Anyone watch 'The Tudors'?

[BillyBobUSA]

I bought the first two seasons on DVD last Thursday and just finished the season finale of season two.

Dear Lord, that was a good series. Very good. Classic already and its still in production.

The way the writers have drawn out all the little dramatic angles of king Henry VIII's court via various subplots and the major events of the time is just marvelous. It is a feast for those enamored with political intrigue, early modern court manners and pageantry, and the historical events around that key turning point in Englands development.

I am in awe and look forward to seeing season three.

Anyone else watching it?

[noose4]

yes it is very entertaining.

[wayoverthehill]

I bought the first two seasons on DVD last Thursday and just finished the season finale of season two.

Dear Lord, that was a good series. Very good. Classic already and its still in production.

The way the writers have drawn out all the little dramatic angles of king Henry VIII's court via various subplots and the major events of the time is just marvelous. It is a feast for those enamored with political intrigue, early modern court manners and pageantry, and the historical events around that key turning point in Englands development.

I am in awe and look forward to seeing season three.

Anyone else watching it?Is it an HBO production? I haven't seen it but then I don't have HBO. OTOH, the Tudor dynasty is one of my very favorite subjects and I will take your recommendation that it is excellent and purchase the series. Is it available on Amazon?

[noose4]

Is it an HBO production? I haven't seen it but then I don't have HBO. OTOH, the Tudor dynasty is one of my very favorite subjects and I will take your recommendation that it is excellent and purchase the series. Is it available on Amazon?

not hbo, showtime

[SarahG]

I bought the first two seasons on DVD last Thursday and just finished the season finale of season two.

Dear Lord, that was a good series. Very good. Classic already and its still in production.

The way the writers have drawn out all the little dramatic angles of king Henry VIII's court via various subplots and the major events of the time is just marvelous. It is a feast for those enamored with political intrigue, early modern court manners and pageantry, and the historical events around that key turning point in Englands development.

I am in awe and look forward to seeing season three.

Anyone else watching it?

Oh yes, it's my favorite Showtime series. I've been watching since season one and when I'm home, I'll rewatch some of the episodes from Showtime on Demand.

Love, love, love it.

[wayoverthehill]

not hbo, showtimeDon't have that either.

In the meantime, I checked to see if my library had it and they have Season 1. 5 copies but all are either out or on hold so I placed a hold. If I like it I can go ahead and order the other seasons.

I hate to spend money if I can avoid it! LOL.

[soupdragon]

Yeah gotta love them bonking Tudors :mrgreen:

[noose4]

Don't have that either.

In the meantime, I checked to see if my library had it and they have Season 1. 5 copies but all are either out or on hold so I placed a hold. If I like it I can go ahead and order the other seasons.

I hate to spend money if I can avoid it! LOL.

that's the way to go, i think you will enjoy it it is very well done.

[gb2004]

I bought the first two seasons on DVD last Thursday and just finished the season finale of season two.

Dear Lord, that was a good series. Very good. Classic already and its still in production.

The way the writers have drawn out all the little dramatic angles of king Henry VIII's court via various subplots and the major events of the time is just marvelous. It is a feast for those enamored with political intrigue, early modern court manners and pageantry, and the historical events around that key turning point in Englands development.

I am in awe and look forward to seeing season three.

Anyone else watching it?

I bought the first season on DVD. I'm geting ready to watch season 2 (Netflix. At least for now.)

I agree. It's really good. Not exactly historically accurate, but a very good drama.

[BillyBobUSA]

Yeah gotta love them bonking Tudors :mrgreen:

One of my favorite movie lines of all time is from 'Rob Roy' with Liam Neeson.

The Marquis tells his duelist, named Archie, that he seems to be back in some kind of money, which he implies is suspicious since the Marquis knows his duelist has no income.

Then Archie says. 'I have been by the cards favored...' ( a really stupid lie since the Marquis plays cards with Archie all the time and Archie sux).

The Marquis' face contorts and he spits out, 'What do you take me for, a Windsor?'

The Tudors might have been a bit ruthless, but Windsors they certainly were not.

[BillyBobUSA]

I bought the first season on DVD. I'm geting ready to watch season 2 (Netflix. At least for now.)

I agree. It's really good. Not exactly historically accurate, but a very good drama.


