Written by: Ashtyn at 6:31 pm
Writer: Various
Director: Various
Cast: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Henry Cavill, Natalie Dormer, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Jeremy Northam, Sam Neill, Gabrielle Anwar
Rating: M (Sex and Violence)
Studio: Showtime
Release Date: January 1, 2008
Once upon a time I was HBO loyal. This is not to say that I never watched Showtime, Cinemax, or Starz. It’s just that when it came to original series that aired on premium channels I mainly watched HBO. In recent years, I have noticed a change and the change is a complete 180.
A few years back, I would say that I only watched the occasional Showtime show. My two favorites were Jeremiah and Street Time, which in the case of the latter, has not yet hit DVD shelves, but hopefully will at some point. However, my real obsession with Showtime started with Queer as Folk. After falling in love with that show it was only a matter of time before I picked up my little The L Word obsession. From there came Meadowlands (which sadly has been canceled), Weeds, Californication, Dexter, and Brotherhood. By this point, anything new that came from Showtime was worth watching, in my opinion, at least once. My obsession with shows on HBO has waned with the passing of shows like Rome and The Sopranos, though Big Love still manages to hold my fancy. Still, Showtime has won my favor in the battle of the premium channels, at least for now.
As for The Tudors, which is the the purpose of this review, I have been watching this show since the first episode. Naturally I couldn’t wait to review this series, which focuses on the possible life of King Henry VIII in his younger years. People watching this show for historical accuracy have scoffed at The Tudors and complained to no end. I must agree that it is not incredibly historical, though some inaccurately say that it’s not historical at all. Regardless, the series is absolutely phenomenal. If you are interested in a dynamic series that offers explosive characters, sex, violence, love, scandal, and drama in a historical setting then you will absolutely love The Tudors.
Release Information:
The Tudors first aired on Showtime in 2007 and before the end of its ten episode reign it had already been signed for a second season. The new season, which begins in 2008, is quickly approaching. Until then, fans of the show are offered this four disc box set that includes all of the first season episodes plus a variety of bonus features. Interested individuals will be able to purchase this set on January 1, 2008.
The The Tudors: The Complete First Season Plot
The Tudors offers a few facts mixed with plenty of fictional accounts. The story begins around the time that King Henry is in the final stages of his marriage to Queen Catherine of Aragon (Maria Doyle Kennedy – Miss Julie). In one of the first scenes, we see a charismatic and energetic King (Jonathan Rhys Meyers – Alexander) lying with one of the Queen’s servants. This scene details one of the King’s many affairs. This particular one leads him to a son, whom later dies. This sort of sets the tone for one of the many reasons why the King wishes for a divorce. While Henry and Catherine had many children, Catherine lost all of them, save for one child, Mary. Of course, Henry needs a boy to one day lead the Kingdom.
As it was a disgrace to think that England would be ruled by a woman, Henry was desperate to have a male heir. Of course, this was clearly hopeless when it came to Catherine, so Henry had no choice, but to move on. This was not before bedding many women in court and eventually meeting the beautiful and seemingly elusive, Anne Boleyn (Natalie Dormer – Casanova) whom he later wishes to bed and marry. Upon deciding that he needs a divorce, the King calls on his commissioner Cardinal Wolsey (Sam Neill – Irresistible) to find him a way out of his marriage. You see, for the King and his Queen divorce is not as simple as it sounds. Both are Catholic and the church frowns heavily upon the institution of divorce. As it is a sin, the King is bound not only by his wishes, but the wishes of the church, as well.
When it comes to the Kingdom, the King wishes to be amongst the most legendary of all the Kings. In order to become that legendary it has become clear to Henry that he will need to go to war against France. Eventually, his need for war subsides and a new plan deals with uniting the European countries of their own volition or with force, whichever becomes necessary.
King Henry is portrayed here as being young, arrogant, misogynistic, power hungry, passionate, and energetic. With his friends, he prefers to be just one of the boys, until someone steps out of bounds and he needs to remind them who the King is. Henry partakes in such sports as jousting and wrestling and goes on hunts with people to cut the blues of a boring day. He is passionate in his church service and belief in God as long as it suits his needs and he is nearly as strong in his political beliefs.
There are many sequences that detail the King’s consumption of power and his obsession with Anne. However, the King and Mistress Boleyn are not the only points of this show; they are merely some of the most impressive. His sister Princess Margaret (Gabrielle Anwar – Innocent Lies), his best friends, namely Charles Brandon (Henry Cavill – Stardust and Sir Thomas More (Jeremy Northam – Gosford Park), and the religious figures of the time also play a large part in the series in season one. Like what you see with Henry, you learn their political motivations, see their sexual exploits, and become intrigued by the things that make them tick.
Prior to The Tudors, Jonathan Rhys Meyers was a name that I knew, but he had a face that I could never pick out. I had seen him in things though I never really knew it was him until someone pointed it out to me. This show has changed all that for me. I don’t think I ever realized how incredibly dynamic and captivating he could become while in character. While it’s true that Rhys Meyers is nowhere near the height of King Henry VIII, his personality and acting makes up for this small oversight. His vocal range and booming personality is often the tallest and most intimidating in the room, which is far more necessary to this role than physical stature of some added inches.
