Wes Studi welcomes you to this week’s Kings recap!

So, better than last week, only because it feels like the wheels are dropping moss and something’s revving up. Are there issues? Oh, Lord, yes.

Things I liked:

- Brief glimpses that Wes Studi is more than an order-relay ‘bot!
- David’s mom, who I fully expected to be a pilot-episode one-shot. I dig you, Mom! You manage to avoid your salt-of-the-earth line readings.
- The Queen, who’s marvelously ruthless without being the Evil Matriarch. Nice job.
- That it’s episode 2 and King Ian is already like, “KILL THAT BLONDE KID. NO WAIT, DON’T. WAIT, YES. WAIT, NO.” I sort of hope that every week he orders David’s death and keeps having to call it off and then Wes Studi finally just ignores the orders and it turns into this Odd Couple thing. (None of this will happen. Doesn’t stop me from dreaming.)
- Miguel Ferrer, who manages to bring intensity to a room full of sleeping actors. (Seriously, was he alone in that scene? It felt like it. Wake up, series regulars! It’s only the second episode; there’s a long way to go.)

Things I did not like:

- Dude, the Reverend shows up for one scene and it’s so he can tell David that when the same portentous phrase shows up multiple times that he might want to listen to it? I object on multiple grounds; firstly, this is all you can do with an actor of his caliber? Secondly, is David suffering from a concussion or something? He knows the butterfly story. Butterflies landed on his head. How fucking stupid is he?
- Seriously, David is dumber than a box of hair. So far his only MO is to run out in front of someone and be handsome until they give in. How long is that going to go on?
- Also, a dove got shot right in front of him and he has to look around blankly like he’s not sure what happened? You were IN THE ARMY. How is it hard to figure out that someone tried to SHOOT YOU. Someone slap this kid, seriously. (Note: if he actually figured out it was an assassination attempt, then this guy’s acting is at fault, because that was the blankest face I’ve seen in a loooong time, and I saw Dollhouse on Friday. OHSNAP.)
- I laughed out loud when King Ian was talking to his daughter like, “Do I need to remind you of your vow? You know, that vow you took? DO I? Well, I won’t, then!” I hope that happens all the time. “Do I need to remind you that you’re my brother? DO I? Well, then I won’t!”
- I hope it’s not a chastity vow (UGH), and instead is something awesome, like she pledged herself to a league of assassins and when she’s 21 they’re going to collect.
- Seriously, we had a two-hour pilot and a whole episode this week where the Reverend did not even appear outside the context of the palace. If this show is based on a Biblical story and he’s the head of what sounds like a very religious state, YOU HAVE TO SHOW US. I want scenes of HIM on TV. I want scenes of HIS followers.
- Instead of any of that, we get another episode of people running off to meet and/or hint at new characters. What the hell is this deposed-king-in-the-basement shit?
You have eight hundred characters already! Use them!

What’s the feeling? Better? Worse? Hilariously bad?