King in the North no more: Kit Harington sets out to slay a king in ‘Gunpowder’
Murderous plots abound in prime time, but not all of them are true. A new miniseries whisks viewers back in time to take a look at one of history’s most famous assassination attempts.
Kit Harington stars as his real-life ancestor Robert Catesby, a 17th-century Catholic who set out to kill the King of England by blowing up the House of Lords in 1605, in “Gunpowder,” premiering Monday, Dec. 18, on HBO. The cable giant offers viewers back-to-back airings as the threepart miniseries continues Tuesday, Dec. 19, and concludes Wednesday, Dec. 20.
While the series originally aired on BBC One in the U.K. in October, HBO was quick to ink a deal to bring the show to North American audiences. It’s no surprise that HBO snapped it up — Harington has proven himself as a bankable star, thanks to his role as Jon Snow in the cabler’s critical and ratings hit “Game of Thrones.” His personal connection to the “Gunpowder” story only increases his enthusiasm for the project, which shines through in his performance.
“Kit’s passion for and belief in ‘Gunpowder’ are evident in every frame of the miniseries,” HBO executive Kary Antholis said.
Harington is stretching his wings with “Gunpowder,” which he developed alongside Daniel West (“South Riding,” 2011) and Ronan Bennett (“Public Enemies,” 2009). He also serves as a co-executive producer with West, Ollie Madden (“MI-5,”
2015) and Stephen Wright (“The Fall”). Produced in association with Kudos and Thriker Films, the show began filming in February, but it had actually been in the works for years.
“Three years ago, Daniel West and I conceived and began developing ‘Gunpowder’ with Kudos and Ronan Bennett,” Harington said. “We are now thrilled to share this unique story with the U.S. audience.”
The miniseries opens in 1603, as the persecution of Catholics grows in Protestant England and the country wars with Spain. Catesby is a young Catholic nobleman who vows to defend his faith, even though his refusal to abandon his religion leads him to the edge of ruin. “Gunpowder” explores what happens as he and his collaborators gather the resources necessary to carry out their violent plot so that a new Catholic monarch will take the throne.
At the same time, the King’s spymaster, Sir Robert Cecil (Mark Gatiss, “Game of Thrones”), leads the charge to hunt down, torture and kill priests. Meanwhile, other Catholics lose their property as their oppression continues.
Despite Father Garnet’s (Peter Mullan, “My Name Is Joe,” 1998) efforts to engage in peaceful protests, Catesby forges ahead with his plan. His behavior makes his cousin, Anne Vaux (Liv Tyler, “Armageddon,” 1998), worry that his actions may have dire consequences.
Tom Cullen (“Knightfall”) portrays Guy Fawkes, who is more famously associated with the so-called Gunpowder Plot than even Catesby, even though the latter is recognized by many as the ringleader. In Britain, Guy Fawkes Day, or Guy Fawkes Night as it is sometimes known, is commemorated on Nov. 5, because the real-life Fawkes was discovered guarding the explosives under the House of Lords on that day in 1605.
The cast also includes Edward Holcroft (“Kingsmen: The Secret Service,” 2014) as Thomas Wintour, Shaun Dooley (“Broadchurch”) as Sir William Wade, Robert Emms (“War Horse,” 2011) as Father John Gerard, and Derek Riddell (“No Angels”) as King James I. Sian Webber (“EastEnders”) plays Lady Dorothy Dibdale, David Bamber (“Rome”) plays Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland, and Kevin Eldon (“It’s Kevin”) portrays Sir John Hawksworth.
“Gunpowder” may not have dragons like “Game of Thrones,” but the miniseries has plenty to offer viewers with its big-screen quality cinematography and thrilling plot, as Catesby and his co-conspirators play a dangerous cat-andmouse game with Cecil’s spies. The program was a big hit in the U.K., drawing more than seven million viewers for its premiere and closing strong with more than 4.5 million. It’s important to note that there was some criticism due to the level of nudity and violence, but, for the most part, the reviews across the pond were positive.
Criticism aside, many people will likely tune in to watch Harington, who won’t be back in his Jon Snow cloak until “Game of Thrones” returns for season 8. Those in the know say that probably won’t be until at least 2018, and several industry pundits are predicting it will be 2019 until “Thrones” fans return to the Seven Kingdoms.
While most TV viewers probably recognize Harington from his “GoT” role, his other credits include the historical film “Pompeii” (2014), the computer-animated film “How to Train Your Dragon 2” (2014) and the British drama “Testament of Youth”
(2014). “Game of Thrones” was, believe it or not, his first significant television role, which he landed shortly after appearing on stage in an award-winning National Theatre production of “War Horse.”
There are plenty of stuffy period dramas out there, but HBO’s latest thrilling miniseries brings viewers the little-known story behind a shocking attempted assassination. Don’t miss Harington as he tackles a once-in-a-lifetime role as his own ancestor Robert Catesby in “Gunpowder,” premiering Monday, Dec.
18.