the Dalaverse

"The Tudors" squee -- vague spoilers up through Episode Three. I mean, is it really proper to call historical spoilers, spoilers? But -- Eeeeee! It's the Mary Rose! Look at her, all noble and grand and computer-generated and afloat...it warmed my geeky little heart when Henry talked about the navy, because this really is kind of where it all began. That was the thesis of my final paper for Seminar -- in England's navy, just as in English religion, Henry was the innovator and Elizabeth standardized. He really was an extraordinary king -- not a splendid person, to be sure, but one hell of a figure. I'm quite pleased with JRM's performance so far, although he does tend toward bratty behavior and smouldering a bit too much. I find it funny that the series is all "H the 8 wuz hot!" because it's totally true -- Henry was the very image of the golden Renaissance prince. Just, at the beginning of his reign and not nearly twenty years on. I am fairly certain that by this point, he was the fat Henry we all know and love. Which puts quite a different spin on Anne Boleyn and such. I'm not displeased with it, because I love the sexy, I just find it amusing. Also very, very Philippa Gregory. Should get everybody fired up for the upcoming release of "The Other Boleyn Girl."

Speakinig of Lady Anne, I'm very much impressed with Natalie Dormer so far. Behind the beauty and the pouting, she seems to be quite capable of actual acting. This bodes well for the future. I'm wondering exactly how far they're taking the timeline -- to Anne's ascension to the throne? To her death, and/or Wolsey's or More's (of all those three, I'm betting the most heavily on Wolsey -- Sam Neill is so deliciously villainous that it would be a shame to deprive the audience of his just desserts, even if it's not a dramatic execution scene)? Will we see baby Elizabeth like we've seen baby Mary? (I giggled mightily at wee Mary shoving the Dauphin.)

Lastly, I'm really like this ratio of one murder or execution per episode. Keep it coming, guys.

Whatever comes next, it should be good; there's a great balance of style and substance already. I read somewhere that it's supposed to be a ten-part series, but I wonder if they'd extend it due to popularity. But then they'd really have to let Henry get corpulent.