Ok, I watched the first two episodes. Not being an expert in history, I can't speak to the accuracy of the series. (Whether it is accurate or not would affect my judgment of the value of the series.)
St. Thomas More is shown as being "devout," which includes wearing a hairshirt?, having marks of self-flagellation on his back, and praying the confiteor every night. Is the series trying to depict him as a fanatic? Or does it respect his sanctity? I do not know yet, the later episodes will make the point of view of the series' creators more clear I would think, especially if there is a show-down between Henry VIII and St. Thomas.
The nudity is gratuitous (and when is it not?) and so are the sex scenes, which can certainly be hinted at without destroying the one's ability to depict a story. But Showtime and the producers have a stake in exciting the imagination and desires of the audience to get them hooked. Is that enough to warn people not to watch the TV series? I am not sure. Certainly, one can learn more about the period and its saints through good solid books. As for my main reason for watching, the costumes--the amateur experts at the Renaissance Festival forum have had mixed reactions to the quality and accuracy; however I note that many of the ladies at court wore their hair long and free. Was this proper to the time?
Thomas Tallis appears to be a minor character in the series...
Variety article on the show
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