While Netflix’s BBC co-production The Last Kingdom lasted five seasons, the historical drama still deserved to be more popular during its run. Based on the Saxon Stories novel series by author Bernard Cornwell, The Last Kingdom was a Netflix historical drama that the streaming giant co-produced with the BBC.

The show took place in the late 800s, when the Great Heathen Army’s arrival in England pitted Anglo-Saxons and Vikings against each other. Following historical figures like Uhtred of Bebbanburg and Ubba Ragnarsson, The Last Kingdom was an immersive epic that focuses on the power struggles that defined England’s early history.

The Last Kingdom Merited Greater Popularity on Netflix

Compared to many of Netflix’s short-lived historical dramas, The Last Kingdom fared well as a franchise. The show’s protagonist, Uhtred, got a well-rounded character arc as he was forced to choose where his loyalties lay. Born a noble but kidnapped by Danes in his youth, Uhtred’s loyalties were divided by the time he reached adulthood.

Although The Last Kingdom’s perfect replacement was canceled after only one season, Uhtred’s story got a chance to cover his entire complex journey. Season one adapted the novels The Saxon Stories, The Last Kingdom, and The Pale Horseman, while season 2 focused on The Lords of the North and Sword Song.

Between seasons three, four, and five adapting another seven of Cornwell’s novels and 2023’s movie spinoff The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die, no one could claim that Netflix failed to give the series its due. In fact, the historical drama managed to adapt all of its source novels, becoming one of Netflix’s best historical action shows in the process.

What Did The Last Kingdom Excel At Compared To Other Historical Dramas?

However, this is where the show’s main problem lay. Although The Last Kingdom received five seasons and a movie, the show never seemed as popular as it should have been, given its quality. As the rave reviews received by each season prove, The Last Kingdom never struggled to win over critics throughout its years on the air.

The show also boasted a sprawling cast and, unlike many other historical dramas, never lost track of its true protagonist despite telling a complex, immersive story. Where a lot of shows of its ilk end up feeling convoluted or poorly paced, The Last Kingdom was both consistently entertaining and just complicated enough to remain gripping.

Why Is The Last Kingdom Still Worth Watching?

Although the show never got as much credit as it deserved, The Last Kingdom’s story still deserves to be revisited by viewers in 2026. Alongside Vikings, Netflix’s The Last Kingdom is one of the few truly great historical dramas to emerge in the post–Game of Thrones TV landscape, and its story is as inventive, original, and unpredictable as ever.