User Reviews

In summary, this series deserves a 6/10. Main ups are the opening (9.5) and the acting (8). The major downs is the costumes (4-6) and the writing in some points (5). Biblical accuracy (9) is high but historical accuracy (3.5) is low (not a deep low due to the map and some geographical facts, but it's a medium low). More details below:

1. There was a confusion of whether this was a series or a novel, as since season 2 the plot was on a rhythm of a telenovela, all slow. From season 4 and forward it has adopted some things that would be good for a series plot rhythm, but it still functions as a telenovela somewhat. So in terms of defining their product it took a long road to define it as a telenovela with a frame of a series.

2. Opening - Having some inspiration on the opening of the Game of Thrones, it's one of the best openings the TV producer has made for a telenovela/series. It's one of the most important ups for this series.

3. Costumes - Quality of costumes began medium, then it went to a low, and later it improved. Compared to other biblical series/telenovelas made by the producer, it's been a low, at least for seasons 1-5. Bad planning can be blamed for this, but otherwise it's lack of creativity in the colors and the texture of the costumes. Mostly in the Hebrew costumes, as the clothes of the other kingdoms depicted in the series are better made, colored, and depicted. The Egyptian clothings are pretty good, but it feels like there is some lack in jewelry.

4. Plot Quality- Plot began in a good series rhythm as said before, and has had good ideas for the plot. However, in the execution of these ideas throughout the series, several times it has been slow and stagnant on things that doesn't convey interest to the public (majority of them being 25-35 aged Christians), and can even cause rejection. Seasons 2 and 3 were especially long, stagnant, and weary, to the point of having to change authorship as the rejection of the seasons was big. The new authorship brought a pattern of killing most of the good characters and overusing the "adultery" and "fornication" plots throughout the seasons. In seasons 1-3 the main character was decentralized, and gave more focus to other characters, some of them not properly evolved. In seasons 4-8, with the new authorship came a refocus on the main character, while balancing the other characters.

5. Exhibition - Throughout the scenes in seasons 1-8, as it's heavily inspired in the Game of Thrones, the night scenes are terribly darker than what's usual and not illuminated enough, which was a pretty terrible decision for a series going on TV. The filter in season 1 was particularly weird, with a lack of color (it came under fire of criticism and the filter would change for season 2.) In season 9, the filter changed to more yellowish scenes, not giving enough appreciation to the colors but illuminating a little more. The new font used for season 9 doesn't convey the "medieval" setting/feeling of the series. It feels out of place, although it looks like a more poetic approach from the director. The titles of the episodes for season 9 (previous seasons didn't have titles) are mostly medium to no creativity.

6. Directing - Directing is mostly good, but with several flaws. The quality of battles in season 5 was terrible due to the bad planning (as the recording of the scenes were practically live to the exhibition on TV). The directing would improve later on in the season. The scene photography was not that good (the CGI overuse in season 1 mostly) but it has improved a lot throughout the series.

7. Acting - The acting is good quality, undeniable. The acting would suffer a bit in season 5 due to the fast recording of scenes. But it has improved since then, incorporating well-known names and veterans to aid in the quality. Overall, it's good.

THE FOLLOWING DOESN'T RELATE TO PRODUCTION QUALITY 8. Biblical Accuracy - In terms of depicting biblical events and facts, it's a top. It has been mostly (if not 99%) accurate. Throughout the biblical series made by the producer, this series stands out for biblical accuracy (defining biblical accuracy as accuracy in depicting events and facts shown in the Holy Bible.) It will be impossible for this producer to be 100% accurate, but it's done well in the plot.

9. Historical Accuracy - It's where the series fails terribly.

First of all, the clothing of the Israelites as of 1000 BC were not the depicted clothing of pants for men, tuxedos for wedding, and clothing that looked like medieval clothing (some even look like the princes from the 1900s). There's even one who had a zipper. Nor where of the mono-color, Teletubbies-colored clothing of the women. Only in the cover of the hair, which initially was the wrong one (the cover looked more of a cover of a desert Nomad woman), was fixed in season 7. There was lack of jewelry for the noble women of the harem of the kings (specifically David's, Solomon's was improved).

In the name of historical accuracy, the overuse of adultery and fornication was also very against the customs of the time. Yes, there was some fornication as they were still trying to return to the law, which they had left in the Judges era, but it was never at that rate, especially in a patriarchal society. Many of the characters in the series would've been stoned in those times.

One common error in Christian productions is the depiction of the Philistine king. There actually existed 5 Philistine princes each with their territory, no central king. This series is not an exception in that mistake.

Honestly, this series tried a modern approach at things (mostly relationships) with only a few characteristics of those times, majorly of common knowledge and/or related directly to the Bible. It feels like a ripoff attempt of The Chosen depicting Jesus, without care for all possible traditions, customs, and settings of those times. In other words, it's nowhere near The Chosen in the carefulness in considering historical details while also aggregating characteristics of telenovelas. It overly-modernized the series to our times, with a medieval setting. That's what has caused rejection.

It did give a better approach to Mical (Michal) than the producer's other product, minisseries Rei Davi. It does not satisfy the Jewish tradition, but it's enough. In exchange however, it heavily demonizes Bateseba (Bathsheba) in relation to the adultery with David (not a spoiler, it's in the Bible). It overly demonizes her with high obsession with David, something that in those times of patriarchal society, it would've been treated another way. Good thing the character gets saved (ok, that was a spoiler.)

In summary, I give this production a 6, and this might change later on as the series continues as the quality of the writing fell again in the 9th season.