by rick grant rickgrant01@comcast.net
Dashing Jonathan Rhys Meyers stars as Henry VIII in The Tudors. It’s Showtime’s bawdy period drama about the ascension of the brash 18-year old Prince Henry to the Throne of England. The penetrating drama takes the viewer inside the seething palace intrigue as Henry beds every young maiden in the court and tries desperately to have a son by his wife, who has given him only stillborns and girls. Sam Neill masterfully portrays the real power behind Henry’s rule, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, who plots to advance his status to Pope.
More significantly, Cardinal Wolsey keeps Henry out of trouble with angry husbands and boyfriends who he has cuckoled. Cardinal Wolsey sends the young women who Henry has knocked-up to a special halfway house to have their babies. Cardinal Wolsey both protected King Henry and maneuvered his own career simultaneously.
Meanwhile, Henry engages in the hedonistic pursuits of athletics, hunting, and debauchery. Meyers portrays Henry with great flamboyance and acting skill, as Henry uses his reign to satisfy every whim and desire, while Cardinal Wolsey schemes behind the scenes to become Pope.
What makes this series so refreshing is Showtime’s reinvention of Henry’s image from the corpulent older king, whose legendary gluttony left him obese and mean, to the young palace Don Juan whose prodigious appetites eventually caught up with him. Yes, it was good to be King Henry, who could snap his fingers and get someone beheaded at a moment’s notice.
Michael Hirst, who wrote the script for Elizabeth, created and executive produced this series. His attention to detail and brilliant casting greatly upgraded this period drama. The stunning costumes give the actors regal bearing and grandiose presence. It’s a young court with heaving bosoms, plenty of frontal nudity, and simulated sex galore.
As history tells us, Henry’s father Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, defeated Richard III and later married Elizabeth of York. Tudor’s reign led to peace and he began to look to his oldest son, Prince Arthur as heir to the Throne. But Arthur was sickly. He married Catherine of Aragon, the powerful daughter of Spanish rulers Ferdinand and Isabel. Arthur died a year after they were married. Bitter and frustrated, Catherine swore that the marriage was never consummated.
With Arthur dead, the way was clear for young Henry to ascend to the Throne. When the old man died, Henry became King Henry VIII. He then married Catherine, but eventually he shunned her because she couldn’t produce a son. This marital disappointment sent Henry on a sexual binge, having trysts with every maiden in the court. He openly expresses his desire to get a divorce from Catherine.
Hirst’s recreation of the Henry VIII story makes for exciting viewing with twists and turns as the palace intrigue reaches critical mass. The lush palace setting is richly detailed by experienced artistic designers. Indeed, Rhys Meyers captures the youthful energy of Henry with riveting prowess. This strapping Adonis is a far cry from the old fat image of Henry VIII. Hirst’s Henry was the rock star of his time. Women threw themselves as him as he used his rule as a ticket to hedonistic glory.
Natalie Dormer is a stand-out as Anne Boleyn with her come-hither smile. The series shows how absolute power corrupts absolutely as Henry’s youthful exuberance for wine, women, and song degenerates into paranoia as his youth fades. He then obsesses on real or imaginary plots against him. Jeremy Northam excels as Sir Thomas More and Nick Dunning is another cast stand-out as Sir Thomas Boleyn.
The series is addictive as each episode digs deeper into the complex intrigue that is festering like a virus inside the palace. It’s quality television that sets new standards for excellence. One can view the entire series On-Demand or tune into Showtime every Sunday night at 10 pm to see each episode.
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EU Critic’s Choice Awards
