Wolf Hall (BBC2/PBS)

[red snow]

That play after Wolsey's death was brutal. Been meaning to read the books, I'll do it after the shows done I guess.

We at least got our first sense of Cromwell maybe having a vicious streak. The way he made a point of face-checking all the actors has me wondering if he'll mark them out for punishment. Maybe not kill but possibly make sure they never work again if he has the choice.

[paddington]

We at least got our first sense of Cromwell maybe having a vicious streak. The way he made a point of face-checking all the actors has me wondering if he'll mark them out for punishment. Maybe not kill but possibly make sure they never work again if he has the choice.

Can't remeber who was in the play, was it Mark smeaten and George Bolyen?

[lojzelote]

We at least got our first sense of Cromwell maybe having a vicious streak. The way he made a point of face-checking all the actors has me wondering if he'll mark them out for punishment. Maybe not kill but possibly make sure they never work again if he has the choice.

It was about time. So far he's been as sweet as that kitten.

[UtherSnow]

Syrio Forel is alive!

Now that's out of the way.... What surprised me was how many supporting cast from GOT were in this series. Also, there's Stannis' real-life brother in the cast. You see the names and don't make the full connection until you see them on screen. Even found myself looking amongst the extras for familiar faces. (The pace allows you to do that without consciously doing it.)

Perhaps I ought to have said, I'm not surprised another series took on former cast from GOT. Some seen rather suited for period drama, although that slides into stereotypical casting after a while. One thing it proves is that there is a wealth of acting talent on this side of the pond that both deserve and receive chances.

The plot does seem to pin the power where it would've actually resided. (The ruling monarch swings a quill, when prompted by whispers, not an axe.) People can make the mistake of thinking this is the same Cromwell as another, more infamous. It is the same family, through Thomas' sister's line to Oliver, the Puritan.

Could this family have been an influence or blueprint for one in GRRM's world?

[Calibandar]

Another excellent episode. Seems like this covered more ground than the first two. One minute she is getting married and the next scene shows Cromwell visiting her when she is close to giving birth. I felt like I missed an " 8 months later" caption. Maybe I did.

It's all so well acted. I wish there were 20 episodes, you'd just gobble that up. Rylance is really brilliant in this role. Admittedly they've not gone for a more brutal kind of guy, but this take has its own charm.

[williamjm]

Another excellent episode. Seems like this covered more ground than the first two. One minute she is getting married and the next scene shows Cromwell visiting her when she is close to giving birth. I felt like I missed an " 8 months later" caption. Maybe I did.

It's all so well acted. I wish there were 20 episodes, you'd just gobble that up. Rylance is really brilliant in this role. Admittedly they've not gone for a more brutal kind of guy, but this take has its own charm.

I agree they probably could have done more episodes. Rylance's Cromwell may tend to be calm and quiet but you can tell he isn't someone that should be underestimated. On the other side of the temperament scale I did enjoy Bernard Hill's ranting.

[Hos the Hostage]

Can't remeber who was in the play, was it Mark smeaten and George Bolyen?

George Boleyn, Henry Norris, Brereton, Weston: The four devils that carried the limbs. Mark made a song about it. All five executed, in Bring up the Bodies.

[paddington]

The plot does seem to pin the power where it would've actually resided. (The ruling monarch swings a quill, when prompted by whispers, not an axe.) People can make the mistake of thinking this is the same Cromwell as another, more infamous. It is the same family, through Thomas' sister's line to Oliver, the Puritan.

Could this family have been an influence or blueprint for one in GRRM's world?

Richard Willaims changed his name to Cromwell (first episode) would be I think the connection to Oliver.

[Spockydog]

Richard Willaims changed his name to Cromwell (first episode) would be I think the connection to Oliver.

As UtherSnow has already pointed out, Oliver Cromwell was a direct descendant of Thomas Cromwell's sister, Katherine.

[voodooqueen126]

We at least got our first sense of Cromwell maybe having a vicious streak. The way he made a point of face-checking all the actors has me wondering if he'll mark them out for punishment. Maybe not kill but possibly make sure they never work again if he has the choice.

This is a testament to how good the directing is that someone who hasn't read the books can figure out that the scene was foreshadowing.

