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4:51 pm
October 12, 2010
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Do you feel that there was one wife that was given a better portrayal than another? Or do you think that all the wives were portrayed in a fair way? *possible spoilers if you haven't seen all the way through the final season*
I personally think that Katherine Howard was given a bit of an unfair portrayal. She came across as a bit dimwitted, childish and she was constantly naked! From what I have read about the real Katherine, she seems to have been perfectly lovely (aside from a bit of poor judgement on her part), and even though she was not as educated as some of Henry's wives, seemed like she was going to be a perfectly fine queen right up until her past and her affair with Culpeper were exposed. Katherine is one of my favourite wives, but the way that she was portrayed in the series really bugged me.
I also think that they gave a pretty one-dimensional view of Jane Seymour as well.
However, I do think that Anne Boleyn and Katherine Parr came across really well. After the mess that was 'The Other Boleyn Girl', it was nice to see Anne been given a fair portrayal, when it definitely would have been quite easy to cast her in the role of the villain like Phillipa Gregory did. I also finally started to get a bit of a feel for Katherine thanks to this series when she was traditionally my least favourite of the wives.
4:43 pm
September 22, 2010
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I agree wholeheartedly with you,especially about Katherine Howard!I think they did make a poor portrait of her…Even though she was proved to be quite scandalous for her era,we must not forget that she was queen and she had a good reputation for she did marry the king!!!If that says something it means she was a demure and modest in her behavior especially at court!I can't imagine a 16th century lady going around giggling and flirting around!I see the mistake of mixing our modern ethics with theirs in many movies…Katherine did have one or two affairs as a young girl who perhaps had her mind above her head doesn't make her the Tudors' Lolita!The way they show her it takes away frm her all her childalike personality and her personal tragedy and makes her…cheap!In the Tudors they made her seem as a numphomaniac and only in her last episode they gave her the chance to show her other qualities!Katherine was a kind-hearted person,a young girl who fell in love with the wrong person at the wrong time and yet all they show us was a girl who slept around…But miss Merchant did gave her role a substance,a childalike fragility,a deeper character and of course played her part very nice…..
On Jane,well,I think they did a very poor job…Although I believe Anabelle Wallis with her more classical and soft beauty (and the fact that she looked closer to age with Natalie Dormer)fitted more her part than Anita Briem's stricking and more raw beauty,I prefer Briem's approach to Jane…I was intrigued in season 2 by Jane.I liked the fact that she seemed a little following Anne's plan,she seemed a little more mysterious (a quality I believe the real Jane possesed)…S2 Jane was more sly,more cunning,a blond version of s1 Anne and yet had the sweeter nature,her own turmoil about her morality..She was a multidimensional character and she seemed always in thought of her actions…But s3 Jane was too….sugary!Jane had an ambitious strike,an inner strenght but this Jane was too one-dimensional,too saintly!But I recognise the fact that miss Wallis worked her part as a Jane who was pretty much focused,who thought too much before act and one who always looked full of awareness of who she was(and the dangers),full of alert and fear…..
Katherine of Aragone and Anne of Cleves were good worked (and in my opinion,M.D.Kennedy gave a powerfull perfomance)but I thinkk they focused on some parts of their personalities and that Katherine was a littlle too martyrish for me..I always loved about KoA her pride and defiance
But I believe also the best worked wifes were Anne and Catherine Parr….Anne,was phenomenal!!!Natalie Dormer was a force of nature as Anne!!!I liked that her Anne was full of faults and yet humanity,her cunning mind,her ambitious character,her soft side,her heartbroke,her sufferings,her losses,her triumphs…She was human!!!She had a whole character and she always seeemed to burn with passion!Her Anne had passion for life,for love,for Henry,for power,for acceptance!She was not for half measures!She wanted all or nothing!!!And mrs Richardson was the most researched and elegant portrayal of Catherine Parr I have ever seen!!!She was elegant,beautifull,full of sence,wise,loving,human,powerfull!!!She was not a nursemaid as they usually make out to be!She was stunning,cultivated,loving…Henry does fall in love with her and she wins his children's love and the respect of the people!!!
7:01 am
June 7, 2010
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I thought The Tudors did a fantastic job of Katherine Parr. Joely Richardson is how I always imagine KP. She was dignified, intelligent, deeply religious, kind, and considerate.
As for Anne Boleyn, I really loved and hated her equally. Her human flaws were intriguing. I found, at times, the show played the angle of sex kitten a little too much, but I never felt that deviated from Anne's intelligence, courage, or spirit.
I agree with Anne, KOA was too martyrish at times. However, MD Kennedy played her with grace and power. KOA's steadfast belief in her marriage and religion were powerful to watch. I wish that MD Kennedy looks could have been more in line with the realy KOA, but that's TV for you.
