'The Tudors' ends its reign Sunday, some final thoughts

By April MacIntyre Jun 20, 2010, 3:19 GMT

My favorite Queen, Anne and Henry, courtesy of Showtime

Divorced, beheaded, died; Divorced, beheaded, survived…the tale of the six wives of Henry VIII.

No other smallscreen fare has been so hearty and relatively close to historical events as Showtime's "The Tudors," which sadly ends its run Sunday.

Showrunner Michael Hirst's period drama of the Tudor family snapshot of the Henry VIII ruling days premiered Sunday, April 1, 2007, where we saw Henry (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) as never before – young, sexy, intriguing, romantic and infinitely more complex than he's usually depicted.  This opulent and luxe effort covered the tumultuous years taking the King from his youth, first divorce, schism with Rome to his final days as King.

The series built each season on the changing of Henry VIII's wives and favors of the court, the rise and fall of Catholic martyr Sir Thomas More (Jeremy Northam), Cardinal Wolsey (Sam Neill), Cromwell (James Frain) and the steadfast friendship with Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk (Henry Cavill) who married Henry's sister Margaret (Gabrielle Anwar), and made it through many volatile years without being targeted by enemies in the King's court nor losing his mercurial affection.

My favorite stretch of the excellent series was season two, which exceeded the first with more compelling storylines and building court drama.

The season was defined by the unraveling of the Catholic Church in England and rise of Thomas Cromwell’s power and influence; it was Cromwell, a cunning self-educated commoner, and a creature of Cardinal Wolsey, who was an architect of the Reformation movement in England with the introduction of religious leader Thomas Cranmer to King Henry VIII's court.

These actions framed Henry’s courtside politics and affairs of love in season two, and like season one, are a clever blend of actual history and creative commissioned entertainment at the hand of show creator and writer, Michael Hirst.

The cast and crew worked their magic at Ardmore Studios, near Dublin. The core crew remained the same throughout the series - and notably the outstanding achievements of Emmy award-winning costume designer Joan Bergin, who took the Emmy in 2007 for her exemplary costuming work on “The Tudors” made this show particularly addictive to watch.

Joan Bergin's award winning costuming handiwork on Anne Boleyn

Her craftsmanship abounded in the gowns and adornments for my favorite fated wife, Anne Boleyn (Natalie Dormer) which were breathtaking. Boleyn had 17 major costumes along with jewels, shoes and headpieces and all these were handmade from scratch.

Bergin’s eye captured the smallest details of the commoners and various court denizens.  “I did a lot of research into Spanish and Italian fashion from the period.  I’ve amalgamated Tudor style with more European influences, so overall the look is softer. ..This season we’ve created in the region of 1500 costume pieces,” revealed Bergin in a past interview on M&C.

This particular season was gutted with the removal of Cardinal Wolsey and the waning of Sir Thomas More’s (Jeremy Northam) favor by his once dutiful friend, Henry.

More steels himself the first four episodes for his inevitable fate of martyrdom; he does not waver in his allegiance to Rome.  Henry’s childhood friend and now brother-in-law Charles Brandon walks a fine line with his open hatred for the Boleyns, his empathy for Queen Katherine of Aragon (Maria Doyle Kennedy) and maintaining his court standing with Henry VIII.

Another stand-out player for me was Thomas Boleyn (Nick Dunning) who was given a great deal of rope to hang himself with; he is the Olympic champion of Machiavellian court maneuverings.

Cromwell (James Frain) was the arch enemy of Rome and the Pope’s (Peter O’Toole) planned assassinations, to no avail. OToole’s morally challenged and smug portrayal of Pope Paul III gave great insight to the rising discontent with the faithful holy sea and the Catholic Church’s critical mass of corruption during these times.

Henry’s sister Margaret (Gabrielle Anwar) in season one was married off to the decrepit King of Portugal against her will.  In reality, Henry’s sister Margaret was married off to the King of Scotland.  Season two was too busy with the rise and fall of the Catholic Church in England and the conniving Boleyn clan to be distracted by any of Henry’s siblings. 

