I like it better than Vikings.
Last Kingdom takes the POV of the Saxons and by now both shows cover more or less the same time period: the conflict between the Danelaw (led by Ubbe and Guthrum - no fucking Ivar) and Essex (led Alfred's brother and then by Alfred - and he is no bastard son of some monk), the last Saxon kingdom within England.
But while the Last Kingdom stays in general far more closer to the actual historic events and protagonists, Vikings has not only included super natural elements but, and that really hurts the show, it started to contradict the actual events and is more creatig an alternative timeline.
And if I want a show with some (execellent working) supernatural elements in a fictional medieval world with some references to our actual history, than I watch GAME OF TRHONES!
The last Kingdom does not that shit but stays true to what we know about this area, and it has some really though-out characters. While the "hero" of the show, Uthred, son of Uthred, is smart and a great warrior, he is also often a royal pain in the ass for the people around him, and for the audience. Imho it a bit of a love-hate-relation. Sometimes you are impressed by his cleverness, his conduct of honor but he is also acting (politically) stupid and is hot headed.
My favourite characters however are recurted from the royal family: a really wise king Alfred that makes you understand why he became the only English monarch with the addition "The Great", and his daughter. She really grows on me, and I love how she stood up for Uthred when he was sold as slave and lost for good.
And Uthred stands in for Athelflead when she is in need. He swore oaths to both: Alfred and his duaghter Aethelflead, and yet for entirely diffrent reason and circumstances. Two completely diffrent relations, but complex and interest ones.
Some final notes: the production value might be a bit lower than in Vikings or they are close to the real history. York for instance: in Last Kingdom it was not as huge, developed and with a perfect sewer system like in Vikings but it has a far better pace. Some say a bit too fast. But I like it. No fucking around or filler. But therefore it is only eight episodes per season.
It takes some freedoms within the uncharted areas of the English or Danish history, but not without taking the events upside down like the civil war in Vikings which never took place.
The Last Kingdom is based on a the "Saxon Chronicals" which are said to be more or less in the quality range of Game of Thrones but treat a diffrent subject: England during the Danelaw and the rule of Alfred the Great from the POV of Utred: a Saxon noble man who was first kidnapped and then adopted and raised as a Dane and is now torn between both cultures, and he does it as an wise old man who is not that kind to his younger and often foolish acting self.
Hirst, the writer creator of Vikings, has left the path given by history, and is now drowing deeper and depper in the mess he has created.
Maybe it is true and he even brings now in the Franks, who have never been in Norway or the Kattegat area, and lets them fight in a civil war that never happened...
The last Kingdom > Vikings
PS: George Martin on "The last Kingdom"
us.blastingnews.com/showbiz-tv/2017/07/the-last-kingdom-gets-support-from-game-of-thrones-author-001856943.html9/10 (only due to the production value)
