"The Tudors" (2007-2010) - Showtime Drama Series on Henry VIII's Reign

[iowabelle]

I'm not sure, haven't seen it but I've heard a lot of complaints about it from other people who have studied the Tudors extensively. Mostly, it's sort of like Sex and the City, just featuring our favorite king...

 

[Sonjapearl]

I know its historical inaccurate, and I usually make a big fuss when something doesn't follow history at all. But I guess the soap opera take on Henry VIII's wives, plus Jonathan Rhys Meyers, I can't stop watching it!

 

[Ella Kay]

Sonjapearl, I have to admit that I've been tempted to get the DVDs, because I've got a big fat celebrity crush on Henry Cavill, who I think plays Henry's best friend...

 

[pdas1201]

I second the thought about Henry Cavill, he is just too cute. Especially in the third season, they show him as matured guy trying to do the king's bidding against his own express wishes. He looks amazing in the third season title track.

Btw, fourth season will be the last season for the Tudors. Showtime is pulling the plug.

 

[scooter]

No way! Why? The ratings are very good. Maybe they dont want to age the character? It would be interesting to see JRD try to pull of the padding and aging. Too bad, this is one of my favorite shows, along with Big Love and Nip/Tuck.

 

[madeleine victoria]

Btw, fourth season will be the last season for the Tudors. Showtime is pulling the plug.

Seriously?! Well, it's bound to happen anyway. I think once he died the story will die too. His marriage to his 6 wives was the whole point of the story that is why his lineage is very interesting.

 

[White_Rose]

I can't opened the first trailer so that's what I found on you tube
YouTube - the tudors

Finally I watch the trailer and JRM still does't convince to me as Henry. But he is good actor.

and here you go Richard Burton as HVIII and Genevive Bujold as Anne in "Anne of the thousan days"
YouTube - anne of the thousand days

And quite good site about Tudors
The Tudors

thank you

 

[pdas1201]

Seriously?! Well, it's bound to happen anyway. I think once he died the story will die too. His marriage to his 6 wives was the whole point of the story that is why his lineage is very interesting.

Season 4 will be the last season for The Tudors. But, according to E! Online, executive producer Michael Hirst feels that since the show is named The Tudors, they can continue the series with either Mary or Edward or even Henry's father. He doesn't want to do Elizabeth, because he feel "its been done to death." Other news I have read is that The Tudors will definitely end and Michael Hirst will spend the time to begin a new series for Showtime based on Camelot.

In either case, it will be the end of JRM and Henry Cavill, which for me made the show worth watching.

 

[iowabelle]

Now, how much sex can you bring into Edward VI and Mary? Or maybe they'll depict Mary as some sort of sadomasochist?

 

[EmpressRouge]

Now, how much sex can you bring into Edward VI and Mary? Or maybe they'll depict Mary as some sort of sadomasochist?

HAHA! They would really have to take liberties with historical facts to keep the show entertaining. Mary is one thing (I guess you can have Philip of Spain chasing skirts), but Edward was too young to do anything sexy. But there could some interesting intrigue with Elizabeth, Catherine Parr, and Thomas Seymour.

 

[iowabelle]

I guess you could bring Lady Jane Grey, her brutish parents and the despicable in-laws, the Dudleys, to life. And maybe some Catholic priests or Protestant reformers with interesting issues... But it all sounds too horrible to contemplate!

 

[madeleine victoria]

Michael Hirst will spend the time to begin a new series for Showtime based on Camelot.

In either case, it will be the end of JRM and Henry Cavill, which for me made the show worth watching.

Is he going to do another Merlin/Arthur series? I'm watching Merlin in Hallmark channel and it's good, however, the story was twisted too.

Yes, JRM and Henry Cavill were very good for their roles.

 

[principessa]

Joely Richardson has a part in "The Tudors".

Joely Richardson crowned new Queen of 'The Tudors' |Latest celebrity news hellomagazine.com

 

[Elly C]

The third series is scheduled to start on Friday 21st August 9pm BBC2. This week's Radio Times contains an article about the new series by historian Tracy Borman. Unlike David Starkey, she sees merit in the series stating it evokes "the dangerously seductive charisma and magisterial arrogance that kept a court in thrall for almost 40 years." She goes on to comment that it has stimulated an interest in British history encouraging people to find out what really happened. The series opens with Henry's marriage to Jane Seymour. A fictitious mistress, Lady Ursula Misseldon is introduced who according to the article provides nothing more than the "required quota of nudity". So it's business as usual then.

 

[georgiea]

Can not wait till Season 4 is out on DVD. It was fun looking at the costumes and jewelry.

 

[Hereditary Thane]

Well if it is the costumes and gew gaws that attract you I agree, but to watch it for good acting or historical accuracy puts it in the BBC situation comedy department. Marrying off one of Henry's sisters to the wrong king had me laughing, and suggesting Lambeth Palace was a brothel for child prostitutes procured for Henry is prurient tosh.

 

[Duchessmary]

yes but it's entertaining, isn't it?

 

[cmkrcwi]

Actually, for the most part, the show gets it right. Yes, they do take some liberties with actual history and I'm one who likes my Henry VIII fat but for the most part, it's accurate.