Maria Doyle Kennedy played the part of Katherine of Aragon with the perfect amount of regalness and humility.  The people loved her, yet the indignities of being cast aside by the King are worn on her face; Hirst makes us feel for her.  Their daughter Mary (Sarah Bolger) also feels the sting of her Father's indifference and is essentially abandoned by the Monarch as Anne Boleyn’s baby, Elizabeth I, takes center stage for the moment, and eventually claims her place in England's history as one of its finest rulers.

It was the polarizing character of Anne Boleyn that united the sub-plots and overall driving action of season two.  Henry’s lust gave way to his will, the Church is broken.  Boleyn is now the wife and the scorn of the people who still regard Katherine as the rightful Queen.

Boleyn’s seductress charms are crushed by the Karma wheel that sees the married siren become victim to her own well-played arsenal of feminine wiles; the court beauties still seduce her willing King of enormous appetites.

Anne came full circle in season two, bearing the scars and paying an ultimate price.  “She’s on the knife’s edge through the season,” explained Natalie Dormer in a past interview with M&C. “The stakes just get higher and higher, there is no Plan B for Anne. ..it’s like ‘be careful what you wish for.”

The entire series also featured stunning camera work by cinematographer Ousama Rawi and production design by Tom Conroy, who opened up the sets in this season and updated the interiors to reflect the ten years that supposedly passes between the seasons.

"There is more of a Renaissance feel to the decor and, of course, more shields and war mementos on the wall," shared Conroy.  "I've also been over to England looking at the details of various National Trust Houses.  For instance, I saw a basement window in Devon which I used as a tower dungeon window."

Torture was rife in England during the four seasons of "The Tudors" - disemboweling, burning alive, privvy parts lopped off, quartering and "the rack" - these horrific things were done at the whim of a calculated accusation.

Particularly gruesome was season two's episode one which saw an unlucky cook boiled alive in oil. Conroy had to recreate a giant copper boiling pot.  "We were looking for a large pot, but there wasn't any of a sufficient size around so we had to commission it," revealed Conroy.

Cook being boiled in oil for trying to poison the Bishops, from season 2, courtesy of Showtime

"It's copper, but cleverly done to reduce the weight.  We lit a fire under it and set up an elaborate pulley system for the actor to be lowered into the boiling oil, which of course was water with starch in it to create air bubbles.  It was very effective."

A run down of M&C's favorite side characters to Jonathan Rhys-Meyers' brilliant depiction of Henry for Showtime's "The Tudors":

Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk as played by Henry Cavill

Cavill as Brandon, courtesy of Showtime

Brandon was neither gifted important title or great wealth, but was in Henry Tudor's affections since his father had died in his service. Together the two were childhood to adult friends and shared a love of athleticism, good looks and physical health and a love of all sports.  Brandon was perhaps the only person in England who had kept in Henry VIII's volatile good graces for four decades.

Anne of Cleves, Queen Consort as played by Joss Stone (Anna von Jülich-Kleve-Berg)

Stone as Anne of Cleves, courtesy of Showtime

This lovely Queen had a bad rap of being a "Flanders Mare" and less comely woman than the King was used to, but in the end she was a solid friend for Henry, and won his respect and was cared for until her death. The fourth wife of Henry VIII was arranged by Cromwell promoted the alliance with a Protestant house, yet Anne was quietly a Roman Catholic who was adored by Henry's daughter Mary.  Anne outlived Henry and all of his wives and died in the reign of Mary I who commanded that she be buried as a Queen in Westminster Abbey.

Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey as played by David O'Hara
(Owen Day-Jones in Seasons 1 and 2)

Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey as played by David O'Hara

One of the better players of season four, this pompous, arrogant, drunkard poet, soldier and nobleman was beautifully portrayed by David O'Hara, who like Boleyn (Nick Dunning), attacked his role with so much gusto he owned every frame he was in.  He was related to beheaded Queens Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard.

