Wreckage – The episode opens in a perilous 1536 England. Thomas Cromwell (Mark Rylance) is escorting Anne Boleyn (Claire Foy) on a boat to the castle. She stares up at the tower. King Henry VIII (Damian Lewis) is having his beard styled. Anne hands money out to people outside the castle. Gregory Cromwell (Charlie Rowe) asks Thomas why Anne is staring at the tower. Thomas suggests she believes there is still hope. Henry’s servants are dressing him. A lady-in-waiting (Elizabeth Conboy) slips a white cap over Anne’s head and puts a blindfold over her eyes. A frightened Anne says a prayer while muffling her sobs. Rafe Sadler (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) watches Henry check his appearance in the mirror. A Calais swordsman’s (Philippe Spall) sword receives a gasp from the crowd. Wearing a blindfold, Anne looks in his direction. Henry and his entourage arrive at the chapel where Lady Jane Seymour (Kate Phillips), her ladies, and Archbishop Crammer (Will Keen) are waiting. Anne is beheaded as Henry slips a wedding ring on Jane’s finger. A lady-in-waiting wraps Anne’s head in a white cloth. Thomas alerts Rafe that the execution is over. Rafe questions if it was necessary. Thomas says when all else fails, destroy the enemy in their sleep. Cardinal Wolsey (Jonathan Pryce) William expresses his pleasure in Henry and Jane’s marriage. Thomas Wriothesley (Harry Melling) arrives with a letter from Princess Mary (Lilit Lesser). After reading the letter, Thomas demands he not tell anyone about the letter.

Wriothesley alerts Cromwell that he has received a summons from Sir Geoffrey Pole (Pip Carter). Declining to meet Geoffrey, Cromwell explains how he trying to read Henry’s body language to determine how the wedding night went. Gregory sarcastically says Jane’s serious look may not be enough to encourage Henry and she probably prayed all night. Cromwell approaches the throne. Henry describes Jane as delicate and fresh. He has emerged from hell and ascended into heaven overnight. He promotes Cromwell to Lord Privy Seal, replacing Thomas Boleyn, Anne’s father. Cromwell kneels in front of the King. Henry asks if he gave Mary permission to write to him. Cromwell denies it was it and claims to have never received a letter from Mary. Henry says she is persistent in being his heir as if she knows Jane will not have a son. Cromwell assures him that Jane will surely give him a son. Henry complains about Mary’s refusal to take the oath of obedience. Cromwell vows to convince her to take the oath before leaving to escort Jane to meet the King. When they kiss, the room fills with applause. Rafe and Cromwell hesitate to join in. Later, he invites Rafe to travel to Hunsdon to try to convince Mary to take the oath. Geoffrey reminds Cromwell of their deal and demands Mary be reinstated into the succession. He refuses to let Cromwell pass. Cromwell forcibly moves him to the side, so he and Wriothesley can pass.

Thomas dispatches Richard Cromwell (Joss Porter) to bring him Eustache Chapuys (Karim Kadjar). Over supper, Eustache urges Thomas to press Henry to name Mary as his heir. Thomas says it will depend on whether Jane gives birth to a son and reminds him that Mary is no longer a princess. They discuss ways to settle differences between the Pope and the King which has caused a religious uprising. Cromwell insists Mary take the oath of obedience. Chapuys says taking the oath means Mary would have to accept her mother’s marriage had no effect. Cromwell reminds him of Henry executing Bishop Fisher and Thomas More for their refusal to take the oath. Chapuys insists Henry would not execute his own daughter but Thomas isn’t so sure. Chapuys warns him of what would happen if he fell out of Henry’s favor. While Cromwell documents Henry’s reactions, Wolsey provides cues on how to stay in the King’s favor. He says Henry hates disloyalty and ingratitude.

Wriothesley tells Cromwell that Mary vows to never take the oath. Rafe suggests she wants Cromwell to force her to take the oath, so there are no consequences to her. He says Henry received a letter from Reginald Pole but he never read it. Cromwell finds Henry stewing over his cousin, Reginald’s book. Henry expresses his hate for disloyalty and ingratitude. Reginald is upset with Henry because he turned England away from Rome and became the Supreme Head of the Church of England. He urges Europe to take up arms against England. Henry tells Cromwell that the Pole family wants Reginald and Mary to wed, so she can become the Queen. He orders Cromewell to find their correspondence and bring him Reginald. A short time later, Thomas tells Wriothesley about his meeting with Henry. Wriothesley says he could take down the Poles. Cromwell claims to have had the opportunity two years ago but decided against it. On Cromwell’s orders, Wriothesley searches the house in Hunsdon to find several of Mary’s letters. Mary shuts herself in her room before Anne Shelton (Lucy Russell) can stop her.

