Richard III discussion

My companion has bought the first season of the Showtime series and he is very eager to watch these DVDs. I, with my pronounced distaste for that ill-begotten dynasty, am reluctant. Any suggestions? He does not like to watch television alone.

Depends mainly on your tolerance for sex and historical inaccuracy--there's a lot of both in the first season. The second season is better.

Sex does not bother me. Historical inaccuracy does. I am afraid I will sit there shouting at the screen and throwing (soft) objects at the same.

It's obscenely historically inaccurate. It's pull-your-hair-out, shake-them-senseless, what-were-they-thinking inaccurate. The way they got rid of Wolesey especially pissed me off. His real death is so dramatic...DON'T SCREW WITH IT! I'm on a CRUSADE against this series.

Talk about wanting to throw something against the wall. 10 minutes of this made me want to throw the TV across the room.

If your friend is interested in the Tudors, watch BBC's 6 Wives of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.

MAP wrote: "It's obscenely historically inaccurate. It's pull-your-hair-out, shake-them-senseless, what-were-they-thinking inaccurate. I'm on a CRUSADE against this series.

Talk about wanting to throw somet..."

I must be one of the only people on the planet that's never seen it. MAP, are you talking about the old Masterpiece Theatre series from the 70's? I loved that one. Glenda Jackson rocked as Elizabeth.

YES YES! Glinda Jackson was AMAZING.

Ikon, If you must watch, I suggest you have your partner place you in a strait jacket, gag you and administer valium. I already know how you're going to react.
I have found the series entertaining, but like Susan says, the inaccuracies are prominent. My main problem is with the leading actor who portrays Henry. He looks nothing like him, he's too young and handsome and never ages throughout the series. I can't wait until we get a report from you about it...lol

Pat wrote: "Ikon, If you must watch, I suggest you have your partner place you in a strait jacket, gag you and administer valium. I already know how you're going to react.
I have found the series entertainin..."

I can't wait for that one myself.

Pat and Misfit, don't hold your breaths. After hearing your comments I have decided if MC insists of screening it, I shall do as I have done before and sit with a note pad on my knee, writing either prose or poetry. I have managed to survive most of the first season of "Dexter" that way. LOL

There is, however, excellent eye candy in the series. I particularly enjoyed gazing at the actors who played Thomas Tallis and William Compton.

Eye candy is good. Oh when I went to the Big Island right before the Iron Man competition. All those buff guys in bike shorts training alongside the roads on the road on their bicycles. **blushes**

You know, the eye candy bit is part of my distaste for "Dexter". I do not like looking at the lead actor with his short neck and bulky torso. My taste runs more to the languid weedy type.

Oh no Ikon! I love Dexter! He does things that we only wish we could get away with. I think he has a nice body.

Ikonopeiston wrote: "You know, the eye candy bit is part of my distaste for "Dexter". I do not like looking at the lead actor with his short neck and bulky torso. My taste runs more to the languid weedy type. "

Then Thomas and William will suit you just fine. Especially when they run around with their shirts open. Oh, my.

Oh my, indeed. Why were their shirts open? On their way to a raping, perhaps?

I just realized the actor playing Henry is the one who played Steerpike in "Gormenghast". I adored him in that one. Of course, I was and am still mad for the books, so that may have made a difference.

Pat, you want to kill miscreants and keep slides of their blood? I'm sorry but the series is boring me into a coma.

The thought of getting rid of the bad guys and not getting caught...that is what appeals to me.

Aha! And who picks the bad guys? I would probably make a clean sweep of Wall Street and the Republican party, not to mention Fred Phelps and a fair selection of the Southern Baptist convention and ....

This reminds me of 'The Mikado'. "I've got a little list ... and they'll none of them be missed." LOL

I think I'm glad I missed "The Tudors" - I suspect I would be missing my TV Brick again.

On the other hand, I can't recommend The Six Wives of Henry VIII or Elizabeth R too much.

I am fascinated by Henry VIII, but I only made it through about three episodes of The Tudors before quitting in disgust. I don't like Meyers anyway, and he was horribly wrong for the part.

(off-topic) Susanna, speaking of miniseries, have you seen Edward the King? Also called Edward the Seventh. It's pretty good.

I purloined the whole first series - watched 2 mins of the first episode and promptly binned 'em! Even dear M said 'no' and he is far more tolerant than am I.

I don't think so, Jamie. Who made it - the BBC?

Ikon - you might like C.J. Sansom's Sovereign - it has a background of Plantagenet stuff. REALLY negative portrait of Henry VIII. It's a historical mystery.

If it trashes a Tudor, I am in its corner. I assume this one is a book, not a tv series.

Yup.

Ikonopeiston wrote: "If it trashes a Tudor, I am in its corner. I assume this one is a book, not a tv series. "

Everyone is having _way_ too much fun here today. Good thing I'm bored at work or I would never catch up on the thread...

Susanna, it was made by ATV in the 1970's. I think it was shown on Masterpiece Theater in the US. There are 13 episodes,and I just saw that Netflix has them, titled Edward the King. They're worth watching if you have an interest in Edward, Queen Victoria, or her daughter Vicky who became empress of Germany.

Hmmmmm, may have to put that one on my Netflix queue.

I have very vague memories of seeing this one.

Misfit wrote: "Ikonopeiston wrote: "If it trashes a Tudor, I am in its corner. I assume this one is a book, not a tv series. "

Everyone is having _way_ too much fun here today. Good thing I'm bored at work o..."
There seem to come times when a number of us are free or bored or something and a good rambling conversation is what we crave. I am grateful to be so diverted this afternoon.

Susanna, I am also a fan of C.J. Sansom. He has 4 books out now that take place during the reign of Henry VIII and I've loved every one of them. I read somewhere that the BBC was to make an adaptation of them beginning with his first book "Dissolution", but have not heard any more about this project
recently. Does anyone else know more about this?

Oh BTW Ikon, I like your "hit list". I could add a few more, but that's best left to another discussion.

Pat, I'm glad you approve. I almost deleted it for fear I had been offensive.

I'll have to look at his books as well. I know they've crossed my path at Amazon before but not being big on mysteries and sick of the Tudors I've kind of passed.

I dislike TV in general but I really enjoy the tudors. It's VERY historically inaccurate, but so are half the books I read anyway. Jonathan Rhys Meyers is dreamy and the actress who played Anne is great. Totally worth my time to tune in for, I just yell at the TV once in a while and my husband thinks I'm nuts!

Jamie wrote: "I am fascinated by Henry VIII, but I only made it through about three episodes of The Tudors before quitting in disgust. I don't like Meyers anyway, and he was horribly wrong for the part.

(off-to..."
I saw a version of that with Anthony West playing the lead - is that the one you mean?

Bettie (Goodreads Reader!) wrote: "I saw a version of that with Anthony West playing the lead - is that the one you mean?
Timothy West plays Edward VII, yes.

stright jacket and valium. my, my what a night that would be lol. have your companion watch it with friends or something, personaly I just thought of it as eye candy and remembered they are not historians but screen writes at the end of puppet strings. then again I only watched season one.