The Bastard Executioner

Premieres September 15th, on FX

Wilkin Brattle, played by Lee Jones, is a 14h century English soldier and under the charge of Edward the First. After the horrors of war follow him home and revenge is directed towards his loved ones, Brattle retires from being a warrior. The first season will revolve around Brattle’s forced return to the English court, as he claims the executioner title. He exchanges one blood-splattered sword for another; past burdens of guilt for new ones; and finds himself to be a different type of merciless weapon within this medieval political system.

Beloved Sons of Anarchy show runner Kurt Sutter is the man behind this new period drama. He understands the early comparisons between his newest creation and HBO’s Game of Thrones. The 14th century English court system politics and Brattle’s newfound faith in the catholic religion will root this series in the history books. While characters like Annora of the Alders, played by Katey Sagal, is a mysterious healer who will entangle Brattle’s story with medieval mysticism. Much like it’s predecessor the Bastard Executioner’s first season will consist of ten episodes.

FX’s The Bastard Executioner trailer click here

Flesh & Bone

Premieres November 8th, on Starz

An eight-episode miniseries structured as a look inside the lives of ballerinas and written in the vain of the critically acclaimed film Black Swan. The series tells the tortured tale of Claire (Sarah Hay), a talented ballerina who is running from a dark past and finds herself joining a New York City company. The trailer promises that this will be a brutally honest look at both Claire’s and her fellow ballerinas struggle for perfection. Filled with eating disorders, rigorous training schedules that result in self-mutilating practices and the self-esteem shattering competitiveness found in this chosen profession.

The most haunting image from the trailer is of a padlocked bedroom door. We don’t see the intruder’s face from behind the door, but we hear his voice as he demands that Claire let him inside. This indicates that Claire is potentially running from an abusive childhood and was sexually assaulted by her stepfather (maybe). Therefore, Claire could possibly be suffering from PTSD as she joins this ballet company. Former Breaking Bad executive producer and writer, Moria Walley-Beckett is the series’ creator. Knowing that Walley-Beckett is directing the ship dispels my belief that the series could potentially fall more in step with the film Center Stage, than Black Swan.

Starz Flesh & Bone trailer click here

Into the Badlands

Premieres November 15th, on AMC

Welcome to the Badlands. A six-episode series that combines the stylized-western
aesthetic of Django Unchained with, the graceful violence found in Kill Bill. This martial arts series is based on the Chinese tale Journey To The West. A fierce enslaved warrior (known as a clipper in the show) named Sunny, played by executive-producer Daniel Wu, stumbles across a young boy named M.K., played by Aramis Knight. They develop a mentor/protégé relationship as they journey together across the dangerous land run by feudal barons.

The most intriguing aspect of the series stems from the villainess named the Widow, portrayed by Emily Beecham.   We are introduced to her as the one behind the attempted capture of M.K., for unknown reasons.  Throughout the Comic-Con trailer we see her deviously wonder the Badlands, as she seeks to claim power by overthrowing the mighty Badland baron, Quinn. Then in a stunning sequence we watch the petite baroness turn into a lethal weapon, as she takes on a slough of assassins in a western burlesque bar.  Much like how The Walking Dead brought new life to the zombie genre, Into the Badlands shows promise in resurrecting the Kung-Fu martial arts genre.  Plus, this maybe the closest thing we will ever have to a Quentin Tarantino television series.

AMC Into the Badlands trailer click here

By Sarah Belmont
Featured Writer
@sjbelmont