The Tudors

[Queequeg]

I'm exhausting my strategic TV supplies, and am presently burning through Showtime's The Tudors.

I have some conflicted feelings about it.  Very, very conflicted.  The writing is uneven, and sometimes dreadful-OH MY GOD LOOK AT THE STORM OUTSIDE THE COURT WHEN BOLEYN FIRST GIVES HENRY A BOOK ON PROTESTANTISM. Some of the characterization is iffy-everyone on the show is at least an 8.  I like some of the cast-Cromwell, Boleyn, PETER O'TOOLE.  I think Jonathan Rhys-Myers is a deeply mediocre actor, and I doubt he or the writers are going to have the guts to make him disgusting in later seasons. 

Does it get better?  I'm mostly watching because I want the BBC to hurry up and make Wolf Hall at the moment. 

[garbon]

I found it dull and gave up in 2nd season. That said - promo shots definitely showed JRM looking pretty skeevy for later seasons.

[Admiral Yi]

Similar to Grab On.

Generally good for tits though.

[crazy canuck]

I enjoyed it and watched it to the end of the series.

[Josephus]

I actually liked it a lot. The guy who plays Henry is pretty good and the woman who plays Anne Boleyn is really hot (she's in GoT).

Of course you don't watch something like this for any historical accuracy. It's good soap opera fun set in Henry VIII's world. It's good, at times smutty, fun.

[Valmy]

I actually liked it a lot. The guy who plays Henry is pretty good and the woman who plays Anne Boleyn is really hot (she's in GoT).

Of course you don't watch something like this for any historical accuracy. It's good soap opera fun set in Henry VIII's world. It's good, at times smutty, fun.

Yeah but they didn't make it historically inaccurate.  If you watched that miniseries you would know all the significant events of Henry VIII's reign.

[Queequeg]

Cardinal Wolsey offs himself.  That's not even remotely what happened.

[Valmy]

Cardinal Wolsey offs himself.  That's not even remotely what happened.

Meh close enough

But frankly I had completely forgotten that part, that takes place in the earlier seasons.  Anyway I will be interested to hear your take when you finish.  I personally think it gets better once the Boleyns fall.

[Malthus]

It just felt miscast. King Henry was always a huge guy, allegedly good-looking when young, a total ogre when older. He was never a pretty-boy type. 

[Valmy]

It just felt miscast. King Henry was always a huge guy, allegedly good-looking when young, a total ogre when older. He was never a pretty-boy type. 

He was hardly the only one.  One you think the entire English Aristocracy was selected by a kingdom wide 'Hot or Not' vote rather than by birth.

[garbon]

I should point out though that I loved Henry Cavill in it. His scruff was great!

I believe I'd just finished reading a book about Henry VIII's sisters at the start of series and was disappointed that they were merged into one who was sailing to Portugal.

[Malthus]

It just felt miscast. King Henry was always a huge guy, allegedly good-looking when young, a total ogre when older. He was never a pretty-boy type. 

He was hardly the only one.  One you think the entire English Aristocracy was selected by a kingdom wide 'Hot or Not' vote rather than by birth.

True, but Henry's ogre-esque appearance (as well as temper) later in life is sorta central to the plot here. 

[Josephus]

It just felt miscast. King Henry was always a huge guy, allegedly good-looking when young, a total ogre when older. He was never a pretty-boy type. 

True. But by the final season he does begin to look a bit more like what tradition has him looking like.

[Malthus]

It just felt miscast. King Henry was always a huge guy, allegedly good-looking when young, a total ogre when older. He was never a pretty-boy type. 

True. But by the final season he does begin to look a bit more like what tradition has him looking like.

It ain't just tradition. If you go to the Tower of London, you can still see his personal suit of armour. He was one big dude, with a truly horrific cod-piece. 

[Queequeg]

Yeah.  I get the impression that he went from Judge Holden in Blood Meridian or 30something Teddy Roosevelt to Baron Vladimir Harkonen after his leg gave out.  He seems likely to have been bipolar or something, too.