Meh, with the artform, you have to tailor the story to the medium, which rarely leaves room for historical acuracy.

But its good enough.

I could really feel for Ann Bolen and Katherine of Aragorn.

And it does accurately portray, IMO, what a monster Henry was, the first of an archetype followed up by Napoleon, Hitler and Stalin.

[gb2004]

Meh, with the artform, you have to tailor the story to the medium, which rarely leaves room for historical acuracy.

But its good enough.

I could really feel for Ann Bolen and Katherine of Aragorn.

And it does accurately portray, IMO, what a monster Henry was, the first of an archetype followed up by Napoleon, Hitler and Stalin.

I feel for Katherine, but not AB. She was a scheming, conniving slut. Then Jane Seymour comes along and does the same thing to her that she did to Katherine. Karma is a bitch.:naughty:

[BillyBobUSA]

I feel for Katherine, but not AB. She was a scheming, conniving slut. Then Jane Seymour comes along and does the same thing to her that she did to Katherine. Karma is a bitch.:naughty:


But Ann seemed to genuinely change to some degree.

Or do you think all her heartfelt faith and outreach to the commoners was a show?

I kind of lean toward the possibility that at first it was all pretense but a funny thing happened; the pretense became who she really was and how she really felt. Especially after Elizabeth was born.

[gb2004]

But Ann seemed to genuinely change to some degree.

Or do you think all her heartfelt faith and outreach to the commoners was a show?

I kind of lean toward the possibility that at first it was all pretense but a funny thing happened; the pretense became who she really was and how she really felt. Especially after Elizabeth was born.

I haven't seen that part yet. I've only seen episode 1 of season 2 . She has Katherine thrown out of the house because "there can't be three people in a marriage"......ignoring the fact that she wasn't yet married to Henry. Pretty cold.

[livia]

I haven't seen that part yet. I've only seen episode 1 of season 2 . She has Katherine thrown out of the house because "there can't be three people in a marriage"......ignoring the fact that she wasn't yet married to Henry. Pretty cold.

That line got a chuckle over here in the UK as it was obviously harking back to Princess Diana's famous interview about Camilla and Charles!

I enjoy this series too, purely as entertainment - certainly not historical fact!

Having said that, series two is much more historically accurate than the first series - perhaps the programme makers bowed to the criticism leveled at the first series.

Looking forward to series thee, but the thought of Joss Stone as Anne of Cleves really worries me:rolleyes:

[BillyBobUSA]

I enjoy this series too, purely as entertainment - certainly not historical fact!

Having said that, series two is much more historically accurate than the first series - perhaps the programme makers bowed to the criticism leveled at the first series.


I have spotted a few inacuracues, but much of that can be written up to speculation about things we wouldnt know.

What inacuracies did you spot?

[gb2004]

That line got a chuckle over here in the UK as it was obviously harking back to Princess Diana's famous interview about Camilla and Charles!

Yes! Exactly what I thought when she said it.

I enjoy this series too, purely as entertainment - certainly not historical fact!

Having said that, series two is much more historically accurate than the first series - perhaps the programme makers bowed to the criticism leveled at the first series.

Looking forward to series thee, but the thought of Joss Stone as Anne of Cleves really worries me:rolleyes:

Yeah, I don't understand that either. Are they going to make her ugly somehow? Doubtful.

Btw, Jonathan Rhys Meyers is HOT!! Wish I was about twenty years younger.....and single.....and actually had a chance in hell of meeting him. :))

[gb2004]

I have just finished watching the season finale of season 2.

I have to say, by the end I was feeling pretty sorry for Anne. All the charges against her were trumped up and Henry was a cold hearted bastard.

Can't wait for season three!!:D

[BillyBobUSA]

I have just finished watching the season finale of season 2.

I have to say, by the end I was feeling pretty sorry for Anne. All the charges against her were trumped up and Henry was a cold hearted bastard.

Can't wait for season three!!:D


Yeah they really made Henry look like a monster, especially the little imagery of him eating that swan at the end.

But such are tyrants.

[gb2004]

Yeah they really made Henry look like a monster, especially the little imagery of him eating that swan at the end.

But such are tyrants.

Yeah, that was pretty disgusting.

I thought they were bringing him her head.:))

[BillyBobUSA]

Yeah, that was pretty disgusting.

