Watched the second episode of 'Wolf Hall' on BBC last night; sumptuous, meticulous, excellent, and beginning to hit its stride very nicely.
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Spoilers What's on TV?
- Thread starter Huntn
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The TV series 'Wolf Hall' is the BBC's adaptation of two of Hilary Mantel's novels about Tudor England at the time of King Henry VIII, as seen through the eyes of his Chief Minister, Thomas Cromwell.
The novels - each of which won the Booker Prize - 'Wolf Hall' (in 2009) and its sequel 'Bring Up The Bodies' (in 2012) comprise the first two books of an - as yet - incomplete trilogy. The third book in the trilogy, which is to be called 'The Mirror And The Light' is supposed to scheduled for publication sometime (I think) in 2016.
Although the TV series is called 'Wolf Hall' (the title of the first book), it will cover the material of both books, thus bringing the narrative to 1536 and the execution of Anne Boleyn, whereas the book 'Wolf Hall' concluded with the execution of Thomas More in 1535.
The first two books were adapted by the Royal Shakespeare Company for the stage and played to sell out audiences - I saw both productions last autumn and can attest to the fact that this was easily some of the best theatre I have ever been privileged to witness in my life.
This is the TV adaptation, and the production values are meticulous, the cast first rate, the history credible (unlike the earlier TV series 'The Tudors') and the adaptation excellent.
Sound like right up my wife's alley. I'll have to let her know! She is more of an affictiinato (sp?) regarding English history, but I watch those kinds of shows with her and generally enjoy them. I think this comes to PBS in April.
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I think you'll both enjoy it a lot. The settings and lighting are also superb, and add to the feeling of authenticity when viewing the series. They use a lot of natural lighting and shoot many of the scenes by candlelight (so the lighting is extraordinarily atmospheric) and have filmed on location in a number of National Trust properties of Tudor vintage.
While the actor who plays Thomas Cromwell (Mark Rylance - an outstanding stage actor) is not well known in the US, (as most of his work to date has been on stage), the chap who plays Henry VIII is. This s because Henry VIII is played by Damien Lewis, (who, as you will well recall played Captain Richard Winters in 'Band of Brothers' and Sergeant Brody in 'Homeland')
Just saw a Heroes Reborn ad shown in the Super Bowl, a mini-series scheduled for debut in 2015. The original Heroes was televised from 2006-2010 on NBC.
I saw that too. Enjoyed the first 2 seasons of the original and thought it went downhill after that. so I was like " noooo!" imagining that it would have a similar arc.
B
I agree the original lost its way after the first 2 seasons. Since then I've read that Zachary Quinto won't be returning. His star has risen...
The Vampire Diaries- Some of the most sensitive and caring Vampire portrayals I've ever seen! They are just supernatural people with challenges and lots of love to give.
Modern Family- What a groove this show has!
Modern Family- What a groove this show has!
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The Vampire Diaries- Some of the most sensitive and caring Vampire portrayals I've ever seen! They are just supernatural people with challenges and lots of love to give.
Oh Huntn, I'm disappointed and embarrassed for you at the same time.
My wife has also been binge watching this show. However, she admits that she's channeling her inner teenage self and that its hopelessly ridiculous.
I just got into Black Sails. It's quite good so far. The storyline is a mix of Treasure Island (book) prequel and true life historical pirates.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2375692/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2375692/
Oh Huntn, I'm disappointed and embarrassed for you at the same time.
My wife has also been binge watching this show. However, she admits that she's channeling her inner teenage self and that its hopelessly ridiculous.
Lol. I'm in it for the wife. I enjoyed it (Vampire Diaries) for the first couple of seasons, there actually seemed to be this tension, but the business of characters dieing and going to the other side (heaven or supernatural purgatory?) but then coming back, seemed a bit too convienent for the story telling and very soap operish were characters keep cycling back through to make an appearance in defiance of death.
I missed part of this season, but now there are people with this special cancer, if they are turned into Vampires, instead of their health problems gone in favor of the perfectly healthy, beautiful, but dead vampire state,
they are now unhappy vampires in eternal agony. Whatever, as The World Turns.
I watched the third episode (the third of six) of 'Wolf Hall' - the wonderfully gripping adaptation by the BBC of Hilary Mantel's two novels ('Wolf Hall' and 'Bring Up The Bodies').
Huntn: You and your wife will love this, when it is broadcast in the US. It is excellent. A word to the wise, however. This is not television you can take in while answering emails on an iPad, or while otherwise occupied; it is demanding television, which does not treat the audience as children, but does require your full attention while watching it. But what a payoff when you do ..
Huntn: You and your wife will love this, when it is broadcast in the US. It is excellent. A word to the wise, however. This is not television you can take in while answering emails on an iPad, or while otherwise occupied; it is demanding television, which does not treat the audience as children, but does require your full attention while watching it. But what a payoff when you do ..