Sir Francis Bryan as played by Alan Van Sprang

Van Sprang as Sir Francis Bryan, courtesy of Showtime

Another poet and soldier.  Season three's lusty eye-patched bad boy of the court - like Surrey (O'Hara) and Boleyn (Dunning) - Van Sprang's Bryan had swagger and filled his character with a lusty manliness that was catnip to the ladies of the court. 

Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex as played by James Frain

Frain as Cromwell, courtesy of Showtime

A commoner who rose as highly as one could go, influencing the faith and laws of a nation by his unabashed hatred of the Catholic faith, Frain as Cromwell was spot on and a real scene stealer.

An ambitious creature first brought in to the Tudor realm by Cardinal Wolsey, Cromwell was the architect of the Henrician Reformation, while Wolsey suffered because he played two sides a bit too closely, Henry VIII and the Pope.

Sir Thomas More as played by Jeremy Northam

Northam as More, courtesy of Showtime

Season one and two were highlighted by the friendship of the King and Thomas More - a successful lawyer and judge at the Court of King's Bench. Thomas was an academic and befriended Erasmus, and became a scholar and lawyer serving the King.  He penned "Utopia" (1516), among many other notable literary works.
He was a devoted family man, devout Catholic and had no problem sending non Catholics (heretics) to their death by being burned alive.  More's impact on English history is remarkable.  More's execution haunted Henry to the days of his death.

Sir Thomas Boleyn as played by Nick Dunning

Dunning as Boleyn, courtesy of Showtime

A clever and cunning court player, Thomas fought for Henry VII against Cornish rebels when he was 20, was present at Katherine of Aragon's marriage to Prince Arthur in 1501 and helped escort Princess Margaret north to Scotland in 1503 for her marriage to James IV. A master of languages and politics, Boleyn was rich in title but not of coin; his children afforded him a leg in to court, and ultimately had him banished after Anne's execution.

Anne Boleyn, Queen Consort, 1st Marquess of Pembroke as portrayed by Natalie Dormer
(Muireann O'Donoghue as Young Anne)

Dormer as Anne Boleyn, courtesy of Showtime

Hands down for me the best of the wives in Showtime re-enactment. Dormer's Anne Boleyn was schooled in sciences, languages and the ways of the court, and like her dad, she was fluent in French and a favored lady-in-waiting to the pious Queen Claude.  Anne developed an interest in fashion and reforming the Church. She captured Henry VIII's heart like no other, and the chemistry between Rhys-Meyers and Dormer was pure electricity.

Cardinal Thomas Wolsey as played by Sam Neill

Neill as Wolsey, courtesy of Showtime

Another commoner and political animal who rose to lofty office, Neill played Wolsey like a pauper with his nose pressed against the glass looking in at all the rich and well-to-do eating a fine and fancy meal.  He loved money, acquiring wealth and controlling the King.  Wolsey is shown committing suicide on the series yet there is no historical record of this and it was said he had died from illness.  It was his ambitious playing of two sides (and hatred by Anne Boleyn and her clan) that made him fall from favor.

Katherine of Aragon as played by Maria Doyle Kennedy

Doyle Kennedy as Katherine of Aragon

This regal put-upon woman was born of Ferdinand and Isabella, the European continent's reigning rock stars. History writes that Katherine (age 15) wed Arthur, Prince of Wales and after Arthur’s death, Katherine was thrust into poverty for several years, while her father and her father-in-law argued over the generous Spanish dowry (Henry VII did not want to relinquish it).  When Henry VII died, the 18-year-old Prince Henry married her on June 11, 1509. The series focused on Katherine's love of her Catholic faith and humiliation at being ousted as Henry's wife for heretic Anne Boleyn.  Katherine's enemy in court, Cromwell, feared and respected her.  Katherine was also her daughter Mary's religious tutor and sole source of genuine parental love, as Henry was not as openly loving towards his daughter in her childhood years, until years later when Mary was established in his court.