Tag: Wolf Hall Recaps

Wolf Hall: The Mirror And The Light – Ep 2 Obedience

 

Welcome back to Court and to episode 2 of “Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light”.

This was another gripping episode with the apt title “Obedience”. If you do not obey Henry in every way, shape and form, then your life is in danger. The true definition of a tyrant!

If you know the history of Cromwell and this time in Tudor history, you can see so much foreshadowing in this episode. When the ghost of Cardinal Wolsey tells Cromwell when things go wrong “you will feel the lash” he is certainly on the money.

This week’s post will be similar to last week’s – quick observations and fun facts

Continue reading “Wolf Hall: The Mirror And The Light – Ep 2 Obedience”

Greetings from a Tudor Junkie! Wolf Hall: The Mirror And The Light – Ep 1 Wreckage

Well, “Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light”, has finally hit our screen here in the US and I couldn’t be happier!

The first season of Wolf Hall is what lead me to this lovely community, and to think it has been 10 years since these rich, complex historical characters have been on our screens. It may have been a decade, but this wonderful series has not lost a step.

As I did during “Billions” I will write about my observations and thoughts on each episode. Instead of coming at it with my knowledge of Wall Street and trading, I will be giving my views from the vantage point of being a Tudor junkie. Continue reading “Greetings from a Tudor Junkie! Wolf Hall: The Mirror And The Light – Ep 1 Wreckage”

Wolf Hall on PBS, Episode 6: Master of Phantoms

"Those who have been made can be unmade." - Anne Boleyn
source: farfarawaysite.com
source: farfarawaysite.com

Henry never says good-bye…

Once he sees Wolsey is not able to fix a new wife for him… Henry never sees him again.

Once he realizes Katherine will not let him go, Henry leaves one morning without a good-bye, and never sees her again.

Once he takes back the chain of office from Thomas More as he resigns from his post as Lord Chancellor in a protest against Henry’s new bills… Henry never sees him again.

source: farfarawaysite.com
source: farfarawaysite.com

Finally… Once he leaves Anne at the jousting tournament at Greenwich, and rides back to Whitehall… Henry never sees her again. Continue reading “Wolf Hall on PBS, Episode 6: Master of Phantoms”

Murder of Crows

Don’t you just love when history comes in a nice convenient story arc? Wolf Hall, episode 5 is the climax leading up to the denouement of the stories told in Mantel’s Wolf Hall and Bringing up the Bodies. We all know how this is going to end, yet, here we are still watching, rapt, captivated by a fascinating story of a fascinating time told and performed impeccably by the best ensemble cast imaginable.

In this episode, titled “Crows”, we see leonine Henry’s frustrations coming to a head and wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing Cromwell being shown his place in the realm. And we see Anne slowly and painfully getting prepared to be escorted to the gallows. Continue reading “Murder of Crows”

Wolf Hall on PBS, Episode 5: Crows

"How many men can say my only friend is the King of England?" 
-Thomas Cromwell
source: farfarawaysite.com
source: farfarawaysite.com

Wolf Hall is getting darker by the minute in its penultimate episode. And, thanks to the wonderful immediacy it has —that’s Peter Kosminsky doing wonders behind the camera — you feel as if all is happening on real time, in front of your very eyes complete with a couple of moments that make you flinch!

In Crows, Henry is restless. He is capricious. He is obnoxious. He is EXPLOSIVE… And, then he turns into a little boy trying to make amends to his best friend. I don’t want to make a case for Henry but he has his reasons for being so — it is all about his obsession with a male heir. And, add to this, his being very much aware of his own mortality now that Henry makes a decision to move on… well… to the next wife… which also makes him a hopeless romantic at times…

Continue reading “Wolf Hall on PBS, Episode 5: Crows”