So, hey, The Tudors. I'm sure everyone who might have tuned in when it started have subsequently tuned, but I have to say, it's turning out to be pretty entertaining. I mean, it definitely helps if you watch it thinking that this is basically an emotional drama full of ridiculously pretty people in ridiculously pretty clothes that happens to be set "historically." Since I adopted that perspective, I found I enjoy it way more than I did when I was trying to think of it as a historical drama a la Rome.
They do an exceedingly poor job of conveying both the history and politics of the time they are trying to portray. This is a shame, because the politics of the time can and have made for fascinating television/film.
However, I've become impressed by the emotional staging of the events. JRM starts to grow into the role as we move along, bringing a passion and zeal to a character who was known for his, er, passions--but does so in a way that deals with religion, desire, politics, and faith all wrapped up into one. He's deliciously selfish, which is a quality JRM portrays well (and has done well in the past) and also is smokin' hot.
Okay, truthfully a large part of me finishing out this first season is how insanely gorgeous everyone is on the show. And I mean everyone. There's a scene with Sam Neill and his lover, and even *that* pinged me, and I haven't thought he was attractive in about eight or ten years. But in particular, the actress who plays Anne Boleyn stands out. It's a difficult role--there are so many ways you could take the character, culturally and historically. But this version, a canny, self-aware, heady young Anne, has captured my heart and my other stuff and made me sit up and beg. I didn't think we'd get much out of her when she was first introduced, but holy mother of cthullu was I wrong.
Not only is she stunning, but she carries herself so well; every little motion she makes is weighed and utilized for maximum impact, and the result is driving both Henry and the audience (ie me) crazy for her. Damn. Also, she and JRM have some mad chemistry (at least when you take into account that JRM's general relationship with on-screen chemistry resembles many of Dave Boreanaz's early attempts at acting); yet despite this JRM still manages to convey the slow passion of a man being driven wild with desire for someone he shouldn't have, can't have, but has anyway.
So. I don't recommend it if you're a history buff. I do recommend it if you like watching pretty people prance around in cloth-of-gold and fucking with each other. Er. Literally and figuratively.