Wolf Hall - The Mirror and the Light

[virgocatlover]

Series 2 is confirmed to start Sunday 10th November.

Almost 10 years after the first series, I'm excited to see the third and final novel brought to life.

I hope they don't too, but on past form, I'd bet they will.

Oh YES! I didn't realise it was this soon. Amazing. Been looking forward to this since production was confirmed what feels like about three years ago (and probably was!)

Just bittersweet as Hilary Mantel isn't around to see her final chapters of Cromwell's life on screen.

Can't wait!

Didn't realise this was starting so soon - would definitely watch, Mark Rylance is so compelling in this and I loved the books as I do everything by Mantel (if you've only read Wolf Hall series and enjoyed it I recommend all her books, especially 'A Place of Greater Safety' about the French revolution)

The Mirror and the Light was an amazing read - even though you knew what was going to happen, and there was such a sense of gathering darkness, the ending still came as a real shock.

We've just watched Wolf Hall again in preparation and can't wait!

I'd agree with this. Then you enjoy it more second time round

I'm going to rewatch the first before it comes out. I loved it. I know people said Cromwell was mid cast and physically I think he was, but otherwise to my mind Rylance has him to a tee.

Oh I'm so pleased to read this! I am working my way through the books at the moment and am totally hooked, I knew they'd been on the bbc but hadn't realised the final book was yet to come .

Have obviously avoided watching for years as wolf hall was gathering dust on my to read pile but I've finally started reading and they are fabulous books. Have just started the mirror and the light

I loved the first 2 books but having seen Ben Miles on stage playing Cromwell I couldn't get into Mark Rylance's take on him. It was that lack of physical menace under the charm. I might try again though now it's been 10 years ...bloody hell.

I’m also looking forward to it, though some casting choices have annoyed me.

I much prefer watching TV as on demand, but I think with something as high profile as this, I expect the weekly episodes won’t be on iPlayer until just after they’ve been broadcast every week, like Happy Valley.

@BigDahliaFan I saw Ben Miles too and he was exactly right.

Ben Miles is also amazing at reading/performing the audiobooks of the trilogy, if you haven’t listened I highly recommend.

Oh! I've never listened to them on audio book before. Will definitely check that out. I've got a hundred bulbs to plant this weekend and I'm dreading it. Ben miles as Cromwell might give me the push I need.

Basically I need to treat those bulbs as if they are my enemy, and have my trowel in my hand before they wake up in the morning....

Likewise and the audio book is a great shout.

Yes, it was. I think in part because it’s so exhilarating watching Cromwell do his job so terribly well, second-guess everything, make things happen, kibosh his enemies, sidestep disaster etc etc in the first two novels. Gradual failure is a much more familiar narrative in literary fiction, and there’s something very poignant about watching him get his comeuppance, discover meetings happening without him, people start to be rude to him again with impunity .

I wasn’t convinced by the tv or stage adaptations of Wolf Hall (haven’t seen Bring Up the Bodies), despite brilliant casts and acting. I think without Mantel’s brilliant interior monologues, it’s just a story we already know. And Mark Rylance, while a genius, just hasn’t got the hatchet-faced bruiser physicality for Cromwell.

having seen Ben Miles on stage playing Cromwell I couldn't get into Mark Rylance's take on him. It was that lack of physical menace under the charm

I like to come on these threads to say how much I loathe Mark Rylance as Cromwell 😁I really do, to the extent I can't watch the TV series all through, which is very annoying. I did love Ben Miles though, I thought he'd be too handsome (he is) but he had charm and ruthlessness. Superb. (My fantasy TV casting would be David Morrisey.)

I went to Wolf Hall in the summer (well, drove past, as it's a private residence) as my ancestors came from the local village. Soooo exciting when the satnav directed me to 'Turn left onto Wolf Hall lane'.

It’s brilliant, just make sure you do get the Ben Miles ones are there are some other readers.

Ben Miles was close to Hilary Mantel and he was her first pick to read/play Cromwell on stage/audiobook/screen.

I ve started watching the first two series again in preparation for the new one. So excited.

I found it helps to put the subtitles on as you get all the little asides and intricacies that get lost amongst the dialogue.

Ben Miles was brilliant onstage, but I find that, no matter how good the acting, directing, adaptation etc, it can’t approach the novels because their strength isn’t in dialogue, but in Cromwell’s interior monologue, which can’t be approximated. The RSC Wolf Hall did introduce me to Ben Miles, though, whom I wasn’t particularly aware of as an actor beforehand, and whom I think is astonishing.

Fans can judge their latest effort when Wolf Hall season 2 (aka Wolf Hall: The Mirror and The Light) arrives on BBC One and iPlayer on Sunday 10th November 2024.

Quote from Radio Times.

Does this mean all episodes will be available on iPlayer.

If the plot lines are as complex as the earlier series this is definitely something I will have to binge watch to understand!

But if they aren't all available, how can I stop myself from watching week by week ?

So looking forward to this. I've half finished the book years ago and can't quite bear getting to the inevitable end. Brilliant cast and felt so true to the books

I don't think they will all be on iplayer on the 10th. The BBC article said:

The BBC has released the first trailer for Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light and announced that the series will launch on BBC iPlayer and BBC One on Sunday 10 November at 9pm, with new episodes premiering weekly.

10 years?!? OMG where has the time gone! Brilliant first series but I remember it being very dark - I mean literally like you could hardly see stuff in some scenes.

I’ll have to watch the previous series, great to have something to get into.

10 years! Dear Lord, cannot wait

I’m a bit disappointed each episode will only be available on iPlayer when it’s broadcast on Sunday’s at 9pm because I sometimes work on Sunday nights so watching TV shows on demand suits me. But as I alluded to earlier, it’s ‘event TV’ so from the BBC’s perspective I can understand.