The second season of this series is ending tonight with the execution of Anne Boleyn. Its historical accuracy has left much to be desired at times. They had Cardinal Wolsey commit suicide, which never happened. The actress who plays Anne, plays her as a coquette, which she never was. And I won't go into how a very lean and fit Jonathan Rhys Myers is playing Henry, though accounts of Henry do take note of his handsomeness in 1509, twenty years prior to the setting for the series. No matter, I'd rather watch that Irishman over a more robust actor. However, they do get certain things right. The actress who plays Catherine of Aragon is terrific. The real Catherine's adamant and quiet dignity shines forth in her performance. Last season one episode dealt with the sweating sickness, and the series conveyed the fear caused by the unknown. Historical films and series more accurately convey the feel of the era, rather than getting everything right.

Anyway, the reason I keep watching this bodice-ripping, codpiece-piercing soap opera every week is the chance to see Henry Cavill on the small screen! He is the actor who plays Charles Brandon, the Duke of Suffolk, Henry's confidant. The man is so smoking hot, it bothers me! In the parlance of the early modern era, I would gladly play Zeus to his Ganymede!

Below is a link to a picture of him!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2101/253807...fe2328b17_o.jpg

I tried to include the picture in the post, but it is incredibly large, and I don't think the site editors would apreciate that!

Here are a few links to other pictures of him:

With his sword unsheathed:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2357/253807...4e289deca_o.jpg

Riding with the King:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2313/253889...80fc0910e_o.jpg


Close Advisor to the King:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3091/253889...97669e61e_o.jpg

So glad that someone else on the board shares my love for this show. I do agree that Henry Cavill is ruggedly gorgeous. I fell in love with Rhys Myers in the film Match Point. I also agree that I love the actress who plays Catherine. I always found myself rooting for her. Henry really did her wrong. Should be an interesting finale.

Anne Boleyn's execution was not a public one. The series does get points for portraying the ritual of execution correctly, though.

The character of Henry Cavill, Suffolk, did not have a son. His granddaughter was Lady Jane Grey, btw.

Still, Natalie Dormier, the actress who played Anne, did a good job at portraying her final hours.

Big Blue: Here in Canada, Season 2 won't be televised until September, so you should have prefaced your post with a SPOILER ALERT for us Canadians! I mean, like...who'd ever have thought Anne Boleyn would lose her head? Actually I don't have to wait that long, because a good friend in Florida has recorded the Season 2 episodes and will be sending me the DVDs soon.

I agree it is an excellent series, and I share your take on Catherine of Aragon. I found Cardinal Wolsey (Sam Neill) to be a fascinating character, despite being so unlikeable in many ways. Until I started watching The Tudors I didn't know that Thomas More, who was canonized as a saint 400 years later, had acted in such an unsaintly, un-Christian way, executing Protestants by burning them alive. As you said, there are some historical inaccuracies and anachronisms. Someone pointed out to me that Henry's sister actually married the king of France, not Portugal as was portrayed in one of the first season's episodes. But she did indeed later marry Charles Brandon, who we all agree is a hottie!

thanks for the links to the big pics bluecowboy... HC is really hot.

Sorry about not including a spoiler alert!

I guess I shouldn't repeat the ditty: divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived!

My hope is that the series continues through all six wives. To hell with whether Jonathan Rhys Meyers stays as trim as he is!

Sam Neill has Wolsey's worldliness down pat.

As for Thomas More, yes, I always had a Paul Scofield, "Man for All Seasons" view of him. When I started to read more extensively in graduate school about the real man, I was shocked. Now, I look more to Erasmus.

To put it in perspective, during his 2 1/2 years as lord chancellor, only 4 went to the stake. His writings show his struggles with it, but still his uncompromising views of heresy as a threat to good order and the putative nature of the law boggle the mind. Standing on the cusp of modernity, More remained medieval in many ways. He himself would embrace this idea of him as a conscientious objector. Saints are a strange lot!

If you want to see a good depiction of burning heretics, watch the first scene in "Elizabeth," starring Cate Blanchet.

