The Ultimate Ranking: The Last Kingdom Seasons & Movie Sequel Unveiled - Discover the Absolute Best!
Discover how The Last Kingdom's seasons fare as we rank them from worst to best From the epic Seven Kings Must Die to the thrilling Season 5, find out which season reigns supreme in this gripping historical drama
Summary
The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die, the sequel film, falls short compared to the show's five seasons, with rushed storytelling and less detail from the novels.
Despite having a higher budget, The Last Kingdom season 5 has received mixed reviews due to its less authentic fight scenes. However, it still manages to deliver a satisfying conclusion to the main series. The standout season of The Last Kingdom is undoubtedly season 2, offering exceptional storytelling, intricate character development, and impressive production value, thus making it the pinnacle of the series.
The Last Kingdom, a Netflix series based on Bernard Cornwell's The Saxon Stories, consists of five seasons and a sequel film. However, not all seasons or the spinoff are of equal quality. Each season typically adapts two books from the novel series, and the show quickly gained popularity, leading to increased budget and the production of The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die. While the series as a whole maintains a high standard, some seasons surpass others. The earlier seasons closely follow the source material, resulting in more thorough and consistent writing. In contrast, the later seasons, though less faithful to the books, benefit from a larger budget and higher production value. Thus, ranking the seasons necessitates assessing the quality of writing, acting, and technical aspects.
6 The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die
5 The Last Kingdom Season 5
Despite the excitement surrounding the sequel film of The Last Kingdom, it unfortunately falls short in comparison to the show's impressive five seasons. The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die attempts to deliver an exhilarating and action-packed experience, but it struggles due to the challenge of condensing three books into a runtime of less than two hours. Consequently, the narrative feels hurried and overlooks or alters significant events from the original novels. While the story maintains coherence, it lacks the intricate details and depth it could have had. Nevertheless, Seven Kings Must Die satisfactorily concludes Uhtred's journey and provides closure to the series overall.
In The Last Kingdom season 5, Uhtred embarks on a mission to prevent an escalating war between King Edward of Wessex and Sigtryggr, the Viking ruler of Northumbria. Uhtred faces challenges from Aethelhelm, Edward's cunning advisor and father-in-law, who attempts to provoke a conflict between Edward and the North. While this season maintains its strength, the storytelling falls slightly below the exceptional standards set in earlier seasons. Nonetheless, the concluding moments of The Last Kingdom season 5 deliver a highly satisfying finale to the overall series, as Uhtred triumphantly reclaims Bebbanburg. However, the anticipation leading up to this pivotal moment may not captivate audiences as intensely as it did in previous seasons.
Moreover, not all areas of production saw an improvement in quality despite the increased budget for The Last Kingdom season 5. While the special effects have noticeably increased in caliber, enhancing the visual appeal of this season, the fight scenes have received criticism for losing the authenticity that was present in earlier seasons. It appears that the higher budget prompted producers to experiment with new filming techniques for the fight scenes, but instead of enhancing their coolness, they ended up compromising their believability. Realism plays a crucial role in The Last Kingdom's popularity, and therefore, this setback has had a significant impact on the show.
4 The Last Kingdom Season 4
The Last Kingdom's fourth season marks a significant phase in the series, although it follows the pinnacle of its storyline. This particular season centers around Mercia's turmoil, as Cnut leads a formidable army towards the country. While Uhtred and Aethelflaed manage to thwart his plans, the grievous injuries sustained by Aethelred plunge Mercia into chaos as the ealdormen compete for power. This season notably lacks the presence of King Alfred, a character of immense depth and intrigue, which undeniably impacts the show. Edward, his son, fails to captivate or hold the same level of fascination as his father.
Still, this season presents a compelling and well-executed storyline, placing emphasis on Uhtred's relationship with Aethelflaed in The Last Kingdom season 4. This dynamic adds an additional layer of tension and drama to the conflicts unfolding in Mercia. Eventually, Uhtred and Aethelflaed are faced with a decision where they must prioritize their respective responsibilities over their personal connection. Aethelflaed, in her quest to become the ruling Lady of Mercia, pledges a vow of chastity. Alongside the grandeur of the Battle of Tettenhall, this installment also features intense and emotionally charged scenes, combining together to create a season of television that is of high quality.
3 The Last Kingdom Season 3
The third season of The Last Kingdom is considered by many as one of the show's finest, representing the culmination of its artistic excellence. In this season, the demise of Alfred, who had been plagued by illness for years, serves as a significant turning point, leaving a lasting impact on the show's overall quality. Without Alfred, a captivating character, the series fails to reach the same level of brilliance. His death is portrayed with exceptional execution, with the scenes leading up to it, featuring poignant interactions between him and Uhtred, standing out as some of the show's most remarkable moments.
2 The Last Kingdom Season 1
Apart from Alfred, The Last Kingdom season 3 also witnesses the tragic demise of Ragnar, who is Uhtred's adoptive brother. In a heart-wrenching turn of events, Aethelwold fatally stabs Ragnar while he is asleep. Additionally, Thyra, the sister of Uhtred and Ragnar, meets a grisly fate as she becomes trapped inside her own burning house. The profound emotional impact of these events in season 3 adds depth to the narrative, yet it also presents a challenge to endure, which prevents this season from claiming one of the top two spots.
The first season of The Last Kingdom is an exceptional television series. It introduces the primary characters of the show while also developing intricate secondary characters that significantly contribute to the storytelling. Remaining faithful to the books, the first season of The Last Kingdom is remarkably realistic and maintains a strong grounding throughout the entire storyline, never sacrificing its narrative for the sake of visual spectacle. Nonetheless, it still delivers breathtaking combat scenes and battles that feel like authentic reenactments. The attention to detail in the first season sets up the franchise masterfully.
1 The Last Kingdom Season 2
The Last Kingdom season 2 is undoubtedly the pinnacle of the series. The narrative explores the growing mistrust between Uhtred and Alfred, while highlighting their undeniable reliance on each other. Uhtred, in his attempt to follow Alfred's orders, finds himself captured and enslaved. Alongside Ragnar, he embarks on a mission to avenge their father by eliminating Kjartan, which only exacerbates Alfred's suspicions towards Uhtred. Nevertheless, their shared determination to save Aethelflaed and prevent a devastating war ultimately brings them back together.
Season 2 boasts exceptional storytelling, maintaining the grounded nature that characterized the first season. It consistently presents a realistic portrayal and flawlessly develops its characters' complexities. Additionally, the season features impressive fight choreography and an elevated production value compared to its predecessor, further solidifying its ranking. All in all, this season of television is truly outstanding and unquestionably the finest installment of The Last Kingdom.
