'Cursed' drives a big, fat sword into those who think women can't lead

You'd expect a retelling of the famous legend of King Arthur to be about, well, King Arthur. But Netflix's new fantasy series "Cursed" did anything but that.

Rather, the series is about a powerful young woman named Nimue played by "13 Reasons Why" star Katherine Langford. In most medieval literature (or modern movies and TV shows), Nimue is known better as the Lady of the Lake, who bestows Excalibur to Arthur, helping him fulfill his great destiny.

But this time, the sword chooses a queen.

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First things first, "Cursed" is no "Game of Thrones" when it comes to WTF moments and body count, but the fast pace of events, cool battle scenes and the mind-blowing revelations from the characters still make it an exciting watch. And, since it still takes place in the medieval times, horses, sword fights, and treachery are 100% guaranteed.

In the beginning, Nimue, who was painted in her village as "cursed" (so that's why!) — dangerous and unhinged, was honestly a bit annoying. Her self-loathing and disagreements with her mother can remind you of those angsty teenagers in romance movies who like to summarize their problems with a single phrase: "Everyone hates me."

But, refreshingly, it doesn’t take too long for the main character to realize that she needs to step up and stop whining.

Like Arya from "Game of Thrones," Nimue evolves into a total bad-ass, defeating enemies without any help and putting her feelings second to what's important. But, like Katniss from "Hunger Games," Nimue also has that loving and caring side that fuels her into doing everything she can to save a life.

But just because the show screams "women empowerment," it doesn't mean the men were portrayed in bad taste.

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There's handsome Arhur, played by Devon Terrell. He a bit far from being a king still — he rolls with a gang of cutthroats, and sings songs to a crowd to earn some coin. And the "Weeping Monk" played by Daniel Sharman is arguably the most productive character in the series. Merlin, played by Gustaf Skarsgård, also gives a fresh take on the famous wizard we know, making him seem so human, with all his smugness and drunkenness.

Aside from touching on gender-based discrimination, "Cursed" also brings to light other several issues that existed a thousand years ago and proves that they are still happening today.

Power-hungry leaders plunge thousands into death and destruction through war, while persecution takes place on grounds like homosexuality and race.

Now, we aren't going to tell you if Nimue triumphs or if Excalibur eventually does end up with Arthur. What's important is that the show drives a big, fat sword into the sexist idea that women can't be great leaders, which sadly still exists today.

So, yeah: "Cursed" is worth a play.

—JCB, GMA News