Troy: Fall of a City | |
---|---|
Genre | Drama Historical fiction Fantasy |
Created by | David Farr |
Screenplay by | David Farr Nancy Harris Mika Watkins Joe Barton |
Directed by | Owen Harris Mark Brozel |
Starring | |
Composer | Robin Coudert |
Country of origin | United Kingdom United States |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 1 |
No. of episodes | 8 |
Production | |
Executive producers | Derek Wax David Farr |
Producer | Barney Reisz |
Production location | South Africa |
Running time | 56 minutes |
Production companies | Kudos Wild Mercury Netflix |
Original release | |
Network | BBC One (UK) Netflix (international) |
Release | 17 February – 7 April 2018 |
Troy: Fall of a City is a British-American historical drama television miniseries based on the Trojan War and the love affair between Paris and Helen. The show tells the story of the 10-year siege of Troy, set in the 13th century BC. It is not an adaptation of Homer's Iliad or Odyssey but rather an original take on the Greek myths, and covers some ground only alluded to in those works. [1] [2] The series was commissioned by BBC One and is a co-production between BBC One and Netflix, with BBC One airing the show on 17 February 2018 in the United Kingdom, and Netflix streaming the show internationally outside the UK. [3] [4]
The story of the 10-year siege of Troy by the Greeks is told after Paris, the young prince of Troy, and Helen of Sparta, wife of the Greek king Menelaus, fall in love and leave Sparta together for Troy.
The series was filmed near Cape Town and consists of eight episodes. [9] It was written by David Farr, Nancy Harris, Mika Watkins, and Joe Barton, and directed by Owen Harris and Mark Brozel. [5]
No. in series | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | UK viewers (millions) | |
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1 | "Black Blood" | Owen Harris | David Farr | 17 February 2018 | 3.2 Million [10] | |
Zeus has picked Paris to serve as a judge of a beauty pageant of three Greek goddesses: Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. Paris awards the Apple of Discord to Aphrodite. In Troy, Priam who has over 50 sons, recognizes Paris as another one of his sons. Priam dispatches Pandarus and Paris as royal envoys on a diplomatic mission to Sparta. Priam's plan is to arrange the marriage of Paris to Hermione. Paris returns instead with Helen, the unhappily married wife of the Spartan leader Menelaus. | ||||||
2 | "Conditions" | Owen Harris | David Farr | 24 February 2018 | N/A | |
The Mycenaean League headed by Agamemnon hope to win the favor of the gods. They sacrifice a white dove to the goddess Artemis; to their dismay, Artemis rejects their sacrifice. The two sides parley in Troy; Agamemnon demands the customs authority over the Strait of Dardanelles in addition to the return of Helen to her husband Menelaus. Aeneas, the mythological founder of Rome, joins the Trojan side. | ||||||
3 | "Siege" | Owen Harris | Nancy Harris | 3 March 2018 | N/A | |
4 | "Spoils of War" | Mark Brozel | Mika Watkins | 10 March 2018 | 1.6 Million | |
5 | "Hunted" | Mark Brozel | David Farr | 17 March 2018 | N/A | |
Paris, now a disgraced fugitive, pays a visit to his former wife Oenone, but he is not welcome. He blames his plight on the goddess Aphrodite. | ||||||
6 | "Battle on the Beach" | Mark Brozel | Joe Barton | 24 March 2018 | N/A | |
In the hills, Paris finds himself with the Amazon Queen Penthesilea. Patroclus tries to convince Achilles to re-join the war. Afterwards, Hector kills Patroclus. Hector's wife Andromache gives birth to Astyanax, their son. | ||||||
7 | "Twelve Days" | John Strickland | David Farr | 31 March 2018 | N/A | |
Under the direction of the wily Odysseus, Thersites tricks Achilles into thinking that the Trojans have broken their mourning truce, and Achilles re-joins the war. Paris shoots an arrow into Achilles' heel. | ||||||
8 | "Offering" | John Strickland | David Farr | 7 April 2018 | N/A | |
The western Greek alliance at last gains entry to Troy, employing the ruse devised by Odysseus-the Trojan Horse and sack the city. After Helen's betrayal, Melenaus kills Paris. Aeneas (the subject of Virgil's Aeneid ) is one of the few male survivors amongst the Trojans. Helen is taken back to Sparta by Melenaus, and Andromache is seized as a war trophy following the death of her baby son Astyanax. |
