Netflix has spearheaded a new era of television consumption with their bingeable content – with entire seasons being available in one go. As a result, the line between television and film has blurred more with each new series that the streamer – or any other, for that matter – puts out. With season one of their new show Cursed, Netflix delivers an epic 10-part fantasy that feels in-part inspired by the grandeur of Lord of the Rings and the episodic nature of Game of Thrones.
Nimue (Katherine Langford) is a Fey – a powerful race of beings with magical abilities. However, her powers are seen by some as treacherous and wicked; the purist, religious cult the Red Paladins – led by the ruthless Father Carden (Peter Mullan) – see the Fey as ungodly creatures – setting out to rid the world of them and all other non-human races. When Nimue’s home is destroyed, and she’s left with only a mystical sword and her mother’s dying wish to escort it to Merlin (Gustaf Skarsgard), she sets out on a perilous journey to find the infamous magician to save the remainder of her people. Along the way, she meets cocksure knight Arthur (Devon Terrell) and leads a resistance of soldiers to war against the Red Paladins and anyone else that stands in their way.
Based on Frank Miller and Tom Wheeler’s graphic novels, Cursed is a re-imagining of the beloved Arthurian tale. Fans of the King Arthur/Sword in the Stone story will be familiar with many recurring characters and plot points and the series pays homage to previous iterations of the iconic legend well. But no ordinary Arthurian tale is this. The screenwriters do a good job of utilising Miller and Wheeler’s visceral take on the world in such a fascinating way; while we may recognise the names, these are not characters that we know – at least not at first. Part of the show’s charm is in seeing the narrative take its own shape; we’re introduced to Arthur, Merlin, Morgana, and Lancelot early on but not as audiences are familiar with them. The writing throws plenty of curveballs at its audience thanks to its unique approach to characterisation – letting the audience fill these characters in with what they know only to deconstruct that entirely and build them again in a more interesting manner.
It makes for a strong ensemble of characters, led by Langford’s Nimue; she’s a compelling, tough leading lady that offers a refreshing perspective on a traditionally male-dominated, testosterone-fuelled folk tale. Langford is exceptional in the role; it’s easy to see why Netflix are so fond of her – from 13 Reasons Why to Cursed. The actress is able to imbue Nimbue with not only the formidability she needs but also the vulnerability too – she’s not a battle-hardened soldier, after all – and she gets the balance just right. While her characterisation does feel a little bit more sprawling than her peers, Langford is so good that you can’t help but be on-board with her epic quest. Her interactions with Merlin, especially, are when the series is at its best – Skarsgard is the highlight of the season as the complex, weary Merlin. It’s just a shame that it takes a while for the plot between the pair – a pivotal one to the narrative – to really come to a head and kick into gear.
That’s the issue with Cursed: it has all the right ingredients… but it can be tedious. The season feels overlong at 10 episodes, with each one only propelling the overall narrative further ever so slightly – there’s not really enough story here to justify that much content. You can’t help but feel like the scripts could have been tightened to maybe 6 or 7 episodes and the season would have been far more fluid as a result. While the show is never unenjoyable, even those slower moments hold you in the atmosphere of the world, it’s definitely not consistently involving. There’s a lot of filler. This is acceptable for one or two episodes but, by the end, it can almost be a chore to sit through – especially because the flow of the series is so clunky and meandering. Some scenes are vital and the next is maybe useless then there’s an action sequence and, oh, we’re now introducing a new character and they’re gone for three episodes but back to the vital scene again. The structure is lacking and it can make for a very jarring watch that becomes tough to follow; there’s so much going on in the finale that it’s hard to keep track of every character, every subplot, and every decision (but the final episode is easily the season’s best with lots of action plenty of rewarding moments for fans of these characters).
That being said, Cursed is never unenjoyable. While it can be a bit sluggish in parts, it is so superbly crafted with such detailed costume and design that it’s easy to just soak up the lore and the world. The sets are impressive; the makeup work is stunning; even the CGI is strong – once again, blurring the line between television and film with such epic spectacle and scale. There’s no denying that it’s a technically impressive piece and it’s pleasant to just be in the company of it all. Well, not necessarily pleasant because the show is surprisingly vicious – there are buckets of bloodshed and gore – but it’s easy to just soak it up thanks to the atmosphere. It’s the kind of series that wears its influences on its sleeve and leans into the violent, over-the-top nature of the graphic novel. When Cursed works, it has a lot to offer thanks to this world and likeable characters (sans the thinly-sketched pantomime antagonists who are just eye-rolling) – not to mention a solid, feminist reinvention of a beloved story – but it definitely has to tighten up the writing for season 2. It ends on a high though so here’s hoping it can come back stronger. I’d like to see more.
Cursed season one
Summary
When Cursed works, it has a lot to offer thanks to this world and likeable characters not to mention a solid, feminist reinvention of a beloved story.
