Paris – 19 July 2026: In “The Last Kingdom,” the past wears chain mail, fights sword battles and, above all, negotiates belonging. In his summer series on shows that retell history, Laurent Valière turns his attention on Franceinfo this Sunday to the British historical drama. Its five seasons remain available on Netflix and take viewers to England in the early Middle Ages.
At the center is Uhtred of Bebbanburg, played by Alexander Dreymon. Born the son of a Saxon nobleman, he is raised by Danish Vikings after a raid. This dual upbringing gives the series its distinctive tone: Uhtred belongs to two worlds, yet is never entirely at home in either. His desire to reclaim his right to his homeland of Bebbanburg links the personal story to the political drama.
The historical reference point is the period in which Alfred the Great defended his kingdom of Wessex against Scandinavian conquerors. The series does not turn the complex creation of England into a seminar, but neither does it use history as mere costume scenery. Alliances shift, questions of faith become questions of power, and family ties become risky contracts. It is precisely this friction between Saxons and Danes that gives the battles their narrative significance.
“The Last Kingdom” is based on Bernard Cornwell’s novel series “The Saxon Stories.” Uhtred is a fictional character, but many rulers and conflicts have historical models. The format therefore takes the liberties of fictional storytelling without entirely detaching its world from historical ground. Its strength lies less in meticulous reconstruction than in imagining how divided a life in a country without a fixed national identity might have been.
Netflix lists the series as a British historical drama with five seasons; alongside Dreymon, Emily Cox and David Dawson are among the defining cast members. Dawson plays Alfred with a blend of physical fragility and political toughness. As a result, the ruler is not a bronze statue, but a strategist who knows that unity is often another word for imposition.
The series storyline concluded in 2023 with the film “The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die.” It continues Uhtred’s journey after the death of King Edward in a fractured realm whose unification appears more tangible than before. Franceinfo’s summer installment thus recalls not only a popular television adventure, but also why historical material remains so persistently relevant on screen: it tells of borders, loyalties and the restless desire to belong somewhere.
Sources
- Franceinfo
- Netflix