[dog-days]

Cromwell's face was priceless during his drunk conversation with Henry. Reaching almost Grumpy Cat levels of cosmic distaste.

What are people's thoughts on the sexual tension the TV show has been introducing to the Anne/Cromwell relationship? I don't mind it, but I'm not sure why it's there. To show off Anne's charms more directly to the viewers? To give Mark Rylance more opportunities in the final episode to hang around mullioned windows looking troubled?

[Commodore]

for some reason I enjoy listening to Rylance talk

he could be reading the phone book

[VarysTheSpider]

Best episode of the bunch so far I think. I'm surprised it was only an hour long, they seemed to throw so much stuff in there. I particularly enjoyed the portrait scene. I had to stop and do a quick wikipedia search for Cromwell's portrait because I knew it seemed familiar. On a hunch, I looked at the entry for the artist, too, to see his resemblance to the actor. Gotta love that attention to detail.

[lojzelote]

Do we know what's wrong with young Mary Tudor? She seems to have trouble breathing.

[dog-days]

Do we know what's wrong with young Mary Tudor? She seems to have trouble breathing.

We only saw her in the one scene a few episodes ago, didn't we? I just recall her seeming nervous/highly strung.

Good episode this week. I'm glad that we saw a lot of More, and he was allowed to be more than a mad zealot that burns people.

Reminds me that in the previous episode I loved the bit when Bainham stood up in church and began reciting lines from the English bible. Wish the scene had started a little earlier so that we'd heard and seen more of the Latin Mass as a contrast.

I'm enjoying Damian Lewis's Henry a lot, but I think I prefer Nathaniel Parker's stage version. He just had this butter-wouldn't-melt-in-his-mouth quality, a childlike vanity and charm and a "can't-you-do-something-about-this-for-me, Cromwell" method of handling all unpleasant decisions that made him more memorable.

[williamjm]

Best episode of the bunch so far I think. I'm surprised it was only an hour long, they seemed to throw so much stuff in there. I particularly enjoyed the portrait scene. I had to stop and do a quick wikipedia search for Cromwell's portrait because I knew it seemed familiar. On a hunch, I looked at the entry for the artist, too, to see his resemblance to the actor. Gotta love that attention to detail.

It was another good episode. I also liked them showing Cromwell being painted, I suppose if you're doing a series about the Tudors you have to have Holbein in it at some point.

[BigFatCoward]

Apparently rylance is playing the bfg next year. Perfect.

[red snow]

Apparently rylance is playing the bfg next year. Perfect.

That's an amazing bit of casting.

This episode lapsed in a few places for me. Previous episodes have fully held my attention but I found it wandering a few times this week. The performances and everything were great - I just wasn't so fascinated in the whole episode being about Thomas Moore. There were also a couple of points where I felt as though I had missed something but I think a lot of things are happening behind the scenes.

Did they ever confirm if this season covers all of "bring up the bodies". It dawned on me that being based on both books doesn't mean they have to use all the material.

[Werthead]

The BBC have confirmed that they are considering a second season based primarily on the (still unreleased) third book, but if that was the plan all along they could have held back some BUTB material as well.

[lojzelote]

I, for one, enjoyed the last episode most of all. A lot was happening, but it didn't feel fragmentized, and individual scenes weren't too drawn out (i.e., Rylance staring into distance, frowning). Nor did I get the impression I'm watching a stage play... well, there were one or two exceptions.

A great More; one moment I wished to smooch him, another to bash his face in. He may have been a fanatic, but I couldn't help it but be on his side when he was judged by a court consisting mainly of self-serving brown-nosers.

Loved the actress playing Jane Rochford Boleyn. That is one bitter lady. Can't say I blame her since she's surrounded by the Boleyns day and night. I'd like more of her and Jane Seymour's one-sided bickering.

The sight of the blood on the floor was greatly upsetting, although I've known what was coming all along, of course. Well shot.

I wonder about Cromwell's interest in Jane Seymour. Does he truly fancy her? Or does he genuinely like her as a person? Or does he mean to use her? He swore revenge on George Boleyn and co. and causing Jane to displace Anne in Henry's favour would accomplish that, but so far Henry hasn't paid Jane any attention, so I can't see as to why Jane Seymour, of all ladies. I should have read the book first.