The show makes a number of alterations from the original Greek texts, as well as departures from earlier modern adaptations of the legend. [11] For instance, it vilifies Menelaus, proposes a resolution to Briseis' captivity, and omits Aeneas' identity as the son of Aphrodite. [11] The show also omits the final reconciliation between Achilles and Agamemnon from the Iliad, instead replacing this with Agamemnon resorting to "ignoble trickery". [11] It also reimagines the circumstances of the Trojan Horse stratagem by making it filled with grain for the starving city, thus making the Trojans more likely to bring it in. [11] More significantly, it also incorporates myths about the lead-up to the war and about the backgrounds of the major characters that are not found in the Iliad and are not normally included in most modern adaptations. [11]
One of the show's most radical changes from earlier adaptations was its decision to include the Greek gods as human-like characters played by live actors who speak normal dialogue. [11] While the gods are major figures in the original Homeric epics, ever since the mid-twentieth century, adaptations of the Trojan War have nearly always either removed the gods from the story or heavily reduced their role in it. [11] Most twenty-first-century adaptations of the Trojan War, including the film Troy (2004), Alessandro Baricco's Iliad (2004), Margaret George's Helen of Troy (2006), and Alice Oswald's Memorial (2011) omit them entirely. [11] The gods play an active role in the show for the first half of the series, but they recede into the background halfway through after Zeus orders them to stop intervening in the war. [11] Zeus does give this command in the original Iliad, but it is almost immediately violated and eventually repealed entirely. [11]
The most controversial change was the showrunners' decision to cast David Gyasi, a black actor of Ghanaian descent, as Achilles [11] [12] and Nigerian-born Hakeem Kae-Kazim, another black actor, as Zeus. [12] These decisions resulted in almost immediate backlash as both roles are traditionally portrayed by white actors and historically depicted as white. [11] [12]
The show's ratings were a disappointment to its creators. [10] [11] Despite its Saturday night prime time slot and each episode's £2 million budget, [13] [14] the first episode aired to an audience of only 3.2 million viewers, while other shows in the same time slot have easily surpassed 5 million. [10] By episode four, the viewership had dropped to only 1.6 million. [10]
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds a critics' approval rating of 68% based on 25 critic reviews, and an average rating of 6/10. But audiences rated it only at 22/100, with average ratings of only 1.7/10 (500+), indicating overall negative reviews from viewers. [15] The critics' consensus reads: "Troy: Fall of a City never tries to reinvent the bronze wheel, but succeeds in engaging audiences with both royal and divine intrigue, making for a highly enjoyable romp in the lost kingdom." [15]
In a 16 February 2018 review for The Independent , Jacob Stolworthy praised the series for its willingness to alter the myths to explain or remove illogical aspects, [16] as well as Louis Hunter's acting in his lead role as Paris. [16] He also praised the show's elaborate costuming, "its lavish set design, production values and sci-fi soundtrack", [16] commenting, "Viewers are immediately transported to ancient locations (in actuality beautiful Cape Town) in scene one and never relents. If it's escapism you're wanting, series link away." [16] He criticized the first episode; however, for seeming "too tame" in light of the numerous early comparisons to HBO's Game of Thrones . [16]
In an 18 February review for The Guardian , Euan Ferguson praised the show for its faithfulness to the original myths [17] and for its strong portrayal of Helen, which he stated stood in stark contrast to the demure portrayal of the character by Diane Kruger in the 2004 Hollywood blockbuster film Troy , which had starred Brad Pitt as Achilles. [17] Ferguson compared Troy: Fall of a City favourably to Game of Thrones and commented that the show will "hopefully expunge any residual memories of the 2004 Brad Pitt epic". [17] He comments, "...older viewers can marvel at the silked lushness of the sea scenes while revelling in an old tale well told, younger ones can learn a little, about the names of the gods, and the fire-haunted dreams of Cassandra, and about mankind’s ancient rush towards betrayal." [17]
