The Tudors

[Top41]

Yeah, historically it's horrifyingly inaccurate, but as entertainment, it's fun and interesting, and does a good job creating a feel for the period. I haven't seen the second season yet, but I've enjoyed the hell out of the first season.

My favorite plotline isn't Heny & Anne so far - it's Thomas More and Thomas Cromwell. Pretty funny seeing More yak about how he's going to burn heretics right and left, with no idea about Cromwell's real sympathies. I've always liked James Frain (long before his 24 stint), and even though his performance is very interior compared with the flashier roles, I enjoy it.

Agreed--I liked all three characters and found them interesting to watch.

More is certainly portrayed differently than the famous movie A Man for All Seasons which makes him out to be some kind of saint and certainly not a heretic-burner/oppressor of religious freedom. I'd imagine that The Tudors' portrayal is more accurate, right? That scene where he burned the guy at the stake and everyone else was just walking away was plenty cold, wow! At least he had the cojones to stick around. More's portrayal is another element that I find very authentic to the times, in that he seems intelligent and sensitive yet has attitudes that modern people would find reprehensible.

Yeah, I found that scene pretty shocking. I think it's supposed to illustrate just how deep More's faith runs. He's both noble and horrifying all at once. I like that the show has really captured that depth; of course, it doesn't hurt that Jeremy Northam is a great actor.

I'm really looking forward to the second season.

 

[ancientone51]

I ahve enjoyed it despite the historical problems.

The costume problems I get a bit upset about in places, and Henry's hair color and weight...he was a "ginger" and fat and bearded.

 

[Captain Shaw]

I felt some of Ann's costumes where not quite right and that sort of stuff bugs me in historical shows.

 

[Trippy]

They cast the drama with 'hawt' actors/actresses for the main roles of Henry, Anne, Brandon (and all his babes) and made their costumes revealing to get the younger demographic, who may not even know the historical facts.

I can totally enjoy the series for what it is...even though Tudor England and Stuart Scotland are my primary research/reading focus.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Official portrait of Jane Seymour.

 

[Trippy]

And The Tudors version of Jane:

Hot, young, beautiful (not to mention Rhys-Meyers )

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Plain Jane is not to be found in the Tudors reel life universe. I'm surprised they haven't even put a little bit of padding on Rhys Myers. I really want to see who they cast as Anna of Cleves.

 

[Dream]

Plain Jane is not to be found in the Tudors reel life universe. I'm surprised they haven't even put a little bit of padding on Rhys Myers. I really want to see who they cast as Anna of Cleves.

It should be obvious by now that they don't give a damn about historical accuracy, fat Rhys Myers might lead to lower ratings so they'll keep him thin.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Considering the fact that they've precluded the existence of Mary Queen of Scots and the future James I, I have to agree. At least they didn't turn Mary Boleyn into more of a significant character than she was like in that movie, The Other Boleyn Girl.

 

[Trippy]

Considering the fact that they've precluded the existence of Mary Queen of Scots and the future James I, I have to agree.

Well, I don't think they are going to go that many seasons

It's a drama, loosely based on fact. I'm ok with that. I'm just glad we got a third season. Henry will get his boy

I'm ok with the hot actors too

 

[T'Bonz]

Jane was a hag. Her picture makes me cringe. Henry must have REALLY been tired of Anne Boleyn to pick some ugly woman. He had a court full of ambitious women and probably some were pretty, he had to pick her? Ugh.

Yeah, they miscast the Tudors for sure. Henry was nothing like the actor portraying him. And his first wife Katherine of Aragon wasn't darkly Spanish. She had auburn hair and when young, was pretty.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Jane was docile, or at least she played the part well. That's what Henry wanted at that point. A son from a woman who wouldn't cause scandal or challenge him. Catherine of Aragon was very pretty when she was young; she was also Henry's only wife to reach her 50th birthday. The 10 years of constant miscarriages and children dying in infancy really aged her. Poor thing would have been better off if Arthur had lived. The whole country probably would have been better off.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Let's do some compare and contrast with real life portraits of the historical figures, shall we?

Henry in 1520 at age 29 while married to Catherine of Aragon.