I thought they were bringing him her head.:))


Well, I dont think Henry was THAT far gone.

But he did kill more people than the Spanish Inquisition; some 57,000 people some estimate.

He was an early version of the disctators that would later follow other social revolutions; Napoleon, Stalin, Hitler, etc.

He took posession of thousands of properties all over England and threw the previous occupants out on the street, in essence and tried to crush the religion of the majority as well.

I think he is burning in hell as we speak.

[livia]

I think it's so interesting the way that we have moved away completely from the jolly King Hal image to actually recognising what an evil little man he was. As much as I find it hard to visualise JRM as Henry VIII ( he's far too good looking), he does portray him as a complete pyschopath. I've always felt that, in the past, he has been shown as a relatively good king who was prone to bad temper tantrums!!
Whereas Elizabeth I has become even more idolised over the years ( a lot of this I think is due to the recent movie adaptations - but I am a big admirer of that particular lady!

[livia]

If I remember correctly, they seem to amalgamate Henry's two sisters into one and for some reason have her marrying the King of Portugal!! She actually married the old King of France.
Although the suicide of Wolsey was very dramatic, he actually died from a disease ( I think it was dysentery).

Having said that I did love Maria Doyle as Catherine of Aragon and was a little partial to Charles Brandon!!

If you haven't seen the second series, you're in for a treat - I think it's much better. And Peter O'Toole as the Pope is truly inspired casting!

[wayoverthehill]

After waiting several weeks for this series to become available to me from the library, I watched the first 3 epis tonight.

I hope it gets better.

Being sort of a stickler for historical accuracy, I was irked right off the bat by the casting of Meyers as Henry. Henry was very fair skinned with red-blonde hair. Although he was quite trim in his youth and had excellent legs, he was never as skinny as Meyers. On the other hand, the girl who plays Anne is quite a good bit of casting.
The timelines are all off as far as his daughter Mary being as old as she was portrayed during the Field of Gold meeting with the King of France which took place in 1519 when Mary would have been 3 years old.
Anyhow I know I'm being nit-picky but it seems to me that if Showtime were going to make such a lavish production they would take the time to make it more believable.
I'll keep watching it though but I hope we get less boobage and bed-bouncing and more intrigue and drama.

[melinda]

I feel for Katherine, but not AB. She was a scheming, conniving slut. Then Jane Seymour comes along and does the same thing to her that she did to Katherine. Karma is a bitch.:naughty:

I agree ... Jane does to Anne what Anne did to Katherine, I have no love loss for Anne.

My favorite line from the series is when the King of France is talking to Anne about her being queen, I don't remember it word for word, but it was something to the effect of "it's harder to have everything than to have nothing". I LOVE that line.......

[melinda]

Yes! Exactly what I thought when she said it.



Yeah, I don't understand that either. Are they going to make her ugly somehow? Doubtful.

Btw, Jonathan Rhys Meyers is HOT!! Wish I was about twenty years younger.....and single.....and actually had a chance in hell of meeting him. :))

he is HOT. and has the most beautiful eyes.

[melinda]

I have just finished watching the season finale of season 2.

I have to say, by the end I was feeling pretty sorry for Anne. All the charges against her were trumped up and Henry was a cold hearted bastard.

Can't wait for season three!!:D

:shhh: I haven't finished season 2 yet.

OK, I have a clue..........

[melinda]

If I remember correctly, they seem to amalgamate Henry's two sisters into one and for some reason have her marrying the King of Portugal!! She actually married the old King of France.
Although the suicide of Wolsey was very dramatic, he actually died from a disease ( I think it was dysentery).

Having said that I did love Maria Doyle as Catherine of Aragon and was a little partial to Charles Brandon!!

If you haven't seen the second series, you're in for a treat - I think it's much better. And Peter O'Toole as the Pope is truly inspired casting!

as I was reading your post I was thinking of Peter O'Toole, then I see you mentioned him. I'm loving him as the Pope.

[melinda]

After waiting several weeks for this series to become available to me from the library, I watched the first 3 epis tonight.

I hope it gets better.

