The Tudors aired on Showtime from 2007 to 2010, spanning four thrilling seasons. Created by Michael Hirst (who also penned Elizabeth and Vikings ), the series dramatizes the early years of King Henry VIII’s reign—focusing obsessively on his desperate quest for a male heir, his break with the Roman Catholic Church, and his series of ill-fated marriages.
The first season introduces us to a young Henry VIII (played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers), who is desperate for a male heir and frustrated by his marriage to Katherine of Aragon. We see the influence of Cardinal Wolsey and the burgeoning romance between Henry and the calculated, captivating Anne Boleyn. This season sets the stage for the English Reformation, as Henry begins to challenge the authority of the Catholic Church to secure his annulment. Season 2: The Reformation and the Fall of Anne Boleyn