The Boleyns: A Scandalous Family

I thought this was splendid. The actors were amazing- and I enjoyed how a lot of the history was spoken through their eyes. I do realize that we as a society will Never fully know everything that happened during this period, but I do feel that now I have a better understanding. I can't even begin to imagine how the simple act of living, and being was during that period... least of all to be a female. Of course, they didn't understand yet that it's the Male that determines the sex of a child... Can you imagine how Different history would have turned out??

If you are a lover of Anne Boleyn/ Tudor history, this is a must watch in my opinion.

What's with the people putting down this show? Okay, they filmed it at the proper location(s), they probably found the actors who looked (sort of) like the real persons. Okay, so they added some juicy stuff to it (to make it more interesting). The truth is, everyone who rated this show so badly could not have personally have done half as good as this.

The experts who were interviewed seemed to know what they were talking about. Half of them I am sure live at those locations, too (too spooky for me though), but it's like being a fly on the wall, and to witness these people, makes a very interesting story.

Have seen it more than once, and I find it very enjoyable!

There was a brief mention in Episode 3 alluding to Anne's role in the Reformation. In fact, it wouldn't have happened as it did were it not for her efforts. I can imagine someone thought of the "scandalous" title and decided to write the series around it. The Boleyns were no more or less ambitious than a cartload of others such as the Seymours, but Anne is presented as a schemer and a seducer, if not in fact an adulteress. The script managed to suggest that the reason for her downfall was going too far in flirtation. For those interested in the actual history, the biography by Eric Ives, "The Life and Death of Anne Bolyn" is definitive. Others have commented on problems with the costumes, hairstyles, acting, commentaries, etc., but for me the great failure is the lack of understanding why Thomas More set out to destroy her and why Henry, the absolute monster, had her head cut off. On the positive side, the actress portraying Anne did a nice job of suggestng her charm.

Historically this is absolutely accurate and very good. Just one small historical inaccuracy, Anne Boleyn was not known for her beauty as we are told in the series. It was her personality, her charm and sophistication that made her so attractive. Tracey Borman, Tudor historian and curator of Historic Royal Palaces, has been very clear on this. However, I found the re-enactment unnecessary and rather amateurish. History dumbed down again. People are not so silly that they need a half cocked play going on in the background. The BBC have previously produced wonderful history programmes with Mary Beard, Simon Schama, David Dimbleby and more, where the audience has not had to endure a hammy pretence of the period in question taking place every few minutes.

The costumes and the hair styles are terrible and inaccurate. Norfolk is wearing knickerbockers which were not popular until the Elizabethan age. Wolsey is not seen wearing the Great Seal, Anne's hoods are not always right for the era and all the men have wild unkempt hair except for George Boleyn who has a style straight from the 1980's. Did they do this on the cheap, because it certainly looks like it.

Excellent series about a family at the very heart of the English Reformation.

It is not about the drama, it is about the commentary.

Experts include Oxford's finest, the excellent Diarmaid MacCulloch, professor of church history.