Laura Corin Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Even better if you have read the books. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/programs/wolf-hall/ (It's historical fiction, not documentary) 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Thank you for the rec. I'll make sure it's in my DVR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Five More Minutes Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Thanks for this recommendation. I loved those books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 I have seen the series already and I cannot recommend it enough...if you like historical dramas. If you don't like them at all, then this would not be for you, obvs. But to see Mark Rylance on screen is worth making time for. I wish he would do more because he is a brilliant actor. I did have a difficult time remember who is who and their relationship to each other. But, here is a link that might help: http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-02-25/wolf-hall-meet-the-major-players I couldn't keep track of all the men around the king, his friends. They sort of made a big pack..and in the end it didn't really matter that much. But people like Anne Boleyn's sister in law and her uncle and the Ambassador etc were helpful to know. I was coincidental reading Bring Up the Bodies while I was watching the series so I just had the book with its cast of characters at the front open to reference. And, FWIW, dh didn't read the books and had no trouble keeping people straight. It is me who has trouble with it in general. But, I hardly ever notice costumes and even I could not get over what the king was wearing! He looked amazing in every scene. The detail was fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medawyn Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 I can't wait! I requested my DH read the book, so now he's made me promise to DVR the series and wait for him to finish. First time I've wanted him to go on more business trips - get that plane reading done!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 The series is based on the two books, Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies. I am hoping the third book, not yet out, will get its own series. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 I'd been wondering whether it would be hard to follow and keep up with who's who if you haven't read the books. Good to know that it isn't necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 I'd been wondering whether it would be hard to follow and keep up with who's who if you haven't read the books. Good to know that it isn't necessary. Not necessary, but it also assumes that you know the basic plot, like who King Henry is, who he was married to and what he wanted and why etc. You should know that Queen Katherine (his first wife) was Spanish and a devout Catholic and her family was firmly allied with the Pope in Rome against those protestant upstarts. It might also help to know that Henry was a second son, his older brother, and heir to the throne died and that put Henry in line for the throne. And Katherine was married to the older brother for a short while at a young age, and claimed to the end that the marriage was never consummated. That was important b/c the basis of Henry's petition to Rome for divorce was based on the fact that she wasn't a virgin and had been married to his brother, so therefor his marriage was incestuous. Henry actually gets a little superstitious about that. Starts to believe that he isn't having any living children because he is being punished for sinning, etc. His claim put Rome in a tricky position b/c they had been the ones to raise the claim years ago that the marriage wasn't proper. But Rome, and everyone else, had taken Katherine at her word that she was still a virgin, and given permission for Henry to marry his brother's widow. Henry needed Rome, allies of his wife's family, to say that his wife Katherine was a liar and give him an annulment. So, should Rome side with Henry or with their longtime allies and defenders of the faith in Spain? In the book, and towards the end of the series, there is some dealing with families who do not believe that the Tudors have a legitimate claim to the throne. In the front of the books there is a rather complicated family tree explaining it all, but I found it sufficient to know that there are some old families out there who whisper that the Tudors are pretenders, but to say so openly is a death sentence. People should also know that the language can get adult..PBS is going to have to do some dubbing or bleeping out. I was laughing because some folks in the UK were complaining about the adult language. Umm... those are time honoured Anglo Saxon words, lol. They have been around for a very, very long time. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted April 4, 2015 Author Share Posted April 4, 2015 People should also know that the language can get adult..PBS is going to have to do some dubbing or bleeping out. I was laughing because some folks in the UK were complaining about the adult language. Umm... those are time honoured Anglo Saxon words, lol. They have been around for a very, very long time. I'm surprised that there were complaints. We have a system here where 9pm marks the 'watershed', after which people should expect adult words and actions. After all, we have The Thick of It on BBC here. Perhaps the complaints came from people who like their period drama pretty. They little know their Hilary Mantel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 I'm surprised that there were complaints. We have a system here where 9pm marks the 'watershed', after which people should expect adult words and actions. After all, we have The Thick of It on BBC here. Perhaps the complaints came from people who like their period drama pretty. They little know their Hilary Mantel. It was the c-word. Whatever. It was a funny scene, an apt comment, and taken right from the book. I doubt Henry Viii hadn't heard it before, lol. And I adore The Thick of It.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 Just a heads up that there is a rather violent flashback scene of child abuse in the first episode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 And I adore The Thick of It.... I thought The Thick of It was very entertaining. I am surprised people in the UK were complaining about swearing, tv shows in the Uk have the most stunning swearing I have ever heard. I also find it confusing because sometimes (on a different program) they say words that are *very* bad in the US but then there are other things that are bleeped and I am bewildered as to what could be so bad to be bleeped when what they said that wasn't bleeped was extremely bad. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 Wolf Hall is so well done. Mark Rylance is fabulous! I'm going to have to look up more stuff of his on IMDB to watch while I wait for the next episode. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VANURSEPRAC Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 I bought both the books and I am reading the first Wolf Hall now. I love the mini series. that is why I bought the books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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