On the plus side, the acting is terrific and Mark Rylance in particular excellent. Likewise the atmosphere created and the sumptuous costumes. A great deal of thought has gone into small details which I appreciate but I fear a lot of the significance of these will go over the heads of the majority of viewers as being of small consequence, if indeed recognised.
On the negative side, working out who is who amongst the lesser characters is almost impossible as they all look alike. I have a degree in history and considering the importance of Norris, Brereton, and Weston in the downfall of Anne Boleyn, I find it frustrating that even I simply cannot recognise them individually and they are never referred to by name. The same is true of Smeaton unless he carries his lute. I have a similar problem with Anne's ladies in waiting. I can recognise Jane Boleyn but would others realise she is Anne's sister-in-law, married to Anne's brother George and carrying the title of Lady Rochford. Mary Boleyn is never even accorded her title as Lady Carey. Chancellor Thomas Audley is mentioned by name once and if anyone other than a historian works out who he is I'd be very surprised. Likewise would anyone identify Anne's father when referred to as Lord Wiltshire. Surely the script could use names a bit more frequently to assist viewers.
I do not understand why so much was made of James Bainham although this was clearly a device for illustrating the religious persecution rife throughout the entire Tudor period. I did not know of him and I doubt his name means anything to the general public. It simply confuses and detracts from Cromwell's story.
I also dislike the portrayal of Anne herself. She comes across as more petulant than the charming, intelligent and scheming woman she would have to have been to engineer both Katherine's divorce and her own subsequent marriage. After all, kings were expected to take mistresses at the time and they, or their families, were usually well rewarded as her sister Mary had been. It is also highly unlikely that Cromwell would have come out with a bald 'No' when asked to do something by a Queen of England. He was a courtier and a servant so would've been far more diplomatic.
I continue to watch it mainly for the wonderful portrayal of Cromwell himself but also wonder why the BBC did not choose to dramatise it AFTER the final instalment of the trilogy is published.
On the negative side, working out who is who amongst the lesser characters is almost impossible as they all look alike. I have a degree in history and considering the importance of Norris, Brereton, and Weston in the downfall of Anne Boleyn, I find it frustrating that even I simply cannot recognise them individually and they are never referred to by name. The same is true of Smeaton unless he carries his lute. I have a similar problem with Anne's ladies in waiting. I can recognise Jane Boleyn but would others realise she is Anne's sister-in-law, married to Anne's brother George and carrying the title of Lady Rochford. Mary Boleyn is never even accorded her title as Lady Carey. Chancellor Thomas Audley is mentioned by name once and if anyone other than a historian works out who he is I'd be very surprised. Likewise would anyone identify Anne's father when referred to as Lord Wiltshire. Surely the script could use names a bit more frequently to assist viewers.
I do not understand why so much was made of James Bainham although this was clearly a device for illustrating the religious persecution rife throughout the entire Tudor period. I did not know of him and I doubt his name means anything to the general public. It simply confuses and detracts from Cromwell's story.
I also dislike the portrayal of Anne herself. She comes across as more petulant than the charming, intelligent and scheming woman she would have to have been to engineer both Katherine's divorce and her own subsequent marriage. After all, kings were expected to take mistresses at the time and they, or their families, were usually well rewarded as her sister Mary had been. It is also highly unlikely that Cromwell would have come out with a bald 'No' when asked to do something by a Queen of England. He was a courtier and a servant so would've been far more diplomatic.
I continue to watch it mainly for the wonderful portrayal of Cromwell himself but also wonder why the BBC did not choose to dramatise it AFTER the final instalment of the trilogy is published.