Henry in 1531 at age 40, two years prior to his marriage to Anne Boleyn

Catherine of Aragon at age 16 or 17, still in her mourning dress. This portrait really shows her reddish hair.

The only surviving portrait of Arthur Tudor (from late 1500); he'd just turned 14. He married Catherine in November of 1501 and died on April 2, 1502 at age 15 years 7 months. Most reports at the time reported that they got along well (they were just babies) even though they were only married for 5 months. It's almost certain they did sleep together. Contrary to facts assumed later, Arthur Tudor was a healthy child, and they would have been expected to get to the baby making right away in an effort to start producing heirs. They'd been betrothed by their parents when he was 4 and she was 5. Arthur reportedly had a much better disposition than the spoiled, temperamental Henry, who was raised as a young man never expected to take the throne. If Arthur hadn't been healthy, Henry wouldn't have been so indulged.

Anne Boleyn, date unknown, probably in the late 1520s. She married Henry in 1533.

EDIT: Here's a clip from David Starkey's documentary on Henry's wives. It's the start of Catherine's story. It's a more accurate historical representation than what you'll see in movies and television programs. Starkey's a historian. There's a slight discrepancy with Arthur's age (Starkey says he was married at 14--records give his birth as either September or November 1486) but other than that it's quite revealing. Either way, he and Catherine were babies. Catherine's joy that she'll be able to stay in England after the tragedy is hard to watch, considering the future. Henry wasn't the savior she thought he was.

Catherine of Aragon

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I really want to see who they cast as Anna of Cleves.

The way they're going, probably Scarlett Johanssen.

 

[bigdaddy]

The writer said he sees the show only going two more seasons because of how fast they can o through the woman. I don't remember where I read that, but I find it funny as hell.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

You must be easily amused, then.

 

[Captain Shaw]

I really want to see who they cast as Anna of Cleves.

The way they're going, probably Scarlett Johanssen.

I read there going to cast Joss Stone

 

[tenmei]

I really want to see who they cast as Anna of Cleves.

The way they're going, probably Scarlett Johanssen.

I read there going to cast Joss Stone

Yup, they have!

So, is it going to be one season per wife then? After Anne is executed, Henry only has eleven more years to live.

It could be interesting if we abbreviated some time periods given that Jane Seymour was only wife for one year and Anne of Cleves for barely six months.

Catherine Howard is there for two years, Catherine Parr for four.

This is probably being hopefull assuming a five year run, but this is how I'd fit it all in:

S1: Fall of Katherine of Aragon, Rise of Anne Boleyn
S2: Fall of Anne Boleyn, Rise of Jane Seymour
S3: Death of Jane Seymour, Rise _and_ Fall of Anne of Cleves, Rise of Catherine Howard
S4: Fall of Catherine Howard, Rise of Catherine Parr
S5: Death of Henry, Edwards Ascension and Rule

 

[Trippy]

The way they're going, probably Scarlett Johanssen.

I read there going to cast Joss Stone

Yup, they have!

So, is it going to be one season per wife then? After Anne is executed, Henry only has eleven more years to live.

It could be interesting if we abbreviated some time periods given that Jane Seymour was only wife for one year and Anne of Cleves for barely six months.

Catherine Howard is there for two years, Catherine Parr for four.

This is probably being hopefull assuming a five year run, but this is how I'd fit it all in:

S1: Fall of Katherine of Aragon, Rise of Anne Boleyn
S2: Fall of Anne Boleyn, Rise of Jane Seymour
S3: Death of Jane Seymour, Rise _and_ Fall of Anne of Cleves, Rise of Catherine Howard
S4: Fall of Catherine Howard, Rise of Catherine Parr
S5: Death of Henry, Edwards Ascension and Rule

Edward never really ruled. England was ruled by the regency council (until Edward reached maturity, which he never did), first by Jane's brother, Edward, then by a Dudly (John, father of Robert Dudly, a 'favourite' of Queen Elizabeth I)

 

[tenmei]

Well, to be fair, he was still the monarch, so it would focus on him and show that he had no power and it was the council that controlled the kingdom. As people have said elsewhere, it will be interesting to see how they handle Mary, Queen of Scots given that she doesn't/can't exist in the Tudor-verse given that Princess Margaret died without having met/married King James IV and given birth to James V.