MGM Plus and Sky TV have a brand-new series called The Winter King. The Warlord Chronicles, a well-loved trilogy by author Bernard Cornwell—who is also the author of the critically acclaimed Netflix series The Last Kingdom—is the basis for this television series.
The tale of King Arthur is told in The Winter King. But it presents the story from a different angle. Arthur is the bastard son of Britain’s High King, Uther Pendragon, not a monarch.
The show opens with a dramatic scene showing Prince Mordred, Uther’s heir, dying in the arms of his half-brother Arthur following a Saxon ambush. King Uther banishes his illegitimate son from Britain after Arthur fails to save his half-brother from the killing.
Recap
The Winter King’s eighth episode was essentially the program’s take on the historic Red Wedding. Still resentful that Arthur abandoned his daughter at the altar to marry Guinevere, Gorfydd killed Bishop Bedwin and kidnapped Morgan.
Cadwys, Isca’s caregiver, who was the one who encouraged Owain to plunder the tin mines, approached Arthur. He now demands Owain’s previous role as Prince Mordred’s defender and champion of Dumnonia, but Arthur rejects him because Isca is already under Dumnonia’s rule and Cadwys has no actual political clout.
Taking this personally, Cadwys proclaims Isca’s independence. When Cadwys doesn’t agree to a peaceful resolution, Arthur is compelled to kill him in order to put an end to the revolt. Prior to Bedwin’s death, Arthur had assured Sansum, the priest who performed their marriage, that he could construct a church.
Sansum has selected a location for the chapel just outside of Avalon because she wants him to keep his word. Outraged by this, Nimue “curses” the Christians—pagan doublespeak for killing them all. Arthur is once again compelled to step in, but he is unable to support Nimue because she believes that the deaths of the Christians were the will of the gods and feels no guilt at all.
Under Derfel’s protection, Morgan travels to Powys to make apologies to Gorfydd. She does, however, stumble into a trap. Derfel is dispatched to tell Arthur what happened; Bedwin is crucified and executed, and Morgan is held captive.
Release Date & Streaming Guide
The Winter King Episode 9 will air on Sunday, October 29, 2023, at 9:00 PM PT in the US. The duration of every episode is 60 minutes. The release dates in different countries are:
- Eastern Time (Canada): 9:00 PM on Sunday, October 29, 2023
- Greenwich Mean Time (London): 1:00 AM on Monday, October 30, 2023
- Central European Time (Germany): 3:00 AM on Monday, October 30, 2023
- Japan Standard Time (Japan): 10:00 AM on Monday, October 30, 2023
- Korean Standard Time (Korea): 10:00 AM on Monday, October 30, 2023
- Australian Standard Time (Australia): 12:00 AM on Monday, October 30, 2023
You might simply turn on Epix at the aforementioned hour if you have it on your TV. However, you may watch the episode on MGM’s streaming service, MGM Plus, if you missed it when it was broadcast live or if you would rather watch The Winter King online. You may watch the first two episodes on MGM Plus for free.
Spoilers
The episode is titled “Episode Nine.” A scene from episode nine of The Winter King hints at the impending arrival of a significant figure from King Arthur’s legend. Although Arthurian myth has been extensively explored in films and television series over the years, The Winter King, which adapts Bernard Cornwell’s The Warlord Chronicles novels, offers something a little more recent.
The majority of the fantasy aspects are removed in the MGM+ series, which is based on historical truth and tells a more realistic story. With less magic, the show is obviously aiming for a more Game of Thrones feel. Originally, Arthur intended to wed Ceinwyn of Powys (Emily John), as this would have brought their kingdoms together and gained the confidence of King Gorfydd (Aneirin Hughes).
Rather, Arthur fled and married Guinevere, Ceinwyn’s closest friend, and Gorfydd’s alliance with the Saxons brings Dumnonia one step closer to conflict.
The television adaptation frequently departs from Cornwell’s book, and after Arthur calls off the engagement, Ceinwyn is betrothed to Gundleus (Simon Merrells), Gorydd’s evil nephew. If the series stays true to the original, her marriage to this unseen Saxon will probably not take place, and this plot might instead lead up to the arrival of Lancelot.
