Caroline Framke Chief TV CriticFew British dynasties have inspired as much material in recent years as that of the Tudors. From Showtime’s aptly named “The Tudors,” to Hilary Mantel’s book/play/series “Wolf Hall,” to the current Broadway musical “Six,” the turbulent reign of Henry VIII and his six equally turbulent marriages have clearly had no shortage of retellings.
At this point, those who want to tell a story about this family have to find a new way into its well-trod history.Anya Reiss’ “Becoming Elizabeth,” premiering June 12 on Starz, aims to solve this problem by picking up at a more unusual point in Henry VIII’s history — more specifically in 1547, mere minutes after his death.
In so doing, Reiss gives herself the gift of untangling the uniquely messy matters of succession, self-preservation, and the escalating tensions between Protestants and Catholics.
What’s more, the series can give more consideration to Henry’s three surviving children — pious Mary (Romola Garai), restless middle child Elizabeth (Alicia von Rittberg), and new boy king Edward (Oliver Zetterstrom) — than those productions about the adults ruling their lives often can.
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