Watched Allegiance tonight on NBC, a story in the flavor of the past few years, what's the next Homeland we can come up with?, a young CIA analyst with Russian spy parents, well trying to be former spies. I'm not sold, but I'll tune in again.
Downton Abbey continues to spirit me back to a time way back when and I find it hard to imagine these actors actually walk around in todays world, its that good.
On the other hand, The Blacklist opener tries too hard. Fleeting scenes of extreme cruelty and suffering visited upon victim protagonists from which they instantly recover. Absurd pacing in order to pack lots into the 30-40 minutes of actual screen time. Johnny one-note acting on the part of FBI management with furrowed brow and endless arguments back at the ranch. But its really about our sleazy, idiosyncratic James Spader chewing up the scenery.
On the other hand, The Blacklist opener tries too hard. Fleeting scenes of extreme cruelty and suffering visited upon victim protagonists from which they instantly recover. Absurd pacing in order to pack lots into the 30-40 minutes of actual screen time. Johnny one-note acting on the part of FBI management with furrowed brow and endless arguments back at the ranch. But its really about our sleazy, idiosyncratic James Spader chewing up the scenery.
A harshly different approach between the two types of story telling. A better pace could be found in two of "spiritual" shows, Left Behind (HBO or was that Showtime?)and Resurrection (NBC), the former was two dark for my tastes but was a good narrative, the latter felt better with a decently paced story, but I signed off when I realized the show was about human dynamics dealing with the occurrence and short on answers. Not sure why I brought those two shows up other than they were something other than frantic non-stop action, kind of like the "24" series or even the latest Dallas reboot which seemingly dropped bombshells every 15 minutes.
In Downton Abbey, the tension is extreme when someone might get fired...
A harshly different approach between the two types of story telling. A better pace could be found in two of "spiritual" shows, Left Behind (HBO or was that Showtime?)and Resurrection (NBC), the former was two dark for my tastes but was a good narrative, the latter felt better with a decently paced story, but I signed off when I realized the show was about human dynamics dealing with the occurrence and short on answers. Not sure why I brought those two shows up other than they were something other than frantic non-stop action, kind of like the "24" series or even the latest Dallas reboot which seemingly dropped bombshells every 15 minutes.
In Downton Abbey, the tension is extreme when someone might get fired...
I wonder if Lost was the first show that made it okay to continually introduce questions while remaining woefully short on answers? All the while keeping legions of rabid followers glued to thier sets?
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In Downton Abbey, the tension is extreme when someone might get fired...
Yes, but just think of the completely shocked uproar when they actually killed off a few major characters .
Interesting enough, I loved Lost and answers did come, eventually .
Hopefully you did not just drop a spoiler!
I only remember one major character croaking in a fairly ordinary manner, but there is no telling about the competency of my memory... Although several others have died.
Interesting enough, I loved Lost and answers did come, eventually .
Hopefully you did not just drop a spoiler!
No spoilers, merely reminding you of how during Season Three Lady Sybil died as a result of (misdiagnosed) complications arising out of childbirth, and Matthew, of course, was dramatically killed in a car crash to the stupefaction of viewers at the very end of the Christmas Day Special - which was the coda to Season Three - two years ago.
Ever since then, Downton viewers know not the hour nor the day when the Grim Reaper (possibly better described as Hollywood offers) will strike next…….
Yep Sybil, I remember. There would have only been one major character death if not for an actor seeing stars.
Yep Sybil, I remember. There would have only been one major character death if not for an actor seeing stars.
That is true. Originally, Lady Sybil (beautifully played by Jessica Brown Findlay) had signed up for the first three series' of Downton.
Needless to say, at the time, nobody knew then that it would take off and become as enormously popular as it did, and when that happened, Jessica Brown Findlay made it clear at the end of the second series that she didn't expect to be around after the conclusion of the third season, which, in effect, gave everyone a year's notice.
So, her departure had been discreetly signalled in advance. Thus, Julian Fellowes was able to write her out of the series in a natural way (and that was a superb episode, genuinely harrowing and shocking).
I agree about 'an actor' "seeing stars". His departure was a lot more abrupt, and had not been signalled clearly. Moreover, apparently, he had been offered the option of appearing briefly, or for one or two episodes in Season Four, or even being killed off in the first episode of Season Four - all of which he turned down.
Inexplicably, (and I know I am not even responding even remotely rationally to this - he is a professional actor, after all) but I have not watched him in anything else subsequently.
While he has a perfect right to promote his career, I do think, however, that his exit could have been more graceful. Although he was criticised at the time. this was not in any way the fault of Julian Fellowes, who dealt with an abrupt departure as best as he could.