PBS's new Masterpiece miniseries Wolf Hall, which focuses on Thomas Cromwell (above), is difficult to follow but marvelous nonetheless. (I use IMDb to sort out the characters.) Mark Rylance gives a superb performance as Cromwell.
Charlie Rose did an interview with Rylance a year or two ago. For once, Charlie kept his mouth shut and listened! I learned a lot from the interview.
Sir/Saint Thomas More (played by Anton Lesser, above) comes across as distinctly unappealing. I've come across two worthwhile discussions of More's portrayal in the series--by church historian Eamon Duffy and by journalist David Gibson. The contrast to the Thomas More of A Man for All Seasons (1966) is clear, and possibly intentional.
Episodes 2-5 are still available online, but not for long.
