Mark Rylance
Damian Lewis
Claire Foy
Bernard Hill
Anton Lesser
Mark Gatiss
Mathieu Amalric
Joanne Whalley
Jonathan Pryce

Peter Straughan

Drama
2015
PBS

TV-14

“Wolf Hall,” which is BBC Two’s six-part adaptation of the first two novels in a trilogy by Hilary Mantel and airs on PBS’s Masterpiece in the U.S., benefits from its subject matter. Overall, it deals with the rise of Thomas Cromwell during King Henry VIII’s reign in the early 16th century. Members of the English royalty are at the heart of many quality works of entertainment, from “The Queen” to “The Tudors” to “Elizabeth.” But this one is from the perspective of an outsider.

Furthermore, it certainly takes its time. Like its central character, this miniseries is much more cerebral than impassioned. I like that sort of thing, so I don’t mind. It does have emotional moments, though. And, as with all stories that pertain to court intrigue, the stakes are high. The tension is there.

I guess that some may find this a bit dull at the beginning; they won’t have the patience for it. But if you do, why not give this a watch? At the very least, you’ll see wonderful acting that benefits from smart, professional writing. Writer Peter Straughan has crafted some wonderful lines, and the actors know how to deliver them. Director Peter Kosminsky, with the help of cinematographer Gavin Finney, has made sure that it looks and feels the part, too. Plus, by the end, you’ll be rewarded for staying the course. And isn’t that enough, after all?

Verdict: Very Good Overall

About: (Source: wolfhall)

A historical drama for a modern audience, Wolf Hall tells the story of Thomas Cromwell, played by Mark Rylance (Twelfth Night)—a blacksmith’s son who rises from the ashes of personal disaster, and deftly picks his way through a court where ‘man is wolf to man.’ Damian Lewis (Homeland) is King Henry VIII, haunted by his brother’s premature death and obsessed with protecting the Tudor dynasty by securing his succession with a male heir to the throne. The cast also includes Claire Foy (Little Dorrit) as the future queen Anne Boleyn.

Told from Cromwell’s perspective, Wolf Hall follows the complex machinations and back room dealings of this accomplished power broker who must serve king and country while dealing with deadly political intrigue, Henry VIII’s tempestuous relationship with Anne Boleyn, and the religious upheavals of the Protestant reformation.

The miniseries is adapted from Hilary Mantel’s best-selling Booker Prize-winning novels: Wolf Hall and its sequel, Bring Up the Bodies.