Overview

• The BBC period drama starring James Norton and Nikolaj Coster‑Waldau premiered this week on BBC One and iPlayer.
• The Independent’s review describes the cinematography as “almost unwatchably dark” and argues the limited worldbuilding makes the setting feel small.
• Eddie Marsan’s Edward the Confessor and Juliet Stevenson’s Queen Emma draw notice as clearer standouts in otherwise muted characterisation, according to the review.
• Tatler details multiple departures from established accounts and says the show prioritises dramatic invention over strict accuracy.
• Coster‑Waldau and Norton acknowledge creative liberties in interviews, framing the series as fiction informed by real events rather than a faithful retelling.