Wolf Hall viewers confronted with brutal death scene again as epic Tudor drama continues
WOLF Hall viewers have been met with the same bloody execution scenes they complained about three weeks ago.
As the BBC Tudor drama continues to gather fans who can’t get enough of its historical fiction drama, the series has brought back one scene in Wolf Hall that viewers previously felt very strongly about.
The second series is more than halfway through, and in the latest instalment BBC viewers watched as Jane Seymour grew more ill after childbirth.
The third wife of Henry VIII quietly passed away, with little fanfare before the series continued with its focus on Henry’s right hand man Thomas Cromwell.
Whilst the series has won high praise, there’s been previous comments as fans have previously moaned about the brutal execution of Anne Boleyn being shown again in the second series.
In the latest episode, viewers were confronted once again with Anne’s bloody execution once again as Cromwell fell ill and suffered with delusions.
As Mark Rylance appeared to have flashbacks, Anne’s tragic death scene was replayed to viewers for a third time after its original scene at the end of series one and the repeat at the beginning of the second series.
The death scene also prompted viewers to realise that Cromwell’s days could be numbered, and he might face a similarly gruesome end as one fan previously posted: “I love Wolf Hall but it makes me sad to think that he’s going to get his head chopped off in 3 episodes. The vultures are already circling.
“He deserves it for Anne Boleyn but Mark Rylance makes Cromwell so sympathetic, I don’t want it to happen.”
“I wonder how the series will end? Will the screen go blank the moment Cromwell is executed?” asked another.
This week another viewer also felt sorry for Cromwell as they tweeted: “I love Wolf Hall, but as we’re heading closer towards Cromwell’s downfall I can’t help but wish for him to get a happier ending.”
Last month viewers said they were ‘traumatised’ when the brutal death scene aired at the beginning of the second series, as one fan said: “I hope no one else gets their head chopped off. No spoilers”.
Another said: “What terrifying lives they must have all led at the mercy of Henry’s whims”.
A third added: “Grotesque”.
Another fan said: “Still traumatised by Anne Boleyn’s execution from the last series please don’t show it again”.
Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light airs Sundays on BBC One at 9pm.
BBC crime dramas
The BBC is reopening case files on an all-star line-up of crime dramas this summer.
Here’s a refresher on the popular programmes which span six decades.
- Campion: Aired from 1989 to 1990, this detective drama series was adapted from novels by Margery Allingham and stars Peter Davison.
- Dalziel And Pascoe: A gritty detective drama series about a mismatched pair of policemen, based on the award-winning books by Reginald Hill. Aired from 1996 to 2007.
- Death In Paradise: A misanthropic detective inspector is assigned to a Caribbean island against his will. Premiered in 2011 and is still on air to this day.
- Happy Valley: Created by Sally Wainwright, this northern noir follows Sarah Lancashire as Sgt Catherine Cawood – tough, defiant and facing her traumatic past.
- Hinterland: Welsh drama starring Richard Harrington. Brooding DCI Tom Mathias uncovers secrets – and links to his troubled past amid mountainous terrain and close-knit villages. Aired from 2013 to 2016.
- Inspector Lynley Mysteries: Based on the novels of Elizabeth George, this drama series is about upper-crust DI Thomas Lynley and working class DS Barbara Havers. Aired from 2001 to 2007.
- Jonathan Creek: Starring comedian Alan Davies, this comedy-drama series follows a inventor of magic tricks who is often called in to solve puzzling murders. Aired from 1997 to 2016.
- Law & Order: Originally broadcast in 1978, this four-part drama series is about the British judicial system. Stars include Peter Dean and Derek Martin.
- Life On Mars: Beguiling science-fiction police drama following a Manchester policeman who travels back to 1973 following a car accident. Stars John Simm and Philip Glenister. Aired from 2006 to 2007.
- Line Of Duty: Created by Jed Mercurio, this drama follows the investigations of AC-12, a controversial police anticorruption unit. Stars Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar, aired from 2012 to 2021.
- Luther: Crime drama series starring Idris Elba as DCI John Luther. Aired from 2010 to 2019, with a follow-up film released in 2023.
- New Tricks: Warm-hearted drama following an eccentric group of old-fashioned detectives. Starring Dennis Waterman, Amanda Redman, Alun Armstrong and James Bolam. Aired from 2003 to 2015.
- Sherlock: Benedict Cumberbatch stars a modern day Sherlock Holmes, teaming up with Martin Freeman‘s war veteran Dr Watson to solve impossible crimes. Aired from 2010 to 2017.
- Shetland: Detective drama starring Douglas Henshall, Ashley Jensen and Alison O’Donnell, showcasing the dark side of one of the most beautiful places on earth. Premiered in 2013 and is still on air to this day.
- The Cops: Set in the fictional northern town of Stanton, this acclaimed, provocative police drama stars Katy Cavanagh, Rob Dixon and John Henshaw. Aired from 1998 to 2001.
- Waking The Dead: With a cast including Trevor Eve, Sue Johnston and Wil Johnson, this series follows a cold case team who unearths sleeping secrets, but sometimes the past is best left buried. Aired from 2000 to 2011.
- Wallander: Starring Sir Kenneth Branagh, Kurt Wallander is unable to unsee the dark crimes he’s tasked to investigate while Wallander’s job comes at a cost to his family and relationships. Aired from 2008 to 2016.