User reviews

I never thought Stephen Fry was quite right for the role of Jeeves (Jeeves really is kind of a d*ck, after all), but here he's perfect. He plays Peter Kingdom, the white sheep in a family of "serial shaggers," sickos and sociopaths. A Cambridge-trained lawyer, he's been carrying on the family practice in a small Norfolk town after his father's death and his brother's suspicious disappearance, and as the series opens, his damaged half-sister, Beatrice, has checked out of a clinic and come to join him. Fry's large, affable figure doesn't always blend in with this murky background, but most of the episodes deal with the cozier, goofier side of English country life—Druids, crop circles, cricket, quiz night at the pub, the vicar's "rude vegetable" contest, lockkeeper's cottages and garden allotments; there's even a brief glimpse of morris dancing.

More serious subjects like the exploitation of migrant farmworkers, the Data Protection Act 1998 (which may or may not prohibit a father from filming his daughter's cello recital) and CCTV snooping are treated in soft focus, and plot lines tend to be resolved conveniently but not always plausibly (how does young Scott manage to steal that racehorse again?). Nevertheless, Fry and the writers do a wonderful job of portraying Peter Kingdom as a soulful local hero and an incorruptible champion of "hooman roights" (as the Norfolkers say, at least some of them); the jokes are pretty good (when Kingdom's lovelorn associate, Lyle, refers to himself as a "great catch," Kingdom replies, "So's a giant squid, but you wouldn't want to be leading one down the aisle"), the supporting cast is excellent (even Beatrice starts to grow on you) and the swelling, hymnlike theme music and the aerial shots of the gorgeous Norfolk coastline certainly help to get the job done. We burned through all 18 eps on streaming Netflix (now it's only available on disc I'm sorry to say) and were inconsolable when it was over.

I surprised myself by enjoying this - it's not usually the kind of programme that I'll sit down and avidly watch, but the producers have successfully managed to put all the ingredients into the pot and so turn out a very enjoyable meal.

All of the main characters are well written and well portrayed, especially Stephen Fry who really excels in the title role.

The stories are always interesting as are the underlying plot strands and there's a nice bit of comedy thrown in for good measure.

Even if this isn't usually your 'cup of tea' I'd highly recommend giving it a go. I really hope there is a second series.

Yes, it's just a fairy tale about a solicitor in a picturesque British market town, his wacky family, and equally eccentric clients and fellow townsmen, but I totally fell in love with it. Sadly, it only ran three years before being canceled for being costly to produce, but at least we have those three years. I recently watched it on Netflix and had a difficult time getting through the last two episodes. I kept pausing the streaming because I didn't want to get to the end of the series. Stephen Fry is simply wonderful as Peter Kingdom, but so is the rest of the cast in their roles as family, colleagues, and clients. This show is such a charmer, you might well fall in love with it too.

I think this TV show is brilliant. I rarely get this involved into TV shows and plus British ones as well as they tend to have a much cynical shape to them most of the time. Which is great when your are into that sort of thing. Stephen Fry does a great job and the rest of that cast do a fantastic job. I am saddened that it got canceled. I would have loved to keep on watching. It's a soothing TV show with good humor and just a feel good show. Worth watching! do not let the opportunity pass you by.

If you like a bit of humor, eccentrics and a show that makes you feel good then this is the show for you. I kept putting it back watching this. Now that I finally have I have to admit that I was not disappointed.

I came across this show, on youtube.com, trying to find shows featuring Dominic Mafham. I was pleasantly surprised in spite of the fact that he isn't a main character. It is a lawyer version of Northern Exposure. I do find Hermione Norris's character a bit irritating but I think it is because I enjoyed her so much in Wire in the Blood and I tend to dislike "lovable but crazy and destructive sibling" characters. The stories are light and simple with a little darkness sprinkled from the plot involving Simon Kingdom. I have only watched the first few episodes of the first season so that might change. Overall, I would recommend this show as a nice alternative to most American network television.

Stephen Fry as the title role of Kingdom is wonderful. I don't find the other characters irritating at all. They're charming. They have great potential for growth which is why I watch this sort of show. I use to watch shows like "The Golden Girls" not because it was fantastic, in fact it was kind of predictable, but the actors performed that show with grace and a level of excellence seldom seen. Same for "Kingdom". Excellent. Stephen Fry is just a delight to watch do anything. He's real. Maybe he does one very good version of himself but have you ever seen a Brad Pitt movie? Same guy over and over and his movies make millions. Give me Stephen Fry any day. Give me Kingdom.

