[PBS/BBC] Wolf Hall

[$iljanus]

I had no idea Lewis was actually English for years. Also, I want to point out that he was married to the insanely talented Helen McCrory (Aunt Polly on Peaky Blinders) until her tragic death a few years ago. Talk about an acting family.

After watching Lewis on various TV shows like Life, Billions and Band of Brothers it's always jarring when he's speaking in his native accent.

[McNutt]

I wonder what actors British people would be surprised to learn are American.

[Holman]

I wonder what actors British people would be surprised to learn are American.

Mike Myers in this scene certainly isn't perfect, but the fact of an absurdly American comedian trying to do it straight is the joke itself.

[hepcat]

Well, as absurdly American as any other Canadian born to British parents in Montreal.

[Holman]

Well, as absurdly American as any other Canadian born to British parents in Montreal.

[Holman]

Wolf Hall season 2 (which carries Mantel's trilogy to its end) has aired on the BBC and will be available in the US via PBS in March 2025.

I've read the novels and I've watched season one of the show several times. Both are brilliant.

Apparently there a few casting changes (such as Cromwell's son Gregory, who was played by Tom Holland in season one, and also the wonderfully odious Stephen Gardiner), but the other principle actors are back.

[Holman]

If you're interested in the period, you should look into the podcast Not Just the Tudors. It deals with 16th-17th century history across the spectrum, and the guests are always actual scholars with a knack for making their detailed historical research accessible and interesting. It's fun.

The most recent episode is "Wolf Hall: Who's Who?" and discusses the personalities and eventual fates of some of the minor characters in Cromwell's story. (There are, however, 450-year-old plot spoilers.)

[hepcat]

Oh man, I need to get my hands on season 2. Seems like Rylance has been in hundreds of things since then. One of my favorites of the last few years was The Outfit, which I think is streaming on peacock now.

p.s. PBS has a subscription model now for viewing much of their content. Unlike some of the others, that seems fair for a service that is supported by the public and not by a corporation. For a minimum of 5 bucks a month, you get access to quite a bit of great content.