First and foremost, I am not a history buff. I know what was taught when I was in high school and little else. That said, I am judging this pilot episode of "The Tudors" based on its artistic merits and entertainment value alone, not its historical content. Those looking for comparisons to what actually happened are better off looking elsewhere.
"The Tudors" is one of many Showtime series to pop up recently in the network's attempt to become the next HBO. Some series have proved successful ("Masters of Horror", "Weeds", "Dexter") while others have floundered ("Huff", "The Underground"). Judging from the pilot episode, "The Tudors" falls somewhere in between quality wise. It's not groundbreaking like "Masters of Horror" or particularly original like "Dexter", but it's more competently written and produced than previous network dramas like "Huff". The main problem so far lies with the acting. While Jonathan Rhys Meyers doesn't leave a strong impression as King Henry VIII. He comes across as simply reciting lines rather than giving a performance. It appears as if he's playing King Henry VIII in a play rather than a television series. His co-stars fare much better. Sam Neill as Cardinal Thomas Wolsey is strong as always, underplaying nicely when necessary. If there is a reason to keep watching the series, it's Maria Doyle Kennedy as Queen Katherine. She portrays the role of the wife with just the right amount of compassion and frustration. It will be interesting to see how her relationship with Henry changes throughout the next few episodes, if I can stand to sit through them.
My rating: 5/10
"The Tudors" is one of many Showtime series to pop up recently in the network's attempt to become the next HBO. Some series have proved successful ("Masters of Horror", "Weeds", "Dexter") while others have floundered ("Huff", "The Underground"). Judging from the pilot episode, "The Tudors" falls somewhere in between quality wise. It's not groundbreaking like "Masters of Horror" or particularly original like "Dexter", but it's more competently written and produced than previous network dramas like "Huff". The main problem so far lies with the acting. While Jonathan Rhys Meyers doesn't leave a strong impression as King Henry VIII. He comes across as simply reciting lines rather than giving a performance. It appears as if he's playing King Henry VIII in a play rather than a television series. His co-stars fare much better. Sam Neill as Cardinal Thomas Wolsey is strong as always, underplaying nicely when necessary. If there is a reason to keep watching the series, it's Maria Doyle Kennedy as Queen Katherine. She portrays the role of the wife with just the right amount of compassion and frustration. It will be interesting to see how her relationship with Henry changes throughout the next few episodes, if I can stand to sit through them.
My rating: 5/10