As for the acting, I think Sarah Bolger who plays Princess Mary is very very good as was Maria Doyle Kennedywho played her mother Catherine of Aragon. And Joss Stone is surprisingly good as Anne of Cleves.

 

[georgiea]

Actually, for the most part, the show gets it right. Yes, they do take some liberties with actual history and I'm one who likes my Henry VIII fat but for the most part, it's accurate.

Thanks, I thought the historical facts were mostly accurate. The acting pretty good.
Does anyone know if the PBS series about twenty years ago-The Six Wives of Henry VIII is better? I think it was. I am thinking of buying it at Amazon.

 

[cmkrcwi]

I loved "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" which aired about 40 years ago in the United States. I was a very young teen then and I remember it was a show everyone watched.

I rented it about a year or so ago and it still holds up pretty well. However, it was made at a different time so there isn't the emphasis on having incredibly gorgeous people that "The Tudors" had. Henry starts out young but he definitely ages as the series goes on. Interestingly enough, they do have a reddish-blonde-haired actress playing Katharine of Aragon.

 

[Duchessmary]

It still holds up well. Keith Michell was amazing!

 

[georgiea]

Thank you both for the input.

 

[georgiea]

I loved "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" which aired about 40 years ago in the United States.
I rented it about a year or so ago and it still holds up pretty well. However, it was made at a different time so there isn't the emphasis on having incredibly gorgeous people that "The Tudors" had. Henry starts out young but he definitely ages as the series goes on.

I bought "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" and loved it. It is exactly 40 years ago the series was produced by the BBC. So much better in historical facts, costumes and how each character looked then "The Tudors". The DVD I bought has a section where the portraits of each character and the actor are compared. They did a good job in most cases, but Catherine Howard. I can not get over how they portrayed Old King Henry VII and the portrait of Henry VIII and how they look so similar.

After watching the series now I know why I remembered it being so good.

 

[cmkrcwi]

One thing I remember is that the actress playing Katharine of Aragon had red gold hair instead of being a dark brunette which is how she's usually portrayed.

 

[Hissy]

With all the coverage the Palace announced on the Monaco wedding I was thinking it would at least get a delayed, perhaps shortened special coverage in the US?

Other than that I know a French channel that covered the ceremony of PA taking over for his father. In French, but at least it was shown live.

Hey, a royal channel would be great showing the history and the modern royals, plus all the ceremonies. Royalty has so much wild, violent history I think it could give some shows a run for their money! "The Tudors" series is quite successful I think?

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Oh Hissy, how did I miss that?? Do you remember what channel it was??!

Also, I think the "The Tudors' was so popular partly because it was sexed up and dumbed down to appeal to a mass audience. That's a harsh assessment, but there were soo many liberties taken with actual history that it affected my enjoyment of the series.

 

[georgiea]

Oh Hissy, how did I miss that?? Do you remember what channel it was??!

Also, I think the "The Tudors' was so popular partly because it was sexed up and dumbed down to appeal to a mass audience. That's a harsh assessment, but there were soo many liberties taken with actual history that it affected my enjoyment of the series.

It affected my enjoyment too. I bought an older movie series on Henry VIII and his wives to see a better, historical series.

What time is the Monaco wedding using EST?

 

[Hissy]

Oh Hissy, how did I miss that?? Do you remember what channel it was??!

Also, I think the "The Tudors' was so popular partly because it was sexed up and dumbed down to appeal to a mass audience. That's a harsh assessment, but there were soo many liberties taken with actual history that it affected my enjoyment of the series.

Ha! Yes, sexed up, and dumbed down! I watched a few episodes but can't quite imagine women who are supposed to be very sexually inexperienced doing those sexual gymnastics exactly!

I was meaning that it was popular enough to compete with reality shows and a royalty channel could easily fill the schedule with a mix of shows like that, documentaries, interviews with royalty, plus all the live coverage of events we might not otherwise get to see, etc.

The French channel that was showing PA taking over for his father was while I was in Canada on vacation. There it was either called TVA or TV5, I believe. Just caught the end of the ceremony. Too bad they would not complement the wedding ceremony with showing a brief history of Monaco's big events like that for most people around the world that missed that, or were too young to see, like his parent's wedding.

 

[sophie25]

"The Tudors" from the second series was very historically accurate. I was impressed by the attention to detail and even the sexual content wasn't THAT far off the mark if at all.

 

[melissaadrian]

Oh Hissy, how did I miss that?? Do you remember what channel it was??!

Also, I think the "The Tudors' was so popular partly because it was sexed up and dumbed down to appeal to a mass audience. That's a harsh assessment, but there were soo many liberties taken with actual history that it affected my enjoyment of the series.

The first season I agree, especially with things like Henry's sister. And the time line was a bit askew the entire series. But the other seasons were pretty historically accurate. And considering the countless affairs that man had, I don't think sexed up was too out there.

But most people dont want to watch a historical documentry. They want to watch a show. It had enough history to make it believable, but still enough drama to make people want to watch every episode. I studied the Tudors as my specializtion in history in University, and yes I saw the differences, but didn't mean I don't love watching it. I don't watch it for its documentry properties, I'd see why you'd be disappointed if that was what you were looking for.