, they (NBC) have no one to blame but themselves; the show simply did not get the backing and promotion it deserve for such a rich, complex and interesting story line! It's smart and current and the filming of it in New York is genius! NBC,
I love Jay Leno, but don't let him have the last laugh at your expense. Give KINGS a second chance and then stick by it and I promise it will gain an audience and become a top contender!
Help save Kings, go here... http://boards.nbc.com/nbc/index.php?showtopic=819937
I don't know what this guys on NBC are thinking, but this happens to be the best show passing in USA right now, because it happens that the show is not only about monarchy, it's about the back stage of it and how it affect the world in where we live.So cancell all you like, so just know that you miss a big hit...
I totally agree, I have become a huge fan of the television series witin the last year. I have watched Lost, 24, Mentalist, and many other shows that I really like. Kings is the best show I have seen out of them all.
After last episode I thought I would look into the website and found that this is the only season. Are you serious? This is the best show I have seen in a long time. I record it on Saturday's and enjoy it on Sunday night because I am usually out of town. It really makes me sad that I am never going to get to see more of this show. The story is so amazing and could go on for many seasons. What facts made this decision, or who made this decision.
I could type forever about my dissappointment. Please reconsider.
I absolutely adore this show. It is far more interesting than any of the cookie-cutter drivel otherwise being offered. How many more "tough nurses" do we need? Kings doesn't have the inane predicatability of most series. It is an absolutely assanine to stop making this show. We finally have something worth watching. But it's so poorly promoted, most people have never heard of it!. NBC needs to reconsider ending Kings and give it the timeslot and promotion it deserves.
This is the best show on NBC. On all of tv, in my opinion. When will it start up again? My husband & I can't wait.
Promote it better, Im telling you, NBC has a something really good here. I've told everyone I know about it, and they are loving it! Very different with huge storyline potential in the near future - if you know your Bible stories and appreciate the underdog hero thing. I know your viewership will increase in the fall if you promote it better. Perhaps run a couple of 2 hour sundays to catch people up before you lauch a big fall season. Put some faith in it, get behind it, and get it off Saturday night, but don't compete with Jack Baurer on Monday night - (same audience).
Law and Order is passe' ...this is different!
Wanda
I'm so disappointed with the finale. No closure at all. Why? I thought there was no hope of season two. :(
I am also very disappointed that NBC is considering cancelling KINGS. This is by far the best show that I have seen in a very long time and couldn't wait from week to week to see the episodes. The one thing that does give me a little hope and hopefully others will jump in on this and make a plea to NBC for more seasons of KINGS, but what I noticed is when NBC aired last nights episode "The New King, Part 2" as the "Finale" of KINGS, it didn't say "Series" or "Season" Finale, so I believe that NBC might be considering another season or hopefully one of the other channels will pick up the show. I don't care for reality shows at all, I don't watch Jay Leno or Conan. I really like drama's and Kings was an absolute hit for me, I loved the story line. NBC please give KINGS another shot.
This was an awesome show that in my honest opinion was not marketed correctly. I never even heard about it until a friend mentioned it.
If you take a look at Hulus most popular today. #1 = Kings latest episode. If that isn't a sign as to people liking the show I don't know what is. Interesting enough, my friends who have slowly found out about Kings and started watching the show, *all* watch it on Hulu. Sat night TV?? Sorry to busy going out
NBC made some bad choices (targeting / marketing, time) that wrongly set up the show for a slow start. I firmly believe that they should (A) retarget / market the show and ( Either start a new season giving the show _all_ the resources it needs (not this half ass stuff) or try pushing the re-runs to the correct audience and see if it gets picked up to their liking.
the last episodes (you can tell by the new york forests leaves) were shot in the winter.
NBC later decided it wants to restrict its quality primetime progamming to a one-hour block on thursdays, so it axed KINGS in march.
Great show, a fantastic re-imagining of the David story. It's a shame that it won't be continuing.
I am so upset that Kings is done just wathced the finally and am truely sickend by the news that "biggest looser" boring reality shows is what NBC is bolstering things with. They seem not to like the patriotic angle(they told us that with the cacelation of "E Ring") they dont like loyalty among their fans(they told us that by the way they ended "Vegas" and treated Jay Leno") and they just seem not to want to have to put any thought or creativity in there shows. You can see that by the shows that are coming up like "Mercy" looks like a total flop. I now olny have to shows to watch "Chuck" for a laugh and "Southland" for the drama. I am so tired of the fake reality tv. I am so tire of pointless shows which have no real substance. I wonder how long before NBC chooses to betray "Chuck or Southland" viewers. NBC your loosing me as a fan but they maybe you dont care.... Time to see whats on the other networks!!!
Although I enjoyed Kings it hardly comes as a surprize that the series was cancelled. The stilted dialog, the religious signs (Gilboan's must be quite dense as they need to be beaten over the head with signs, portents and minor miracles....it was just too much....something a bit more subtle would have been nice. Also, the silas, and michelle characters....give me a break....one minute Silas is going tho make David his heir then he feels betrayed and want's to kill him....then David saves his kingship and Silas feels how much he "owes" David but, when God makes it clear that he want's the throne for David....(this should have been NO supprize to Silas) he is back on the blood trail.......The Michelle character does similar tedious flipflops....You guys REALLY couldn't figure out why you could not secure a good audience share?.....REALLY?....you had an interesting premise but executed it in a very ham handed way.
P.S. The big break after episode 5 didn't gain you any love either.
Michael
Maybe if we mailed the programming department envelopes filled with butterflies (not real ones of course) like Jericho fans did with nuts to CBS it might get someone's attention.
To Michael: Read the book of Samuel 1. You will see all sorts of erratic, insane behaviour on the part of Saul/"Silas". It starts with "Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands". Saul tries to kill David (twice he throws his javelin at him), Jonathan/"Jack" saves him and he escapes. Later as Saul and his army looks for him (in the process killing eighty priests who unwittingly helped David), David has the chance to kill Saul (twice; once when Saul relieving himself in a cave:)) but will not "strike the Lord's anointed". Then Saul repents, but later again wants to kill him. David also escapes to Gath pretends to be insane ... == here is the starting point for a continuation of the series from the "New King part 2" episode (were it to happen).
Regards and it was a great show; badly promoted and scheduled by NBC powers that be.