Margaret Pole (Harriet Walter) insists Cromwell owes them for stopping the Boleyns from killing him. He assures her that his obligation is to the King. He says Mary was in danger before Reginald’s book was released. Richard Riche (Tom Mothersdale) says saving Mary will not ensure she favors him if she becomes Queen. Cromwell accuses them of conspiring against the King and urges them to help him convince Mary to take the oath. Later, Henry threatens his Privy Council with treason if they show support to Mary. He informs them of his plan to bring her to trial. William Fitzwilliam (James Larkin) pleads with Henry to reconsider for it would make him look like a monster. Edward Seymour (Will Tudor) says they are all overwrought. Henry orders Fitzwilliam to leave. Fitzwilliam leaves but returns to tell Henry that he is allowing Pole to cloud his judgment. He warns that if Mary is brought to trial, she will still defy him and he will have to execute her. Cromwell confiscates his gold chain and throws him out of the meeting. Henry questions Cromwell’s actions when he shares the Duke’s opinion of Mary and demands he quickly resolve the issue. Thomas Howard The Lesser (Hubert Burton) asks Cromwell to explain. Fitzwilliam suggests the King wants Cromwell to murder Mary.

Cromwell tells Eustache that Henry will kill him if Mary refuses to take the oath. Eustache says the Emperor will not stand by and let Mary be mistreated. Cromwell assures him that the Emperor doesn’t have the resources to save her. Eustache claims Mary isn’t afraid of death and made a promise to Catherine to not do it. In a letter, Mary refers to Cromwell as her closest friend. Cromwell explains his plan to write a letter to Henry, claiming it is from Mary. to Henry. She would not need to sign the traditional oath, only the letter. He asks Eustache to tell Mary if she refuses, he will turn his back on her. Later, the Duke of Suffolk (Richard Dillane) warns Cromwell that Norfolk doesn’t trust him to be alone with Mary. Anne Shelton (Lucy Russell) tells Cromwell that the Duke of Norfolk doesn’t want Henry to make Mary his heir because it would mean a Howard would never take the throne. A short time later, Mary says Cromwell is the only lord who has spoken for her. She steps forward and bumps into a table, sending John Shelton’s Venetian chalice. Revealing his letter, he says if she doesn’t read it, she can reject it later. She reluctantly signs the letter and lets her hair down. She expresses her desire to ride again. He offers her a horse from his stable and claims the King will give her what she wants when she returns to court. She breaks

Cromwell comforts a sobbing Mary. Anne Shelton comes into the room and asks her to be quiet. She’ll take her to Lady Bryan to set her straight. Next, the Duke of Norfolk stops Cromwell to ask if she signed. He makes Cromwell show him that she did. The Duke argues it’s not the official oath. Cromwell says she recognizes the King as the Supreme Head under Christ of the Church of England. She also acknowledges her mother’s marriage to be incestuous under God’s law and man’s law. The Duke asks what Cromwell had to promise her. Cromwell says her father’s love and nothing more.

Cromwell walks in and bows to Henry VIII. He tells Henry that she’s ready. Anne Shelton tells Cromwell that they’ve done their best with her. Lady Mary (Lilit Lesser) thanks Cromwell for the dapple grey. She explains that Cromwell sent her a pretty mount from his own stable named Douceur. Mary has named her Pomegranate. Mary discreetly tells Cromwell that she’s bound to him now. Then, she goes to Henry who hugs her. Jane Seymour gives her a ring to wear. It’s too big. Henry VIII says it can be reset. Mary says she will pray that Jane has a child soon. She takes Jane as her own lady mother. When they’re ready to go in, Jane doesn’t want to go in first. He tells Mary they should go in as sisters together. Henry VIII speaks highly of Cromwell.

He wants to reward him and his whole house. Outside, Thomas Cromwell speaks to Rafe Sadler and the others about the encounter. Thomas Wriothesley hopes there will be no reason for Thomas Cromwell to regret his goodness to her. Thomas Cromwell admits he promised her mother he’d look after her just before she died. Catherine asked him to promise that no harm would come to her daughter. Richard Riche thinks it’s best if it goes no further. Richard Cromwell asks him not to make it a dirty little secret. Rafe asks if Mary knows about this promise. Thomas Cromwell confesses he’s never spoken about it until this moment. Back in the Cardinal’s day, they used to call him the butcher’s dog. He’s a good dog. Later, Cardinal Wolsey visits Cromwell in his room. Wolsey says Stephen Gardiner called him his butcher’s dog. He says the most important thing about a dog is that he’s loyal and true.

They discuss about what Cromwell has done for Wolsey. Cardinal Wolsey says some might question who his biggest enemy is. He questions what revenge Cromwell will take on his sovereign. Wosley says those thoughts might reach the king and that could be the end of him. Cromwell says there are no endings and only beginnings.

 

Wolf Hall: The Mirror And The Light Review

An interesting premise tainted by dull writing and unbelievable acting. Story progression is comparable to a snail’s pace. The entire pilot episode revolves around Mary’s refusal to take the oath of obedience. One could learn more about Thomas Cromwell by watching the docuseries, “Thomas Cromwell: A Very Modern Tudor.”

While diversity is important in TV shows and films, it is wrong to change history to make it happen. It takes away from the historical aspect of the series. Things are only made worse by the one-dimensional, flat characters. Timothy Spall, Kate Phillips, Jonathan Pryce, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, and Mark Rylance’s talents are wasted here. It’s worth mentioning that none of the characters come close to resembling the people they are portraying.

A last-ditch effort to save the series and this is all BBC can come up with. The episode deserves a 4.2 out of 10.

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