Anne of Cleves and Jane Seymour were okay. I like Joss Stone as Anne, but I did not love her. I thought the show was pretty fair to AOC, and showed her as more than the “Flanders Mare.” As for JS, I agree with Anne. It was like two Janes. The Season two Jane was more complex and likable because of it. I loved Jane when she was devious and cunning. A worthy opponent to Anne.
As for KH, I felt the writers did her a diservice. Her behaviour was too modern. I've read some sources on KH and I cannot imagine her being that sexually overt in public. It was not Anne Boleyn's flirtiness, but something more. I cannot really describe it. I wish they had made her more complex, as they did with other characters.
Just my opinion, though…
"By daily proof you shall find me to be to you both loving and kind" Anne Boleyn
8:51 pm
March 9, 2011
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Reading this thread really gave me food for thought. With some misgivings, I happily devoured Seasons 1, 2, and 3. I've groused and groaned about the inaccuracies, but for most part found it fairly entertaining.
To this day, I have never watched Season 4 and I really believe it's because of the “juvenile delinquent airhead” portrayal of Catherine Howard. Catherine H. seemed too childish to me, and I experienced ick factor every time Henry went to bed with her. The last shot in the Season 3 finale absolutely repulsed me, alll I could think was “Henry VIII = pedophile.”
I do understand a young woman Catherine Howard's age would have been considered nubile and marriageable in Tudor England. I also understand 50-year-old men marrying young girls or enjoying illicit relationships with them was quite common. But Catherine Howard was portrayed more as a wayward party girl, very childish and emotionally immature, and it was impossible for me to view her as a “woman” in any sense. It enhanced my perspective of Henry as a predator.
9:29 pm
November 18, 2010
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La Belle Creole said:
The last shot in the Season 3 finale absolutely repulsed me, alll I could think was “Henry VIII = pedophile.”
I do understand a young woman Catherine Howard's age would have been considered nubile and marriageable in Tudor England. I also understand 50-year-old men marrying young girls or enjoying illicit relationships with them was quite common. But Catherine Howard was portrayed more as a wayward party girl, very childish and emotionally immature, and it was impossible for me to view her as a “woman” in any sense. It enhanced my perspective of Henry as a predator.
What age do you think CH was?
Most historians currently beieve she was born in 1520 making her 20 when she caught H8's eye.
Six Wives The Queens of Henry VIII by David Starkey page 645.
It's always bunnies.
11:42 pm
October 31, 2010
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KH was not portrayed fairly at all–and I say this having made it abundantly clear that she was my absolute LEAST favorite of Henry's wives because I consider her an absolute idiot. By the time they got around to executing her, I was relieved.
I loved Joely Richardson as CP…exactly as I imagined her. I adore Natalie Dormer as Anne Boleyn. When I first saw her, I thought, “Huh? THAT'S who they chose to portray Anne??” but she was simply amazing.
I liked Joss Stone as AoC–wish I could have seen more of her.
I have no opinion on the portrayal of Jane or KoA, but I think I need to go back and watch some episodes again.
"We mustn't let our passions destroy our dreams…"
3:30 pm
March 9, 2011
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Anyanka said:
La Belle Creole said:
The last shot in the Season 3 finale absolutely repulsed me, alll I could think was “Henry VIII = pedophile.”
I do understand a young woman Catherine Howard's age would have been considered nubile and marriageable in Tudor England. I also understand 50-year-old men marrying young girls or enjoying illicit relationships with them was quite common. But Catherine Howard was portrayed more as a wayward party girl, very childish and emotionally immature, and it was impossible for me to view her as a “woman” in any sense. It enhanced my perspective of Henry as a predator.
What age do you think CH was?
Most historians currently beieve she was born in 1520 making her 20 when she caught H8's eye.
Six Wives The Queens of Henry VIII by David Starkey page 645.
Hi, Anyanka.
Honestly, it does not matter to me what CH's actual age was. In “The Tudors,” I perceived CH as a very young woman, still very girlish in nature, and emotionally immature. I could not watch her flirting and “playing” with Henry and not think of Henry as a lecherous, jaded pervert and a pedophile. That is a purely emotional response on my part towards art (film) and I could not get past it.
6:15 pm
October 31, 2010
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I tend to think that the producers of the Tudors were sort of going for that “Ick” factor. I mean, come on, poor KH was walking around basically naked for the first several episodes she was in. It just got to be superfluous after a point. They totally played into the whole “Katherine Howard was a hussy” stereotype of her.
"We mustn't let our passions destroy our dreams…"
