Knightfall

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Season 1
Season #: 2, 1
User Score
5.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 64 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 64
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 64
  3. Negative: 20 out of 64
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User Reviews

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  1. BangkokJoe45
    Dec 25, 2017
    6
    Less than enamoured with the season premiere. Then episodes 2 and 3 confirmed my initial disappointment. Basically the story line hovers on day time soap opera, and not the realistic freedom that the History Channel gives you. I knew by the first two episodes of Vikings and Game Of Throne that they would be "keepers". In KNIGHTFALL , for instance, would any woman of that time period, everLess than enamoured with the season premiere. Then episodes 2 and 3 confirmed my initial disappointment. Basically the story line hovers on day time soap opera, and not the realistic freedom that the History Channel gives you. I knew by the first two episodes of Vikings and Game Of Throne that they would be "keepers". In KNIGHTFALL , for instance, would any woman of that time period, ever deny the King of France ? I think not. Or would the Queen of France at that time period, ever have the freedom of roaming amoung peasants unnoticed ? No again! KNIGHTFALL lacks the realistic aura necessary to capture a trekkie following.… Expand
  2. jakefabo
    Jan 2, 2018
    3
    This show started out alright, and the costume and setting were well executed... as soon as you get to know the characters though, it’s all downhill. They are terribly written and are all immediately shown to have forced character flaws and are completely un-likeable. I watched up to episode 2 and it lost me... disappointing after how good Vikings was and I was expecting a lot moreThis show started out alright, and the costume and setting were well executed... as soon as you get to know the characters though, it’s all downhill. They are terribly written and are all immediately shown to have forced character flaws and are completely un-likeable. I watched up to episode 2 and it lost me... disappointing after how good Vikings was and I was expecting a lot more historical context and perspective in terms of character motives and their relationships with their gods and each other. This was just a soap opera in a medieval setting, why should I care?… Expand
  3. MrNonono
    Dec 26, 2017
    3
    A dramatized historic television show that might interest a 13-year old about templar knights, with nicely groomed hair who yell and fight like WWE wrestlers. Filmed in some kind of archaeological museum, with huge modern windows, safety railings in staircases and exhibition rooms with unclear medieval objects. If you look passed all these mistakes, you can enjoy a basic superhero showA dramatized historic television show that might interest a 13-year old about templar knights, with nicely groomed hair who yell and fight like WWE wrestlers. Filmed in some kind of archaeological museum, with huge modern windows, safety railings in staircases and exhibition rooms with unclear medieval objects. If you look passed all these mistakes, you can enjoy a basic superhero show about good guys with capes and manly-man looks fighting an evil conspiracy (involving Arabs obviously) and a secret weapon.… Expand
  4. Vard
    Dec 8, 2017
    10
    as a big fan and cosplayer of the knights Templar, i was excited to hear about this show.
    First episode seems interesting enough, and the show has great production quality.
    i look forward to watching more of it
  5. Wolfenstein51
    Dec 19, 2017
    9
    Very good show. Not sure why critics don't like it. The action is top notch, has high production values and a good plot to boot. Give it a chance and you might be surprised.
  6. visiblelight7
    Jan 14, 2018
    2
    Just by the way the show started in the first 5 minutes, I realized it was going to be a complete letdown. It starts by throttling you immediately into action and combat but when you pay attention it looks like a total soap opera show... I was expecting better than this from the history channel. What a shame. Instead of a show that takes itself serious because it is serious, we get aJust by the way the show started in the first 5 minutes, I realized it was going to be a complete letdown. It starts by throttling you immediately into action and combat but when you pay attention it looks like a total soap opera show... I was expecting better than this from the history channel. What a shame. Instead of a show that takes itself serious because it is serious, we get a show that THINKS it can be serious by plugging all sorts of goofy action scenes and dialogue that is what you would expect for a saturday morning cartoon. They should've kept the tone dark and serious and mature.

