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Season 2 of The Tudors is no different than Season 1 of The Tudors.  Of course, I mean that in the absolute best possible way.  They’ve taken what they threw at us in Season 1 (the story of an unsatisfied king who finds love for the first time with a mistress – a story that we all learned in European History class) and gone even further into the story, the rich history of England and its power hungry king.  

Jonathan Rhys Meyers is amazing as the brooding, dangerous, and, dare I say it, too horny for his own good King Henry VIII.  By the first episode of the season, Henry has made himself the head of the Church of England, denounced his marriage to the fabulous Katherine, and booted her out of the castle in lieu of the divorce that the Catholic Church won’t grant him.  And that’s just one episode.  By the end of four, he’s withdrawn authority and taxes of the Catholic Church in England, secretly been married  to Anne, and stripped Queen Katherine of her title.  Not only that, but by the end of the four episodes I got to review, he’s had a child with Anne (it’s not a spoiler if it happened in history, is it?) and he’s found himself with a wandering eye all over again.  

Natalie Dormer is brilliant as Anne Boleyn.  She and JRM have incredible chemistry and they make you totally believe that they could have fallen in love, friends, countrymen, and queens be damned.  It’s nice to see the mistress Anne squirm a bit when her honor is doubted by members of the King’s court.  She proves she’s no weakling by tying up any loose ends that may exist in the matter and continuing to bewitch the King.

It’s nice to see Henry Cavill getting more screen time this season as Charles Brandon, who may not be as loyal to Henry as the king might think.  Anne’s father is still around, wreaking havoc wherever he goes.  James Frain is totally hate-able in the most wonderful way as Thomas Cromwell who supports the King and hates anyone who doesn’t.  Peter O’Toole, as the Pope, proves that no matter what age you are, you can still command attention on the screen.  I have to say though, that this season belongs to Jeremy Northam, Sir Thomas More, who pledges allegiance to the king against his own will.  He’s brilliant and deserves so many awards for his role on this show.

This is the kind of show that you learn from and enjoy.  There’s plenty of drama, and sex, and murder, and struggles for power, and everything that goes into making an amazing hour of TV.  Definitely worth watching – you’ll be completely enthralled by the end of the opening credits.