Henry VIII is back for another season of bold and bawdy kingship, taking on the Roman Catholic Church, as well as his own courtiers in an immense power struggle just to get his way.
Selfish, yes, childish, indubitably so, but also clever and charismatic, Henry VIII represents the all powerful monarch whose very wish can become law, just because he says it is so.
The second year of the Showtime production of The Tudors is even better than the first season. Henry is still behaving like a bad tempered rock star, but what better way to illustrate for 21st century audiences what must have been his enormous sense of entitlement.
History tells us that Henry had a terrible temper, but one hardly thinks he would let it go so violently over something as mundane as a message from the ousted Queen Katherine. However the vitriolic speeches, crabby moods and seething moments of violence let us know that Henry behaved badly, and more importantly he knew he was acting up.
Those around him enabled and encouraged his demanding tempers, either for their own benefit or for political positions or changes. Like so many battles, Henry’s Great Matter became less about having Anne Boleyn as his wife and more about Henry proving he could have his way at any cost.
This is tragically and brutally displayed when Henry tosses Anne aside after she cannot give him what he wants most, a living son and heir. He has already moved on to the next younger woman and possible mother to a royal prince, so Anne has become a nuisance to be removed. With trumped up charges based in truth on some of Anne’s earlier adventures, treason is declared and Anne is exterminated.
The relationships between Henry and his friends and lovers are complex, blended with a love for his country but always with his best interest foremost. Jonathan Rhys Meyers is excellent in his portrayal of Henry, and Natalie Dormer as Anne Boleyn presents a character that could be both despicable and pathetically tragic.
These performances are framed with the elegant portrayal of the Pope by Peter O’ Toole, the steadfastness of Sir Thomas Moore played by Jeremy Northam, and the cluelessness of the young Lutheran Thomas Cranmer (Hans Matheson) picked to be the leader of Henry’s new church.
The Tudors - Season 2 is presented on four discs in 2 plastic cases illustrated with stills from the show and program notes for the 10 episodes. There are several special features including two featurettes for the series, The Tower of London, and Descendants of Henry, biographies and photo galleries.
Also included are the premiere episodes for seasons of other Showtime presentations. Running time for The Tudors is nine hours and two minutes and it is presented in widescreen format. Often violent, brutal at times and quite sexual in content, this is definitely for mature audiences.
If you are a historian devoted to the truthful accounts of these matters, The Tudors will more than likely not be your cup of tea. However, if you are interested in experiencing the sense of Henry VIII’s time in history, the struggles for power that affected even a King and riddled the court with plots and subterfuge, then this show is fascinating viewing.
The Tudors - Season 2 is now available at Amazon and AmazonUK . Visit the DVD database for more information.
M&C is giving away five copies of the Season 2 DVD set. Click Here to enter to win a copy of The Tudors - Season 2!
Paramount Home Entertainment is also letting fans get on the Tudors fun with the website www.whotheTUDORareyou.com . The mini-site that lets you discover exactly where you would have existed in Tudor society according to your present day social status.
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