Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire
Encyclopedia
Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire is a British
-American
comedic
sword and sorcery
series created by Peter A. Knight, co-produced by Hat Trick Productions
and Media Rights Capital
for Comedy Central
and BBC Two
, which premiered on April 9, 2009 in the USA and on June 11 in the UK. It began airing on July 8 in Canada
, on Citytv
. In August 2009, it was reported that the series was canceled after Comedy Central pulled out of the production, but the BBC
has retracted this claim, stating that a second series could be produced if they were able to gain a new funding partner. According to Jimmy Mulville of Hat Trick Productions, "There is a bit of misinformation going on. As far as the writers and the controller of BBC comedy and the controller of BBC2 and Matt Lucas are concerned, we are developing a second series."
), a "thin-skinned and underconfident freedom fighter" in his struggle against the evil ruler, Chancellor Dongalor (Matt Lucas
).
, Get Smart
, and Monty Python and the Holy Grail
, the last of which he claims to have seen more than any other movie. The name Kröd, which is the word dork
spelled backwards, was inspired by someone Knight knew growing up in school, who was often picked on; the boy was nicknamed Krod, although he failed to realize it was an insult. The series was filmed in Budapest
, Hungary
, and show developers Knight and Brad Johnson were on the set at all times for the filming of each episode. Chancellor Dongalor's castle's exterior is Bojnice Castle in neighboring Slovakia
. The flaming sword used by Kröd is not a computer-generated special effect, but an actual sword prop with a gas canister and a hose that runs up actor Sean Maguire's arm to light the blade.
The brief opening title sequence was designed to reflect a visual style of movie posters from fantasy film
s of the 1980s, as well as more modern fantasy movies like the The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
.
, and did not think the show was right for him; he also said he thought the title sounded stupid. Maguire said, "I thought, 'Who’s going to watch this piece of shit?' ... I’m too quick to judge." His manager encouraged him to read the script and give it another chance and, upon reading the script, Maguire changed his mind and decided he wanted the role. Maguire worked out two hours a day for three months prior to filming the first season in order to build up his physique for the role. The dynamic between Mändoon and Aneka was in part inspired by an idea Knight and Johnson had for a comedy set at a workplace, where a man and woman break up but have to see each other every day at their work setting; Maguire said he felt that aspect of the relationship gave Mändoon a very "human element" and was easy for male audiences to relate to.
India de Beaufort became familiar with Kröd Mändoon at an acting studio where she was receiving training. The teacher, who had read and loved a Mändoon script, brought it to the studio and told the students about it. Many of them tried to audition for the show, including Beaufort, so the role of Aneka proved to be a competitive one, but Beaufort eventually got an audition which led to her casting. When she agreed to take the role, she had only read the script for the first episode, "Wench Trouble
", and did not know about some of the character's more promiscuous scenes in future episodes, such as her striptease dance in "Golden Powers
". Upon learning more about the character, Beaufort became concerned that the role was too sexual and that she would not be taken seriously as an actress after playing the part. However, she said she quickly grew to love the character, who she believes to be a strong female character with feminist convictions: "She's saying, 'I'm equal to every other man in the world. Men enjoy sex. I enjoy sex.' You know, she's out there putting out this strong statement."
Matt Lucas said he sees the Dongalor character as a combination of Cambodia
n leader Pol Pot
and James Bond
antagonist Ernst Blofeld
.
Chris Parnell
, a comedian formerly of Saturday Night Live
, provides the voice of the narrator in the North American version. Michael Gambon narrates the UK version.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comedic
Comic fantasy
Comic fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy that is primarily humorous in intent and tone. Usually set in imaginary worlds, comic fantasy often includes puns on and parodies of other works of fantasy. It is sometimes known as Low fantasy in contrast to High fantasy, which is primarily serious in intent...
sword and sorcery
Sword and sorcery
Sword and sorcery is a sub-genre of fantasy and historical fantasy, generally characterized by sword-wielding heroes engaged in exciting and violent conflicts. An element of romance is often present, as is an element of magic and the supernatural...
series created by Peter A. Knight, co-produced by Hat Trick Productions
Hat Trick Productions
Hat Trick Productions is a British independent production company that produces television programmes, mainly specialising in comedy.-History:...
and Media Rights Capital
Media Rights Capital
Media Rights Capital II LP is an independent film, television and digital studio founded by Mordecai Wiczyk and Asif Satchu. MRC specializes in the creation of premium content. It has full in-house physical production, legal, finance and sales teams, and a complete marketing infrastructure...
for Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
and BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
, which premiered on April 9, 2009 in the USA and on June 11 in the UK. It began airing on July 8 in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, on Citytv
Citytv
Citytv is a Canadian English language television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. division...
