Chief of War premiered on Friday, August 1st on Apple TV+, and it’s already a massive hit. The historical drama is the number one show on Apple TV+ by quite a margin, according to FlixPatrol, even with the currently-running Foundation Season 3 right behind it. The series stars Jason Momoa as Ka’iana, a Native Hawaiian nobleman who traveled around the world in the late 1700s before returning home to try and help prepare his people for more incursions from outsiders. The story is based on true events, with the drama and action turned all the way up for an incredible streaming series. There are two episodes streaming now and more coming each Friday through September 19th.
Chief of War was a hotly anticipated project before its premiere, but its success is already exceeding expectations. Obviously, Momoa’s star power goes a long way for the premiere of a new series, and in this case, his obvious passion carries it even further. Momoa has often spoken publicly about his Native Hawaiian ancestry and his love for the islands — he has even participated in protests to help protect the environment and Native culture in Hawaii. In addition to starring, Momoa helped develop and produce this series, in a long process going back to at least 2015.
At the same time, there’s clearly a thirst for this kind of epic historical drama on TV these days, and Chief of War delivers. The show offers an unflinching look at the early interactions between Hawaii and the outside world, without oversimplifying any characters or dynamics. It’s a spectacle that feels all the more enthralling since we know that it is largely true, even if we can’t be assure of complete accuracy.
Of course, we know that views don’t always translate into praise, but thankfully in this case, the enthusiasm seems to be well-placed. The series has a 92% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising Momoa’s performance and the attention to detail in the whole production. The show is certified fresh with 38 reviews so far, while the audience score is falling a bit behind at 79% fresh. Still, it seems safe to assume that word-of-mouth has been a contributor in this series’ success.
With all that in mind, the show is just getting started. Chief of War is streaming now on Apple TV+, with new episodes ever Friday through September 19th. The next episode will be released on Friday, August 8th.
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