'Kingdom' lives happily ever after

By Jennifer Fogel

For the Daily

Thought about fairytales much since those pre-adolescent days? Maybe it's time to reemerge in the stories of the past. Images of the Big Bad Wolf and the Wicked Stepmother once danced through our heads during a time of innocence where anything was possible. Now that we're all "adults," do these stories still posses their magic? If the extravagance of NBC's new miniseries "The 10th Kingdom" is any indicator, fairytales can still work their magic on those of us who still believe in "happily ever after."

Unfortunately as Wolf, a man-wolf hybrid muses, "Happily ever after didn't last as long as we had hoped." Two hundred years after our favorite fairytales took place, the land of Snow White and Cinderella has evolved into a more complex, disturbed and funny world. The land has been divided into nine kingdoms each with their own quirks. The story begins in the 4th kingdom where Prince Wendell White (Daniel Lapaine), Snow White's grandson, is about to become King. While on a trip to visit Beantown, Wendell makes a routine stop at the Snow White Memorial Prison. However, thanks to help from the Troll King (Ed O'Neill) the evil Queen (Dianne Wiest) has escaped and in the usual fabled fashion turns the prince into a dog and vows to bring down the House of White. The prince evades his captors by escaping through a magic mirror that transports him to New York City (later to be christened the 10th Kingdom). Here he befriends Virginia Lewis (Kimberly Williams) and her father Tony (John Larroquette), two dreamers waiting to reach beyond their invisible lives.

Needless to say the prince will eventually lead them back through the mirror, where the adventure really begins. Chased by the Troll King, his "Three Stooges" children and the devilish Huntsman (Rutger Hauer), father and daughter are assisted by the conflicted, man-wolf hybrid Wolf, who ends up falling in love with Virginia. (It's too bad that he is one of the Queen's minions.) While seeking out the prince's body and trying to find the magic mirror to return home, Tony and Virginia are continuously struck by misfortune. Tony lands in jail while the Troll King captures Virginia. Both escape but are tested at every turn by temptation and hardship. Eventually Tony, Virginia and Wolf reach a turning point in their lives and the decisions they make may be theirs and the nine Kingdom's undoing.

NBC is known for their lavish miniseries like "Merlin" and "Alice in Wonderland," but they have outdone themselves with "The 10th Kingdom." "Kingdom" is a whopping ten hours long, a venture that has not been attempted in television since ABC's "War and Remembrance" in 1988. The miniseries' excessive length is the main cause for trepidation. Unfortunately, "Kingdom" does not have enough steam to last for ten hours and tends to drag on during the second and third day. Many of the guest stars that NBC has hyped will not appear until the last two episodes. Fortunately, since the miniseries is spread out over five days you can afford to watch the first episode on Sunday and see the last two episodes a week later. Writer Simon Moore created a wonderful storyline, updating familiar favorites while adding a lot of fairytale gimmicks that enhance the plot. Most fairytale lovers will recognize many of the elements that Moore uses in "The 10th Kingdom," like references to "Jack and the Beanstalk" and "Little Bo Peep." Even those who are skeptical of fairytales will enjoy John Larroquette's cynical performance as Tony, trying to keep his head when everyone around him is completely mad. Do not expect the special effects to be as elaborate as in past NBC miniseries; most will find the huff and puff effects minimal and easily done. Kimberly Williams' performance is spectacular but not standout. This is an ensemble piece and all of the actors excel in their roles even if some are only in the movie for ten minutes.

Overall, the "The 10th Kingdom" does justice to fairytales, keeping with their moral traditions yet satirizing the whole fairytale concept. Look for the ingenious use of the Bee Gees' "Saturday Night Fever," as the Troll theme song and the conflicted Wolf to seek the services of a therapist. "The 10th Kingdom" is an epic journey, full of fantasy, comedy and love. Expect surprises, but remember that this story is based on fairytales and they always have a "happily ever after." If you believe in make believe, "The 10th Kingdom" airs Sunday, Feb. 27, 9-11 pm; Monday, Feb. 28, 8-10 pm; Wednesday, March 1, 8-10 pm; Sunday, March 5, 9-11 pm and Monday, March 6, 8-10 pm.

Courtesy of NBC

Kimberly Williams and John Larroquette star in NBC's "The 10th Kingdom."