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List Price: $40.99 | | Label: Showtime Ent.
Salesrank: 180
Released: January 6, 2009 |
| Our Price: $16.99 |
| Used Price: $14.00 |
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MPAA Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Genre: Television: Series
Rating: NR
Release Date: 30-DEC-2008
Media Type: DVD
Description of The Tudors - The Complete Second Season:
Power, sex, delusion and tragedy were hallmarks of The Tudors: The Complete First Season, and they are all the more so in The Complete Second Season. The story of Britain's King Henry VIII (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), The Tudors is a dynamic history of a kingdom whose role on the 16th century world stage seems largely defined by Henry's narcissistic whims. Season two is very much taken up with Henry's determination to break free of papal authority in Rome and establish himself as head of England's church--all because he seeks to divorce Queen Catherine (Maria Doyle Kennedy) and marry Anne Boleyn (Natalie Dormer). Meanwhile, poor Catherine is kept locked away from court, unable to see her daughter Mary (Sarah Bolger) but refusing to relinquish her throne despite such punishment. As for Anne, she enjoys Henry's passion and commitment, but only to a point. When Henry marries her (in a union not recognized by Rome nor many British subjects) and she does not produce a male heir, his fickle attentions begin to wander, and a grand power play by Anne's father, Thomas Boleyn (Nick Dunning) begins to unravel. In time, Henry's focus shifts to soon-to-be third wife Jane Seymour (Anita Briem), whom the king sees as a symbol of his own redemption after the complications of his love life to date. Toward the end of The Complete Second Season, all the hints that Henry's lack of scruples is leading to a full-scale psychological breakdown begin to show, manifest in his many cruelties and--at the last minute--a clear sign of his notorious gluttony to come. Other stories woven into the colorful, lustful, intrigue-driven season two concern the fate of Henry's one-time mentor Sir Thomas More (Jeremy Northam), who refuses to cooperate with Henry's attempted separation from the Catholic faith and pays dearly for it. The pope himself (Peter O'Toole) turns up in sometimes near-comical responses to the king's intransigence, and the untimely fate of many interesting characters during Henry's wrathful sweep of his court proves a shocking development mid-season. All the actors are first-rate, even down to the smallest roles, and the show's spare but compelling use of nudity and sex scenes makes The Tudors powerful adult entertainment. --Tom Keogh
The Tudors - The Complete Second Season Reviews:
Trouble in paradise 
2009-12-12 - I'd love to say how much I enjoyed season 2 but after replacing it with a 2nd set of discs I still cannot get past the first episode as it seems to have some protection that won't allow it to play on my DVD player. Same problem as the first set I purchsed, so I know it's not just operator error. I watch all sorts of DVD's and think this protection stuff has gone too far to actually block veiwing. So now I have to wait for a new player to see Jonathan-Ryes Meyes get and kill the love of his life and move on to more wives. The first episode of season 2 was as wonderful as the first season so I am waiting with baited breath, and trying not to be too seriously annoyed at the manufactuer.
Hot Henry The 8th 
2009-11-28 - Another hit show filled with a beautiful cast. Now if Jonathan Rhys Meyers can just keep himself out of trouble with the law, the drink and the drugs it might have a fourth season too!
"The Epic Saga Continues"
2009-11-24 - "The Tudors-Season 2" continues with more wonderful production values, top-notch acting (most notably Jonathan Ryes Meyers who plays the King), and intelligent writing. This season focuses on King Henry VIII's break from the Roman Catholic Church and his creation of the Church of England due to the former's refusal in granting him a divorce from Katherine of Aragon. The King still has the desire to have a male heir for his Monarchy and it is his hope that his new love, Anne, will grant him his wish. Eventually, Anne is unable to give Henry what he wants and she becomes a mere memory in the King's line of sexual conquests. This season, like season one, features ten episodes. The only bonuses are select commentary on individual shows. The episodes themselves are presented in flawless widescreen. Four full seasons of "The Tudors" will be produced after the series halts production. Season three is scheduled for a DVD release in early 2010 and the fourth and final season should be availble in early 2011 after its original Showtime airing.
POWERFUL DRAMA
2009-11-13 - Buy this series. You will not regret. Ten episodes all told of sterling drama. Some of the historical accuracy's no doubt been lost to artistic license and gloss, but the characterisation is strong and scripts excellent. So this series develops like a spicy historical novel with interesting, fully motivated characters and powerful dramatic moments in each episode. I think you'll be riveted as I was and taken aback by in particular the culmination of the series, which I found so very, very impressive. Natalie Dormer as Anne Boleyn absolutely excels. Through season 1 and most of season 2, our sympathies lie not in the least with Anne Boleyn, and in fact we're glad to see the scheming bitch removed to the Tower prior to her execution. But through the last hours of her life, when we are forced to concede her innocence and acknowledge her as the victim of a stitch-up, then our sympathies switch completely and so much so that I for one was deeply touched by her plight. There is such a tender moment in her final hours when she's kneeling praying in the darkness for her mortal soul while at the same time reminiscing of a carefree childhood, playing hide and seek with her father and brother in a beautiful sun-lit garden. The contrast between her dark prison cell and horrible predicament and the garden of her childhood is so pronounced and set to such an unforgettably beautiful piece of music, that tears are very likely to well in the eyes. Herein is a masterpiece of direction and such wonderful acting by Natalie Dormer. What was understood by the writer, the actors, and the director was that this was not merely a simple fact of English history, i.e that Henry VIII's second wife Anne Boleyn lost her head, but that this event was an enormous atrocity which echoes through the ages and concerned a living breathing woman being used, abused and destroyed by one of the most selfish men in history.
Brilliant. absolutely brilliant
2009-11-04 - yes.. i love this series. cant wait for season 3 to get here and cant wait for the final 4th season to start.
