Page 4 - TVTIMES.2.3.2019

4 March 24 - 30, 2019 cover story
By Sarah Passingham
TV Media
The warrior monks of the Knights Tem- plar continue their quest to unravel an ancient mystery while struggling to keep their order alive in the second sea-
Marching on
Season 2 of ‘Knightfall’ premieres on History
El Dorado News-Times
straight from the past as well: though the Knights Templar and the King of France were once thick as thieves, their relationship had soured significantly by the late 1200s, and by 1312 the king had pressured the pope to dissolve
the order completely. Of course, that doesn’t mean the Templars disap- peared forever. There are many tales secret orders and clandestine missions, and the legend of the Templars has persistedthroughoutthecenturies.It will be exciting to see how the show handles these events in future seasons.
And for those of you who couldn’t care less about history or historical accuracy, there are epic battles, for- bidden romances, murder mysteries, heartbreaking betrayals — this series has it all. The star of the show, Cullen, may even be all it takes to keep you tuning in week after week. The “Black Mirror” actor is in top form, and he handles the deep emotional scenes
as naturally as he handles the major battle scenes (that is to say, very well). He told AOL that he was inspired and excited by the role, saying, “It’s a clas- sicstorythatI’vebeenobsessedwith since I was a kid ... it’s something I’ve been waiting my whole life to do.” The appreciation for the part is clear con- sidering how hard he works to make it come alive.
Find out what’s next for Landry when the second season of “Knightfall” pre- mieresMonday,March25,onHistory.
son of “Knightfall,” premiering Monday, March 25, on History. Set in France in the early 1300s, the series follows the fictional Landry du Lauzon, played by “Downton Abbey” star Tom Cullen, as he recovers from the tragic events of last season.
In Season 1, Landry became the leader of the Paris chapter of the Knights Templar when his friend and mentor Godfrey (Sam Hazeldine, “Peaky Blind- ers”) was murdered by mysterious assassins. During their investigation of the murder, the knights learned that the Holy Grail — a relic they thought lost
in the last crusade — was not lost at
all, and there were many villains who would do anything to get their hands on it.Thisseason,asLandryreelsfromthe loss of his queen and lover as well as the birth of his daughter, he also faces ban- ishment from the Knights Templar for breaking his holy vows. His friends and fellow knights come to his defense and advocate for forgiveness and redemp- tion — so instead of being banished, he is forced to begin his service to the order again as an initiate.That’s where the show’s newest castmember comes in.
MarkHamill(“StarWars:TheLast Jedi,” 2017) joins the regular cast for the second season, trading his Jedi robes for those of a monk. He plays Talus, a battle-hardened veteran of the order who trains new recruits, a group that now technically includes Landry.A jaded warrior monk mentoring the next generation should be a comfortable fit for Hamill, who is best known for play- ing Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars film franchise.
At a February 2019 Television Critics Association event for “Knightfall,” Ha- mill was asked about the similarities be-
tween his Star Wars character and this new television persona. He admitted that he “didn’t really think it through,” but expressed excitement about this opportunity to play Talus, whom he de- scribed as “basically the equivalent of a medieval drill sergeant.”
Returning this season is “The Fran- kenstein Chronicles” actor Ed Stoppard as the complex and increasingly evil King Philip the IV of France. On portray- ingthenefariousroyal,Stoppardtold Syfy Wire that “it’s not often seen in characters who ultimately behave in such an appalling manner that there’s a scope there for the audience to instill some empathy.” King Philip was, in fact, a friend of the order and of Landry him- self, at the beginning of Season 1, but the revelations of an affair between his friend and his queen were the final nail in his “nice guy” coffin. It will be excit- ing to see Stoppard play a full-fledged villain this season.
Also returning are Genevieve Gaunt (“The Royals”) as the clever, calculat- ing Princess Isabella, Simon Merrells (“Spartacus: Blood and Sand”) as sea- sonedTemplarTancredeandJimCarter (“Downton Abbey”) as Pope Boniface VIII.
Aaron Helbing, whose resume boasts producing credits for series such as “The Flash” and “Black Sails,” is the new showrunner for “Knightfall,” and his enthusiasm for the series and the upcomingstorylinesiscontagious.Ata recent TCA event, an eager Helbing said that Season 2 is all about “brotherhood, redemption ... and revenge.” He also shared that tons of research goes into penning the show’s storylines, and that while “Knightfall” is “not beholden”
to historical accuracy, most of what we see on screen is directly inspired by real historical figures and events.
Any medieval history buff would im- mediately know that “Knightfall” is not a direct or accurate retelling of history. Instead, showrunners have opted to use history as a jumping off point,
and have framed the show as a mythology-inspired epic, much
like History’s own “Vikings.”
There are many fascinating and layered secondary char- acters pulled straight from history in “Knightfall” (Pope Boniface VIII and King Philip come to mind), and the
crux of the story is pulled
Ed Stoppard as seen in “Knightfall”
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