Shardlake - anyone watched

The buildings were lovely Maremia but so obviously not English. I think this was probably down to Disney presuming that one medieval building was pretty much like another. After all Americans think a 200 year old building is ancient. Obviously the whole thing was too short. It needed six, or even eight episodes to get the full story. We didn't see anything of the relationship that develops between Matthew and Guy,which an important part of later stories. Arthur Hughes was very good. I'd love to see him in the other books.

One good thing about it was that they used a similarly abled actor in the part.
Another wonderful thing was the settings. Makes me want to visit Romania, and see all those amazing buildings.

Apologies for reviving this thread but we have just got round to watching this. As long term fans of the books we looked forward with some expectation.
What a disappointment. The plot has been reduced to a very basic one and as a consequence the series lacked coherence. It was truly dreadful. One exception being the performance of Arthur Hughes.

Watched it previously when it was streamed. Have read all the books and it wasn’t exactly the same but it was well cast and I really enjoyed it

windmill Wolf Hall is a stunning piece of television. Do give it a try if you can. I didn't think it deviated too much from the books.

Watched the second episode and yes the character of Shardlake is growing on me. He is showing a softer side of himself.

Yes, I picked that up. Bad script writing. Not new though, often get period dramas quoting things that have not yet been written in their time.

Bit odd to hear Alice quoting Tennyson last night! "Better to have loved and lost"......

oreo Yes, I think that is a reference from Tombland, and is several years after this first book of Dissolution. So, in this Shardlake would be around late thirties/turning forty.

It was not how l imagined Matthew Shardlake. It was not better or worse just different and l thought well acted. Saw a different side to Sean Bean and he did ok but he will always be Sharp. For some reason l thought Mark Rylance was in it so l had to get over that first. Overall l enjoyed it very much

Am fairly sure I remember reading in one of the books, maybe a later one like Tombland, that Shardlake thinks to himself that physically he’s too old for this kind of thing ( caught up in the rebellion) now that he was 47.
Haven’t seen the televised version, but love the books.

I very much enjoy the Shardlake books which is why I could never watch a tv/film version of these gritty stories. I'm scared a screenplay would deviate too much and ruin the essence of these tales.

I've never watched the dramatisation of Wolf Hall for the same reason.

charely68 If you watched this last year, it must have been when it was screened on Disney. Sadly, they then decided not to make any further series. This is the same series now being shown on ITV.

I watched this last year, and it was brilliant. Is this another series?
The actor who played Shardlake was wonderful.

I loved the stories, very engaging.
I have just watched it, as I fell asleep within the first few minutes on Sunday.
Yes, the actor is nothing like I had imagined but he seems ok. We were thrown in the deep end with the story, which made it a bit confusing.
I’ll try the next episode before deciding to carry on.

I agree Franbern, Mark Rylance made such a wonderful Cromwell, he's an impossibly hard act to follow, and the casting for Jack Barak was spot on.

Loved the books, and sad when he died.

I did try the series (just one) when first shown on Disney, but was so disappointed, as I think Sansom would have been with the characters.

But I will give it another go with an open mind.

Thanks for the headsup about this being on ITVX - I will watch it next. I have several of the books on my Kindle, but haven't read any yet! This will be a treat, I hope!

Watched a super live performance on BBC 4 last Sunday from Vienna, selection of classical faves orchestra/singers brought straight to my home. Go Beeb, what you do so well. Better than R3 where you can only listen or U tube where there are pesky adverts.

If either the BBC or ITV were to scrap just a fraction of their daytime offerings and also ITV most early evening stuff imo …they would be able to make quality series such as this.

BBC in particular should stop throwing vast amounts of money at presenters maybe? as it seems the license fee is no longer enough to afford the “big personalities” anymore.

I loved all the Shardlake books, but was disappointed in the TV programme. Matthew Shardlake was nothing like the way I`d pictured him.

Matthew Shardlake ages as the books progresses, so this depiction of him at the beginning is probably about right. Also, he was more sneering and less amenable in the earlier book, It is as they continue and life hits at him over and over again, that he becomes the nicer character he is by the end.
Sansom was able to see the filming of this, although not the screening.
We have all been so spoiled with the Wolf Hall Cromwell, that no other actor can really take on this role without criticism.
Excellent casting for Barak

Another Shardlake fan here too. C J Sansom was such a brilliant writer and researched his books very well. Not sure about the TV series yet but will definitely keep watching.

I enjoyed all of the books, and felt that the programme did the book justice. I am sorry to hear that this is a one - off.
After the success of Wolf Hall, it would seem a logical piece of broadcasting for the BBC.

Thank you, top recommendation, I'll wait to see if the main character resembles that picture in my mind!