I have to agree that if it weren't for Stephen Fry, this would have quickly been on the discard pile. The stories are a rather plain mix of DOC MARTIN and INSPECTOR MORSE, although Peter Kingdom is the antithesis of those two in his gentleness. The cases are not that interesting, really, despite some satisfying resolutions. It's one of Stephen Fry's strengths, actually, that he can carry a show with such weak scripts. The mystery regarding a missing family member was also less than I had hoped, but I was willing to accept it. But when it came down to it, the quirky villagers and incredibly irritating sister made this almost impossible for me to watch; I sped through most every scene with either.

A typical Brit comedy of small town irregulars doing quaint things, accompanied by annoying choral and violin background music that will drive you up the wall. The characters are well developed and often amusing, the plots adequate but in the end it's all a little bit too cute. This series makes Midsomer Murders and Father Brown seem like a walk on the wild side. Aimed at octogenarians and older, at 71 I'm just a little too young to fully appreciate this show.

Stephen Fry, playing an attorney with a young, eager-beaver legal intern, lives and works in a small seaside town somewhere in England. The show has wit and charm--also, it delivers thematically with usually understated or just matter of fact truths about life. Fry is truly great in this role, where he is asked to be the man everyone likes and to whom they turn to solve their problems, legal and otherwise. His character's sister is over the top with obvious, but not major, psych problems. But she makes a great contrast to the almost always unflappable Fry. A special mention should go to the actress who plays Fry's secretary/receptionist. She helps to make the show seem real by being a good person whose presence helps Fry to solve the problems of the various denizens of this village. At 18 episodes, the show is incomplete---the final episode does not in any way wrap up the show or give a sense of an ending. Three good reasons why show stopped: cancelled--Brit t.v. is notorious for cancelling popular shows (did it with Foyle's War and outcry was so great that it was brought back for a few more shows); Fry is a millionaire who may have decided that he'd had enough; the episodes had covered a lot of ground in terms of what it's like to live in a small village with quirky characters and situations. Anyway, with all he junk on t.v., it is truly too bad that a quality show only gets 18 episodes. I believe that with a bit of creativity many more stories could have been engendered and not have been repetitive or boring.

I watched the first episode and was intrigued, then into the second episode and really didn't want to keep watching it asI literally could not stand sister. I think I got through four episodes of the first season and couldn't stand the whole sister character being needed to make the show work. Even watched it with friends to see their take on it just being curious. It seems we have similar tastes - no one like the sister. No one liked discord she created. Family is one thing but you tend lose respect for people who allow someone to just walk all over them even if you Care for them. Plus I think, maybe due to our age, we have a problem with people being so selfish, living off of others, not contributing except to create stress. Too bad as I liked the other characters on the show.

Well what can i say, good cast, stories are OK and the surroundings nice and the diversity of cases they handle in that town, very nice. I can only say on this one watch it ! If you see what Peter Kingdom has to endure with family, friends , cases i would have liked more seasons of it then the 3 now. Better then a lot of series i have seen, you just want to know what will happen the next one. We enjoyed the series and the sudden ending of season 3 was irritating because you want to know ,what will happen next. Maybe there can be a new series with the same players or based upon this series. This one is worth looking at !!!! So let your voice be known in the reviews so we might get some more of this !

You heard it first from Canada......

For those of us who have "motored" on to the last episode Or, as we sometimes say in Canada....the last round-up......

The question left unanswered is who were Peter's parents.......

Few if any clues were provided......

And the series was cancelled leaving all of us wondering......

Canada is providing an answer........

Aunt Auriel is actually Peter's mother....

Just an outstanding series....

Live on Peter Kingdom !!!! Bowsummit

Mr. Fry is wonderful, I was hooked from the first episode. From Black Adder to QI or Wooster and Jeeves, Mr. Fry is at his best. Watched all eighteen episodes over a long weekend. Just wished they had done a fourth season. The characters and situations flow brilliantly from episode to episode. Each show highlights individual situations that over lap each episode dealing with cast members and the story line of a contemporary small coastal English market town. It is also an interesting look at the practical workings of the British legal system. Showing the legal implications and interaction from a local stand point. Encompassing how the decisions made by the national authorities, impact the local population. Well worth the time. Enjoy!

