The Tudors continue to heat up the Sunday screen!
In what was for me another amazing episode, the entire Tudor family got their groove on, Showtime added what my boyfriend and I have come to call “the obligitory Showtime gay lovin’ moment”, and many kingdom-altering events took place.
Henry and Ann are finally openly acknowledging their mutual love, and while he wants to make her his Official Mistress, she begs he wait until they can be properly married. In what could have been honest and true (although I’m inclined to believe it’s all part of her father’s plan) Ann explains she is still a virgin and wishes to stay that way, citing her sister’s nickname “the great prostitute” as evidence that women in the court are not regarded highly if they sleep around, even if it IS with the king himself.
Suprisingly, Henry (after a bit of pouting) agrees to not have sex with Ann until they are married. And with that, she has him in the palm of her hand, as she has just become the ultimate forbidden fruit, and the one thing in all of his kingdom that Henry cannot have.
In other Tudor family drama, Princess Margaret heads back from Portugal with Charles after having killed her gross old (and not historically correct) husband the king. While on their way back, in a moment of brash and misguided judgment, Charles asks Margaret to marry him, and of course she says yes. How could you say no to hotness like that?!?! Without the king’s permission (which Margaret, as a princess, would need) they are married before they get back to court. I think all these two have between them is hot sex, but we’ll see how long they can last. The longer they’re together, the more Henry Cavill eye candy we get!
There is also the problem for Cardinal Wolsey of his power slipping away from him. His secret conclave of cardinals did not go over well, and Henry is beginning to lose faith in him. If Wolsey cannot produce a divorce for Henry, my prediction is that he will lose all faith and much of his power rapidly.
So much more happened, that I haven’t even mentioned: Spain took England’s money and help and then backed out on their deal, Henry decides to re-side with the French, Henry’s bastard son dies tragically, and we find out his wife Catherine may actually be working with the King of Spain (who is her nephew) to the detriment of Henry and his kingdom.
Despite the few historical inaccuracies that exist, I love this show and cannot wait for the next episode! Will the newlyweds be allowed back at court? Will Henry get his divorce? What new drama will unfold? Will we get to see more of Henry Cavill??
Showtime, The Tudors, King Henry VIII, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Henry Cavill, Princess Margaret, Cardinal Wolsey, Sam Neill, Gabrielle Anwar
April 30th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Fine review. And I agree with you that the historical inaccuracies don’t detract. The truth is that even non-fiction history is narrative, in which events may be left out, or connected in ways that weren’t the case in their original realites.
April 30th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
Little historical inacurracies are one thing, but for what purpose do they kill off Henry’s illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy, 10 years (minumum) too early? Why not just keep the little *bastard* away from court and have him die at 17 like he’s supposed to? I bet they’re going to contrive a meetup between Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots, too–makes for high drama, but never happened.