Warning: Spoilers for The Winter King episode 1 below!
MGM+’s The Winter King season 1 has just started, but how many episodes remain? Filmmakers can’t resist dipping back into the legend of King Arthur, with the last decade having seen the arrival of Guy Ritchie’s failed King Arthur movie or 2021’s The Green Knight. The Winter King is based upon author Bernard Cornwell’s The Warlord Chronicles novels, which began with 1995’s The Winter King and was followed by Enemy of God and Excalibur. Cornwell’s books blurred together the myth of King Arthur with real-life historical details.
The Winter King adapts the first novel in Cornwell’s trilogy, and if it proves a success, adaptations of the following books will no doubt follow. The show can be seen as something of an origin story for Arthur (Iain De Caestecker), who in the first episode is banished from Britain by his father King Uther Pendragon (Eddie Marsan). The story picks up eight years later, where Britain is divided by warring kingdoms and tribes, while Saxons seek to invade and conquer the country. It’s the start of a potentially epic new series, as Arthur’s quest to save the country is just beginning.
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There Are 10 Episodes In The Winter King Season 1 (With 9 Left)
The Winter King’s first season consists of 10 episodes, with 9 more to go following the show’s premiere. The Winter King’s first episode had to do a lot of table setting, introducing the main characters, the era’s complicated politics and even some magical elements. In general, the show is stripping back on the fantasy elements of the Arthur legend, but Merlin (Nathaniel Martello-White) and Ellie James’ Nimue appear to have some supernatural gifts, as Merlin’s “Death of Britain” vision shows.
When The Winter King Season 1 Episodes Release
The Winter King’s first two episodes follow close together, but after a short break, the rest of season 1 will be released weekly on a Sunday. Considering the fact the series has some complex lore and plenty of characters and tribes viewers need to keep track of, a slow-burn approach isn’t the worst method. The events of Winter King episode 2 will undoubtedly give audiences plenty to discuss in the meantime.
Here are the titles and release dates for all episodes of The Winter King season 1 (via The Futon Critic):
The Winter King season 1, “Episode 1” released Sunday, August 20, 2023
The Winter King season 1, “Episode 2” releases Sunday, August 27, 2023
The Winter King season 1, “Episode 3” releases Sunday, September 17, 2023
The Winter King season 1, “Episode 4” releases Sunday, September 24, 2023
The Winter King season 1, “Episode 5” releases Sunday, October 1, 2023
The Winter King season 1, “Episode 6” releases Sunday, October 8, 2023
The Winter King season 1, “Episode 7” releases Sunday, October 15, 2023
The Winter King season 1, “Episode 8” releases Sunday, October 22, 2023
The Winter King season 1, “Episode 9” releases Sunday, October 29, 2023
The Winter King season 1, “Episode 10” releases Sunday, November 5, 2023 (season finale)
Where To Watch The Winter King
The Winter King is streaming on MGM+ in the US and is set to arrive on ITVX in the UK later in 2023. MGM+ costs $5.99 per month or $49.99 for a year; the streamer also comes with a 7-day free trial. The Winter King episode 1 is available to stream for free on Prime Video for those who want to try the show before they buy.
