Fans of Kurt Sutter’s Sons of Anarchy may still be a little sore over the loss of SAMCRO, but that pain may soon disappear … or at least be replaced by the weekly darkness and desperation that’s sure to pervade Sutter’s new series, The Bastard Executioner. Airing on FX this fall, this Medieval drama follows the title character, a former knight named Wilken Brattle (Lee Jones) who once served King Edward III but has since retired to live a peaceful life. When increasing taxation and feuds between nobles cause him to pick his sword up once again, Brattle soon finds himself wielding the executioner’s blade in order to keep himself and his family safe.

I got a chance to check out the footage a little bit early thanks to FX’s presentation at Comic-Con. After a video introduction by Sutter – who was in Wales filming the series and doing some reshoots – the audience got a glimpse of The Bastard Executioner. It’s a rough adjustment at first since the Medieval British dialogue, smoky village scenes, and sword fights are so very different from the California speak, highway motorcycle chases, and all-out gun battles. But once you settle into the story and know that it’s still Sutter at its heart, the world opens up and you can feel yourself being drawn into it.

Reminiscent of Robin Hood, Braveheart, and Game of Thrones, The Bastard Executioner is an interesting departure for Sutter, who takes a trip into a very visually specific time period for the first time in his career. What’s not as unusual for Sutter is his casting choices, landing on the relative newcomer Jones for the title role while surrounding him with veterans like Stephen Moyer, Timothy Murphy, and, of course, an almost unrecognizable Katey Sagal. And, of course, Sutter himself will also star in the series.

Check out the first trailer for The Bastard Executioner below and let us know your thoughts in the comments: