Did see it last night and thought it was awful. Partly due to my prejudices - could you have got a more plummy voiced, middle England, jolly hockey-sticks family if they tried? And those kids... I completely understand that getting the young'uns on there might extend the audience, and the family viewing Sunday night thing probably makes a lot of sense, but personally.... nah.

Also, the battle. Rubbish. I just didn't think there was a lot of scope for tactics, and as for the troops - some token archers, a king and his cavalry bodyguard and two - count 'em! - two types of infantry. No deployment, just get over the bridge as fast as possible and don't let the enemy settle... Now while that's no doubt the right thing to do, and historically spot on, it seemed to me like they'd dumbed the battle down, possibly to accomodate the two ten year olds. Again, I'm not saying that's the 'wrong' thing to do, just didn't fancy it myself.

That's the first one I've seen of the new series, and I wasn't impressed, but that's because of this one battle, not the format, and I don't even mind Hammond...