Being sort of a stickler for historical accuracy, I was irked right off the bat by the casting of Meyers as Henry. Henry was very fair skinned with red-blonde hair. Although he was quite trim in his youth and had excellent legs, he was never as skinny as Meyers. On the other hand, the girl who plays Anne is quite a good bit of casting.
The timelines are all off as far as his daughter Mary being as old as she was portrayed during the Field of Gold meeting with the King of France which took place in 1519 when Mary would have been 3 years old.
Anyhow I know I'm being nit-picky but it seems to me that if Showtime were going to make such a lavish production they would take the time to make it more believable.
I'll keep watching it though but I hope we get less boobage and bed-bouncing and more intrigue and drama.

my daughter loves all things Tudor and loves studying about Henry and all his wives. She does catch all the inaccuracies, but she still loves the series. I hope you enjoy it as well ...

[Constantine the Great]

I bought the first two seasons on DVD last Thursday and just finished the season finale of season two.

Dear Lord, that was a good series. Very good. Classic already and its still in production.

The way the writers have drawn out all the little dramatic angles of king Henry VIII's court via various subplots and the major events of the time is just marvelous. It is a feast for those enamored with political intrigue, early modern court manners and pageantry, and the historical events around that key turning point in Englands development.

I am in awe and look forward to seeing season three.

Anyone else watching it?

My wife is hooked on it. That and "Weeds".

[sgtmac_46]

I haven't seen that part yet. I've only seen episode 1 of season 2 . She has Katherine thrown out of the house because "there can't be three people in a marriage"......ignoring the fact that she wasn't yet married to Henry. Pretty cold.

Pretty cold.......but pretty accurate, too.

[sgtmac_46]

Well, I dont think Henry was THAT far gone.

But he did kill more people than the Spanish Inquisition; some 57,000 people some estimate.

He was an early version of the disctators that would later follow other social revolutions; Napoleon, Stalin, Hitler, etc.

He took posession of thousands of properties all over England and threw the previous occupants out on the street, in essence and tried to crush the religion of the majority as well.

I think he is burning in hell as we speak. Henry was nothing unique in the history of kings........about par for the course in the history of English kings.

[sgtmac_46]

I enjoyed the first season for the Tudors, but lost track of it. I'll have to catch up. Showtime and HBO have done a good job reinterpreting the Costume Drama, what with the Tudors and ROME........I still would be amused by a Titus Pullo spin-off! :))

[stoked]

I just put it in my Netflix queue.

[livia]

I enjoyed the first season for the Tudors, but lost track of it. I'll have to catch up. Showtime and HBO have done a good job reinterpreting the Costume Drama, what with the Tudors and ROME........I still would be amused by a Titus Pullo spin-off! :))

Ah Titus Pullo - how I miss him:((

I'm not sure if I would say that Henry was the "norm" for British kings - but he was definitely a prime candidate for the worst monarch. I think only the likes of Edward I and perhaps William the Conqueror come close!

[melinda]

I enjoyed the first season for the Tudors, but lost track of it. I'll have to catch up. Showtime and HBO have done a good job reinterpreting the Costume Drama, what with the Tudors and ROME........I still would be amused by a Titus Pullo spin-off! :))

I loved ROME .... and Titus Pullo :)

[wayoverthehill]

my daughter loves all things Tudor and loves studying about Henry and all his wives. She does catch all the inaccuracies, but she still loves the series. I hope you enjoy it as well ...Oh I'm still watching it. Have now seen the first 6 epis. I'm still bothered by the timeline though. The scene where Mary is taken from Katherine and sent away to establish her own household occurred in 1531 when Mary would have been 15. The child portraying her was obviously not 15. It's stuff like this that ruins historical drama IF you know about it. But for the average person who may not be a big history buff, it's a great show.
I'm still watching but I really do not care for that Meyer guy. He just is NOT Henry VIII by any stretch.

[gb2004]

my daughter loves all things Tudor and loves studying about Henry and all his wives. She does catch all the inaccuracies, but she still loves the series. I hope you enjoy it as well ...

I'm currently reading The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn by Eric Ives. Or maybe I should say I'm working my way through it. :mrgreen: It's very interesting, but not exactly 'light reading'. I wanted to compare the mini series with the facts.

Over all, I'd say they try to stay pretty close to the important facts, allowing for some dramatic license, of course. The time line of some of the characters is way off. Henry's illegitimate son for example, lived to adulthood and died the same year that Anne was executed. In the show they have him dying as an infant.