. In August 2009, it was reported that the series was canceled after Comedy Central pulled out of the production, but the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
has retracted this claim, stating that a second series could be produced if they were able to gain a new funding partner. According to Jimmy Mulville of Hat Trick Productions, "There is a bit of misinformation going on. As far as the writers and the controller of BBC comedy and the controller of BBC2 and Matt Lucas are concerned, we are developing a second series."
Overview
The series, set in an ancient fantasy realm, follows reluctant hero Kröd Mändoon (Sean MaguireSean Maguire
Sean Maguire is an English actor and singer, who rose to fame in 1988 when at the age of eleven he took on the role of "Tegs" Ratcliffe on the BBC children's drama Grange Hill, in which he remained until 1992...
), a "thin-skinned and underconfident freedom fighter" in his struggle against the evil ruler, Chancellor Dongalor (Matt Lucas
Matt Lucas
Matthew Richard "Matt" Lucas is an English comedian, screenwriter and actor best known for his acclaimed work with David Walliams in the television show Little Britain; as well as for his portrayals of the scorekeeping baby George Dawes in the comedy panel game Shooting Stars, Tweedledee and...
).
Production
The creator, Peter A. Knight, has said that the show's humor was inspired by The SimpsonsThe Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, Get Smart
Get Smart
Get Smart is an American comedy television series that satirizes the secret agent genre. Created by Mel Brooks with Buck Henry, the show starred Don Adams , Barbara Feldon , and Edward Platt...
, and Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a 1974 British comedy film written and performed by the comedy group Monty Python , and directed by Gilliam and Jones...
, the last of which he claims to have seen more than any other movie. The name Kröd, which is the word dork
Dork
Dork may refer to:* USA pejorative slang for a quirky, silly and/or stupid, socially inept person, or one who is out of touch with contemporary trends...
spelled backwards, was inspired by someone Knight knew growing up in school, who was often picked on; the boy was nicknamed Krod, although he failed to realize it was an insult. The series was filmed in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, and show developers Knight and Brad Johnson were on the set at all times for the filming of each episode. Chancellor Dongalor's castle's exterior is Bojnice Castle in neighboring Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
. The flaming sword used by Kröd is not a computer-generated special effect, but an actual sword prop with a gas canister and a hose that runs up actor Sean Maguire's arm to light the blade.
The brief opening title sequence was designed to reflect a visual style of movie posters from fantasy film
Fantasy film
Fantasy films are films with fantastic themes, usually involving magic, supernatural events, make-believe creatures, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered to be distinct from science fiction film and horror film, although the genres do overlap...
s of the 1980s, as well as more modern fantasy movies like the The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The Lord of the Rings is an epic film trilogy consisting of three fantasy adventure films based on the three-volume book of the same name by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are The Fellowship of the Ring , The Two Towers and The Return of the King .The films were directed by Peter...
.
Cast
- Sean MaguireSean MaguireSean Maguire is an English actor and singer, who rose to fame in 1988 when at the age of eleven he took on the role of "Tegs" Ratcliffe on the BBC children's drama Grange Hill, in which he remained until 1992...
as Kröd Mändoon: "The reluctant leader of a rag tag band of inept freedom fighters toiling away in obscurity." In the second episode it is revealed that his full name is "Krödford J. Mändoon". His sword, created by his father, bursts into flame when he is challenged or in danger. - Matt LucasMatt LucasMatthew Richard "Matt" Lucas is an English comedian, screenwriter and actor best known for his acclaimed work with David Walliams in the television show Little Britain; as well as for his portrayals of the scorekeeping baby George Dawes in the comedy panel game Shooting Stars, Tweedledee and...
