Jonathan Rhys Meyers in "The Tudors"
courtesy of SHOWTIME
"The Tudors" (SHOWTIME)

On April 1 SHOWTIME starts a new ten part mini-series that chronicles the reign of Henry VIII. It is titled "The Tudors" and is a lavish romp through history full of pageantry and pomp. It also is a frank look at the sexual proclivities of this infamous monarch. Jonathan Rhys Meyers stars as Henry and he is a perfect choice for this man who used his monarchy for his personal power. Henry is a "rock star" for the sixteenth century.

The film opens with Henry married to Catherine of Aragon (Maria Doyle Kennedy) but unable to produce a male heir. He has a daughter named Mary but he is obsessed with having a son. He engages in dalliance after dalliance and one of these eventually produces a son. Though this is not a legitimate child of his, Henry does claim him.

There is also a lot of intrigue within Henry's court. He is guided by Cardinal Wolsey (Sam Neill) and Sir Thomas More (Jeremy Northam). They help protect him from treasonous enemies like Lord Buckingham (Steven Waddington). But they can't protect him from his own cravings. He meets Anne Boleyn (Natalie Dormer), who is a lady in waiting to the Queen. Henry becomes so obsessed with her that he plans to divorce Catherine and marry her. This causes all kinds of problems.

All of this treachery, political trials, love tangles and triangles makes "The Tudors" an exciting series to watch. Meyers is best known for his portrayal of Elvis Presley so it is fitting he is playing another king. He has the right air about him to play Henry and is a sensual and intelligent actor and these traits are necessary for the role.

Neill and Northam give solid support as Wolsey and More while Kennedy and Dormer are strong as the warring women. The look of the series is visually stunning and the script is intelligent and interesting.

This is a series that gets better and better with each episode. So plan to watch all ten segments and learn history while having an entertaining time.

"The Tudors" premieres Sunday, April 1 on SHOWTIME at 10PM. It is a fresh look at an old story. Don't miss it!
 

 

 

 

 

©2007 Jackie K. Cooper

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