Kingdom is a raw, family drama set against the world of Mixed Martial Arts in Venice, California, following a retired MMA fighter turned trainer who juggles keeping his mixed martial arts gym running and keeping his family united.
Like Friday Night Lights before it -- which, I should mention, none of the Kingdom writers worked on -- Kingdom puts its stories on an equal playing field, rolling all of its plots together in a concentrated effort to keep episodes humming along.
[It] quickly establishes itself as a solid drama. There are plenty of boxing-movie-type cliches in creator Byron Balasco's series, but DirecTV's latest original still delivers a surprisingly potent punch.
The performances are good, and the show offers an interesting glimpse of a world that hasn't been dramatized all that often, despite the sport's popularity.
Featuring a strong cast, a unique setting, and an alternately energetic and reflective tone, the series has a lot going for it and could easily grow into a surprise hit for DirecTV, if viewers can find it.
This is an incredibly violent and an incredibly powerful show about men who find it difficult to talk to one another but have no problem raising their voices - and their fists.
Using its Venice, California, locations to terrifically seedy effect, with gamy and graphic content on par with premium cable, this multigenerational story impresses with its blunt-force depiction of an urban warrior culture.
Balasco has created a fully realized world of believable characters that like to express themselves with their fists. The resulting drama makes for compelling viewing... when you don't have to duck your eyes for cover.