as Chancellor Donold David Dongalor: a "sociopathPsychopathyPsychopathy is a mental disorder characterized primarily by a lack of empathy and remorse, shallow emotions, egocentricity, and deceptiveness. Psychopaths are highly prone to antisocial behavior and abusive treatment of others, and are very disproportionately responsible for violent crime...
ic Chancellor of the lowly province of Hessemeel." He and Mändoon know each other from their time training to be warriors, and developed a bitter rivalry and mutual hatred during this period. He regularly kills people who attempt to stop his evil plans, give him bad news, or just plain annoy him. He is cowardly, more likely to play dirty than fight fair and also rather vain. Dongalor is later revealed to be Mändoon's brother-in-law, as well as having a dimwit illegitimate son whom he accepts as his heir after a failed attempt on his life. - India de BeaufortIndia de BeaufortIndia de Beaufort is an English actress and singer/songwriter from London whose appearances include roles in Basil Brush and Run Fatboy Run. She played Aneka, a pagan warrior maiden, in the 2009 series Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire...
as Aneka: A "pagan warrioress whose weapon of choice is sex." She starts episode 1 as Mändoon's girlfriend, but he has problems with her open sexuality and she finishes their relationship. Despite this, Aneka loves Mändoon more than the hundreds she has slept with. - Steve Speirs as Loquasto: An oafish servant, "who belongs to a race of pig-like creatures known as Grobble." Loquasto has a habit of inaccurately shooting his crossbowCrossbowA crossbow is a weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles, often called bolts or quarrels. The medieval crossbow was called by many names, most of which derived from the word ballista, a torsion engine resembling a crossbow in appearance.Historically, crossbows played a...
, sometimes injuring Mändoon. He also has a strong sense of smell and taste that he can use to detect poisons. - Kevin HartKevin Hart (actor)Kevin Hart is an American actor and stand-up comedian.-Early life and career:Hart was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was raised by his single mother...
as Zezelryck: A young warlock, "whose greatest magical gift is spinning a line." He knows some tricks, such as how to make flash bombs and a potion that creates a convincing illusion of death when ingested. Although he has no powers when the story begins, he later fishes the canine tooth containing all of Grimshank's magical powers out of a moat. He has shown the power to "slice the earth" which is a form of teleportation. - Marques Ray as Bruce: "The jailhouse lover of Mändoon's late mentor, General Arcadius." He has joined Mändoon in his quest, believing him to be "The Golden One" of the prophecy that Arcadius told him. He has been shown as a capable fighter, defeating a couple of myrmidons while unarmed.
- Remie Purtill-Clarke as "Cute Girl", the captured concubine of Dongalor. Her father was murdered by Dongalor in front of her in an attempt to get Mändoon to come out of hiding. While initially repulsed by Dongalor, she eventually falls for him, realizing that a life with him would always be exciting and interesting. However, she is later revealed to have the plagueBlack DeathThe Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
, and dies shortly after, which crushes Dongalor for a short period of time. - John Rhys-DaviesJohn Rhys-DaviesJohn Rhys-Davies is a Welsh actor and voice actor. He is perhaps best known for playing the charismatic Arab excavator Sallah in the Indiana Jones films and the dwarf Gimli in The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
as Grimshank: Longshaft's right-hand man and an actual wizard with powerful magic at his disposal. Though appearing to be a traitor, Grimshank is actually a double agent. He dies in the end, refusing to acknowledge Mändoon as the Golden One. - James MurrayJames Murray (English actor)James Murray is an English actor.-Early life :Murray was born in Greater Manchester; his great-grandfather, Richard Hollins Murray, invented the reflecting lens in 1927.-Career:...
as Ralph Longshaft: The leader of the resistance, beginning a relationship with Aneka until he is exposed as the real traitor before being killed by Aneka. His name is pronounced "Rafe". - Alex MacQueenAlex MacQueenAlexander Tulloch MacQueen is an English actor. He has appeared on television, film and radio in the UK in productions such as Holby City, Hut 33, The Thick of It, and Keeping Mum....
