A Noteworthy Binge: The Tudors

A royal family stained with blood, religious turmoil, persecution, sex and greed.

“The Tudors” will be forever encapsulated in the vision of Henry Tudor VIII, due to his relentless pursuit of the female form and a need to produce a male heir.

“The Tudors” tells the tale about the origins and future of the Tudors line. The show ends at the death of Henry Tudor VIII and gives details about his daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, and what they did as queen.

At its start, King Henry is deep into his loveless marriage to Queen Catherine of Aragon. Every passing week he grows more desperate for a male heir.

After his queen gives birth to another stillborn, he explores the English court in search of a new mistress. His majesty soon becomes enthralled by a young girl, Anne Boelyn, due to her ability to tease and make him work hard for intimacy.

Once Anne has him in her grasp, she begins to push for Henry to find a way out of his marriage. The Catholic Church is devoted to Queen Catherine and makes the annulment impossible for King Henry to obtain, leading Anne and Henry to create the Church of England headed by the king.

Soon after Anne and him wed, she gives birth to Princess Elizabeth, the only of her children to survive. Once the king grows tired of her and has suspicsion of adultery, he orders her death.

When Anne is gone, he continues to move from wife to wife within a matter of months.

“The Tudors” isn’t only about his majesty’s pursuit of a son and his taste for women, but it is also full of political and religious controversy in Britain.

Actually, most of the show is about how to survive court life and about Henry’s political savvy.

Overall, there is a lot of historically accurate story telling and a plot dense with material to understand. If you enjoy television that is quality and is filled with intimacy, then the four seasons of “The Tudors” is perfect for you.

After enjoying “The Tudors,” other shows you might like to watch are “The Borgias,” “Reign” and “Rome.”

Starring: Jonathon Rhys Meyers, Henry Cavill, Anthony Brophy, James Frain, Sarah Bolger, Guy Carleton, Natalie Dormer, Max Brown, Nick Dunning, Rod Hallett, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Simon Ward and Padraic Delany.