The Tudors allows you to love and hate King Henry at the same time. The show is deliciously captivating and has quickly become an obsession-filled, guilty pleasure that ranks up there with Dexter in my house.
As for the other actors I have only glowing reports to offer. Gabrielle Anwar provides a stuffy, arrogant, and yet downtrodden portrayal of Princess Margaret. She appears spoiled and holds a self worth that makes you think, in her own mind, she should be as important as the King. In a moment’s notice you go from wanting to smack the arrogant huffy, prideful nature from her, to wanting to hug her because her struggles being the sister of the King are not insignificant to her. Meanwhile, offerings from Sam Neill, Jeremy Northam, and Henry Cavill are all worthy of awards or nominations, at best.
Maria Doyle Kennedy as the Queen was a perfect choice. Kennedy offers a true regal feel to the role as she handles her body, expressions, and mental state as if she were a Queen. There is no doubt who the female ruler of the Kingdom is at this point, although should changes have to be made and they certainly will, it will be sad to see Kennedy go. Finally, of notable mention, there is the lovely Natalie Dormer as the seductive yet unattainable (for now) Anne Boleyn. This beautifully captivating young woman will go on to do great things, I am sure. Her expressions are perfectly placed and she plays Anne with a fierce passion that turns into a shady sense of longing when in the presence of the King. Going from demure and humble to power hungry and hauty in one season can be hard to pull off though Dormer does it with grace and aplomb. Dormer was the perfect choice for the seductive temptress that Anne Boleyn was and I can’t wait to see her sizzle in Season Two!
As far as historical epics go, the scenes at court with dancing, feasting, and sports are quite the sight to see. The same can be said for the clothing, music, and the entire look and feel of the show. All of the set work (costumes and props) look absolutely lovely and gives the fan of epic dramas something to sink their teeth into. Likewise, thanks to some slick writing, people who shy away from history will still love this for everything it offers in those gaps where history has nothing to do with the story.
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Audio/Visual:
Both the audio and the video quality on The Tudors box set end up coming out lovely. The discs offer a compression rate of 1.78:1 with anamorphic enhancements. All of the episodes are divided into chapters and there is the standard play all option, which comes in quite handy when you plan to watch several episodes at one time. The color is vibrant and sharp without being too overpowering.
The audio comes in Dolby Digital 5.1 or 2.0. The DVDs naturally start on 2.0 unless you choose the 5.1 option. In both cases, but more so with the 5.1, the sound is crystal clear, explosive, and dramatic in just the right spots. I found that volume toggling was rare, in the case of parties where there were loud musical moments or in some of the crowd scenes. Otherwise, things were perfect.
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Bonus Features:
The Tudors offers quite a few bonus features to keep your interest in the Showtime series alive until it is time for the second season. There are several trailers for some past DVD sets that have been released by Paramount Home Video. These trailers are for shows such as Ghost Whisperer, Criminal Minds, Twin Peaks, CSI, and Jericho. There is a photo gallery that offers various cast photos in and out of character dress and an episode for three of Showtime’s other shows including This American Life, Californication, and Penn & Teller’s Bullshit!.
Tom Conroy will lead you through an overview of the set design in the feature that deals with “Production Design”. This feature lasts for about four minutes and shows some of the locations used when shooting The Tudors. A second feature, lasting just over five minutes, deals with “Costume Design”. Finally, there is a feature lasting close to 25 minutes that deals with various Historical sites including Apothecaries Hall (the true location of King Henry’s divorce trial), Wolsey’s Hampton Court Palace, Greenwich, Sir Thomas More’s Crosby Hall, and the Tower of London. It should be noted that these locations are not actually used during filming.
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Bottom Line:
The Tudors is one of my favorite shows. While I sit, anxiously awaiting the second season, it is a small comfort to know that I have this box set to keep me in heavy anticipation of what’s to come. If you are looking for a series filled with drama, deception, love, lust, power, corruption, and hatred then you have found just the show for you.
The Tudors is one of the most exquisite hours on television. If you’ve missed it when it was on Showtime you will definitely want to pick this set up. If you didn’t miss it and are a fan, this set is a must have. This was definitely the perfect set to start out a pleasurable New Year. Make sure to check it out as this set comes highly recommended.
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Technorati Tags: The Tudors, The Complete First Season, Showtime, Season One, Henry VIII, King Henry, Anne Boleyn, Historical Drama, Romance, Sex, Violence, DVD, Standard DVD, DVD Review
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Written by Ashtyn - Visit Website
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Ashtyn Evans is a writer, advocate, free thinker, and all around cynical person. Always quick to find the negative in anything pop culture, she loves being a part of that which she despises. Ashtyn and Dominick own numerous blogs together, as well as a full-time writing business. In her spare time she is a full-time college student studying History and Psychology. She plans to one day give up her freelance career and be a full-time blogger, novelist, and domestic goddess. She can be contacted for writing projects, fan mail, or just to say hi. She really is friendlier than we make her look.