Great show and Fry was perfect... except for that sister. The sister character was actually quite difficult to watch (therefore, nicely played) but actually weakened the other characters and is irrelevant to the plot lines. This drew down the attractiveness of the show (2 points) and seemed to reflect a strange choice by the writer(s). It is almost like they were forced to put this character as a foil for Fry (and everyone else). There are cleverer ways to accomplish this that fit the arc of the plot lines without doing damage to the other characters. I wonder how many watchers mumble to themselves, "Just kick her butt out of the house and stop enabling!" Maybe its just me...

Just finished watching this charming British show...I know it's old news but it's sad they couldn't carry on at least one more season. In this challenging year of 2020, it's nice to visit such a gentle "Kingdom"...at least for a little while.

It pains me to have to disparage anything that stars Stephen Fry, but I'm really not convinced by Kingdom. Full disclosure: I've not made it through the first season so it may be my fault for not putting in the effort.

The show is mildly entertaining, I suppose. It ambles on amicably with a few japes here and there. Nothing too exciting. Its saving grace is the aforementioned Mr. Fry who manages to add some charm and likability. But other than that it all just feels so trite and uninspired. And above all: it feels old. From the opening shots to the fonts that are used, the colour balance, the cinematography, the music... If it weren't for the widescreen format I'd be sure I was watching something from the 90s, if not 80s - not a show from 2007.

Unfortunately, its not just the production that feels dated. Most of the supporting characters are the sort of stereotype that would be more at home in a 70s sitcom. The sister (Beatrice) in particular reminds me of a character from "Grace & Favour" (Miss Lovelock), the ill-conceived sequel to "Are you being served?". To be fair, Kingdom is a little more watchable than that, but sadly only marginally.

Even its dated feel could be forgiven if this was made up for in plot, but it just isn't. The cases aren't particularly interesting, and they are worked through at same calm pace as an episode of Morse. However, where the latter starts with an intriguing murder mystery and builds tension from there, Kingdom just sort of goes through the motions; preferably with a bit of a moral to the story thrown in at the end.

All in all, it makes for good Sunday afternoon telly for the elderly or those with a weak heart. Kind of like a pastoral, British antidote to Breaking Bad (its opposite in every respect), to be enjoyed after a big Sunday lunch and napped through most of the way. But sadly not worth it any other time.

(I really am sorry, Mr. Fry...)

Beautiful scenery, mystery, family dysfunction wonderful main character. Great show. The apprentice Lyle played by Karl Davies is sweet and funny as is the lead Pete Kingdom played by Stephen Fry. Stephen Fry's character can make you laugh or bring you to almost tears. I was sorry to be the canceled after the 3rd season.

I I watched a couple of episodes when the series was first on, but missed most. I was glad to find it streaming recently, and watched the three seasons of it this last month. I found it warm, funny, uplifting and a little quirky. It was well done and Stephen Fry was excellent. Occasionally there was an episode that didn't live up to the rest. Most however we're very good. In this Quaint Village, Fry plays a sensitive compassionate lawyer, Peter Kingdom, who cares deeply. He's a bit too introspective at times causing him some angst. It is a light dramady and tackles modern issues of love and community, diversity and acceptance, Fry leads but there were some excellent supporting actors. I love everything about this series. One exception was the last episode. In itself a very good episode, but it leaves one hanging. Were they expecting to continue the series? Very serious ending of the episode leaving Peter Kingdom to ask "Who am I?" If was to be the series finale, it failed miserably. If it was a lead into the next season that ended up not being made, it was good. Since it did not continue, I was left feeling cheated of a "promised" resolution. Perhaps they should have allowed one more episode to explore the questions and feelings of the characters in what turned out to be the last episode. Still, it's worth your while to watch the series. Excellent.

(By the way I loved Fry in "Jeeves and Wooster". It was my first Fry encounter. . A very different and hilarious role. Fry is very versatile. A couple of reviews mentioned he wasn't good in that and Jeeves was a "jerk", implying that the Kingdom character was more suited to Fry. As an actor he's suited to many types of characters. Jeeves wasn't a jerk, but a wise knowledgeable butler who helped his clueless dillitant, the one he served, from getting into too much trouble due to Woosters ingnorance not his malice.)

I enjoy the show Kingdom immensely. This is the best I have seen of Stephen Fry.