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« The Tudors
Anyone?
lets chat about this brilliant series.
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Jun 6, 2007 10:06 PM
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Love to talk about The Tudors. I find it very interesting, especially the part of Catherine. She is the best character on the show, in my opinion. I also like Wolsey, although I am so sorry he committed suicide. Sam Neill is such a great actor.
I really could do without some of the more graphic sex scenes, though. The opening scene in the season finale literally turned my stomach, especially since the servant was there. I found that scene disgusting.
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Jun 11, 2007 7:53 PM
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THE TUDORS - This is MY Sopranos.
HISTORY:
Though history buffs or a simple Google search will reveal the story's ending, this doesn't reduce the suspense or excitement one bit for me.
Some take offense that the series is not 100% historically accurate, but that doesn't bother me for the most part.
I was, however, shocked by Wolsey's suicide, as every reference I could find simply stated he died of natural causes or illness during the trip back to London. So, I don't know if the suicide was taking dramatic liberty or if it really happened.
Again regarding history, a child at Margaret's funeral asks why the king is not there. He's told "it's treason to imagine the king's funeral" or something like that. However, both the king and queen attended the funeral of William Compton, so what's the difference?
POWERFUL PERFORMANCES
The acting performances are superb. Sam Neill's quiet devastation when he realizes the no one will be attending the conclave he's requested and thus also realizes his power is in jeopardy, if not completely lost, was masterful.
Maria Doyle Kennedy was brilliant when the king tells her she's lost her home, her husband and her career. So subtle her reaction as the king spoke, yet I could feel the hot sting of her tears and the breathless stomach-punch upon such shattering news.
Am I the only one shocked by Sir Thomas More's change from saintly humanist to burning people at the stake? Horrors!!!
DIALOGUE/SCRIPT:
I have some issues with dialogue or script, or the way it's been delivered. Once sentence was clearly difficult to say for the king to tell Wolsey and I don't know why the writers stuck with it: "I'm sure you'll successfully succeed..." Too many S's there and using the root "success" or "succeed" twice in one sentence made it stand out such that the viewer thinks more about the acting than the magic or moment.
Another is when the king announces how he's been betrayed, robbed such that the coffers are now empty, and that things are going to be different from now on. The pauses and tone in which this was delivered seemed ineffective, not believable, and delivered in tone and nuance identical to other statements by the king.
There were at least two times when William Compton paused so long before his line that the "moment" or magic was lost and I wondered if he'd ever speak the line. His facial expressions didn't indicate he was in serious pondering; it just seemed like a pause turned to uncomfortable silence. One of those instances is when he's told in a pub by the Duke of Suffolk that he's married the king's sister Margaret.
STORY/CONTINUITY:
There've also been some moments of confusion regarding continuity. One moment, William Compton has finally slept with the genius musician, then before William is cold in his grave, the musician is kissing a twin sister then marrying the only twin that survives "the sweat." Some additional story here would have helped in absorbing the sudden change in sexual preference.
Though the majority of script is delivered with nuance, drama and heart, I do hope season 2 pays more attention to dialogue content and delivery.
Thank goodness for On-Demand, as I've seen each episode at least a dozen times, except for the one where "the sweat" devastates the population. That one was a bit gruesome for me.
Regarding hottest sex scenes on film, surely the one with Margaret and the duke on the dining room table qualifies as one of the best.
Can't wait for the DVD, and can't believe we have to wait a whole year for season 2. Arrrrrg! The agony!!!
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Jun 17, 2007 6:53 PM
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I've just started watching season 1 of the Tudors, and I love it. Do you know if there's going to be a second season, and if so, when it will start?
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Oct 21, 2007 5:27 PM
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