Season 3 of "The Tudors" picks up shortly after King Henry VIII has his second wife, the infamous Anne Boleyn, executed at the end of Season 2. Henry is now prepared to marry third wife, Jane Seymour, and is still desperately adamant about producing a male heir. However, Henry and Jane are barely out of the honeymoon phase when their wedded bliss is disrupted by rebel uprisings protesting England's break from Rome. This season comes off as a bit uneven as there is no strong central theme that cements the subplots together (this may perhaps be attributed to the shortened 8-episode duration). Instead, we see Henry jump from one marriage to another... and then another, as he descends deeper and deeper into his own madness. Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays Henry with such frenzy that it feels as if he is trying to destroy the unfortunate recipients of his fiery tirades with the power of his shouting alone (I mean this as a compliment as Meyers is extremely fun to watch). The supporting players are also of the highest caliber, especially the exquisite James Frain as Thomas Cromwell, the king's chief minister and advisor. The visuals, both in set design and costumes, are always lavish and sumptuous to behold. But without a strong storyline, this season is all glamour and no substance.
3 out of 5 stars
Editor's Note: Here are my ratings for previous seasons of the show.
The Tudors: Season 1 The Tudors: Season 2
4 out of 5 stars 5 out of 5 stars
No comments:
Post a Comment