TV Review: Starz' 'Camelot'

Starz premieres its new historical-fantasy drama, Camelot, on April 3 at 10 pm. The following are reviews from TV critics around the web, compiled by B&C.

“Unfortunately the most obvious indicators of seriousness are a deliberate pace (to put it kindly), a lot of whispering and a strained attempt to turn the medieval romance of King Arthur and his knights into a parable about nation building.” Mike Hale, The New York Times

“This is an earnest, and occasionally dreary, re-telling of the Arthur legend, certainly not as over-the-top as Spartacus or any of the other period dramas becoming more common on premium cable.” Robert Philpot, Kansas City Star

“It’s all extremely familiar material, despite plot tweaks here and there, and yet the show is still somewhat charming in its emphasis on idealism and bravery. Flimsy, but charming enough.” Matthew Gilbert, The Boston Globe

“[T]he series as a whole seems much more interested in the love triangle involving Arthur, his bravest knight Leontes (Philip Winchester) and the beautiful Guinevere (Tamsin Egerton) than in actually showing the growth of a king.”Alan Sepinwall, Hitfix

“[W]hile it’s got the casting and rich-by-way-of-BCBG look of a campy prestige historical show, Camelot’s almost completely devoid of ideas or values, much less decent acting or writing.” Alyssa Rosenberg, The Atlantic