A review from the same day by Rupert Hawksley for The Daily Telegraph tentatively praised Troy: Fall of a City for its more thoughtful, psychologically complicated interpretation of the Trojan War in sharp contrast to the 2004 film Troy, which Hawksley derided as a "shallow flex-fest". [18] Nonetheless, Hawksley criticized the characters' occasionally stilted dialogue. [18] He concluded, "Troy: Fall of a City might just be a fresh, psychologically knotty take on one of the greatest tales of them all." [18] Also on the same day, Camilla Long, reviewing for The Sunday Times , panned the show, writing, "Troy: Fall of a City, a reworking of the oldest drive-by in history, is so far removed from anything Sophocles might recognize, they should have named it The Real Housewives of Ilium." [19]
In a 24 February review for The Spectator , James Walton dismissed the script as "pitched somewhere between a particularly corny Hollywood epic and a play by Ernie Wise", [20] while the dialogue was pronounced "staggeringly creaky and endlessly bathetic". [20] Walton goes on: "'How did you two get together?'. Paris asked Helen and Menelaus at the banquet given in his honour. [...] Impressively, the dialogue even managed to descend into cliché when nobody was actually using any words — as in the scene where the two defeated goddesses from the beauty contest went for one of those anguished bellows that causes all the nearby birds to fly theatrically from the trees." [20]
A review from 28 February by Rachel Cooke for New Statesman panned the show, [21] complaining that "all the men look as if they're in a Calvin Klein ad", that the dialogue is unrealistic, and that its portrayal of Helen and Paris's relationship is "tediously 21st century". [21] Cooke concludes: "The dialogue is so richly silted with self-help banalities, we might as well be watching a Meghan and Harry biopic as a drama inspired by the greatest of all epic poems. There's also something exceedingly creepy about its retro, soft-porny direction (by Owen Harris); every time Helen takes a shower, you half expect her to whip out a Flake." [21]
In an 8 April review for IndieWire, Steve Greene criticized the show for telling the same story that has been told thousands of times before and offering very little innovation. [22] He concludes: "The result is a series more competent than compelling. The tiny diversions from the norm seem thrilling by comparison." [22] He did, however, offer extended praise for David Gyasi's performance as Achilles and Joseph Mawle's performance as Odysseus [22] and for the show's creators' unusual decision to include the gods in the show. [22]
In an unreservedly positive review for Buffalo News on 26 May 2018, Randy Schiff praised the show for its pace and acting, [23] commenting specifically on Hunter, Dayne, Gyasi, Mawle, O'Connor, and Threlfall's performances. [23] He also lauded the portrayal of Helen as a "stately and intelligent" woman whose "deep desire for independence" is only satisfied once she goes to Troy, where women are valued just as much as men. [23] He also expressed wonderment at the show's portrayal of the Greek deities, [23] writing, "I found myself especially mesmerized by the show's eerie presentation of deities: here, spectacularly partisan goddesses strut across raging battlefields, while a world-weary Zeus (Hakeem Kae-Kazim) remains resolutely neutral amidst the chaos." [23]
Andrea Tallarita defended the show in a 28 June 2018 review for PopMatters , arguing that the show's commercial failure may have been partially a result of the viewing audience's ignorance of the original classical texts, which the show treated with surprising fidelity. [11] She generally praised the show, stating that it has "a dignified life of [its] own", [11] but she criticized the decision to make the gods less involved for the second half of the series, as well as the fact that the show limited itself to only include a small number of especially important deities rather than the vast pantheon appearing in the Iliad, calling this decision "such a wasted opportunity". [11]
In Greek mythology, Achilles or Achilleus was a hero of the Trojan War who was known as being the greatest of all the Greek warriors. The central character in Homer's Iliad, he was the son of the Nereid Thetis and Peleus, king of Phthia and famous Argonaut. Achilles was raised in Phthia along with his childhood companion Patroclus and received his education by the centaur Chiron. In the Iliad, he is presented as the commander of the mythical tribe of the Myrmidons.