    I couldn't get past 10 minutes of this crap. I'll stick to vikings or Game of thrones.    … Expand
  7. Kamrann
    Feb 1, 2018
    8
    First episode is terrible but as times goes the show gets better. only downside is that except for small twists the main story is pretty much predictable.
  8. KnightMarshal
    Dec 17, 2017
    7
    Knightfall is Glorious Schlock on a truly epic level. I expect no less from the legendary history channel. This reveiw only from the first Episode so far.
  9. gllull
    Dec 20, 2017
    2
    For a show supposedly set around historical events, it lacks historical accuracy, particularly in what seems to be one of the main plots by chapter 2. If it has all been as well document as they say, how is it possible to confused one of the main kingdoms in Europe at the time (Kingdom of Navarra) for a non-existing kingdom (Kingdom of Catalonia), particularly when two of the mainFor a show supposedly set around historical events, it lacks historical accuracy, particularly in what seems to be one of the main plots by chapter 2. If it has all been as well document as they say, how is it possible to confused one of the main kingdoms in Europe at the time (Kingdom of Navarra) for a non-existing kingdom (Kingdom of Catalonia), particularly when two of the main characters, King Philip and Queen Juana of France, were also King and Queen of Navarra. Also, non flick knifes on the 1300s...… Expand
  10. IMAJNE
    Jan 20, 2018
    8
    Don't let the critics fool you, Knightfall is an excellent show. Wardrobe/cotumes are especially well done. The action is convincing and the drama isn't overstated.
  11. KY_KID
    Jan 11, 2018
    1
    After watching six episodes, it is apparent that History does not want to let the facts get in the way of a good story. If you allow for the Holy Grail to be the driving force of a "historical" drama, then it is probably best to indicate the series is "inspired by" instead of "based on" the facts surrounding the fall of the Knights Templar. Beginning with the casual interactions of theAfter watching six episodes, it is apparent that History does not want to let the facts get in the way of a good story. If you allow for the Holy Grail to be the driving force of a "historical" drama, then it is probably best to indicate the series is "inspired by" instead of "based on" the facts surrounding the fall of the Knights Templar. Beginning with the casual interactions of the Templars with women, their modern style beards, and the depiction of Philip as a benevolent friend to the Order, this series completely misrepresents the reality of life during this time period. De Nogaret was a trusted lieutenant who operated with Philip's full blessing to bring down the Order. Philip had already been denied entrance into the Order in real life and wanted nothing more than to become a modern day Charlemagne. He used his daughter as a pawn to secure the English throne, even though Edward II was clearly not interested in women, because any subsequent children would have a claim to both thrones. Sadly, that did not work out as planned with Edward III, but that is a different (and better) story. This was how politics worked in the Middle Ages and Philip, while being described as angelic on the outside, was ruthless and cruel in has actions.

    I was excited by the prospect of seeing the History Channel cover the Templars. Now I watch the show because I am interested in seeing how far off the reservation they will go before it is finished. Taken as a Medieval-based drama set in the 12th or 13th century with a different French King, this show is very entertaining. The History Channel promised to deliver "the truth we never knew" (or something similar) about the fall of the Templar's, which is not what has been delivered. This may be my fault for enjoying Vikings so much, which integrates facts with fiction well. I truly hope others like this show but, for me, it will be forgotten pretty much as soon as it ends.    … Expand
  12. PeriodLover
    Feb 11, 2018
    10
    Just finished watching the last 2 episodes of s1... I am all torn up and having a whole range of emotions. I tend to get right inside the characters of shows I watch, and I enjoy the ride and appreciate the distraction from my personal problems. I looked forward to this show more than anything else on tv, and I really loved several of the characters! The period shows are my absoluteJust finished watching the last 2 episodes of s1... I am all torn up and having a whole range of emotions. I tend to get right inside the characters of shows I watch, and I enjoy the ride and appreciate the distraction from my personal problems. I looked forward to this show more than anything else on tv, and I really loved several of the characters! The period shows are my absolute favourite of any genre and I soak them up. I haven’t watched Vikings yet, it looks more violent than I care for. I would love Knightfall to be renewed for another season. I am inspired to follow up and read some history about this period, having always been a fan of anything with swords, Europe, the crusades, the church, royal courts, etc. I don’t see why anyone would bother to write a poor review of Knightfall. It’s my kind of show! … Expand
  13. Pr0teus
    Dec 9, 2017
    1
    Overall- episode 1, the set piece of any opening game proves instead to be mediocre, trite, naive, underdeveloped, unsophisticated and lack lustre.

    If Game of Thrones, Vikings and the like represent the pinnacle of fine dining for viewers, then this hotly anticipated production is a bag of crisps.
  14. bob516
    Dec 13, 2017
    0
    Where to begin, it had a too clean fairy tale look to it, with unbelievable circumstances. The things I hated about this show is too long to list, so I will say, godawful, or maybe better, God, awful.
  15. imamaidenurshel
    Dec 6, 2017
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. hello my naqme is aidne ursche;l and I HAVE TO SAYT that i thinnk it is BAd aND WRONG that this show has on;yym 49 percent on thois webwite. it is a VERY good show and i thinnk that is deserves a 101 percent because it is vernty good. it has lots of knight sand vikings in it it is beryh good to waTch when you want6 to asee some knights and vikinga and thi9ngas like thatr fiti g. please raise the score thaNkds yuou iam my name is IADNE URSCHDL… Expand
  16. TroyWaddell
    Mar 8, 2018
    0
    I am most unimpressed with the series to date having watched the first 6 episodes. The script is wafer thin, the acting, mediocre, and the plot and scenes beggar belief when it comes to plausibility. I am left wondering at every turn "but surely, in real life.......". Frankly I wouldn't recommend this to anyone with an eye for detail & continuity.
  17. Poisonedblade
    Mar 22, 2019
    4
    Costumes, setting, and action are all good.
    But, Knightfall forgets that the audience has to like or relate to the characters in order for the drama to work. If characters do bad or stupid things without their motivations being justified or properly explained, then the story doesn't matter. The show also needs more emotion... happiness, sadness, triumph, etc... It feels like you're    Costumes, setting, and action are all good.
    But, Knightfall forgets that the audience has to like or relate to the characters in order for the drama to work. If characters do bad or stupid things without their motivations being justified or properly explained, then the story doesn't matter. The show also needs more emotion... happiness, sadness, triumph, etc... It feels like you're watching characters march from plot point to plot point because the story demands it.    … Expand
  18. LinttaFlamingo
    Dec 15, 2018
    7
    Knightfall is not perfect but I think they could be going somewhere with this.

