Looking for something to fill that Game of Thrones-shaped gap in your viewing schedules until the new season arrives (whenever that actually is)?
Well, you could do worse than checking out Sky Atlantic’s Britannia, the latest historical period drama to hit our screens.
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It’s one that promises to be every bit as dramatic, gripping and bloody as George RR Martin’s finest.
Ahead of its eagerly-awaited premiere, here’s a look at why you need to start getting excited about the ancient Rome epic.
What’s the story?
Set in ‘a mysterious land ruled by wild warrior women and powerful druids who can channel the powerful forces of the underworld,’ Britannia explores the ancient Romans’ conquest of Britain circa AD 43.
Zoe Wanamaker (My Family) and Kelly Reilly (True Detective) play the two Celtic rivals who must put their differences aside to thwart the Roman invasion led by David Morrissey’s (The Walking Dead) politician Aulus Plautius.
Who’s in it?
Alongside the aforementioned trio, Britannia also features a who’s who of British and European acting talent.
Mackenzie Crook (The Office), Hugo Speer (The Full Monty), Julian Rhind-Tutt (Green Wing), Joe Armstrong (Robin Hood) and Ian McDiarmid (Star Wars) are all homegrown names you may well recognise.
While Nikolaj Lie Kaas (Child 44), Stanley Weber (Borgia) and Fortunato Cerlino (Hannibal) are just a few of the famous faces who hail from the continent.
Who’s behind the scenes?
Britannia is the brainchild of Jez Butterworth, the acclaimed playwright and co-writer of box-office hits such as Spectre, Black Mass and Edge Of Tomorrow.
Butterworth has co-penned the show with James Richardson (Bronson, Monsters), Richard McBrien (Spooks, Merlin) and his brother Tom.
Directors include former Eastender Susan Tully, Sheree Folkson (The Decoy Bride) and Christoph Schrewe (Mr. Robot).
Why should I watch it?
Butterworth has said that he’s ‘broadcasting on a frequency that some people clearly won’t get,’ and that he’s hardly watched any television over the past decade, which suggests that the show will be completely different to anything else out there in the current golden age.
But a word of warning for any history pedantics out there; Butterworth has also revealed he’s far more concerned with characterisation than factual accuracies, which is why you’ll see gods and demons mixing with druids and warrior queens.
What do the critics say?
Early indications are that the show is indeed as mad as a box of frogs.
The Guardian described it as a ‘brilliant witch’s brew of a series, more Withnail & I than I, Claudius.’
When can I watch it?
Britannia, the first joint production between Amazon and Sky Atlantic, will premiere on the latter in the UK on January 18. Ten episodes will be screened in total.
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