In Greek mythology, Agamemnon was a king of Mycenae who commanded the Achaeans during the Trojan War. He was the son of King Atreus and Queen Aerope, the brother of Menelaus, the husband of Clytemnestra, and the father of Iphigenia, Iphianassa, Electra, Laodike, Orestes and Chrysothemis. Legends make him the king of Mycenae or Argos, thought to be different names for the same area. Agamemnon was killed upon his return from Troy by Clytemnestra, or in an older version of the story, by Clytemnestra's lover Aegisthus.
Ajax or Aias is a Greek mythological hero, the son of King Telamon and Periboea, and the half-brother of Teucer. He plays an important role in the Trojan War, and is portrayed as a towering figure and a warrior of great courage in Homer's Iliad and in the Epic Cycle, a series of epic poems about the Trojan War, being second only to Achilles among Greek heroes of the war. He is also referred to as "Telamonian Ajax", "Greater Ajax", or "Ajax the Great", which distinguishes him from Ajax, son of Oileus, also known as Ajax the Lesser.
In Greek mythology, Hector is a Trojan prince, a hero and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. He is a major character in Homer's Iliad, where he leads the Trojans and their allies in the defense of Troy, killing countless Greek warriors. He is ultimately killed in single combat by the Greek hero Achilles, who later drags his dead body around the city of Troy behind his chariot.
The Trojan War was a legendary conflict in Greek mythology that took place around the 12th or 13th century BC. The war was waged by the Achaeans (Greeks) against the city of Troy after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, king of Sparta. The war is one of the most important events in Greek mythology, and it has been narrated through many works of Greek literature, most notably Homer's Iliad. The core of the Iliad describes a period of four days and two nights in the tenth year of the decade-long siege of Troy; the Odyssey describes the journey home of Odysseus, one of the war's heroes. Other parts of the war are described in a cycle of epic poems, which have survived through fragments. Episodes from the war provided material for Greek tragedy and other works of Greek literature, and for Roman poets including Virgil and Ovid.
Paris, also known as Alexander, is a mythological figure in the story of the Trojan War. He appears in numerous Greek legends and works of Ancient Greek literature such as the Iliad. In myth, he is prince of Troy, son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba, and younger brother of Prince Hector. His elopement with Helen sparks the Trojan War, during which he fatally wounds Achilles.
Helen, also known as Helen of Troy, Helen of Argos, or Helen of Sparta, and in Latin as Helena, was a figure in Greek mythology said to have been the most beautiful woman in the world. She was believed to have been the daughter of Zeus and Leda or Nemesis, and the sister of Clytemnestra, Castor, Pollux, Philonoe, Phoebe and Timandra. She was married to King Menelaus of Sparta "who became by her the father of Hermione, and, according to others, of Nicostratus also." Her abduction by Paris of Troy was the most immediate cause of the Trojan War.
Briseis, also known as Hippodameia, is a significant character in the Iliad. Her role as a status symbol is at the heart of the dispute between Achilles and Agamemnon that initiates the plot of Homer's epic. She was married to Mynes, a son of the King of Lyrnessus, until the Achaeans sacked her city and was given to Achilles shortly before the events of the poem. Being forced to give Briseis to Agamemnon, Achilles refused to reenter the battle.
Diomedes or Diomede is a hero in Greek mythology, known for his participation in the Trojan War.
In Greek mythology, Deiphobus was a son of Priam and Hecuba. He was a prince of Troy, and the greatest of Priam's sons after Hector and Paris. Deiphobus killed four men of fame in the Trojan War.
