If you’re a fan of William Shakespeare’s works and want something to watch tonight, then The Hollow Crown may be ideal viewing. With a stacked cast of British talent including Judi Dench, you won’t want to miss this.
The series is an adaptation of some of the Bard’s classic works, with the first season covering his collective works that are now known as the Henriad. These centre on English kings, with works including Richard II, Henry IV and Henry V.
The second season, which was released in 2016 with the subtitle ‘The Wars of the Roses’, adapts Shakespeare’s first tetralogy, which includes all three parts of Henry VI and Richard III.
Both seasons aired on BBC Two upon their premiere, with the first season – released in 2012 – consisting of 10 episodes. The follow-up had six parts, and it proved to be the final chapter as a third season hasn’t materialised.
In addition to Dench, the series boasts a star-studded cast, with the chapters based on Richard II alone having names such as Ben Whishaw, Rory Kinnear, Patrick Stewart, David Suchet, James Purefoy and David Morrissey.
Some of the actors to appear across Henry IV and Henry V include Tom Hiddleston, Julie Walters, Maxine Peake and Michelle Dockery. The second season, meanwhile, has Hugh Bonneville, Adrian Dunbar, Benedict Cumberbatch, Andrew Scott and Keeley Hawes.
Dench portrays Cecily, Duchess of York in the Richard III works, and it proved to be a successful project for the legendary actor, as it is ranked as the highest-rated TV series in a glittering career.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season boasts an approval rating of 96% from 23 reviews, with the audience score at 87%. The second season goes even better, with a perfect 100% critics score from 19 reviews.
“Cumberbatch, as he must, stole the show, but the triumvirate of Keeley Hawes, Judi Dench and Sophie Okonedo at one point gave him competition,” noted The Times in its review of the second season, while Newsday (via Rotten Tomatoes) praised the “spectacular” cast.
“The experience is not like watching a play on screen, as Dominic Cooke has directed each part with a clear vision of filmic aesthetics, and along with that, a ghastly amount of violence,” opined Collider, while The Daily Telegraph dubbed it “intellectually compelling”.
SOURCE: digitalspy