A scene from ‘Shardlake’

Apparently we can’t have enough Tudors! there is excellent Wolf Hall Based on the Booker Prize-winning novels by Hilary Mantel, packed with techno and rap blood sex and royaltyrather annoying Anne Boleyn and the original bodice-ripper the Tudors Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays a fiery Henry and Henry Cavill burns up the screen as Charles Brandon.

which also included films A Man for All Seasons, Anne of the Thousand Days, Henry VIII And The Other Boleyn Girl,

While most of the above relate to royalty, shardlakeBased on the best-selling novels by CJ Sansom, it concerns regular people whose lives are drastically changed by political machinations in high places. England in 1537 is a scary place. One year since Anne Boleyn’s execution, Henry VIII has broken with the Church in Rome and declared himself head of the Church.

This is the time of dissolution of monasteries. The king’s chief minister, Thomas Cromwell (Sean Bean), has appointed commissioners to investigate the monasteries and close them down at any sign of wrongdoing – real or perceived. When Robin Singleton, one of Cromwell’s commissioners, is killed at St Donatus, a monastery in the port town of Skarnsey, Sussex, lawyer Matthew Shardlake (Arthur Hughes) is sent to discover the truth and shut down the monastery. .

There is pressure from all sides, including good-looking Jack Barrack (Anthony Boyle), supposedly Matthew’s assistant, who may be a spy for Cromwell. Alice (Ruby Ashbourne Serkis), who works at the hospital with Brother Guy (Irfan Shamji), may or may not know something. There’s also poor Simon Whelpley (Joe Barber), a rookie who has been beaten and starved for his clumsiness, who tries to tell Matthew his big secret.

A scene from ‘Shardlake’

Goodhope (Matthew Steer), the commissioner who accompanied Singleton to St. Donatus, is frightened out of his wits and wants to leave at the first opportunity. Once prosperous, the people of Scarnsee are now poor and have turned to smuggling and various crimes to survive.

The magistrate, Coppinger (Tadhg Murphy) promises help to both Cromwell’s men as well as Norfolk (Peter Firth). The bursar, Brother Edwig (David Pierce) insists that his books are in order, although Matthew is convinced he is after the money; In this case, the land sale deed will expose the murderer.

Like all good murder mysteries, as Matthew uncovers the truth he is faced with unpleasant facts. Although he begins to believe strongly in the Reformation and Anne Boleyn’s guilt, there are some people who question his faith, including his tortured brother Jerome (Paul Kaye). Cromwell does not appease his mind with roundabout talk and half-truths.

shardlake Another murder-mystery set in a monastery comes to mind, name of rose, based on the Umberto Eco novel, where Sean Connery unfortunately reveals much of the devastation at the monastery. The four episodes are perfect for providing layers, setting the scene, and reaching a satisfying resolution. Hughes makes an excellent Shardlake, with his intelligence, principles and sensitivity to his position as an outsider due to his job and his kyphosis. Bean creates a stately and fearsome Cromwell.

Sansom wrote seven novels featuring Shardlake, and further seasons are indicated with the introduction of Barack instead of Mark Poyer as dissolution, the first novel on which the series is based. For fans of period drama, especially Tudors and atmospheric whodunits, shardlake Provides a triple treat.

Shardlake is currently streaming on Disney+Hotstar