Meet King Henry VIII while he’s still young and sexy! Like a
privileged court guest, you’ll weave your way through bodice-ripping escapades
and stealthy court intrigues. As the king grows in power and arrogance, the
queen fails to produce an heir, and beautiful Anne Boleyn rebuffs advances.
Starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Alexander)
as the frustrated monarch, Natalie Dormer (Casanova)
as Anne Boleyn and Sam Neill (Jurassic Park films, The Horse Whisperer) as Cardinal
Wolsey, the unlucky diplomat caught in the middle. Filmed on location in Ireland,
with “sets and costumes that are magnificent, and cinematography that is
luminous and lush” –The New York Times.
Recommended for mature viewers.
Episode 1 - King
Henry VIII, the young and ambitious monarch of England,
prepares for war with France
but is dissuaded by the diplomatic manipulation of his powerful Lord
Chancellor, Cardinal Wolsey, who proposes that the King sponsor a "Treaty
of Universal Peace." The harmony of the King's domestic affairs is
threatened, however, when he discovers that Elizabeth Blount, the young and
beautiful lady-in-waiting to his Queen, Katherine of Aragon, is pregnant with
his child.
Episode 2 -
Allegiances shift at home and abroad. Despite extravagant claims of loyalty to France
during the "Field of Cloth of Gold" ceremonies, Henry contemplates an
alliance with Charles V, King of Spain, who was recently named Holy Roman
Emperor. Because he is dependent on the support of the French cardinals,
Wolsey's chance to become Pope is threatened. A gift of Machiavelli's The
Prince makes Henry wonder if it is better for a king to be loved or
feared. For now, he sets about achieving both. He executes the scheming Duke of
Buckingham for treason and celebrates the birth — by Lady Elizabeth Blount — of
a first healthy baby son, whom he names Henry Fitzroy.
Episode 3 - A new
and important ally sweeps into Henry's court in the form of Charles V, the most
powerful man in Europe and nephew to Henry's
wife, Katherine of Aragon. To protect the very significant alliance he hopes
will aid in his bid for an English role in European affairs, the King is
careful not to reveal to Charles the growing distance between himself and the
Queen. However, affairs of the heart are more likely to unsettle Henry's
resolve as he comes face-to-face for the first time with the beautiful Anne
Boleyn. Unbeknownst to the King, he is being seduced by forces more calculating
than any young woman.
Episode 4 - While
Henry is named "Defender of the Faith" by a Pope grateful for his
spiritual and political loyalty, fidelity is scarce in Henry's court. His
sister, Princess Margaret, marries the decrepit King of Portugal, only to
murder him soon after and returns to the lustful arms of Charles Brandon. The
Duke of Norfolk and Sir Thomas Boleyn continue to conspire against Cardinal
Wolsey. And the King grows ever more enamored of Anne Boleyn. His increasing
disinterest in his Queen, and the realization that he still hasn't produced a
legitimate heir to the Tudor dynasty, conjure an urgent desire for radical
action.
Episode 5 - Henry
is a king of passion and perseverance. Efforts at alliances — both personal and
political — face setbacks, but the King remains undeterred. When his ally,
Emperor Charles V, releases Francis I, their mutual enemy, from prison, he is
stunned — but resolves to redirect his European ambitions. And when Anne Boleyn
is insulted by his offer to make her his sole and unique mistress, it merely
redoubles his passion and resolve to one day marry her. However, his separation
from the most powerful political figure in Europe
may prove easier to affect than an annulment from his wife.
Episode 6 -
Personal and political allegiances continue to change in Henry's court. The
King grows ever more confident in his role as monarch and more enamored of the
young Anne Boleyn. Despite Cardinal Wolsey's influence and efforts — and much
to the frustration of the King — the Catholic Church seems unable to make
progress in Henry's petition for a divorce. This adds to the growing discomfort
of the increasingly vulnerable Wolsey.
Episode 7 - Dark
days for Tudor England. The mysterious sweating sickness, almost always fatal
to those who catch it, runs rampant. A food shortage adds to the suffering.
Henry's natural optimism and energy take a beating as the King's confidence
gives way to doubt and delusions. But after darkness comes light. The plague
begins to disappear and the King receives news that his mistress, Anne Boleyn,
has miraculously survived. Even better, an envoy of Pope Clement is on his way
to England
to finally convene a court which will decide on Henry's request for a divorce.
Episode 8 - Pope
Clement's special envoy arrives in London
to oversee the court deciding upon the legitimacy of Henry's marriage to
Katherine of Aragon. The findings of this trial will have far-reaching
consequences: the future of the King's amorous relationship with Anne Boleyn,
Cardinal Wolsey's career and influence, and England's
relationship with Rome
all hang in the balance.
Episode 9 -
Cardinal Wolsey's fall is quick and pitiless. Stripped of office and authority,
he is banished from the court and sent far from his much-beloved King. His
unlikely successor is Sir Thomas More, a man unlike the overbearing Wolsey in
every way but one — his loyalty to Henry.
Episode 10 -
Cardinal Wolsey is down but not yet out. Although exiled, he tries to gather
last-minute support from his old enemy, Queen Katherine. She hesitantly agrees
to his plan, as she finds herself in a situation similar to that of the fallen
Cardinal. But their plot is intercepted by the King's new advisors and Wolsey
must pay the ultimate price.