Troy is a 2004 epic historical war film directed by Wolfgang Petersen and written by David Benioff. Produced by units in Malta, Mexico and Britain's Shepperton Studios, the film features an ensemble cast led by Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Sean Bean, Brian Cox, Brendan Gleeson and Orlando Bloom. It is loosely based on Homer's Iliad in its narration of the entire story of the decade-long Trojan War—condensed into little more than a couple of weeks, rather than just the quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon in the ninth year. Achilles leads his Myrmidons along with the rest of the Greek army invading the historical city of Troy, defended by Hector's Trojan army. The end of the film is not taken from the Iliad, but rather from Quintus Smyrnaeus's Posthomerica, as the Iliad concludes with Hector's death and funeral.
The Little Iliad is a lost epic of ancient Greek literature. It was one of the Epic Cycle, that is, the Trojan cycle, which told the entire history of the Trojan War in epic verse. The story of the Little Iliad comes chronologically after that of the Aethiopis, and is followed by that of the Iliou persis. The Little Iliad was variously attributed by ancient writers to Lesches of Pyrrha, Cinaethon of Sparta, Diodorus of Erythrae, Thestorides of Phocaea, or Homer himself. The poem comprised four books of verse in dactylic hexameter, the heroic meter.
The Cypria is a lost epic poem of ancient Greek literature, which has been attributed to Stasinus and was quite well known in classical antiquity and fixed in a received text, but which subsequently was lost to view. It was part of the Epic Cycle, which told the entire history of the Trojan War in epic hexameter verse. The story of the Cypria comes chronologically at the beginning of the Epic Cycle, and is followed by that of the Iliad; the composition of the two was apparently in the reverse order. The poem comprised eleven books of verse in epic dactylic hexameters.
Helen of Troy is a 1956 American-Italian-French epic historical drama film, based on Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. It was directed by Robert Wise, from a screenplay by Hugh Gray and John Twist, adapted by Hugh Gray and N. Richard Nash. The music score was composed by Max Steiner and the cinematography by Harry Stradling Sr, who shot the film in CinemaScope.
There are a wide range of ways in which people have represented the Trojan War in literature and the arts.
The Posthomerica is an epic poem in Greek hexameter verse by Quintus of Smyrna. Probably written in the 3rd century AD, it tells the story of the Trojan War, between the death of Hector and the fall of Ilium (Troy). The poem is an abridgement of the events described in the epic poems Aethiopis and Iliou Persis by Arctinus of Miletus, and the Little Iliad by Lesches, all now-lost poems of the Epic Cycle.
The Returns from Troy are the stories of how the Greek leaders returned after their victory in the Trojan War. Many Achaean heroes did not return to their homes, but died or founded colonies outside the Greek mainland. The most famous returns are those of Odysseus, whose wanderings are narrated in the Odyssey, and Agamemnon, whose murder at the hands of his wife Clytemnestra was portrayed in Greek tragedy.
Hakeem Kae-Kazim is a Nigerian-British actor and producer. He portrayed Georges Rutaganda in the film Hotel Rwanda (2004) and won a SAFTA for his performance in the film Riding with Sugar (2020). He produced and starred in Man on Ground (2011), for which he received two Africa Movie Academy Award nominations.
The Iliad is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the Odyssey, the poem is divided into 24 books and was written in dactylic hexameter. It contains 15,693 lines in its most widely accepted version. Set towards the end of the Trojan War, a ten-year siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Mycenaean Greek states, the poem depicts significant events in the siege's final weeks. In particular, it depicts a fierce quarrel between King Agamemnon and a celebrated warrior, Achilles. It is a central part of the Epic Cycle. The Iliad is often regarded as the first substantial piece of European literature.
Our story draws not only on Homer and the Greek dramatists but also on Shakespeare and Chaucer and other retellings. We have also invented bits, and I'm entirely comfortable with that – these are living stories and every retelling adds another layer to the myth
…the plot of Troy: Fall of a City is based mostly on Homer's Iliad. But while the Classical epic kicks off in medias res, literally in the middle of an argument nine years into the topical Greek war, this eight-episode series begins much earlier in the timeline, looking at the lives of the characters (particularly of the Trojans) before the war and drawing on extra-Homeric tales in the process.