The Last Kingdom

**Great, but could be better and decreases in quality in season 4.** I am writing this review after having watched season 4. I have binge watched this TV show and loved it overall, but I was disappointed of how the show decreased in quality in season 4. One reason for that decline might be that the former showrunner and head writer Stephen Butchard quit as the head writer after season 3. Another one might be that a central character of the seasons 1-3 died at the end of season 3 - resulting in a major shift for all the other characters and especially for the main protagonist of the show. Another reason for the decrease in quality seems to be that it becomes more unrealistic, inconsistent and carricaturistic in season 4 than it already was to some extent in the seasons before. To give some examples: I simply hate it when stupid stuff is presented, like kings (or even queens) unnecessarily throwing themselves into the frontlines of battles and thus stupidly (and out of character) putting the whole kindgom under unnecessary risk (as it is very destabilizing for a kindom when a king unexpectedly dies and finding a good successor who is capable of keeping peace and order is difficult and takes time). It may be important if the king is present at the battlefield, but it's ridiculous when they are fighting in the frontlines, they are too valuable to do such things and when they do, it should mean something and not just happen on a regular basis. Especially, since it is established in the show that sudden death in the battlefield frontlines is a likely thing to happen even for the most capable fighters. Or, I hate it when characters do stupid stunts which would get them killed in no time in real life (like running through a shield wall alone and then finding themselves fighting alone surrounded by enemies). I don't mind in general when characters do stunts like that, but it should be consistent in terms of world-building and it should be explained how the characters can do such things without wearing plot armor and for example without enemy fighters who are surrounding them just standing there, doing nothing and just waiting for their turn to be attacked for no good reason. So, it has always been a problem in the show that such stupid stuff happens. But season 4 took that to a new level and I hated it. Especially when we are looking at the character of Brida for example - she is transformed into an inhuman monstrocity regarding her capabilities and her motivations, therefore I can't take anything that happens with her seriously anymore. This review is more a rant about season 4 than it is a balanced and complete review of the whole show. So let let me give an overall review with this short summary: it is or at least was a great show and seasons 1-3 would deserve to rightfully be given 8 or 9 stars out of 10, but right now after season 4 it is just a 7/10. The show is still good and it has the advantage that it is based on an already finished book series of 13 titles (2 book titles resulting in 1 season each, so there are probably 3 or 4 seasons more to come if the show remains successful) - so that it probably won't get much worse than season 4 as the new authors don't have to come up with a plot from scratch and thus will be able to hold some level of quality thanks to the already existing books. But I really hope that it gets better than that again, just as it was in seasons 1-3.