EPISODE ONE – “YOU’D KNOW WHAT TO DO”
The Knights Templar have been due a good dramatic treatment for a while – and Knightfall looks like it’ll deliver the goods. Of course, much of the politics and intrigue of that historical period had to be explained in the first episode, which has just broadcast in the United States – but I thought this was done effectively without resorting to clunky dialogue.
The plot involves a quest for the Holy Grail and readers of this blog will know that there has been a long association between that sacred vessel and the Knights. People were making the Templar/Grail connection when the order was still in business in the 13th century. Is there a 100% proven link? No, of course not. But it’s fun to speculate and the Templars’ search for the lost Grail will give the series a thrilling impetus.
The action starts in the first episode in the aftermath of defeat for the crusaders at Acre, now called Akko in modern Israel. That brought the crusader project in the Middle East to a thundering close.
During the fighting, the Grail has been lost. A knight called Landry must now retrieve it by whatever means. Everything moves to Paris where the Templars are kicking around with no crusades to fight, their Holy Grail is missing and the King of France, Philip, is involved in some dubious dealings with Pope Boniface VIII. In the middle of all the intrigue is the king’s scheming counsellor William De Nogaret – who has a major downer on the Knights Templar.
The performances from Jim Carter as Boniface VIII and Julian Ovenden as De Nogaret are delicious. They reminded me of the kind of fine acting that made the 1970s BBC series I Claudius such a timeless classic. Sure they’re eating the scenery but it’s fun to watch.
Rather unfairly, in my view, some reviewers of the first episode have made constant comparisons with another History series, Vikings. Well, I guess the simple answer is – the Knights Templar weren’t Vikings. I’d also point out that Vikings got off to a pretty slow start before audiences fell in love with the series.
Clearly, De Nogaret wanted to overcompensate for this family’s past treacherous leanings. He determined to prove to the king that he was the most loyal of French subjects. This craven courtier became a pliant tool of the king’s will and an instrument for his crushing of the Templars.
De Nogaret came up with a novel idea for convincing Pope Boniface of the king’s view. He kidnapped him in Italy. And then mistreated him. But was then forced to release the pope when local townspeople besieged De Nogaret and forced him to flee back to France. When he got back there, King Philip rewarded him handsomely and both men were delighted when news broke that Pope Boniface had died.