Tut (miniseries)

''Tut'' is a Canadian-American miniseries that premiered on American cable network Spike on July 19, 2015. The three-part miniseries is based on the life of Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun.

Development

''Tut'' was first announced by Spike in May 2014. The miniseries marks a return by the network towards scripted programming, and in particular, " event" series that cater to a "balanced" audience (in contrast to the remainder of Spike's programming at the time, which has typically skewed towards a male audience). Such event series have also been recently popular among other networks, such as History. ''Tut'' is produced by Muse Entertainment, best known for its other miniseries '' The Kennedys'' and '' The Pillars of the Earth''.

Cast

Main cast

* Avan Jogia as Tutankhamun, the young Pharaoh of Egypt
* Ben Kingsley as Ay, the Grand Vizier.
* Nonso Anozie as General Horemheb, Tutankhamun's savvy and power hungry military strategist.
* Sibylla Deen as Ankhesenamun, the calculating and conniving sister-wife of Tutankhamun
* Alexander Siddig as the High Priest of Amun, a major political figure who holds great influence in Tutankhamun's inner sanctum.
* Kylie Bunbury as Suhad, a beautiful and endearing girl of Mitanni descent, who unknowingly saves Tutankhamun's life and develops a strong bond with the Pharaoh.
* Peter Gadiot as Ka, King Tutankhamun's close confidant and seemingly loyal friend.
* Iddo Goldberg as Lagus, an Egyptian soldier who develops a special bond with Tutankhamun.
* Alistair Toovey as Nahkt, Ay's stepson.
* Steve Toussaint as Tushratta, king of the Mitanni.

Supporting cast

* Kaizer Akhtar as young Tutankhamun.
* Silas Carson as Pharaoh Akhenaten, the father of Tutankhamun and Ankhesenamun.
* Steve Chusak as Paranefer, Akhenaten's servant.
* Alexander Lyras as General Yuya.
* Geoffrey Burton as Dagi, chief physician of the Egyptians.
* Leon Lopez as Seti.
* Daniela Lavender as Herit.
* Ismail Kanater as the Priest of Sobek.
* Raw Leiba as King Artatama II.

Episodes

Reception

The series has garnered mixed reviews, with a score of 46 on review aggregator Metacritic and 37% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Brian Lowery of '' Variety'' writes, "King Tutankhamun left behind a treasure trove of trinkets, but his nickname is all that's really required to serve as the cornerstone for ''Tut'', the miniseries that unearths the Boy King in order to turn his short life into historical melodrama. Featuring Ben Kingsley as Tut's scheming vizier, surrounded by young actors often photographed as if this were a shampoo commercial, there are modest pleasures relating to the various palace intrigues, but only marginal momentum to drag an audience across three nights, provided they know enough about history to realize the title character won't be available for a sequel."

Robert Bianco of ''USA Today'' exclaims, "''Tut'' miniseries is overstuffed melodrama." While, Keith Uhlich of ''The Hollywood Reporter'' writes, "Spike network's three-night miniseries about the Egyptian boy king Tutankhamun inspires no devotion."

Historical inaccuracies

The 2015 miniseries ''Tut'' takes several liberties with historical facts to enhance its dramatic appeal. Below are some of the most notable inaccuracies:

Tutankhamun's age and reign

In the series, Tutankhamun is portrayed as a young adult navigating the complexities of ruling Egypt. However, historical evidence indicates that Tutankhamun became Pharaoh at the age of 8 or 9 and reigned until his death at approximately 18 or 19 years old. The series compresses time and presents him as older to better fit the narrative.

Ankhesenamun's role

The series fabricates a love affair between Ankhesenamun, Tutankhamun's wife, and both a soldier named Ka and General Horemheb. There is no historical basis for these relationships, and Ankhesenamun's life remains largely a mystery.

General Horemheb

General Horemheb is depicted as a treacherous military leader who conspires against Tutankhamun. While Horemheb did ascend to the throne after Tutankhamun's death, there is no evidence to suggest he plotted against the young Pharaoh during his reign.

Ay's character

The series presents Ay, the Grand Vizier, as a power-hungry manipulator who ultimately kills Tutankhamun. Although Ay did succeed Tutankhamun as Pharaoh, there is no definitive evidence that he was involved in Tutankhamun’s death, the cause of which remains a topic of debate among historians.

Political intrigue

''Tut'' dramatizes various fictional plots and conspiracies within the royal court. While Egyptian politics during this period were undoubtedly complex, the series exaggerates these elements for dramatic effect. For example, there is no evidence that Tutankhamun married any additional wives, and Suhad, his love interest in the show, is fictional.

Depiction of ancient Egypt

The series takes creative liberties in depicting the culture, clothing, and architecture of ancient Egypt. Although visually appealing, these elements do not always accurately represent the period.

Battle scenes

The miniseries shows Tutankhamun personally leading his army into battle, which is largely fictionalized. The extent of Tutankhamun's battle participation is a subject of ongoing debate.

Tutankhamun's death

The series suggests that Tutankhamun was murdered, which is a popular but unproven theory. The actual cause of his death is uncertain, with hypotheses including a chariot accident, genetic disorders, or illness.

Tutankhamun's appearance

The actor playing Tutankhamun, Avan Jogia, does not resemble forensic reconstructions nor painted effigy artifacts of Tutankhamun.

References

External links

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{{Spike (TV network) programming

2010s American drama television miniseries
2015 American television series debuts
2015 American television series endings
American biographical series
Cultural depictions of Tutankhamun
Erotic television series
Fiction set in the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt
Historical television series
Spike (TV network) original programming
Television shows set in ancient Egypt
Works set in the 14th century BC