Tut

Spike TV's three-part 2015 miniseries is cut from roughly the same cloth/toga as Rome and Spartacus: Blood and Sand, serving up violent intrigues, palace sex, ancient power-plays, and a protagonist who kinda sorta represents “freedom,” at least by comparison with others. In a liberal rewrite of history, Egypt's "Boy King" Tutankhamun (Avan Jogia) is here a youthful prince in a ruling dynasty that is endangered by internal rivals, plague, and a persistent foreign foe. Fierce—but not overly cruel— in battle, Tut is betrayed in combat and left for dead. But he survives incognito in enemy territory and returns to Egypt, taking power under the illusion of a divine "resurrection" (which, the script suggests, mirrors Christianity). Alas, this twist has left Tut surrounded by potentially disloyal types, including two wives—one of whom is his own scheming sister—and a wily Grand Vizier (Sir Ben Kingsley), who cautions the Boy King not to trust anyone, but may have his own self-serving agenda. Climaxing in an orgy of throat-slitting and bloodletting, this Game of Thrones-lite period drama is mostly unremarkable. Extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes. Optional, at best. (C. Cassady)