oh darn, Im reading Wolf Hall for my book club and I will be so tempted to see this first ... I knew it was in the works but not airing just yet.

Of course, I think Mad Men is on that night too?

I hope I can remember to look for it. I have only recently learned of the book, and LOVE the subject. thank you for sharing!

Thanks for the heads up. My DVR is going to be very busy ... it's Easter Sunday and the ladies are playing too.

The series is truly a wonderful piece of television. Mark Ryland in particular is a god. Anyone who liked the books will love the show. I can't wait for Bring Up the Bodies.

Well, you know I have it recorded! Most of the reviews I read from Britain weren't very good, but that won't keep me from watching. When is the third book coming out?

Right now I'm reading about Eleanor of Aquitaine. Interesting woman. Not sure I like her. lol.

Oh my. I can't wait! Loved the books!

It was cnsidered too slow movng in the uk reviews. Maybe the Brits are finally sick of Henry and his Exploits, Divorces, and Bad Decisions.

Kswl, they've made a series on Richard III, which I cannot wait to see if they show it here. I've read so much about him I feel as if I know him. lol

I hadn't heard that, Oakley, will be on the lookout for it, thanks! Most of what I think I "know" of R III is from Shakespeare----not known for historical veracity, lol, so I would love to see a historically accurate depiction of his life.

Following up on myself...recorded the first episode, watched it and enjoyed it very much. Bonus adaptation points for actually including in the script the book's delineation on Anne Boleyn's french accented way to say Cromwell's name!

My question is for anyone else who saw it, because I was very irritated that my DVR seems to have cut off the final minutes of the episode. The (I think) final scene was of Cromwell in a garden speaking directly to King Henry, who asked about Wolsey. Just as Cromwell was about to answer--zzzzip, it's over :(. I reset my DVR to add 15 minutes to each episode but if anyone saw it to the very end...what did I miss?

I recorded it, but haven't watched yet...when I do, I'll fill you in.

My DVR cut off, too. I polled other friends, who had the same thing happen to them!

In the last cut-off scene on my DVR, Cromwell was talking to someone (not Henry VIII) though I'm not at all sure who it is--the Duke of Norfolk? Anyway, I re-recorded it last night and hope to catch the last minutes tonight. I've reset my DVR to add 15 minutes to each episode, too, going forward. It was exasperating, since I knew the scene was leading to Wolsey's march north, when he (spoiler alert) dies.

Wolsey died?!?! Kkay, you ruined it for me! LOL When I read Bring up the Bodies, I actually found myself accelerating as I got toward the end, wondering what was going to happen...oh the power of a good book.

Henry: How is your fat priest...

Cromwell: He cannot be well until he has your Majesty's favor.

H: The list of charges against him grows daily.

C: Saving your Majesty, there is an answer to each one...given a hearing, we'd make them.

H: Not today. Suffolk wants to go hunting. We usually say that the hunt prepares us for war...which brings us to a sticky point.

They then go on to discuss the wisdom of going to war in France. Cromwell clearly did not support Henry 6 yrs earlier saying he couldn't afford it. (Thus the reason C is in H's dog house, yet now finds he needs his favor to get a position in Parliament again.) C makes the point that wars are not affordable things. Cromwell points out that, unlike last time, they now hold only one province it would be impossible to keep supply lines going for an army there. C is quite cheeky to the King in his replies and doesn't backdown, and instead acts as a thoughtful consultant, thereby gaining H's respect and consideration.

H: Master Cromwell, your reputation is bad. You don't defend yourself?

C: Your Majesty can form your own opinions.

H: I can. I will.

Cromwell walks back into the palace where a young man is asking if he should paint out the coat of arms of the cardinal, and C replies, "No. Paint it again. Brighter."

I'm loving this, not so much for the plot or the action, but for the architecture, the gardens, the decor and the costumes. Just fabulous.

Spoiler alert for runninginplace, they're all dead! :)

Sorry, I couldn't resist. DH has a fascination with all WWII movies and he gets so engrossed in them and can't tear himself away for anything, so I can't help but tease him by informing him that the Germans lose.

Annie, thanks so much for the description of the last moments of the episode--wonder if the US editors did something wrong on the time slotting (or whatever the technical term is) for the show? I thought I might have missed a few seconds but sounds like an entire sequence was truncated.

I also enjoyed the production values, although I suspect that in reality there were probably many more people around/about everywhere--the show depicts Cromwell's house with many quiet moments between him and his family, Cromwell striding along wide open corridors all alone, having conversations in empty rooms with Wolsey etc.

From what I've read throughout most of history the notion of privacy not to mention solitude was pretty much nonexistent; people lived, ate, slept, even fornicated pretty much together all the time. However, that certainly wouldn't allow for much dramatic dialogue would it: Cromwell, looking tense, opens his mouth to speak to the king...and a woman hustles between them carrying a chamber pot. Followed by a small child being chased by the cook because he stole a cake. After which a man with a pile of logs for the fire scurries between the camera and the king. And so on :).

I set the DVR to record every program for an extra 5 min, just in case. But in this case, the program guide said the show was 1:05 so it recorded to 1:10. No idea why the extra 5 min.

Oly thanks for the heads up that it's streaming on PBS! Got to see the end AND found Mr Selfridge!