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Tut (miniseries)

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Tut
GenreHistorical drama
Written by
Directed byDavid Von Ancken
Starring
ComposerJeff Russo
Country of origin
  • United States
  • Canada
  • United Kingdom
No. of episodes3
Production
Executive producers
  • David Von Ancken
  • Michael Vickerman
  • Joel S. Rice
  • Michael Prupas
  • Sharon Levy
  • Jeremy Elice
  • Angela Mancuso
  • Greg Gugliotta
Producers
  • Guy Jon Louthan
  • Irene Litinski
Production locationMorocco[1]
CinematographyChristopher LaVasseur
EditorAnnie Ilkow
Running time270 minutes
Production companyMuse Entertainment
Original release
NetworkSpike
ReleaseJuly 19 (2015-07-19) –
July 21, 2015 (2015-07-21)

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

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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.[2][3]

Cast

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Main cast

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Supporting cast

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Episodes

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUS viewers
(millions)
1"Part One: Power"David Von AnckenMichael Vickerman, Peter Paige & Bradley BredewegJuly 19, 2015 (2015-07-19)1.7[4]
In 1332 B.C., Egypt is the most powerful nation in the world, but it is plagued by internal strife. In the city of Thebes, Pharaoh Akhenaten has been poisoned by his most trusted servant. His nine year old son, Tutankhamun has to take his place as pharaoh, and so, is thrust into power at an early age. However, after showing mercy on several occasions, and having the Vizier Ay making important decisions for him, the people deem him weak. He is forced to marry his sister Ankhesenamun to keep the bloodline pure as his closest friend Ka lusts for her. Ten years into his reign, teenage Tut finds the country in economic turmoil and crops ruined by drought. He is also determined to gain control of his kingdom after being conspired against by the power-hungry Ay and having been left for dead by General Horemheb during a battle with the Mitanni.
2"Part Two: Betrayal"David Von AnckenMichael Vickerman, Bradley Bredeweg & Peter PaigeJuly 20, 2015 (2015-07-20)1.69
After finding Tutankhamun wounded on the battlefield, a beautiful half Mitanni half Egyptian girl, Suhad rescues him from his own people and nurses him back to health. Betrayed by his inner circle, Tut along with the loyal Lagos and Suhad return to Thebes at the moment Ankhesenamun tries to marry the traitorous Ka, but Tut stabs and kills his former friend just as he's about to be crowned the new pharaoh. It is announced by high priest Amun he has "risen from the dead", turning the boy-king into a powerful pharaoh. Tutankhamun must use his new power to deal with a deadly plague spreading through his kingdom all while his enemies continue their plot to conquer Egypt. Also, Tut's friendship with Suhad blossoms into an intimate relationship, which makes Ankhesenamun jealous, especially after both women wind up pregnant.
3"Part Three: Destiny"David Von AnckenStory by : Michael Vickerman, Peter Paige & Bradley Bredeweg
Teleplay by : Michael Vickerman		July 21, 2015 (2015-07-21)1.44
Tutankhamun invites Tushtratta to the palace for a peace offering, but after the Mitanni king declines it, Tut leads his plague-weakened army in a sneak attack through a secret entrance to the enemy's capitol. Meanwhile, as the young pharaoh is away, Amun leads a revolt against him and orders his priests to kill the king so he can save Egypt from the worship of Aten. After knowing about the assassination Suhad is put in danger and Ankhesenamun kills her. During the attack Prince Tis'ata (Tushratta's son) breaks Tut's leg and instead of tending to his injury, Tut returns to Thebes to destroy the last of his enemies. He conspires with General Horemheb, Ay and Nakht to kill Amun during the festival of Ra at the temple. With the love of his life dead by his own sister and infection setting in, Tut's homecoming is filled with sadness. On his deathbed, Tut makes amends with Ay and Ankhesenamun, who both reassure him he will be remembered for all eternity as a powerful ruler. However, Ay sees that Tut is buried in a lesser tomb meant for one who will never be known, thus remaining undiscovered for over 3,000 years.