[livia]

I'm currently reading The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn by Eric Ives. Or maybe I should say I'm working my way through it. :mrgreen: It's very interesting, but not exactly 'light reading'. I wanted to compare the mini series with the facts.

Over all, I'd say they try to stay pretty close to the important facts, allowing for some dramatic license, of course. The time line of some of the characters is way off. Henry's illegitimate son for example, lived to adulthood and died the same year that Anne was executed. In the show they have him dying as an infant.

I, definitely, get the impression that the producers/writers took on board some of this criticism as the second season is more accurate and somewhat less of a bonk fest:whistle:

[mysticbeauty_nbeast]

I keep hearing about this series...The Tudors...yet have not found it on my On Demand show listings. Guess I won't get it since I don't have Showtime.

I'll take Jeepers que and run up to the library and see if they have it. :mrgreen:

Henry Vlll is not one of my more favored characters in English history...but his daughters are. Henry was boorish in many ways...his one decent contribution, fighting against the strangle hold the church had on his country...a battle that followed even Elizabeth into her reign. Add in Mary Queen of Scots..and you've got one hell of story! Fascinating stuff to be sure.

~Mysty

[livia]

I keep hearing about this series...The Tudors...yet have not found it on my On Demand show listings. Guess I won't get it since I don't have Showtime.

I'll take Jeepers que and run up to the library and see if they have it. :mrgreen:

Henry Vlll is not one of my more favored characters in English history...but his daughters are. Henry was boorish in many ways...his one decent contribution, fighting against the strangle hold the church had on his country...a battle that followed even Elizabeth into her reign. Add in Mary Queen of Scots..and you've got one hell of story! Fascinating stuff to be sure.

~Mysty


I think Henry was a bit more than just boorish. And his only motives for the destruction of the Catholic church in England were selfish greed and a tyrannical egomania . However, I do think he made one great contribution, he gave Britain her finest monarch - Elizabeth 1st.

[mysticbeauty_nbeast]

I think Henry was a bit more than just boorish. And his only motives for the destruction of the Catholic church in England were selfish greed and a tyrannical egomania . However, I do think he made one great contribution, he gave Britain her finest monarch - Elizabeth 1st.

Boorish may not be the all encompassing word best used when describing HRH King Henry the 8th...but it was the kindest I could come up with at the time...lol.

Regardless his motives (wanting a male heir so bad he could taste it...and that sticky catholic tradition of one marriage and no divorce) forced the population to re-look at the churches role in day to day life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as individuals...not merely a flock of sheep to be driven by the all powerful church. Henry also opened the door to questioning just how much power a church/religion should have over it's sovereign nation/government. Without Henry..it could have turned out very differently.

In Henry's time, and many decades following him, many poor individuals could not afford a church affirmed marriage..and merely lived in sin. The church had to step back from it's aristocracy and flighty roots and learn to embrace all of it's followers....not just the wealthy ones. Had it not been for Henry's lu****l quest for a son..we may to this day have a catholic run England...not the democratic one we understand today. ;) This is best portrayed by Kevin Follet in his book "The Pillars of the Earth" Great book if you ever get a chance to read it.

As for Elizabeth l, herself...what can I say but that she is most certainly my favorite character in history. In so many ways, Elizabeth broke barriers in many old mores's. How she fought wars , and how much growth the human spirit can achieve if pushed on by pure love of country, and a love for all of her people became her mantra. The virgin Queen..married to all of England in order to heal it. What a woman!

~Mysty

[livia]

Definitely agree, no church had the same power over a sovereign nation state after Henry VIII. Although, the Church of England was still very powerful and the link between church and state was very strong. In Ireland, non Anglican worshippers were persecuted equally - whether they be Roman Catholic or Presbyterian ( like me!), until the start of the 19th century. I believe Church of England bishops are still automatic members of that antiquated club called the House of Lords - although for how much longer, is debatable.

But, I do agree, long term the "break with Rome" was probably for the best ( but then I would say that!) but was done in a truly heinous and bloodythirsty manner!

I love Elizabeth, a monarch who had "no desire to make windows unto men's souls" deserves respect - she was centuries ahead of her time. I also love the fact that she tried to defy death, by standing up, right until the end!

[gb2004]

The season 3 premiere episode can now be previewed either at the Showtime website, or if you have Netflix, you can watch it there.

I just watched it. Really good!:D