    This show about the Knights Templar searching for this Holy Grail started as a very mixed bag and continued as such but there was something that kept me coming back to it. The story was actually quite interesting to watch. The first three episodes are a lot of just talking and explaining how everyone knows    Knightfall is not perfect but I think they could be going somewhere with this.

    This show about the Knights Templar searching for this Holy Grail started as a very mixed bag and continued as such but there was something that kept me coming back to it. The story was actually quite interesting to watch. The first three episodes are a lot of just talking and explaining how everyone knows each other and who's this and who's this random farming c*nt that just joins in to the crew randomly, but eventually the story started to grip me and it basically becomes one of those stories where all of these characters start to turn against each other since they all want this thing that this whole show's been building up for. I enjoyed it even though it was VERY predictable. The show was also very generous with the action that I thought was alright even if it was a bit samey at points and a couple times the show basically had action just invade a dramatic dialogue scene. I guess to just have a twist or something. It's a bit dumb but still engaging to watch.

    I'm not sure what to really call Knightfall when it comes to the genres. It has action, it has a lot of soapy melancholic drama, and a lot of character moments where we're clearly supposed to feel something but the show doesn't exactly develop its characters almost at all. I think there was one scene that had some genuine characterization for two people, and it was in the seventh episode. That's pretty damn late to start giving these people some personality even though I loved the scene itself. When action happens, the show just goes for it and it's bloody and loud. But sometimes the show slows down to have more politics and melodrama and I wasn't really sure what the show's going for. Is it trying to be Game of Thrones 2? No idea. It's a bit of a mess at times when it comes to the writing and pacing. Most of the events in this show are real events that happened but they also have some fictional stuff shoved in. Pope Boniface VIII is alive in this show even though it takes place in 1307 and I also read that the Knights weren't allowed to be drunk or swear in public, but those rules are just thrown out the window here, but it didn't really bother me.

    So it's basically an overblown mess of ideas, but what kept me going were the visuals and high production value, the consistent enough drama and the action. But I didn't give a s*it about a single character. That eventually became a problem. There's this one twist that I wasn't expecting despite the story being very predictable, but even that twist was hard to care about since the character was still just a cardboard cutout that talks and yells and sometimes fights and then talks again. I kinda felt bad for this one character that gets thrown out of the Templar Knights, but still just kinda. The writers are more interested in the story than the characters, much more.

    Also in the middle of all drama that's sometimes interesting and sometimes just retarded, there's also a big lack of comedic moments. Everything in this world is oh so horrible and oh so saaaaaaaaddd. I don't think I catched a single joke or a clever line of dialogue that would make me smile unless it was unintentional comedy like "DID YOU PLEASURE YOURSELF WHILE YOU WATCHED ME?!" Also I don't think there were any set pieces either. There was one explosion and a guy did a cool parkour jump down from a hanging rope to save this one guy from being hanged. It was pretty funny, but nothing else really.