I've enjoyed this show for the last two seasons. And I always thought I knew the historical truth. Thanks guys for pointing out the differences. Much learned.
The first time I caught Henery Cavill, I almost fainted. A major sexy hunk. Though I did like his look last year with his short cropped hair cut better. Looked like a jock stud. At any rate, this years curly locks don't deminish his sex appeal.
Glad to hear we don't have to wait an entire year for season three.

After re-reading some works, i.e. Eric Ives Anne Boleyn and J.J. Scarisbrick's Henry VIII, I have to correct an earlier post of mine.

They did a remarkably good job of Anne's execution with a few mistakes. The Archbishop of Canterbury was not present. Thomas Cromwell was, but he was left out in the series' version. And she was in fact blindfolded. There was a large crowd present, but it was not a typical public execution, in that it was held within the Tower precincts. After all, Henry was spilling anointed blood.

Another curious witness who was present was Henry Fitzroy, Henry's bastard son, or to use the euphemism of an earlier time, 'born on the other side of the sheets." He, too, was soon dead. But of consumption.

The really telling scenes were with the three-year old Elizabeth. Grew up to be the most remarkable of the Tudors. But if you believe the supporters of her half-sister, she was the spawn of that whore!

Can't wait for next season!!!


The actor who played Thomas More, Jeremy Northam (not sure of the spelling of his surname) is a good-looking guy, too. But Cavill rocks my boat!!

I agree with you Baxion that Henry Cavill looked better when he appeared in the first season of 'The Tudors' with his short cropped haircut. I enjoyed seeing him in sexy white tights in one of the episodes of Season 1 and also in yellow tights while he was riding a horse in another episode. Henry has hot thighs and legs. There's a sex scene in the first season where his buns look great too. I would've loved seeing him with a nice bulging codpiece,but it wasn't meant to be. The man is gorgeous all over! Did you see his hairy chest while he was in bed during the last episode of Season 2? I can't wait for Season 3 in 2009.

I'm looking forward to season three of The Tudors. And especially seeing Henry Cavill's turn as Suffolk!

In the meantime, I'll have to console myself with these images of him:

My Leige Lord

For all who prefer him with his locks shorn!


A Regency Character Next?


Henry Cavill is the new spokesman for Dunhill Cologne

Care for a whiff?


I'm sure that he smells better than the character he's playing. 16th Century Men did not bathe regularly!

Makes me weak in the knees!

WOW, them pix is good, Cowboy! I'll have to start watching. Thanks for posting.

TRL

Thank you, TRL!

Here's a picture of him in LA:

http://www.ohlalaparis.com/ohlalaparis/200..._cavill_na.html

The link is down loadable. Hope it hasn't been posted already. Great butt Henry!

Ha, you said 'sword unsheathed.' ha ha. (yeah, i'm so juvenile)

Came across this photo of Cavill from an interview.

God, I love his eyes!

The third season of "The Tudors" begins this coming Sunday evening. One of the stories that will play out will be The Pilgrimage of Grace, a popular rebellion in the name of traditional religious beliefs, burt was also last ditch effort to preserve feudalism against the centralizing power of the state.

But enough of the history lesson! Henry Cavill is back as Charles Brandon, the Duke of Suffolk. He commands one of the armies called together to put the rebellion down. And, boy, would I follow him into battle!

Thanks to Just Beautiful Men blogspot for the photos

A Knight in not-so Shiney Armour!

A Loyal Vassal to his Leige Lord!

Having Slain the Sinful Traitors!

Now, if only I can find that can opener to help him out of his armour and chainmaille!

Henry is amazing looking. He has had some bum luck in his career though; falling just short in roles that would have/might have made him a superstar. Most notably, he was runner-up to Bale for Batman Begins. Producers for the new Bond franchise also considered casting him as a young Bond and showing 'the early years' of Bond instead of going with Daniel Craig. Either of those would most likely have made him a household name.

I have to say...I'm not even a fan of facial hair like that but that damn Henry Cavill is so handsome. I love this show. The historical validity of it is questionable compared to things I have read, but a great series nonetheless