‘The Last Kingdom’ Season 5 Review: Uhtred And Company Deliver An Amazing Final Season

In 2015, The Last Kingdom premiered during Vikings’ peak in popularity. It was meant to be, as the History Channel’s show became a sensation around the world. The Last Kingdom, like many other shows, would try to follow the trend and give audiences more of what they loved. This decision might not have worked as well for other shows, but for The Last Kingdom it was a blessing. Vikings’ decline in quality forced audiences to look elsewhere, and there The Last Kingdom found a new home on Netflix, where it thrived, delivering three more seasons after basically being abandoned by the BBC, which produced the show originally.
That’s all history, but it needs to be told because The Last Kingdom managed to become something truly amazing. The show initially rode on the success of Vikings but quickly managed to become its own thing, thanks to the stunning source material, penned by Bernard Cornwell. The show won audiences with its intricate plotting, fascinating characters, truly historical accuracy, and tons of action. Now, as the show delivers its final season, Uhtred, son of Uhtred says goodbye, but he does it with a bang and the promise that we will see him again.
The Last Kingdom is developed by Stephen Butchard and stars Alexander Dreymon, Mark Rowley, Emily Cox, Millie Brady, Eliza Butterworth, and Stefanie Martini. The show tells the adventures of Uhtred, son of Uhtred. A half-English, half-Dane, who manages to meet kings and queens while he tries to recover his legacy and build a new life in the middle of the most violent and unstable time for England.
Since its first season, The Last Kingdom has been known for being a show with a break-necking pace, and this last season is no different. This time, the season takes the events of The Flame Bearer and War of the Wolf books and combines them into one hell of a season of television. There’s action, romance, tragedy, comedy, intrigue, and lots of drama. Basically, everything that we have come to expect from the show. And thanks to Netflix and the production team behind the show, The Last Kingdom has never looked or sounded better than this.
It might well be because it is the final season, but this time the show has a feeling of grandeur around it. This is something that previous seasons lacked. You truly feel, as each episode comes forward, that the tale of Uhtred is coming to an end. While we are sad to see him go, the show is so well-executed that we can’t stop watching it.
Netflix releases the complete season at once, and there’s nothing better than binge-watching a season of The Last Kingdom. There’s always something happening, and yet, the show finds enough time to give the characters the scenes they need for their development. It has been magical to see how the filmmakers have always managed to find that balance. A balance that many other shows and movies fail constantly to achieve, but The Last Kingdom does it, apparently, effortlessly.
Alexander Dreymon is fantastic as Uhtred. The actor has used his charisma and remarkable range to bring to life one of the best heroes in modern television. In this last season, Dreymon keeps flexing his acting chops, and proves once again that he was the perfect casting for the character. No one else could be Uhtred.
Each new episode brings new problems that the characters need to solve, and the resolutions come just as quickly, but it never feels rushed. It is truly incredible to see such a quality show and think that The Last Kingdom is still unknown to so many people. Maybe now, with the show ending, people can give it a chance and experience the complete story without rest.
The costumes and set design remain as good as ever, demonstrating how the period could be harsh and beautiful at the same time. The cinematography also takes a step-up this time, especially with an opening that sets the mood perfectly for an event that has been gestating since season one. The payoffs are truly satisfying.
If there’s something to complain about this last season of The Last Kingdom, it is precisely the fact that it is the last one. There are still books in the series that could be adapted for one truly final season. However, Netflix has decided that this is the end of the road for the story, at least in the form of a TV show.
Netflix has greenlit a feature film that will serve as the true ending of the story and the characters, and it will be shot through 2022. If this film adapts the last three books, we don’t know. It doesn’t seem like it, but at least the story will have a true ending. The creative team and the audience deserve it.
For those who have not yet experienced the tale of Uhtred, this is the perfect time to jump in and experience one of the best TV and most underrated shows of the past decade.
Destiny is all.