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Wolf Hall

Wolf Hall

2015–2025Ended2 seasons12 episodes~60 min/epMidcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

England in the 1520s is a heartbeat from disaster. If the King dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of twenty years and marry Anne Boleyn. The Pope and most of Europe oppose him. Into this impasse steps Thomas Cromwell: a wholly original man, a charmer, and a bully, both idealist and opportunist, astute in reading people, and implacable in his ambition. But Henry is volatile: one day tender, one day murderous. Cromwell helps him break the opposition, but what will be the price of his triumph?

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Wolf Hall?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Wolf Hall streaming on PBS Masterpiece via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

via Prime Video

Rent / Buy

BuyBuy

Highlights

What stands out about Wolf Hall?

Wolf Hall earns 5 badges, led by Universally Loved and Top 10% of shows.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Wolf Hall worth watching?

Wolf Hall's Midcredits score is the 91st percentile of all shows, from 25K ratings across 6 sources. 89% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

91st percentile

Better received than 91% of shows

83rd percentile among Biography90th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)86th
Approval (how many liked it)91st

Acclaim

Universally Loved: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

79 /100

86th percentile of all shows

83rd percentile among Biography85th percentile among 2010s

Critics 87 · Audience 79

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

89% liked it

91st percentile of all shows

82nd percentile among Biography90th percentile among 2010s
89% rated it 7–1011% rated it 1–6

Critics 99% · Audience 80%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Reach

How many have seen it

89th percentile

25K ratings across platforms

76th percentile among Biography89th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 3% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A meticulously crafted period drama with outstanding performances and sumptuous production design, told at a deliberately slow, contemplative pace.

Fans praised

  • Rylance's understated, layered portrayal of Cromwell
  • Candlelit cinematography creating period authenticity
  • Intelligent script capturing the subtlety of Mantel's novels

Detractors panned

  • Extremely slow pacing making the series tedious
  • Muddy, dimly lit scenes that strain the eyes
  • Revisionist characterisation: Cromwell whitewashed, Anne Boleyn reduced to a shrew

What stands out

ActingDivisive90

Rylance's mesmerizing, nuanced Cromwell; strong supporting cast

AtmosphereDivisive88

Immersive Tudor world: claustrophobic, candlelit, lived-in

CinematographyDivisive80

Candlelit interiors as Holbein paintings; detractors cite murkiness

TensionDivisive80

Unspoken danger and political dread throughout

DialogueDivisive78

Literate, period-flavoured; some find it overly modern

CharactersDivisive65

Sympathetic Cromwell versus shallow Anne; some roles indistinct

Plot and storyDivisive60

Familiar Tudor drama; slow, ruminative storytelling divides opinion

Pacing40

Stateliness praised by fans; glacial and boring for detractors

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 9 points apart
  • Critics vs users 1 point apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Episodes

2 seasons

The Mirror and the Light · 2024 · 6 episodes

  • S2E1

    Wreckage

    Nov 10, 202460 min
  • S2E2

    Obedience

    Nov 17, 202460 min
  • S2E3

    Defiance

    Nov 24, 202459 min
  • S2E4

    Jenneke

    Dec 1, 202458 min
  • S2E5

    Mirror

    Dec 8, 202459 min
  • S2E6

    Light

    Dec 15, 202459 minFinale

Watch experience

What is Wolf Hall like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and intense — a slow-burn watch that leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseContemplativeDread
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Cold and cerebral · 6% of shows: Detached and precise; keeps the viewer at arm's length.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedOne continuous story
TonePlayed with deadly seriousness and an unflinching, interior focus; the material is treated with immense gravity and respect, never ironic.
The rideThe series sustains a constant undercurrent of political tension and threat, with brief moments of dark humour but never a release of pressure.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically across Cromwell's rise, focusing on his maneuvers within the court.
Episode formatThe series tells one continuous story across both seasons, with each episode advancing the political drama and Cromwell's arc.
Season formatSeason 2 picks up directly from Season 1, continuing the same story and cast without a reset.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingHaunting · 9% of shows
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves a lingering sense of the moral cost of survival and the precariousness of power under an absolute ruler.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18% (this title): Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% (this title) · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

18% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeCromwell must navigate the treacherous, arbitrary power of the Tudor court, where the King's whim is absolute — the 'monster' is the oppressive state apparatus and the peril of falling from favor.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfPower
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7% (this title)
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 5% (this title) · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Power

Power · 5% of showsLoyalty · 7% of showsSurvival · 12% of shows
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe series examines who controls whom in Henry's court, and what ambition and allegiance cost when survival depends on the King's whim.
StanceThe series questions what power does to those who wield it and those who serve them, without celebrating or condemning Cromwell's choices outright.

The world

Early modernInstitutionalDomesticStylized realism
Orchestral classicalFolkSupportive music · original score · Debbie Wiseman
SettingTudor court of Henry VIII, 1520s-1530s
MusicThe score blends period-appropriate lute and vocal pieces with brooding orchestral textures to underline the court's menace.

Content guide

Is Wolf Hall okay for kids?

As of August 19, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (42/100), sexual content at moderate (44/100), language at intense (62/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (38/100) and frightening material at moderate (38/100). Overall it is heavier than 40% of all shows.

Ratings in 2 other countries
  • UK15
  • Spain16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 40% of all shows
Violence & Gore
Moderate
heavier than 38% of all shows
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavier than 55% of all shows
Profanity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavier than 65% of all shows
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavier than 46% of all shows
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
heavier than 33% of all shows

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Wolf Hall have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Wolf Hall?

Cast

Mark Rylance
as Thomas Cromwell
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Damian Lewis
as Henry VIII
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Thomas Brodie-Sangster
as Rafe Sadler
Joss Porter
as Richard Cromwell
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Claire Foy
as Anne Boleyn
Rising: A short career with a standing when this show came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Kate Phillips
as Jane Seymour
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Richard Dillane
as Duke of Suffolk
Will Keen
as Thomas Cranmer
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
James Larkin
as William Fitzwilliam
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Jonathan Pryce
as Cardinal Wolsey
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.

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What other shows share a tag with Wolf Hall?

37 other shows share the rarest tag below, relationship: master and servant. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.