Britannia (TV series)

Britannia is a British historical fantasy drama television series created by Jez Butterworth and Tom Butterworth. The show was the first co-production between Sky UK and Amazon Prime Video and stars Kelly Reilly, David Morrissey, Zoë Wanamaker, Mackenzie Crook, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, and Eleanor Worthington Cox. It first aired on Sky Atlantic in the UK beginning 18 January 2018 and on Amazon Prime Video in the US beginning 26 January 2018. The first series aired on Epix beginning 2 August 2020. Pop songs were used as theme music for the three series to date: Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man" (series 1), his "Season of the Witch" (series 2), and "Children of the Revolution" by T. Rex (series 3). In March 2023, the series was cancelled after three seasons.

Synopsis
Britannia is set in 43 AD, when the Romans invaded Britain. Julius Caesar had failed to conquer Britain 90 years earlier.

General Aulus Plautius and his second-in-command, Lucius are determined to succeed where Julius Caesar failed, by any means necessary. An experienced warrior, Aulus establishes a fortified camp, gathers information from captives, even children, and learns that the Druids are the driving force behind the many tribes he faces. He determines that "you don't conquer the people, you must conquer their gods." He meets the Druids and undertakes a vision quest. Soon, he is talking aloud to Lokka, a demon king.

Young Cait of the Cantii tribe is about to take part in a ceremony to mark her becoming an adult woman when the Romans attack and largely destroy her tribe. She is forced to flee and wanders the forest, where she encounters and attaches herself to an unlikely protector, Divis "The Outcast".

Divis is a Druid with some mystical powers—divination, hypnosis, visions—but seems mad and has been driven into exile by Veran, leader of the Druids in Britannia. Divis roams the countryside seeking clues to the meaning of his apocalyptic visions, and believes he is on some kind of mysterious "mission".

Kerra, a princess as the daughter of the Cantii King Pellenor, frets for her people's safety. The Cantii are in a perpetual feud with the Regni, a powerful and large tribe. The Cantii's only protection is an impregnable natural fortress formed from granite. Yet, King Pellenor makes no preparations to resist the Romans, other than relying on vague hints from the Druids to set policy. Kerra's brother, Phelan, appears weak. Kerra ambitiously takes her own steps to address the Roman threat, calling for a parley and venturing into Regni territory. Her actions enrage her father, who sends her to be judged by the Druids, and possibly flayed alive, as happened to her mother.

In the maelstrom of confusion and fear caused by the invasion, Romans and Britons ally with, and betray, each other as the Romans consolidate their position and disaster looms.

Romans

 * David Morrissey as Aulus Plautius
 * Fortunato Cerlino as Vespasian (Series 1)
 * Hugo Speer as Lucius
 * Daniel Caltagirone as Brutus (Series 1, 3; guest Series 2)
 * Aaron Pierre as Antonius (Series 1)
 * Zaqi Ismail as Philo (Series 1, 3; guest Series 2)
 * Gershwyn Eustache Jnr as Vitus
 * René Zagger as Decimus (Series 1)
 * Gerard Monaco as Roman Deserter 2 (Series 1)
 * Steve Pemberton as Emperor Claudius (Series 2)
 * Sophie Okonedo as Hemple, wife of Aulus Plautius (Series 3)

Cantii

 * Kelly Reilly as Kerra (Series 1)
 * Ian McDiarmid as King Pellenor (Series 1)
 * Julian Rhind-Tutt as Phelan
 * Annabel Scholey as Amena
 * Samantha Colley as Andra (Series 2)
 * Barry Ward as Sawyer (Series 1; guest Series 2–3)
 * Callie Cooke as Islene (Series 1; guest Series 3)
 * Eleanor Worthington Cox as Cait

Regni

 * Zoë Wanamaker as Queen Antedia (Series 1, 3; guest Series 2)
 * Joe Armstrong as Gildas (Series 1)
 * Liana Cornell as Ania

Druids

 * Mackenzie Crook as Veran and Harka
 * Gianni Calchetti as Rork Druid and Moss Face
 * Jodie McNee as Willa
 * Jack Roth as Ossian (Series 1)
 * David Bradley as Quane
 * Abigail Rice as Elder 1
 * Peter Hosking as Elder 2 (Recurring)
 * Bluey Robinson as Rayne (Series 3)

Other

 * Nikolaj Lie Kaas as Divis / The Outcast
 * Stanley Weber as Lindon of the Gauls (Series 1)
 * Gary Oliver as Jhehutamisu (Guest)
 * Tolga Safer as Aziz (Guest)
 * Laura Donnelly as Hella (Series 1–2; guest Series 3)
 * Liran Nathan as Crucified Man (Guest)

Series 1 (2018)
Note: Every episode was available in the United Kingdom by download from Sky "catch up" following the first episode satellite broadcast.

Series 2 (2019)
Note: Every episode was available in the United Kingdom by download from Sky "catch up" following the first episode satellite broadcast.

Series 3 (2021)
Note: Every episode was available in the United Kingdom by download from Sky "catch up" following the first episode satellite broadcast. Episodes 2 to 8 premiered on Sky Atlantic in Germany.

Production
The first series was produced by Rick McCallum, Vertigo Films and Neal Street Productions and shot on location in Czech Republic and Wales. Most dialogue in the series is spoken in English, which is used mostly to represent Vulgar Latin spoken by the Romans and Brythonic spoken by the Celts. Latin and Welsh (with English subtitles) are also used to represent both ancient languages, respectively, particularly in rituals and other scenes with formulaic language.

In March 2018, it was announced that Sky Atlantic had renewed the show for a second series. Amazon was not involved in production and did not stream the second season.

The show was renewed for a third series in January 2020. In June 2020, U.S. premium network Epix announced it would partner with Sky to produce the third series. It would also air the first series beginning August 2, 2020, and the second series beginning October 4, 2020. Filming of the third series was shut down in March 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic, and resumed in September 2020.

Season 2 began streaming on Amazon Prime in June 2021.

Reception
The first season received positive reviews. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 76% approval rating, with an average rating of 6.54/10 based on 37 reviews, with site's critics consensus saying: "'Brilliantly bonkers, Britannia 's duplicitous characters and campy fantasy won't be for everyone, but those looking for less-serious swords and sorcery may enjoy its spellbinding madness.'"

On Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, the first season scored 70 out of 100, based on eight reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".