as Barnabus: Dongalor's right-hand man, trusted servant and (often-ignored) voice of logic. He has been in Dongalor's service since Dongalor was in training, and often insults Dongalor with his dry wit, which Dongalor enjoys, and is the only person to get away with this. He has an unknown number of sons to a deceased wife, who was killed by Dongalor for adulteryAdulteryAdultery is sexual infidelity to one's spouse, and is a form of extramarital sex. It originally referred only to sex between a woman who was married and a person other than her spouse. Even in cases of separation from one's spouse, an extramarital affair is still considered adultery.Adultery is...
after Dongalor got her drunk and slept with her. He apparently has some affection for Dongalor and will jest with him, check his clothes, and try and cheer him up. - Roger AllamRoger AllamRoger Allam is an English actor, known primarily for his stage career, although he has performed in film and television. He played Inspector Javert in the original London production of the stage musical Les Misérables....
as General Arcadius: Mändoon's late mentor, and Bruce's lover. Appears at different times in spirit form to advise Kröd reagarding his 'Golden-One' abilities and duties. - Michael GambonMichael GambonSir Michael John Gambon, CBE is an Irish actor who has worked in theatre, television and film. A highly respected theatre actor, Gambon is recognised for his roles as Philip Marlowe in the BBC television serial The Singing Detective, as Jules Maigret in the 1990s ITV serial Maigret, and as...
(UK) Chris ParnellChris ParnellThomas Christopher "Chris" Parnell is an American comic actor best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1998–2006 and currently for his recurring role as Dr. Leo Spaceman on NBC's Emmy Award-winning comedy series 30 Rock. Parnell also voices Cyril Figgis on the FX animated comedy...
(US) as The Narrator who add context to the series' long story arc that concludes with the neutralization of the Eye of Grymna. - Emperor Xanus: The much talked about but unseen ruler of the land. Xanus is a tyrant and has appointed Dongalor as Chancellor of Hessemeel. Xanus is apparently unaware that Dongalor possesses the Eye of Gulga Grymna and Dongalor states that he intends to use the Eye to "kill Emperor Xanus and take the Crown."
Casting
Sean Maguire originally passed on the part because he wanted to do a more serious project following his role in the poorly received 2008 comedy film Meet the SpartansMeet the Spartans
Meet the Spartans is a 2008 parody film directed by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. Similar to past movies, such as Scary Movie, Date Movie, and most recently Epic Movie, it directs parodies at various films. Although it references many movies, TV shows, people and pop cultural events, it...
, and did not think the show was right for him; he also said he thought the title sounded stupid. Maguire said, "I thought, 'Who’s going to watch this piece of shit?' ... I’m too quick to judge." His manager encouraged him to read the script and give it another chance and, upon reading the script, Maguire changed his mind and decided he wanted the role. Maguire worked out two hours a day for three months prior to filming the first season in order to build up his physique for the role. The dynamic between Mändoon and Aneka was in part inspired by an idea Knight and Johnson had for a comedy set at a workplace, where a man and woman break up but have to see each other every day at their work setting; Maguire said he felt that aspect of the relationship gave Mändoon a very "human element" and was easy for male audiences to relate to.
India de Beaufort became familiar with Kröd Mändoon at an acting studio where she was receiving training. The teacher, who had read and loved a Mändoon script, brought it to the studio and told the students about it. Many of them tried to audition for the show, including Beaufort, so the role of Aneka proved to be a competitive one, but Beaufort eventually got an audition which led to her casting. When she agreed to take the role, she had only read the script for the first episode, "Wench Trouble
Wench Trouble
"Wench Trouble" is the first episode of the first season of the comedic sword and sorcery series Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on April 9, 2009, then on BBC2 in the United Kingdom on June 11, 2009. The episode was written by...
", and did not know about some of the character's more promiscuous scenes in future episodes, such as her striptease dance in "Golden Powers
Golden Powers
"Golden Powers" is the second episode of the first season of the comedic sword and sorcery series Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on April 9, 2009...
". Upon learning more about the character, Beaufort became concerned that the role was too sexual and that she would not be taken seriously as an actress after playing the part. However, she said she quickly grew to love the character, who she believes to be a strong female character with feminist convictions: "She's saying, 'I'm equal to every other man in the world. Men enjoy sex. I enjoy sex.' You know, she's out there putting out this strong statement."
