The Tudors: Season 2 DVD Review
Natalie Dormer and Jonathan Rhys Meyers Shine as Royalty
Jan 9, 2009
Despite finally marrying Anne (Natalie Dormer), Henry (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) continues to have affairs, and Season 2 spotlights his meeting the woman who would next become queen, Jane Seymour (Anita Briem). For this to happen, though, Anne must be out of the way — and get her out of the way Henry does.
The Tudors’ Main Characters
Dormer portrays Anne beautifully consistently, that when Anne’s end arrives, it becomes hard to believe this is also the end of Dormer’s stint on the series. Dormer is the perfect foil to Meyers, as demonstrated when they play out Anne and Henry’s tempestuous relationship.
Meyers is entirely believable as the mercurial king, who shows a touch of humanity, particularly when it comes to his dealing with the fate of his former secretary and adviser Thomas More (Jeremy Northam).
What’s in Season 2 of The Tudors
The political aspects of Henry’s reign are also at the forefront of Season 2, and with that is the introduction of Peter O’Toole as Pope Paul III. In that vein, The Tudors shows that when events are good, they are very good — such as the king’s burgeoning relationship with Seymour — but when they are bad, they are irreparable — more than one person literally loses their head in the season.
Just like the first season, the settings and costumes are rich and lush, and the sex, though not as abundant as in Season 1, is still hot when it’s there.
Special Features in The Tudors: The Complete Second Season
The bonus features with the four-disc DVD set of Season 2 include “To Capture a King,” where University of Southern California Professors Deborah Harkness and Rebecca Lemon, and Professor Thomas Cogswell from the University of California, talk about Meyers’ portrayal of the king, Henry’s legacy, and the Tudors’ claim to the throne.
In “Love and Passion in Tudor Times,” Lemon and Harkness discuss the passion and celebration in court, but the best bonus feature is the engaging and informative interview with O’Toole, where he talks about playing Pope Paul III and the pope's contribution to the Catholic Church.
Passionate fans of The Tudors will welcome this DVD set into their libraries — really, it’s a soap opera set in medieval times — while other viewers will find satisfaction just by renting the set at the video store.
More information on the series is available online at The Tudors on Showtime.
