主播大秀

A round up of what's being said about the eagerly awaited first episode of the new period drama based on Hilary Mantel's books. Starring Damian Lewis, Mark Rylance, Claire Foy and Mark Gatiss.

 "Mark Rylance is hypnotic, understated but totally screen-owning. There are fine performances wherever you look – Jonathan Pryce as Wolsey, Claire Foy’s Anne Boleyn, a whole host of other big names playing to the event. Which this is, event television, sumptuous, intelligent and serious, meticulous in the detail, but not humourless or po-faced."

"The first episode of Wolf Hall, the television adaptation of Hilary Mantel's award-winning novels, was watched by nearly four million viewers, making it the most successful original drama series for 主播大秀 Two in a decade...The first of the six-part series, which covers Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, was described in the Telegraph review as having a "subtle, unhurried" pace and "impressive dramatic punch"."

"Proof that the 主播大秀 was entirely justified in splashing Damien Lewis’ dishy Henry VIII and Mark Rylance’s inscrutable Thomas Cromwell over countless magazine covers. It’s tremendous stuff; a richly textured brocade compared to the flimsy, titillating chiffon of The White Queen and The Tudors.

It’s an elegant script, and not without a sense of humour. Even the title cards have a wry personality about them as they drolly inform us that serial beheader “Henry VIII was not a forgiving man”."

 "Daily Mail television critic Christopher Stevens gave the episode a five star review and praised the acting by stars Mark Rylance, Damian Lewis and Jonathan Pryce. But he said of the lighting: 'Like the costumes and the settings, it was unflinchingly authentic... so that some candlelit scenes were impossible to see.'

Other viewers said that the dimly-lit scenes added to the atmosphere of the show, and last night's episode has been widely praise by critics and viewers alike."

 "Peter Straughan’s script goes back to Mantel. The writer has suggested that he used The Godfather: Part II as inspiration for the time-jumping explanation of Cromwell’s backstory in this expository opener. Why not aim high? Despite the heavy lifting required by the script, Rylance, working with Peter Kosminsky again – the pair both picked up Baftas for The Government Inspector – is already imperious, his Cromwell a broody viper of a man."

• continues on 主播大秀 Two on Wednesdays at 9pm