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Season 1 – Wolf Hall

Play trailer 1:00 Poster for Season 1 – Wolf Hall Jan 2015 History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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98% Tomatometer 53 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Starring Damian Lewis, Mark Rylance and Claire Foy, this series is a six-part adaptation of Hilary Mantel's novels "Wolf Hall" and "Bring Up the Bodies." The historical drama follows the story of Thomas Cromwell through his rise in social hierarchy. From his humble beginnings as a blacksmith's son, Cromwell becomes King Henry VIII's chief minister. The episodes chronicle his life as he deals with the power struggles of the Tudor Court and a king who has difficulty producing a male heir.
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Wolf Hall — Season 1

Wolf Hall — Season 1

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Critics Consensus

Beautifully filmed and brilliantly acted, Wolf Hall masterfully brings Hilary Mantel's award-winning novels to life.

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Critics Reviews

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Chris Bennion Independent (UK) 04/09/2019
Subtle, brutal, elegant -- Wolf Hall embodied in one moment... This was simply brilliant television. Go to Full Review Mark Lawson Guardian 04/09/2019
Avoiding the babying devices of voiceover or expositional speeches, Wolf Hall pays viewers the compliment of treating them as grownups... Go to Full Review Rachel Cooke New Statesman 04/09/2019
In the context of cartoony 21st-century television, this is quite dazzlingly restrained. What a palate cleanser. There's nothing else like it right now and it deserves to win a tonne of awards. Go to Full Review Eleanor Ringel Cater Saporta Report (Atlanta) 09/28/2022
Simply put, Wolf Hall is delicious. Smartly put together and exquisitely acted, it’s a character study of sorts, much like The Godfather, Part II. You almost expect Cromwell to whisper to whatever courtier he’s just destroyed, “It’s just business.” Go to Full Review Tom Gliatto People Magazine 04/09/2019
It's horrifying and also exhilarating. Go to Full Review Louisa Mellor Den of Geek 04/09/2019
It's an elegant script, and not without a sense of humour. Even the title cards have a wry personality about them. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Edward L @Glyndower Dec 13 'Wolf Hall' has been highly regarded by critics with some justification. However the lead Mark Rylance is sadly one-dimensional in his performance which undermines the production as a whole, he seems to only have one facial expression, puzzled sadness. The insistence on using natural light demonstrates the limitations of Naturalism as many of the indoor scenes are virtually unwatchable. Read the books, a much more satisfying experience. See more Matheus F @matheusf_neto Aug 17 Peter Straughan is one of the best writers ever. A fascinating story that I could rewatch every single day. Mark Rylance, Damian Lewis and Claire Foy are phenomenal in every second of it. See more Tim V @RT83458943 May 2 Superbly acted, visually enthralling, magnificently beautiful and accurate in terms of costuming, architecture, choreography, plot, history, etc. So what was the problem? In the middle of one scene, one of the actors pulled out his cell phone and began using it. Did that really happen? No. Because it would be an absurd lie. Just as it was a lie when a door opened and several ladies in waiting entered, and some were black. That is also a lie, a usurpation, and a purposeful deception. My "suspension of disbelief" was shattered. And it should have been. No such individuals existed. See more Esra Y @RT95409318 Apr 6 I wouldn't say this take on Cromwell or the era is particularly intriguing but it's very well shot and acted. Claire Foy carries Anne Boleyn with dignity and gives her the grace script malevolently refrains. See more Courtney R @RT11899652 Apr 2 I really wanted to enjoy this show as the Tudor period is my favourite. But I just couldn't get into it, it's boring and too slow paced. Cromwell was not as compelling or interesting as I'd expect, which is a shame when he is the main character in this show. Some of the other characters were done pretty well though based on the 2 episodes I watched. See more Paul S @RT91988760 Mar 26 This is one of the best period pieces I've ever seen. It masterfully captured the lives of the characters at the time, and I was glued to the screen for every second of it. I definitely recommend it for drama and history fans! See more Read all reviews
Wolf Hall — Season 1

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Cast & Crew

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Mark Rylance

Thomas Cromwell

Damian Lewis

Henry VIII

Claire Foy

Anne Boleyn

Jonathan Pryce

Cardinal Wolsey

Bernard Hill

Duke of Norfolk

Anton Lesser

Thomas More

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Jan 21, 2015 Three Card Trick Thomas Cromwell's patron, Cardinal Wolsey, is dismissed as Lord Chancellor and forced to flee his palace at York Place; the old noble families of England, jealous of their own right to advise the king, have long waited for this moment. Details Episode 2 Aired Jan 28, 2015 Entirely Beloved Cardinal Wolsey has been forced out of court; for Thomas Cromwell, this is only a tactical retreat; in time the cardinal will regain the king's favor; Wolsey urges Cromwell to find a way to get close to Anne Boleyn. Details Episode 3 Aired Feb 4, 2015 Anna Regina Although he has no official title, Cromwell is relied on more and more in the running of the king's affairs; Cromwell maneuvers a bill through Parliament acknowledging Henry rather than the Pope as head of the Church of England. Details Episode 4 Aired Feb 11, 2015 Martyrs Anne gives birth to a baby girl, Elizabeth, and Henry does little to hide his disappointment; Anne is aware that her power at court rests on producing a male heir and, in her paranoia, cracks appear in her relationship with Cromwell. Details Episode 5 Aired Feb 18, 2015 Crows The Act of Supremacy has declared Henry supreme head of the Church of England, but the Holy Roman Emperor and his ambassador, Eustache Chapuys, have refused to recognize either his new title or his marriage to Anne Boleyn. Details Episode 6 Aired Feb 25, 2015 Masters of Phantoms Anne accuses Cromwell of betrayal when she finds out he tried to protect Mary and not Elizabeth at a time of crisis, but Anne's power is dissolving rapidly and her enemies are gathering. Details

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Wolf Hall — Season 1

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Wolf Hall — Season 1

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Season Info

Director
Peter Kosminsky
Screenwriter
Peter Straughan
Network
BBC
Rating
TV-PG (V)
Genre
History, Drama
Original Language
British English
Release Date
Jan 21, 2015