    So it's basically a very mixed bag that I still actually enjoyed watching. It's more of a drama, but it also has action that's... alright??? Nothing in the show is as bad as the critics are saying that's for sure. The show is filled with potential and there's a second season coming which I have hope for. I would recommend this if you're able to watch through a lot of exposition first.    … Expand
  19. jaasieljunior
    Mar 5, 2018
    6
    De fato, Knightfall deixou a desejar. Embora seja uma nota mediana, a série era vista como grande expectativa em termos de batalhas, guerras.. mas a série nos poupa de tudo.é arrastada e completamente difícil de maratonar. o protagonista não me convence e foi completamente mal escalado. Contudo, a história , se bem planejada nas próximas temporadas, possa nos surpreender.
  20. Spartan91
    Apr 4, 2019
    4
    This is sort of an average/below average show. It's okay on acting and has pretty good production values. The action has its moments and historical accuracy is about what you'd expect from a show like this, bad to horrible. The story on the other hand moves between average and just bad. At it's best it's just tired clichés, even if it has it's moments, and plotlines kind of develop the wayThis is sort of an average/below average show. It's okay on acting and has pretty good production values. The action has its moments and historical accuracy is about what you'd expect from a show like this, bad to horrible. The story on the other hand moves between average and just bad. At it's best it's just tired clichés, even if it has it's moments, and plotlines kind of develop the way you expect them too. Season 1 episode 7 one storyline made this go from just unimaginative to completely moronic ex-machinas, this was the worst and dumbest but not exactly the only case in this series.
    If you have nothing else to watch and need something that looks good but is ultimately more than forgetable and sometimes frustratingly moronic, this can be it.    … Expand
  21. dran9
    Feb 2, 2018
    10
    very good plot with very good action. why critics don't like it i cant understand ?!
  22. ChrisMT
    Feb 10, 2018
    7
    Just finished watching the first season and I really liked it. I get the mixed reviews but people who give it a below 5 score are just overrating. For starters, the production value is amazing, with very believable sets and period clothing which absorbs you right away. Especially the armours and the guards' suits will appeal to the lovers of all things medieval. The battles are great andJust finished watching the first season and I really liked it. I get the mixed reviews but people who give it a below 5 score are just overrating. For starters, the production value is amazing, with very believable sets and period clothing which absorbs you right away. Especially the armours and the guards' suits will appeal to the lovers of all things medieval. The battles are great and full of action (and stress, if we are talking about the last ones), really showing you the brutality of warfare. The cinematography is good, except from the shots from inside the templar's helmets which are a little awkward. The Grail plot starts becoming very interesting after 3 or 4 episodes, along with the other ones which progress well too. The dialogue is alright most of the time and really good in important scenes. The actors' performances are quite convincing too. There are flaws, don't get me wrong, but i think we ought to give the show a chance. I hope the team fixes the problems in the next season (if there is one)
    And also, as far as historical accuracy is concerned, i don't understand where people have a problem. What do you expect from a Historical Fiction show? The fact that some people mention the line from the trailer that says something along the lines of "learn the true story behind the Grail" as a form of criticism to the show's historical inaccuracy is truly astonishing to me. Did you really expect to learn the REAL story behind the HOLY GRAIL? Something we are not even sure of its existence?
    Now for what i specifically enjoyed and what i think could be improved
    *SPOILERS AHEAD*

    Things i liked:
    -The Pope's manipulative character
    -King Philip's real colors progressively showing as the season progresses
    -Battles, especially the final one
    -Landry's trial
    -The Grail dynamic throughout the season
    -The Brotherhood of Light concept
    -Second and third characters such as the ex-Muslim doctor, the Templar Grand Master
    -Queen Joan's death scene, with wonderful acting from everybody involved
    and many more

    Things i didn't like/or/felt weren't very well communicated:
    -Gwein's eventual betrayal. The fact that he did all that because of his leg injury and the psychological pain it caused him was believable but could have been conveyed better
    -Landry's mother reveal    … Expand
  23. Lleenn53
    Aug 6, 2018
    0
    I’m sorry to say this series does nothing for me. A boring script, and a boring story. I don’t know why they would want to make another series.
  24. DasBentley
    Mar 16, 2019
    3
    The show has great atmosphere and its good to look at but the characters and story were laughably bad. The trailer for season 2 leaves me hopeful for the future of the show but as of yet its not worth a watch.
  25. AndyPoulis
    Apr 29, 2019
    10
    great story line and photography. Can't see what's coming. Series should continue for years.

Awards & Rankings

46
#46 Most Discussed TV Season of 2017
54
#54 Most Shared TV Season of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
47

Mixed or average reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 12
  3. Negative: 2 out of 12
  1. Salon
    Reviewed by: Melanie McFarland
    Dec 6, 2017
    30
    In piecing together the why and how of the Templars’ decline showrunner Dominic Minghella and his writing team lazily paste together a collage of conceits familiar to any sword and/or sorcery fan--and many of those films did a better job at selling such a story.
    Read full review
  2. Vox.com
    Reviewed by: Emily VanDerWerff
    Dec 6, 2017
    40
    The shots are perfunctory, designed to give us just enough information to keep following the story and nothing more. The performances are fine, but they rarely rise above BBC historical reenactment. The scripts are so wrapped up in explaining how everybody’s connected to everybody else that they become exhausting.
    Read full review
  3. IndieWire
    Reviewed by: Steve Greene
    Dec 6, 2017
    50
    Ambitious in its scale, but hamstrung by its conventions, Knightfall often confuses violence and brutality for visceral authenticity.
    Read full review
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