Wolf Hall - any book fans not enjoying the TV show that much?

[Thurlow]

Don't get me wrong, I think it is a wonderfully made and amazingly acted production but... I just have such incredibly strong ideas about how the characters are, how lines should be delivered, how people should act. And while I can see why everything in the TV show is how it is, it's just not my Wolf Hall, it's not the Cromwell I had in mind, and I'm not enjoying it anywhere near as much as I thought I might.

Mark Rylance is such a fantastic actor, but Cromwell in my mind is so different (though I suspect he looks a little like James Frain following watching some of the bloody awful Tudors ) and I'm struggling to see him quite as the potential murderer Cromwell should be.

Anyone else?

I've been pleasantly surprised by his performance. I didn't think I was going to like it, but I do - very much. Really enjoying the series, highlight of the week for me :)

Highlight for me too, starting to anticipate feeling sad when it's finished.

I feel like I could watch Mark Ryalnce for hours, just...thinking...

I'd even be interested in his interpretation of doing a bit of gardening, there's so much going on under the surface. There was even a bit where he was literally twiddling his thumbs and I was fascinated. I have to declare though that I don't get out much these days.

I think last night they very deftly stepped up the darker side with his threatening of Harry Percy, pulling a knife in the dark, joining hands with Anne against More. Loved it.

Sorry I understand where you are coming from though, it is hard to watch an adaptation of a well-loved book, if it's wrong for you, then it's wrong.

He is doing an incredible job. I think maybe if I'd only read the book once (I'm a chronic re-reader) I might not have such a strong impression of who Cromwell is.

And there are lines I remember from the book as being so good - Norfolk saying he will tear Wolsey with his teeth - that just didn't get delivered the way I imagined them.

But it's not really a criticism of the adaptation, more that Mantell's writing is so insanely vivid!

This is not improving my hopes for my much loved Jonathan Strange soon

I'm loving it, and seeing new things that I hadn't really noticed as much in the books.

I'm deeply surprised at quite how much I fancy Thomas Cromwell, though. Mark Rylance's smile ...

There are very, very few adaptations of books that I have ever enjoyed & I was fully expecting to go "NO!" & turn the TV off after 20 minutes of Wolf Hall.

But I am loving it, just loving it. I've watched every episode twice & will probably watch them all a third time after the series is finished. It is the stillness of the whole production that amazes me.

There is a thread about Wolf Hall on the BBC here:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/telly_addicts/2288038-Damian-Lewis-fans-line-up-for-Wolf-Hall-tonight?pg=11

Sadly there are a lot of deleted posts in the earlier half of it, but if you skip to posts from Feb 3rd onwards there is some wonderful discussion about the Tudor era, religion, Wycliffe etc. All by some very knowledgeable (& one professional) historians. Fascinating & with some great links.