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.

That was lovely!

Gutted, absolutely gutted that it’s all over. What the hell am I going to watch now? May just resort to binge-watching series one.

Well, I am bawling.

Thank you.

It was really good, a mix of emotions. I didn’t feel like hope was one of them though? I thought the Cromwell in the series was accepting of what was happening to him and going through the required motions. Like from the beginning he said Gregory must not visit him.

Ive seen a couple of threads asking if it’s worth watching and I can’t quite articulate why it was so watchable, because I agree with the OPs of those threads that it is kind of dark and dreary. I think a big pull for me Mark Rylance’s Cromwell. I haven’t read the books to know if he is what Hilary Mantel described. As a viewer he seems so reasonable and doing only what is natural, so I really felt for him and wanted the best for him. Even when his ambitions could be power hungry and greedy when he was already rich, it seemed reasonable and honourable even for him to want to do more than decide where people’s fences go when talking to his wife.

I could also really feel being at the whim of Damian Lewis’s King’s moods whilst at the same time truly loving him and his vulnerabilities. I just got a real sense of the priorities of the time and believed in them.

i will miss Cremuel too. And I only started watching last week!

It was brilliant, really brilliant. Such a shame Hilary Mantel didn't get to see it. Poor Rafe 😔

I had to watch late tonight so have just finished it. Unforgettable. It drew me in completely and got me right in my stomach, heart and tear ducts. I can't think of any better TV in recent times.

That lump in my throat is going to take a while to subside. I've tried beer, but it's not having much effect! 😀

If you're looking for something to watch which is up there with the best drama ever produced, can I suggest I Claudius as someone mentioned upthread. Also - Brideshead Revisited.

Yes this made me cry. I think this what I loved most about the first 2 books, how HM wrote the relationship between Wolsey and Cromwell. Their conversations were beautiful.

I also thought Mark Rylance was miscast, and his thin, reedy voice I found irritating. However, it's been an excellent series, very compelling. This last episode was well done. What an awful person Richard Rich was.

For everyone saying that Mark Rylance was miscast...I can't think of another actor who could have done what he did over the two series, no matter if others looked more like we think Cromwell should look like.

For me, it was the presence and the voice. However, I've enjoyed the series.
Damian Lewis isn't a look a like for Henry, but played him in a convincing way.
It's all subjective.

I certainly don't find Mark Rylance's voice " thin and reedy", just calm and beautiful.

It’s less a matter of ‘what we think Cromwell should look like’ than that Mantel’s Cromwell’s ex-soldier is a bruiser who is physically intimidating and capable of violence.

Someone suggested David Morrissey or Stephen Graham. I’d have been interested to see David Thewlis or Gary Oldman, maybe.

Oh, and I imagine the reason they decided Cromwell should keep on his heavy, fur-collared outer clothes for his execution (which, absolutely, as a pp said, wouldn’t have happened — those to be executed removed outer garments for obvious reasons), is to avoid revealing Mark Rylance’s slight body.

It’s less a matter of ‘what we think Cromwell should look like’ than that Mantel’s Cromwell’s ex-soldier is a bruiser who is physically intimidating and capable of violence.

I've not read the books, and only started on the series last night, 2 episodes in. There's a scene with one of the Poles, a significantly larger man - Cromwell physically moves him aside when he's had enough of verbal sparring. Wiry men can be physically intimidating if they've got the attitude... this Cromwell carries a knife and would use it.

I like that it ended with the scene of the preparations for Henry's marriage to Catherine Howard. Mary's face was a study.

It would have been nice to have had a shot of Anne of cleves, happily playing cards

Yes, that would have been a good conclusion.

It was so, so good. Absolutely loved it. I've not read the books, but I think I might now.

I wondered that as well but I'm sure they could have bulked up Rylance under some under clothes.

They're worth it! Enjoy.

I'm so dim, I was so concentrating, thinking he was having flashbacks all the time (the beautiful priory with the bees etc) that I thought that scene was a flashback too but couldn't work out who the woman being stitched into her dress...gawd, of course!

Agree that it would be wonderful for the whole cast to carry on and there be a series on the future wives and Henry's eventual demise.

I shall so miss it, Mark Rylance was perfect, his facial expressions! I feel so sad that Richie Rich and Call Me both turned on him although maybe 'Risley' regretted it or would come to do so?

I too am sorry its finished. I wonder if Anne would have missed TC as he was always her protector, but these Royals were so self centered she would only miss him if she needed something.
I really liked MR and thought you get your moneys worth with Damien Lewis, ( I always feel said for him because of his late wife.) He played Henry very well, much too good looking though.
Missed Bernard Hill RIP, Mark Gatiss all the replacements.
I think I will watch WH again for the third time.

I enjoyed tc's conversation with Gardiner at the end. And Norfolk and Gardener trying to deal with Henry.
I would recommend checking Wriothesley's [?] portrait - very close to his portrayel.