television reviews
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There were many good things about this programme. Dr. Janina Ramirez joined Dr. John Ashdown-Hill and the lawyer Bertram Fields. All three have studied the late medieval period in detail and in different ways. Then there was Dr. David Starkey. He is a renowned expert on the 1509-1603 period but tends to derive his views…
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(Dr. Lucy Worsley that is): “… I wrote for a newspaper this week. Hope you enjoy! ‘There is no hidden codpiece memo.’ So says Colin Callendar, executive producer of the upcoming BBC Two drama series Wolf Hall, denying claims that the size of his stars’ codpieces were reduced beyond the point of historical accuracy to avoid offending or baffling an American…
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This was quite a delightful programme and both Drs. Worsley and Starkey were in top form: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b04yg2hr/britains-tudor-treasure-a-night-at-hampton-court Edward VI is the one “Tudor” whose life and actions cannot be held to have offended many people. It is also admirable to celebrate the birth of a healthy legitimate male heir although it is sad that so…
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I was lucky enough to get a board game for Christmas from my 29 year old son, Jim, who is a board game fanatic! Luckily his wife, Kat, is too! Anyway, this one is a bit special because it is called “Richard IIITM – The Wars of the Roses” by Columbia Games, Inc. (Incidentally, I’m…
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The following is based on information found in The Reign of Henry VIII, by James Anthony Froude. A book originally published in 1909. Sir William and Sir George Neville were brothers of Lord Latimer – the same Latimer who was husband to the famous Catherine Parr. They were arrested on mere suspicion – possibly because…
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Historians, historians. It seems we have a new generation writing about the Wars of the Roses and Richard, but still plying the same old, same old. Only with a new and disturbing twist. The current crop of books seem aimed at the ‘yoof’ market, targeted especially towards those whose knowledge of the Wars of the…
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I have now seen the excellent Channel Four documentary on whether or not Richard III could have led the cavalry charge at Bosworth. Well, of course, it was already known that he did, so the question was, how efficiently could he do it? The …answer was “Bl–dy well!” The young man, Dominic Smee, whose scoliosis…
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I am not sure that every Ricardian will have survived watching the first two series of BBC2’s “The Tudors”, as first mentioned here, with its historical anachronisms, miscasting in some roles, confused chronology and obsession with bedroom scenes. Nevertheless, the third series is showing signs of improvement, particularly with its focus on the Pole family.…
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Those who have watched this series (http://www.cranfordchronicles.com/ ), based on the Elizabeth Gaskell novels, may have been intrigued by Imelda Staunton’s character, Miss Pole. Could she be, albeit fictionally, a Plantagenet descendant? Unfortunately not. Whilst descendants of the Countess of Salisbury through the female line abound (the principal surnames having been Hastings, Barrington* and Stafford*),…
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BBC2’s “The Tudors” is back and series three has seen a resumption of the anachronisms. In 1536-7, Pope Paul III is seen referring to Reginald Pole as “Father”. John has confirmed my belief that Pole did not become a priest until 1557 but was a deacon or even a sub-deacon when Paul III created him…
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