BBC viewers’ ‘throats are hurting from crying’ after the conclusion of one of its most popular dramas Wolf Hall.
The Tudor-era historical drama, based on Hilary Mantel’s bestselling trilogy, centres around controversial statesman Thomas Cromwell (Mark Rylance) as he rises the ranks of the court of King Henry VIII (Damian Lewis).
After a nearly 10-year-long wait, Wolf Hall season 2, which follows the plot of Mantel’s 2020 novel The Mirror and the Light, returned last month but ended on its sixth episode on Sunday.
On X, viewers were glowing with praise for ‘one of the greatest historical dramas from the BBC’ and were left bowled over by Mark’s ‘astounding’ performance as Cromwell.
@paperback_fox raved: ‘The ending of #WolfHall was utterly heartbreaking. Mark Rylance was just astounding, he owned that role from day 1… Just brilliant, I will miss him as Cromwell.’
Echoing their sentiment,@llygad_y_nos said: ‘Just finished the final episode of #WolfHall and my throat hurts from crying. What an incredible production. Mark Rylance is such a sublime actor.’
@ian251265 enthused: ‘I think we have just witnessed one of the greatest historical dramas from the BBC #WolfHall.’
@MelanieHewitt61 added: ‘Hilary Mantel and Mark Rylance have broken my heart. As Cromwell fell so did my tears – and I doubt I’m alone. What a measured, beautiful dance of humanity in all its nakedness; love; ambition; envy & hate the cast and crew of #WolfHall have led us through. Matchless work. Brava!’
Critics were equally enraptured by Wolf Hall, with the second season scoring a rare perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes reviews aggregator the Tomatometer from 13 reviews.
Season 1 also gained favourable reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, resulting in a 98% score from 53 critics.
Wolf Hall season 2, which opens in May 1536, was adapted by Academy Award nominee Peter Straughan, who worked on Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and directed by Peter Kosminsky.
It sees scheming adviser Cromwell, a man with only his wits to rely on, emerge from the bloodbath after Queen Anne (Claire Foy) is beheaded as a force in politics, while Henry enjoys short-lived happiness with his third queen, Jane.
Joining the cast is Killing Eve’s Dame Harriet Walter as Lady Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, one of the last surviving members of the House of Plantagenet, and Mr Turner actor Timothy Spall, playing the Duke of Norfolk, uncle to Henry’s wives Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, along with Alex Jennings as Stephen Gardiner.
Sherlock star Mark Gatiss had previously portrayed prominent Catholic bishop Gardiner, the duke had been played by The Lord Of The Rings film series star and late actor Bernard Hill, and Singing Detective star Janet Henfrey was the original Lady Margaret.
The Mirror And The Light was published in 2020 and followed Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies.
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The trilogy charts the rise and fall of Cromwell, who rose to incredible wealth and influence as Henry’s closest adviser and was one of the most powerful proponents of the English Reformation.
It was the final novel published in Mantel’s lifetime, before her death in 2022 at the age of 70.
Wolf Hall is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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