Wolf Hall

I think Thomas Cromwell was quite a bit fatter than Mark Rylance and probably a lot nastier.

What are his leg jings?

Lol.

I think he had a hunting or jousting accident which damaged his leg jings.

I think Damien Lewis is very right for a young Henry. Apparently he was handsome until the gout or whatever it was he had, got the better of him.

Enjoyed it this time. Wish I didn't recgnise so many of the actors though. Every time I see Mark Gatiss I expect him to say 'are you local'? I think Mark Ryland is very good. But still think Anne Boleyn is without charisma.

Damien Lewis is not how I imagine Henry VIII

However...

www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/11360747/Wolf-Hall-explained.html

Mark Rylance doesn't really look like him though, does he?

the real one

Nothing like I imagined him either.

I'm just about to watch it properly on iplayer.

I thought the first episode was good though I'm glad I've read the books. It would have been hard to follow otherwise. As it is I get in a muddle with the politicking .
It was a treat visually though wasn't it? The costumes and the settings were stunning.

Husband and I really enjoyed Wolf Hall (neither of us have read the books). Looking forward to it next week. Rylance as Cromwell is brilliant.

If I need additional support to understand plots or to get to know a bit more about characters in a TV series, I google "episode guides" on my Kindle and help enlighten husband too. Bit like "Steph and Dom" from Gogglebox (not sure which is which but they're always on their tablets whilst they watch). She always plonks a pillow between her legs to rest her tablet on .

Greyduster.

I think you hit the nail on the head when you say the characters were not sufficiently 'fleshed out' if you have not read the book or don't have a very good knowledge of Cromwell's family life and his rise. Can somebody expand on Cromwell's family life and rise or power, is this an historical fact or poetic licence for the reader. ?

It was only a minor issue for me but I still Henry as Brody from Homeland.

All summer jings! I'm a really slow reader..it'll take me a year to read the first book! It takes George Martin up to 6 years to write one of the books which is why the adaptation is overlapping the books. The big fear amongst fans is that he's quite elderly and not the healthiest looking person on the planet, and everyones terrified that he won't get round to finishing the series. It's all so complicated he has to check and double check what he's written about each character. He's very involved with the series though, and writes one episode per series [not usually allowed as they say the author is too close to the story to adapt it]. I would imagine that he's given them a synposis of the whole story just in case something happens to stop him writing it.Dan and Ben [?] write most of the episodes anyway and they know the characters inside out. One of the things George Martin asked them when they wanted to produce it [people were lining up to do so I think] was 'who is Jon Snow's mother'. When they told him, he knew that they 'got it' and let them produce it. I know I'm quite bonkers about it but the characters are as deep and complex as any that I've read in other books, because he explores what makes evil people evil and you start to question everything and everybody and the reasons/motives for what they do. But, hey, I don't need to sell it to you . And you get to love the characters so much that you fear for them [and quite rightly so ]. The only one that bores me is Stannis [my daughter says the same] but it may be different in the books....[?]

Thank you Anno for answering my question.
I enjoyed it but was a bit disappointed by Anne Boleyn as I thought she should have been a bit younger and more charming. Maybe she will be charming when we see her with Henry. Love the costumes.

So far, I think I prefer the books, altho' I also needed to 'settle into' those too.
Damien Lewis, as Henry V111, needs to win me over ( I think I read somewhere that he is basing the character on Wills and Harry....)

Yes Riverwalk! Why d'you pick culture?

Tegan you do realise that you will be reading the GofT all the summer, don't you? That's how long it took me! But really good escapism. I'm a bit disappointed that George Martin didn't get round to writing the last book himself. As far as I can make out the tv people wrote the upcoming last series in conjunction with GM. I will have to wait for the DVDs as have not got Sky.

Whoops! Better get back to Thomas Cromwell.

I haven't read the book so I watched the programme with no pre conceived expectations. I can't say I was immediately hooked but I will keep watching as the first episode of a series is often slow. I now watch everything with the sub titles as so many actors appear to mumble - but that could be my hearing!

I'm glad I read the books too, otherwise I would have struggled to know who half the characters were as they are not yet sufficiently fleshed out. I wonder if flashbacks are going to be a feature of this series; at the moment, there is not a lot to anchor some of the characters to the story. I thought it looked wonderful - filming it by candlelight could have been visually disasterous but new film technology has made it look like an old master painting. Can't wait for the next one.

Brilliant! I'm glad I'd read the book though, otherwise the flashbacks would have been a problem.

Of coarse! I knew there would be a reasonable excuse explanation!

Cos' we are kulchered peeps, that's why Ana!

jings; I watched the GoT's dvd first series and, not having read the books found it complicated with so many characters so I watched the dvd's again, this time with the commentary in which the writers and actors talked me through what was happening. Rather than shattering the illusion of it I found the details of how they produced it fascinating. I'm now reading the first book and finding out more about the characters. I find them and all the various elationships fascinating [my favourites being Tyrion and Bron]. I was in tears last night watching one of the scenes between Tyrion and Shay [sp]. But have had seriously bad nightmares about White Walkers . Then of course there's Sansa and the Hound [there's a common thread here, isn't there; the higher born people and their protectors].

Oh yes. I wonder why that is?

I love the fact that this thread is on Culture and not TV and Radio!

I had problems with the flashbacks as well but glad there was no mumbling.

Really enjoyed it.