Reception

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The series has garnered mixed reviews, with a score of 46 on review aggregator Metacritic and 37% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.[5][6] 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."[7]

Robert Bianco of USA Today exclaims, "Tut miniseries is overstuffed melodrama."[8] While, Keith Uhlich of The Hollywood Reporter writes, "Spike network's three-night miniseries about the Egyptian boy king Tutankhamun inspires no devotion."[9]

Historical inaccuracies

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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

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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.[10] The series compresses time and presents him as older to better fit the narrative.

Ankhesenamun's role

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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.[11]

General Horemheb

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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.[12]

Ay's character

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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.[13]

Political intrigue

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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.[14]

Depiction of ancient Egypt

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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.[15]

Battle scenes

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The miniseries shows Tutankhamun personally leading his army into battle, which is largely fictionalized. Though battle scenes depicting Tutankhamun exist on his tomb walls, it is unlikely he engaged directly in combat, given his age and possible health issues.[16]

Tutankhamun's death

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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.[17]

Religious conflicts

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The miniseries highlights religious tensions, particularly those involving the worship of Aten versus Amun, as central to Tutankhamun’s reign. While there was indeed religious upheaval during this period, the show dramatizes these conflicts beyond what historical evidence supports.[18]

Tutankhamun's appearance

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The actor playing Tutankhamun does not resemble forensic reconstructions of the young pharaoh, who likely had physical deformities, including a club foot, due to inbreeding within the royal family. The series omits these details for a more conventional portrayal.[19]

References

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  1. ^ Hale, Mike (17 July 2015). "Review: Egypt's Boy King Mans Up for a Spike Mini-Series". New York Times. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  2. ^ "King Tut Miniseries Gets Green Light at Spike TV". The Hollywood Reporter. 5 May 2014. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  3. ^ "Spike TV Developing 5 Event Series in Push to Re-Enter Scripted Territory". The Hollywood Reporter. 29 April 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  4. ^ "Spike Miniseries 'Tut' Digs Up 1.7 Million Viewers for Premiere". Variety. 20 July 2015. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
  5. ^ "Tut". Metacritic.
  6. ^ "Tutto può succedere". Rotten Tomatoes.
  7. ^ Brian Lowry (16 July 2015). "Spike Unearths 'Tut' For Six-Hour Miniseries - Variety". Variety. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  8. ^ Robert Bianco, USA TODAY (17 July 2015). "'Tut' miniseries is overstuffed melodrama". USA TODAY. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  9. ^ Keith Uhlich (17 July 2015). "'Tut': TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  10. ^ Reeves, Nicholas (1990). The Complete Tutankhamun: The King, The Tomb, The Royal Treasure. London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 978-0500278109.
  11. ^ Dodson, Aidan (2009). Amarna Sunset: Nefertiti, Tutankhamun, Ay, Horemheb, and the Egyptian Counter-Reformation. Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press. ISBN 978-9774163043.
  12. ^ Tyldesley, Joyce (2018). Nefertiti's Face: The Creation of an Icon. London: Profile Books. ISBN 978-0674983755.
  13. ^ Hawass, Zahi (2010). "Ancestry and Pathology in King Tutankhamun's Family". JAMA. 303 (7): 638–647. doi:10.1001/jama.2010.121. PMID 20159872.
  14. ^ Wilkinson, Toby (2013). The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt. London: Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1408810026.
  15. ^ Shaw, Ian (2003). The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0192804587.
  16. ^ Hawass, Zahi (2005). "The Death of King Tut: New Insights from a CT Scan". Ancient Egypt Magazine. 10 (4): 28–33.
  17. ^ Rose, Mark (2011). "The Lost Dynasty". Archaeology. 64 (2): 22–29.
  18. ^ Van Dijk, Jacobus (2003). The Amarna Period and the Later New Kingdom. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0198150343.
  19. ^ Rühli, Frank (2013). "Tutankhamun and his family: Unresolved issues". HOMO - Journal of Comparative Human Biology. 64 (5): 351–359. doi:10.1016/j.jchb.2013.05.003. PMID 24004582.
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