Matt Lucas said he sees the Dongalor character as a combination of Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
n leader Pol Pot
Pol Pot
Saloth Sar , better known as Pol Pot, , was a Cambodian Maoist revolutionary who led the Khmer Rouge from 1963 until his death in 1998. From 1976 to 1979, he served as the Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea....
and James Bond
James Bond (film series)
The James Bond film series is a British series of motion pictures based on the fictional character of MI6 agent James Bond , who originally appeared in a series of books by Ian Fleming. Earlier films were based on Fleming's novels and short stories, followed later by films with original storylines...
antagonist Ernst Blofeld
Ernst Stavro Blofeld
Ernst Stavro Blofeld is a fictional character and a supervillain from the James Bond series of novels and films, who was created by Ian Fleming and Kevin McClory. An evil genius with aspirations of world domination, he is the archenemy of the British Secret Service agent James Bond and is arguably...
.
Chris Parnell
Chris Parnell
Thomas Christopher "Chris" Parnell is an American comic actor best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1998–2006 and currently for his recurring role as Dr. Leo Spaceman on NBC's Emmy Award-winning comedy series 30 Rock. Parnell also voices Cyril Figgis on the FX animated comedy...
, a comedian formerly of Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
, provides the voice of the narrator in the North American version. Michael Gambon narrates the UK version.
Episodes
- Note: First-run episodes are longer than the same episodes rebroadcast later the same night. In particular, scenes just before commercial breaks are cut short.
# Title Original airdate U.S. UK
Reception and criticism
The first season of Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire received mixed reviews and mediocre Nielsen ratingsNielsen RatingsNielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
in the United States. Critical reception in Britain was mixed, with some critics singling out the game performances by the cast.
The character Bruce, a flamboyant homosexual played by Marques Ray, has received criticism among the gay community, who have described the character as an offensive stereotype. Sean Maguire said the show producers expected some backlash: "you know, one way or another, you can’t win. If you’re too gay you get criticism. If you’re not gay enough, you get criticism ... Whenever you’re playing a stereotypical character, you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. You can’t really win."
On 21 August 2009, it was reported in British media newspaper Broadcast that the series had been cancelled, "after its funding partner pulled out." However, three days later it reported that the BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
had retracted the claim.
UK viewing statistics
The first showing of each episode was broadcast simultaneously on BBC TwoBBC TwoBBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
and BBC HDBBC HDBBC HD is a high-definition television network provided by the BBC. The service was initially run as a trial from 15 May 2006 until becoming a full service on 1 December 2007...
. The first two episodes were run together to create one hour-long episode; other episodes aired singly.
Episode Number Episode Air Date Viewers (millions) 1/2 "Wench Trouble" / "Golden Powers" June 11, 2009 2.047 3 "Our Bounties Ourselves" June 18, 2009 1.33 4 "O Biclops, Where Art Thou?" June 25, 2009 1.34 5 "Succubi: The Dawn's Early Light" July 2, 2009 1.30
Online game
On April 16, 2009, Comedy Central released a trailer for a new flash game based on the Kröd Mändoon television series. Titled Kröd Mändoon: The Rise of Dongalor, the game is a simple top-down adventure/shooter in which the player must defeat "Myrmidons" to compete for the highest score. The player may collect power-ups that grant them health, extra speed, a double shot and a triple shot.
See also
- ElvenQuestElvenQuestElvenQuest is a comic fantasy broadcast on BBC Radio 4 by Anil Gupta and Richard Pinto, and starring Stephen Mangan, Alistair McGowan, Darren Boyd, Kevin Eldon, Sophie Winkleman and Dave Lamb. The series takes place in the world of Lower Earth, a parody of Middle-earth from The Lord of the Rings by...
- Hordes of the ThingsHordes of the Things (radio series)Hordes of the Things is a 1980 BBC radio comedy series parodying J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, and the fantasy genre in general, in a style similar to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. It was written by "A. P. R. Marshall and J. H. W. Lloyd" and produced by Geoffrey Perkins...
- Metal umlaut
External links
- ElvenQuest