Amazon Prime’s Britannia is the hottest new series to stream in Casa del Buckler. On January 26, 2018, this original series, which follows the Roman conquest of Britain, became available for streaming.
Amazon Prime streaming just kicked things up a notch with Britannia. Admittedly, I thought Sneaky Pete was the most exciting thing on Amazon until Mrs. Buckler stumbled upon this historical fiction series. Knowing my love for all things ancient Celt, she suggested we check out the trailer. Seconds after it ended, we jumped into Britannia’s first episode. I was blown away by how well the show’s creators replicated what life might have looked like in the ancient Celtic world. (Granted, the show’s creators exaggerated some things for dramatic purposes.) Halfway through the first season, I can confidently say that Amazon Prime’s Britannia is one of the best shows from this streaming service provider.
Britannia TV Series: Setting
Prior to the Roman invasion, ancient Britain was a land divided by several tribes and kingdoms. Throughout history, many of these tribes warred and held grudges against each other, sometimes for decades or longer. In the world of Britannia, the two biggest tribes – the Cantii and the Regni – are locked in a bitter war with each other. (For history buffs, the Cantii represent the Brythonic peoples, while the Regni are the Picts of ancient Scotland.) The Druids, a third group, are the religious leaders of all of Britannia. The Roman legions’ arrival marks the addition of a fourth “tribe” to these lands.
Amazon Prime’s Britannia uses a formula that works for most successful streaming series. Rather than center the story upon one lead character, the series gives us a handful of characters, each with his and her own story arc. Perhaps the best example of this is Stranger Things, which features a host of endearing characters with interesting story lines. This is what makes that streaming series so great, and it works quite well for Britannia, too. Everyone tends to have their favorite character or characters, but we watch each character’s story with interest.
Here are some of the main characters and their story arcs in Britannia:
- Aulus Plautius: Played by David Morrissey (The Governor from The Walking Dead), Plautius is the Roman general in charge of the invasion of ancient Britan. He is both ruthless and cruel, yet has a strange fascination and connection to the Druids.
- Kerra: The rebellious daughter of King Pellanor of the Cantii, Kerra soon finds herself thrust into the role of leading her people against the Romans and their sworn enemy, the Regni. Kerra is played by Kelly Reilly.
- Divis: A former Druid who is now an outcast, Divis claims that he has the spirit of a demon inside of him. Since he displays some magical abilities, lending some credence to his story. Divis (Nikolaj Lie Kaas) believes it’s his mission to conquer the Romans.
- Cait: Played by Eleanor Worthington-Cox, Cait is a young girl who was on the verge of womanhood at the time the Romans invaded. She rescues her injured father, Sawyer, from the Romans to embark upon a dangerous journey to seek refuge in the Cantii kingdom.
In addition to its cast, Britannia features compelling story writing, believable battle scenes, and realistic costumes. The scenery in each shot is breathtakingly beautiful. (The series is filmed in the Czech Republic and Wales.) All of this combine to make a realistic and engaging period piece the conjures up all the myth and mystery that was the ancient Celtic world. This is a pretty big deal to someone who’s 26 percent Munster Irish!
Britannia Series’ Future?
The first season of Britannia has nine episodes. Mrs. Buckler and I were hooked after the first one, and we’ve quickly devoured the next three. Within the next few days, I have every confidence that we’ll have completed what I hope will be the first of many great series. Let’s just hope that Amazon Prime is willing and able to continue this enigmatic and mysterious series. Admittedly, I’m pretty confident about this one because, when it comes to renewing series, Amazon Prime has a better track record than Netflix. I also have a hunch that Britannia will be popular, especially with fans of historical fantasy series.
Speaking of Amazon Prime streaming, here’s what’s available on the network this month:
February 1
American Idiots
Black Spurs
The Cutting Edge
The Cutting Edge: Going for the Gold
Daybreakers
A Fish Called Wanda
Gang Related
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard
Harsh Times
The Haunting
He Said, She Said
Hoodlum
Intersection
Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector
Lulu on the Bridge
Manhattan
Manhunter
Mermaids
Mystic Pizza
An Officer and a Gentleman
Red Dawn
Rollerball
Rollerball
Running Scared
Rustlers’ Rhapsody
Sabrina
Slow Burn
Swimming with Sharks
Terms of Endearment
The Thaw
Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her
The Warriors
February 2
Absentia (Season 1)
February 4
My Dead Boyfriend
February 6
Danica
February 7
The Expanse (Season 2)
February 8
Mother’s Day
February 9
Grand Prix Driver (Season 1) Amazon Prime Original
February 10
Breathe
No Stone Unturned
February 11
Good Time
Run the Tide
February 13
The Ballad of Lefty Brown
Stinky & Dirty Valentine’s Day Special
February 14
National Lampoon Presents Cattle Call
Star Trek
February 16
Human Flow
Logan Lucky
Mozart in the Jungle (Season 4)
February 18
Pocket Listing
Thanks for Sharing
February 23
The Tick (Season 1B)
Thunderbirds are Go! (Season 4)
