Wolf Hall

[Johnny Byrne's Boots]

Did not disappoint. Superb, as were the first two series. They certainly do justice to Hilary Mantel's books. Rylance and Lewis were again on top form as the two main protagonists, I can't wait for the next episode.

[The Old Man of Storr]

I caught Damian Lewis [ dodgy moustache n all ] on Laura before I had to get on with packing for another trip away ...

Didn't realise another series was imminent .


Cheers .

[Estuary]

English period costume drama, and this is as good as it gets.

[OFT]

Seen it being promoted but it's another one of those that I didn't see the first series for some reason and consequently didn't want to start in the next series and so on and now feel like there's too much to catch up on.

[last.caress]

Never had any interest in it, caught the first episode of the new series last night quite by accident, thought it was excellent. I'm going to leave it now, catch up with it from the beginning.

[Junco Partner]

Ooooh the tension in every scene, in every facial tick and gesture....this is quality acting. Mark Rylance and Damian Lewis both eat their roles as Cromwell and King Henry up plus Jonathan Pryce as Wolsey's ghost is a welcome return.

The intricate plot and the layers of deceit make it gripping, and each scene is densely packed with not a second wasted. The costumes and the stunning outside shots in Tudor courtyards and manor houses that only British TV can pull off are perfect, it's a treat to watch.

I'm in

[Morocco Mole]

I love it and I don’t generally dig on period drama. Really clever the way they intertwine the period vernacular with the contemporary. Enough authenticity but also relateable to the point of where you kind of forget it’s set 500 years ago. Mark Rylance is a guarantee of quality. Astonishing actor.

[smuts]

Downloaded the first series which passed me by first time around. Excellent so far.

[westham,eggyandchips]

How does it compare, if at all to The Tudors? That was very good too.

[Estuary]

How does it compare, if at all to The Tudors? That was very good too.

They are chalk and cheese. The Tudors is a bit flash and sensationalist, for me typical of some of Working Title prods, it relies on style over substance.
Wolf Hall is top draw in every aspect, the source from Mantels books is impeccable, the adaptation faithful, the cast includes the greatest actor of our age with Mark Rylance in the lead role, the director is perfect for the project and the writer Peter Staughan has done a fabulous job bringing light and shade to the character of Thomas Cromwell. Cromwell is an ambitious terrible man, amongst the worst, yet we feel empathy and sympathy for him so well does Rylance lift the character from the pages of Straughan's script and breath life into him. The drama is far slower paced than the Tudors, to example the differences in the Tudors some of the sex scenes are lingered over as to be soft porn, in Wolf Hall the viewer is never in the bedchamber at those moments, you journey with Cromwell and the film is seen from his perspective of his experiences.

If you enjoy this sort of drama another worth a spin are The White Queen and The White Princess adapted from Philippa Gregory's books. I enjoyed both which were better than The Tudors for me.

[vietnammer]

Working my way through series one, and just seen the bit where Henry VIII is giving Cromwell a bollocking and he responds with the 'crossed irons' , thus reinforcing the idea that West Ham have royal connections going back 500 years.

[vietnammer]

Wolf Hall is brilliant so far, but the only, only thing what doesn't add up for me is Mark Rylance's occasional flashes of macho. I mean yes, he has a history as a soldier in the tale, but his general demeanour isn't bullish like Bernard Hill's Duke of Norfolk. Maybe that's the point, that it's avoiding stereotypes a-la The Tudors. Makes it deeper. Love it that the men in the story will decry women as 'fickle and cunning' whilst the men are the biggest scheming weasels of the lot. Can see what Estuary means, didn't catch it on a few episodes of series one yonks ago, but Cromwell really is a c*** despite his loyalty to Wolsey and his family tragedy.

[Crouchend_Hammer]

I love it and I don’t generally dig on period drama. Really clever the way they intertwine the period vernacular with the contemporary. Enough authenticity but also relateable to the point of where you kind of forget it’s set 500 years ago. Mark Rylance is a guarantee of quality. Astonishing actor.

No one can bring the character of Flop, in Bing, to life as well as Mark Rylance can

[vietnammer]

Risk of spoiler, but that 'Turkish Dance' in episode 2 was stunning imo. So dynamic. Some real talent making this series!

[ironsonthebrain]

Just getting caught up with the new series - echo the sentiments of many others, I think it's excellent.