The Cutprice Guignol

What a treat to be living in an era of television where Wolf Hall exists.

Fundamentally, that’s all I want to say about the show. Well, not all, since I’ve got a half-dozen or so episode reviews to write for this season, but it is my central thesis for this series. Wolf Hall, the adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s historical novels of the same name, is simply one of the best shows ever made, flat out, and it’s a gift, as someone who loves television, and, hell, loves stories in general, to be able to lavish yourself in the pure luxury of this second season as it comes out. I’m so looking forward to writing about it, because a show this brilliant is made up of so many smaller moving parts that come together into this magnificent whole, and I want to get into the nitty-gritty of it as self-indulgently as possible. So, without further ado: let’s get into the adventures of Tommy Crommy and Company!

Ten years after the first season aired, Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light picks up right where it left off, at the execution of Anne Boleyn (Claire Foy, who I will truly miss this season, after her towering performance and the delightful way she pronounced Creümwell), intercut with Henry (Damien Lewis) marrying his new wife, Jane Seymour (Kate Philips), observed by Cromwell (Mark Rylance). And, right from the off, the first thing that jumped out to me about this opener to the season was Henry himself.

Which isn’t exactly a surprise, since Damien Lewis, in all his grandeur, takes up about four-fifths of every frame he appears in – it’s a credit to his skill and presence as an actor that he isn’t completely swallowed by the enormous costumes he’s swaddled in every other scene. But the lighting, costuming, and set design around him in this wedding – golds, reds, bathed in natural sunlight, echoed through the rest of his appearances in the episode – give him a sense of vitality, command, and even joy. He’s on fire in this episode, whether with anger, with lust, with happiness – his emotions are constantly bubbling at the very top of his mind, and he seems less and less able to control them. Which serves as a stark contrast to Cromwell’s own obvious guilt about the death of Anne, and the following issues caused Henry’s daughter Mary refusing to accept her father as the new head of the church.

But the real meat of the episode, for me (not that there’s any part of it that isn’t meaty, but you know) comes in Cromwell’s interactions with Mary (Lilit Lesser), particularly a central scene where he convinces her to capitulate to her father to, essentially, save her life. It’s a phenomenal scene from both Lesser and Rylance in terms of acting, but also seems to act as something of a mission statement for Cromwell’s arc over the previous scene and perhaps this one to come: he frames obedience to Mary as a noble act, lending tranquillity and strength to those who do as they’re told. While his obedience and loyalty to the King have kept him alive and in good favour thus far, and lent him some degree of strength in terms of the social and political power he holds, it was also his obedience that led to the death of Anne – a stark reminder that obedience to Henry might not be enough to save him. I’m really looking forward to seeing more of Lesser in this season, and, particularly, how her relationship with Cromwell develops.

Briefly, as well, I must mention Timothy Spall, who’s taking over from the late Bernard Hill in the role of the Duke of Norfolk. I’m a ridiculously huge fan of Spall (watch Outside Edge, please, God, someone), and, while we don’t get a huge amount of him here as the repulsively misogynist Norfolk, his high billing in this episode has me excited about what’s to come for his character. Wolf Hall? More like Wolf Spall, am I right?

And, as a whole, this episode is just a reminder of the sheer brilliance that Wolf Hall shows off in nearly every aspect. From Peter Straughan’s slyly witty script, to those absurdly sumptuous set dressing and costumes, to Johnathan Pryce as a Force ghost, to Mark Rylance’s impossible-to-overrate performance, there’s so clearly not an inch of the frame that hasn’t been packed with scene-setting and storytelling detail. Following a first season that is widely considered one of the best of all time is no easy feat, but, with Wreckage, The Mirror and the Light has made a pretty good case for itself as a successor already.

What did you make of this first episode? How does it compare to the first season so far, and are there any storylines or characters you’re particularly looking forward to seeing unfold over the course of this second season? Let me know in the comments!

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(header image via Guardian)