| The Bastard Executioner | |
|---|---|
_(2).jpg) | |
| Genre | Historical fiction |
| Created by | Kurt Sutter |
| Starring |
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| Theme music composer |
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| Composer | Bob Thiele Jr. |
| Country of origin | |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producer | Chris Thompson |
| Cinematography |
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| Editors |
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| Running time | 46–63 minutes |
| Production companies | |
| Original release | |
| Network | FX |
| Release | September 15 (2015-09-15) – November 17, 2015 (2015-11-17) |
The Bastard Executioner is an American historical fiction drama television series, created byKurt Sutter, that aired onFX from September 15, 2015, to November 17, 2015.[1] On November 18, 2015, Sutter announced that he had voluntarily pulled the plug on the show, after one season, as a cancellation by FX was imminent.[2]
Set in early 14th centuryWales, Wilkin Brattle, a Welshknight in the army ofKing Edward I of England, is betrayed by an Englishman with a lust for power who leaves him for dead. When Brattle is near death, a child apparition implores him to lay down his sword and follow the path of a different man.
Later in life, Brattle lives as a happily married peasant farmer in Wales, awaiting the birth of his child. His new life of peace is shattered by the unbearable taxes assessed on the peasants by "Baron" Erik Ventris, the man who had betrayed Brattle. Pressured by his fellow villagers, Brattle leads a raid on the Baron's tax collector, which provokes Ventris' revenge killing of all the women and children in Brattle's village, and the burning of that village.
Brattle's raiders battle with the Baron, ending in Ventris' death and the massacre of his troops. Revenge, however, is not complete, as the raiders want all the soldiers who slaughtered their kin to die by the sword.
Brattle assumes the identity of Gawain Maddox, ajourneyman punisher (executioner) injected into the plot just moments before the Baron's death. Brattle, aka Maddox, enters Castle Ventris intending to identify the remaining murderers so his fellow raiders can exact revenge. However, castle intrigue traps Brattle in his new alias and disdainful profession, forcing him to lead a double life while trying to determine whether this new path is the one the apparition has chosen for him, or if he has been led astray.
The plot partially involves the fallout from the real-lifeWelsh revolt of 1294–95 against English rule, led byMadog ap Llywelyn.[3][4]
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code | US viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Pilot" | Paris Barclay | Kurt Sutter | September 15, 2015 (2015-09-15) | 1WAY01 | 2.11[8] |
| 2 | 1WAY02 | |||||
| 3 | "Effigy / Ddelw" | Paris Barclay | Kurt Sutter & Charles Murray & Nichole Beattie | September 22, 2015 (2015-09-22) | 1WAY03 | 1.09[9] |
| 4 | "A Hunger / Newyn" | Ciaran Donnelly | Curtis Gwinn | September 29, 2015 (2015-09-29) | 1WAY04 | 1.26[10] |
| 5 | "Piss Profit / Proffidwyr Troeth" | Kari Skogland | Roberto Patino | October 6, 2015 (2015-10-06) | 1WAY05 | 1.12[11] |
| 6 | "Thorns / Drain" | Billy Gierhart | John Barcheski & Kurt Sutter | October 13, 2015 (2015-10-13) | 1WAY06 | 0.94[12] |
| 7 | "Behold the Lamb / Gweled yr Oen" | Ashley Way | Carly Wray & Kurt Sutter | October 20, 2015 (2015-10-20) | 1WAY07 | 0.83[13] |
| 8 | "Broken Things / Pethau Toredig" | Ciaran Donnelly | Ryan Scott & Kurt Sutter | November 3, 2015 (2015-11-03) | 1WAY08 | 1.08[14] |
| 9 | "The Bernadette Maneuver / Cynllwyn Bernadette" | Paris Barclay | Robert Patino & Curtis Gwinn & Kurt Sutter | November 10, 2015 (2015-11-10) | 1WAY09 | 0.82[15] |
| 10 | "Blood and Quiescence / Crau a Chwsg" | Ashley Way | Kurt Sutter | November 17, 2015 (2015-11-17) | 1WAY10 | 0.87[16] |
The Bastard Executioner, the first pilot for Imagine TV withFX Network, stemmed from an idea by Grazer: "I find the executioner to be an incredibly fascinating and provocative character", he said. "He deals with the highest order and the lowest order in the culture. It's about as morally complex a profession as you can imagine". Grazer pitched the idea to20th Television chairmenDana Walden and Gary Newman. The two, along with Fox21 president Bert Salke, suggested Sutter as writer. After meeting with Grazer and taking some time to contemplate the idea, Sutter built a whole world around it, and the pitch was taken to FX.[17]
Sutter explained the writing process and obstacles for the show on hisvlog: "It's sort of fun of jumping into completely different world, completely different time, completely different vernacular, it's a toughest thing for me right now with the pilot is the story is all broken on my board here but you know trying to find different rhythms of speech and vernacular". Sutter held his fans hostage who were eagerly waiting for his new project. "I'm not writing it on period speech just because there's no actual recording of what that vernacular sounded like with intonation and everything."[18]
The series was announced in December 2013. Sutter began writing the scripts once the last episode ofSons of Anarchy had wrapped up in late 2014.[17] He reported, Katey Sagal is "definitely...involved" in the series.[19]
Paris Barclay, who directed 15 episodes ofSons of Anarchy, directedThe Bastard Executioner pilot and was executive producer. Charles Murray, a writer/co-executive producer of the last two seasons ofSons of Anarchy, was a writer/co-executive producer onThe Bastard Executioner series.[20] Nichole Beattie was anotherSons of Anarchy alumna onThe Bastard Executioner writing staff; she has also written extensively forAMC'sThe Walking Dead andRubicon.[21]
The Bastard Executioner was filmed inWales,United Kingdom, and featured a mostlyBritish cast.[22]
Barclay left for the UK on January 2 to work on casting and location matters. Sutter stayed in the US to finalize the script.[23] He joined Barclay a few days later in the United Kingdom.[24] The draft of the pilot script was sent to the studio executives at FX on 7 January.[25][better source needed] During mid-January, Sutter and Barclay visited several possible shooting locations in Wales, includingCaerphilly Castle[26][27] andFforest Fawr.[28][29]
Filming began on 23, 2015.[30] The show's producers spent 10 months considering locations in Wales with the help of theWelsh Government's Wales Screen service, which encourages film and television productions to use locations, crews, and facilities throughout Wales.[31] The project was one of the first major productions to move intoPinewood Studios' new facility inCardiff.[32]
The set for the series, in the form of a medieval village with a small castle, was constructed to the west ofCardiff atDragon International Film Studios inLlanilid.[33]
On May 22, 2015,The Bastard Executioner was picked up for a 10-episode series for fall launch.[34]
On November 18, 2015, Sutter announced that FX was planning on canceling the series so Sutter decided to voluntarily pull the plug even though he had not actually received an official notice of cancelation. He could have filmed more episodes, but since the show's fate was already decided, he saw that as a waste of time and money.[2]
Reviews forThe Bastard Executioner were polarized with praise being directed toward the action sequences and acting, and criticism toward the writing, pacing, limited character development, and excessive violence. It holds a rating of 49% on the review aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, based on 53 critics; the website's consensus reads: "Kurt Sutter'sThe Bastard Executioner doesn't want for dark thrills, but it unfortunately has more enthusiasm for brutality and gore than necessary narrative focus."[35] Out of 37 reviews inMetacritic, the show holds a rating of 55.[36]