Recently, NBC announced that it would be moving Kings to Saturday night, which in network TV terms is a lot like moving a sick patient into hospice care. Those few who have been watching the show might find some consolation in NBC's decision to air the remaining episodes instead of outright canceling the program, but the likelihood of seeing a second season of Kings is only slightly greater than the likelihood of my sprouting wings and circumnavigating the moon. Because I believe it deserves the coverage and that cancellation does not render a story irrelevant, I will continue covering Kings for the duration of its run. Look for the recap and review on Sundays.

"Judgment Day" was the first Saturday episode of the series and I have to say that some of the residual disappointment of the rescheduling hung over it. The quiet tone and nuance of the episode didn't help. Kings is at its best when there's something epic about it. While I enjoyed some of the smaller dramas like Jack's Machiavellian machinations, I dearly missed the mysticism that has had a tendency to bubble up from the inexplicable every couple episodes. The only bit of divine coincidence in "Judgment Day" came in the form of a discarded military medal. A crown of butterflies, it ain't.

The episode's plot centers around a yearly tradition in Gilboa for the king himself to hear ten legal cases and render a final verdict. As always, the proceedings are a mix of public pandering and inside politics. The cases seem to fall into two distinct categories. Half are borderline silly, like an anachronistic dispute over livestock (one of the show's less subtle nods to its source material) while the other half are purely political gestures, like Silas hearing an embezzlement case against Reverend Samuels just so he can pardon the man.

Wrapped up in this somewhat clunky plot device is David's fight for his brother's life following his treason trial. Everyone has a dirty finger in that case. Jack and Katrina Ghent screw around with the case review board, Michelle tries to sabotage her own appeal for the medical care plan so she can get on David's good side and Silas uses the whole thing as another photo op with his nation's favorite hero. Even though it was supposed to be the dramatic linchpin of the entire episode, I was actually kinda bored by it. It could only have turned out with some kind of compromise, as David wouldn't remain in the story if he had to face his brother's death. The show keeps David and Silas at a tense proximity, just close enough to continue the drama.

The real shame of "Judgment Day" is that it was Macaulay Culkin's first episode and probably no one saw it. He plays Andrew Cross, the recently un-exiled son of William Cross. He didn't do much in this episode except dig at Silas during dinner and steal Rose's shoe for some reason. He'll no doubt play a bigger role in later episodes, but for now he's just a reason for Dylan Baker to practice reaction shots.

Best Moment: We got to have a visit with King Vesper, which was pretty good. Brian Cox keeps the role fun to watch and he drops some heavy insight on Silas. Also, I'm never going to look at macaroons the same way again.

Biggest Shock: Silas sentenced the doctor who saved his secret son's life to a long prison term for vehicular homicide. On a hot summer day, I suggest hanging out in Silas's heart. And bring a jacket.

Episode Rating: 3/5- The pacing was slow, the revelations not that revelatory and the drama merely serviceable. There was enough good stuff to still make Kings one of the best shows on TV, but just barely.