Just recently, Prime Video unveiled the first trailer for their upcoming biblical and historical epic series, House of David, a project set to follow Michael Iskander’s David as he grows from shepherd boy to the king of Ancient Israel. Based on the Old Testament narrative, the streaming series looks to bring this age-old tale into the spotlight. But this isn’t the first time the story of David has been adapted for television. About a decade ago, ABC tried its hand at bringing this biblical story to life on network television in a series called Of Kings and Prophets. Haven’t heard of it? That’s not terribly surprising.
‘Of Kings and Prophets’ Wanted To Be the Biblical ‘Game of Thrones’
Set 1,000 years before Christ, Of Kings and Prophets — which was said to be inspired by the biblical Books of Samuel — starred Ray Winstone of Beowulf fame as King Saul and Olly Rix as David, beginning near the end of the former’s tenure as king and prior to the latter’s. As Saul hopes to continue to unite the twelve tribes of Israel through marriage and battle, David seeks to save his family from dishonor. The problem is that Saul has decided to forsake God’s commands, beginning with his failure to wipe out the Amalekites. This causes the prophet Samuel (Mohammad Bakri) to announce that God has rejected Saul and his line, teasing David as the future ruler. Political rivalry, territorial bloodshed, and unforeseen romance all thrive here in Of Kings and Prophets, as the creators behind this biblically-inspired series aimed to tell the story in a way that rivaled HBO’s Game of Thrones.
After the success of Game of Thrones and History Channel’s The Bible miniseries, ABC thought it prudent to combine these sorts of tales. To do so, they crafted a story that highlighted Saul’s military conflicts and adapted David’s killing of the lion in the very first episode. More than that, the series has a vast geography that spans the Ancient Near East (which is really South Africa), with different peoples such as the Philistines, the Amalekites, and the Israelites all warring over the sacred land. Of course, that’s not all. Of Kings and Prophets wasn’t afraid to get steamy and sensual, which caught the attention of various groups who aimed to see the show removed from the network’s 2015-16 lineup, most notably the Parents Television Council.
When speaking with The Hollywood Reporter in 2016, showrunner Chris Brancato was candid about his and the writers’ intent with this series. “We’re going to go as far as we can,” Brancato admitted. “This story is an Old Testament [one that’s] violent [and] sex-drenched. … You will watch a show that is tasteful, but that also tells the story you can read if you want to pick up the Bible.” The showrunner denied that the series was adding more sex and violence than what the stories already portrayed. However, watching the pilot proves that statement untrue. Of Kings and Prophets had no problem adding to the biblical tale. This was particularly true concerning sexual content, which, while admittedly not on the level of Game of Thrones, still manages to feel gratuitous at times. Because it was a network show, ABC also released racier “uncensored” versions of each episode online.
ABC Canceled ‘Of Kings and Prophets’ After Two Episodes (And Released the Rest Online)
It probably won’t come as a surprise that, despite the impressive production value and the talent of the stars involved, Of Kings and Prophets was canceled and removed from the air before its first season even finished airing. The network axed the show after only two episodes total, forcing the rest of the nine-episode season to migrate to an online release. After receiving poor reviews out of the gate, the show garnered a poor start. According to USA Today, only 3.3 million viewers tuned in for the first episode, and nearly a million fewer returned the following week. Instead of sticking out the biblical epic, ABC pulled the plug, and biblical dramas never returned to network television. This came off the heels of NBC’s cancelation of A.D. The Bible Continues (a sequel to The Bible miniseries) the previous year, no doubt turning off broadcast networks from further biblical adaptations.
All nine episodes of Of Kings and Prophets were soon released online, though the series has since faded from the minds of many. While the performances were generally well received, the characterization of David was criticized, and understandably so. Of Kings and Prophets failed to make an impact, but what we’ve seen of House of David seems far more promising. Here’s hoping that the legendary story of Saul and David can finally get the blockbuster adaptation it deserves.
Of Kings and Prophets is available for purchase digitally on Prime Video and Apple TV+ in the U.S.
Of Kings and Prophets
- Release Date
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March 8, 2016
- Network
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ABC
- Directors
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Duane Clark
