Chief of War (Apple TV+)

[SarcasticVulcanSalute]

Chief of War

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Embark on an epic adventure about the origin of Hawai'i and it's people. Jason Momoa stars as Ka'iana, a fearless warrior on a mission to unite his homeland as a monumental power struggle erupts among the four kingdoms.

• Chief of War is a Hawaiian historical drama series created by Thomas Paʻa Sibbett and Jason Momoa for Apple TV+.
• 9 episodes, every Friday through September 19, 2025.
• initially announced as a limited miniseries, a second and third season could possibly be greenlit in September 2025

 

[SarcasticVulcanSalute]

Anybody else watching this visually absolutely stunning, at times very violent and brutal, history based action/drama series?

 

[Christopher]

Anybody else watching this visually absolutely stunning, at times very violent and brutal, history based action/drama series?

Oh, dear. I've been meaning to check this out, since I'm interested in the Hawai'ian history, but I really wish prestige TV would get over this need to put graphic violence into everything.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Anybody else watching this visually absolutely stunning, at times very violent and brutal, history based action/drama series?

I am, Good stuff.

 

[Colonel Midnight]

I’ve heard good things about it so far, so definitely need to check it out.

It should (hopefully) give me some good tidbits of trivia / knowledge to use on the harbor cruise boat out here on Oahu.

And I’m glad that it sounds like they didn’t hold back on the violence aspect — the native Hawaiians were a pretty nasty and brutish bunch like most of the Polynesian tribes.

Cheers,
-CM-

 

[Christopher]

And I’m glad that it sounds like they didn’t hold back on the violence aspect — the native Hawaiians were a pretty nasty and brutish bunch like most of the Polynesian tribes.

Right, like Europeans weren't. Humans in general are often a pretty nasty and brutish lot.

 

[SarcasticVulcanSalute]

Oh, dear. I've been meaning to check this out, since I'm interested in the Hawai'ian history, but I really wish prestige TV would get over this need to put graphic violence into everything.

And I’m glad that it sounds like they didn’t hold back on the violence aspect — the native Hawaiians were a pretty nasty and brutish bunch like most of the Polynesian tribes.

Cheers,
-CM-

Didn't expect it, was just surprised as some stuff is rather graphic and it's on Apple TV+ after all. But I don't mind it and historically it really often was brutal battles and rituals indeed, so it's not just for dramatic effect.

Also I found it really cool, that unless you speak ōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian) you'll need the subtitles. English only gets introduced bit by bit with the pale-skins.

There are many wonderful actresses and actors with Polynesian and Hawai'ian heritage in the cast, not just the main ones. Really awesome to see that!
Hope it's a similar thing on set, behind the camera and all trough the production.

 

[Colonel Midnight]

Right, like Europeans weren't. Humans in general are often a pretty nasty and brutish lot.

Not denying that at all. Life was brutal and usually short back then for everyone.

It’s just eye-opening to the tourists when I mention it to them, lol.

Cheers,
-CM-

 

[Christopher]

Didn't expect it, was just surprised as some stuff is rather graphic and it's on Apple TV+ after all. But I don't mind it and historically it really often was brutal battles and rituals indeed, so it's not just for dramatic effect.

Yeah, but that doesn't mean you have to show the gore in graphic detail on camera. TV managed fine for decades showing violence discreetly, the same way nudity is shown discreetly with selective camera angles and cutaways. These days, TV-MA shows seem to wallow more and more in showing as much shocking gore and dismemberment as possible, while simultaneously getting more reluctant to show nudity. I'll never understand why people think an unclothed body is a more obscene sight than a disemboweled one.

Okay, I get that the real reason is probably that performers might prefer not to appear nude on camera given the choice, and should be given the choice, while special-effects gore doesn't entail the same privacy concerns. But that doesn't make the gore any less unpleasant to look at. I tend to look away or squint at those parts.

Also I found it really cool, that unless you speak ōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian) you'll need the subtitles. English only gets introduced bit by bit with the pale-skins.

When I watched Apple shows on my computer, I found that I needed to have the captions on all the time for the foreign-language subtitles to work at all. I hope it works differently on my smart TV.