Britannia puts Roman invaders against druids and magic in ancient Britain, and the show leans into both sides with equal weight. It is a period drama dressed in fantasy, and it mostly earns that combination.
The series follows General Aulus Plautius and his army as they cross the Channel to crush the Celtic heart of Britannia. That land is ruled by warrior women and druids who can channel underworld forces, or so the show claims. The Romans arrive determined and terrified in equal measure.
Trailer, via Sky TV.
Aulus Plautius and the Roman Camp
David Morrissey plays Aulus Plautius as a seasoned commander who knows how to win. He builds a fortified camp, gathers intelligence from captives, even children, and figures out that the druids drive the tribes he faces. His line sums up the whole approach: “You don’t conquer the people, you must conquer their gods.”
That idea runs through the show. The Romans want power, and the druids hold it. The conflict is not just swords, though there are plenty of those. It is also about belief, and the show treats both sides seriously.
Nikolaj Lie Kaas plays Divis, a druid exiled by Veran, the leader of the Druids in Britannia. Divis has divination, hypnosis and visions, but he is also driven mad by exile. He wanders the countryside chasing clues tied to his apocalyptic visions, convinced he is on some kind of mysterious mission.
The Cantii and Their Princess
Eleanor Worthington-Cox plays Cait, a young Cantii girl whose coming-of-age ceremony is destroyed when the Romans attack her tribe. She flees and wanders the forest, where she meets Divis, who becomes her unlikely protector. The pairing works because both characters are outsiders, and the show lets their bond grow slowly across the three seasons.
Kerra, a princess and daughter of King Pellenor, drives much of the Cantii side of the story. Her brother, Phelan, appears weak, so she takes action on her own. She calls for a parley and ventures into Regni territory, actions that anger her father. The Cantii sit between two enemies, the Regni and the Romans, with only a granite fortress protecting them.
Music and the Three Seasons
Each of the three seasons opens with a pop song as its theme. Donovan’s “Hurdy Gurdy Man” opens the first season, his “Season of the Witch” opens the second, and T. Rex’s “Children of the Revolution” opens the third. The music fits the show’s tone, blending history and fantasy.
The show was the first co-production between Sky UK and Amazon Prime Video. It premiered on Sky Atlantic in the UK on 18 January 2018, and on Amazon Prime Video in the US on 26 January 2018. The first series aired on Epix starting 2 August 2020.
In March 2023, the series was cancelled after three seasons.
What Works and What Falls Short
The show is at its best when it balances the Roman military machine with the druids’ mystical world. The scenes between Aulus and Divis, and between Cait and Kerra, carry real weight. The show does not shy away from violence, but it also spends time on character and belief.
Where the show stumbles is in pacing. Some episodes feel slow, weighed down by exposition, especially in the later seasons. The middle stretch loses momentum, and the third season rushes to a close. The show’s ambitions sometimes outpace its ability to deliver them smoothly.
The show also leans heavily on its source material. The source material covers the show’s structure closely, and the show follows that outline with little room for surprise once you know the beats. That is not necessarily a flaw, but it is a limit.
Ranking the Three Seasons
Here is how the seasons stack up:
- Season 1 sets up the invasion, the camps, and the first meeting between Aulus and Divis. The theme song, Donovan’s “Hurdy Gurdy Man,” fits the tension.
- Season 2 deepens the relationship between Cait and Divis, and Kerra’s rebellion grows. The second season’s theme, Donovan’s “Season of the Witch,” matches the growing stakes.
- Season 3 rushes to a conclusion, and the third season’s theme, T. Rex’s “Children of the Revolution,” feels rushed alongside it. The show ended in 2021.
7 of 10.
Key Numbers
- Network: Sky Atlantic (UK), Amazon Prime Video (US)
- First episode: 18 January 2018 (UK), 26 January 2018 (US)
- Last episode: 24 August 2021
- Episodes: 27 total, 3 seasons
- Cancelled: March 2023
- Music: Donovan’s “Hurdy Gurdy Man” (season 1), “Season of the Witch” (season 2), T. Rex’s “Children of the Revolution” (season 3)
The show ended in 2021, and it was cancelled in 2023. Whether it leaves a lasting mark on the genre remains to be seen. For now, it stands as a solid, if uneven, entry in the crowded field of historical dramas.
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