BBC's historical drama "The Last Kingdom" kicked off last week with its premiere episode. The plot, which delves into the war between the Saxons and the Danes, tells the story of how England was formed.

Nevertheless, in the eight-part series, the boundaries that form the nation of Britain are largely absent. Instead, audiences witness many Saxon kingdoms scattered across different parts of modern day England.

In the series, most Saxon rulers are smarting from their losses against the Danes, and it is only the pious leader, Alfred(David Dawson) who launches a mission to safeguard his land from the Danes.

The premiere episode also introduced the plot's protagonist, Uhtred of Bebbanburg (Alexander Dreymon). Uhtred, originally a Saxon is captured by the Danes as a child, and lives among them later on.

In episode 1, audiences witnessed the death of Uhtred's father (Matthew Macfayden) and his eventual marginalisation. Uhtred's uncle, Aelfric seizes his lands and the former is brought to Danish warlord, Ragnar (Peter Gantzler).

In episode 2, Uhtred is on the run from his uncle. He is joined by his best friend and his future lover, Brida (Emily Cox). The latest episode captures the tumult and anxiety faced by Uhtred as he lives the life of a fugitive. The young ruler, who is disenfranchised and possesses no land or power, pleads his innocence to Danish warlord Ubba.

However, it remains to be seen if Ubba will believe his story.

BBC's "The Last Kingdom" is hailed by critics as the network's own "Game of Thrones" show. The eight-part series captures the blood lust in a Machiavellian world, set in the 9th century.

"The Last Kingdom" episode 2 airs on Saturday, 17 October at 10pm on BBC America. You can watch the episode online via Hulu.

You can watch the trailer here:

 
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