Considering the compelling narratives offered by families like the Medici and the Borgia – encompassing megalomania, incest, warfare, excess, torture, and even rare instances of genuine affection – one would expect "The Tudors" to rank among the best. However, it falls far short of expectations. Henry VII, the initial Tudor king who held power for nearly 25 years, is entirely absent, denying viewers any background information on the central figure across these 38 episodes. Given Henry VIII’s reputation as a brutal and impulsive man with a taste for women and authority, and combined with the arguably equally ambitious Chancellor Wolsey, one anticipates a dramatic series with no boundaries! Instead, we're presented with Tudor equivalents of "Peter Pan" and "Wendy." Jonathan Rhys Meyers is simply not good enough, and Sam Neill lacks any real menace as the scheming Cardinal vying for Papal power; he’s more like a damp sponge. These weak initial episodes establish the tone for what follows – a fundamentally flawed drama. The storylines offer only superficial references to this vibrant era in English history, and even the Anne Boleyn sequences—typically fodder for countless books and academic papers—become little more than a costumed spectacle. Meaningful moments are scarce; the creation of the Church of England is reduced to a fleeting scene within this quickly descending pantomime. Henry Cavill provides some visual appeal as his friend "Suffolk," Kris Holden Reid embodies the sexually driven “Compton” (of that famous London street, presumably?), and even Peter O'Toole participates, stepping into the role often played by Sir John Gielgud as a Pope (Paul III). None of the wives, including Dormer, display any discernible chemistry or personality; Joss Stone is too attractive to convincingly portray "Anne of Cleves." To its credit, considerable effort has been invested in the series’ appearance. The costumes are excellent and the CGI enhances rather than detracts from the visuals. Nevertheless, it's a profoundly disappointing production—a big-budget drama lacking quality writing. The casting seems to assume viewers would prefer eye candy over actors capable of immersing us in this exciting and turbulent period. And apart from Ray Winstone’s poor performance in the same role (from 2003), this is the worst depiction of Henry VIII I've ever seen. Thankfully, the series loses momentum before his daughter ascends to the throne—another Tudor known for her fondness for removing queens’ heads—preventing us from enduring another 45 years of this sentimental Showtime production.

Source on TMDB