There’s good news and bad news for fans of The Tudors TV series. Showtime has announced that they’re renewing it for a fourth season but it will be the historically-based show’s last.
The Tudors is a fictional version of the reign of the King of England during the 1500’s, King Henry VII (Jonathan Rhys Meyers). Other historical players include Henry Cavill, Natalie Dormer, Nick Dunning, James Frain, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Padraic Delaney, Jeremy Northam, Jamie Thomas King, Anthony Brophy, Guy Carleton, John Kavanagh, Sam Neill, Callum Blue, Henry Czerny, Hans Matheson, David Alpay, Joe Van Moyland, Bosco Hogan, James Gilbert, Alan Van Sprang, and Peter O’Toole.
When the show debuted on April 1, 2007 to 870,000 viewers, it was reportedly Showtime’s best premiere in three years. The series has held onto those numbers pretty well, attracting 726,000 for its third season premiere last week. The series has also been well-reviewed but it is an expensive epic to produce.
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The first two seasons totaled 20 episodes while season three will have only eight. Series creator and executive producer Michael Hirst explained to reporters in January that the reason was “The collapse of the dollar.” At the time, Hirst said that he and the other producers were hoping to be able to make the fourth season a full 10 episode season and apparently they’ve been successful.
The fourth and final season of Tudors will revolve around Henry’s final descent into madness as well as his tumultuous relationships with his last two wives, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr. Production is expected to begin in June in Dublin, Ireland but viewers of the period drama will have to wait until Spring 2010 to see them.
Robert Greenblatt, Showtime’s President of Entertainment, said, “I’m thrilled to complete the saga of Henry VIII as reconceived by Michael Hirst. He and Jonathan Rhys Meyers have breathed new life into the costume drama by making it both modern in sensibility but also faithful to history. I think we proved that even after 500 years this is a great story.”
By the end of the series’ run, Hirst will have single-handedly written all 38 episodes. Though the events of Henry’s life are part of the history books, it’ll be interesting to see how Hirst, with his unique take on the saga, brings it to a close.
Image courtesy Showtime.
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The Tudors sage has been the most absorbing show presented by Showtime. I do really hope that the producers will bring the historical events until the very end. All actors and actrecess have been outstanding, beautiful customs, well everything has been just perfect!!!
congratulations to all the people involved in this great production.
Tudors is the only reason I add Showtime also, I’am cancelling showtime also
until the Series continues, and when it ends I’ll be done with showtime totally.
When is the 3rd. season of The Tudors showing in Mexico? I saw the first two seasons and, in my opinion, The Tudors is one of the best shows, and one of the closest to real history I have ever seen. The production is perfect. Besides, there are four more wives to deal with and the crownings of Henry’s two daughters are also of the utmost historical importance even for the modern world, because since the breakage with the catholic church, the world was never the same again. As you can see, real history still gives the film-makers lots of materials to work with. Please inform when the 3rd season will be shown in Mexico.
I am very sad that the show is ending i hope you change your minds i have been telling everyone about the show …pleaseeeeeeeeeeee don’t cancel we will miss your show its one of the best show i have seen in a long time…we need something different and that show is different
TRY TO GO ALONG WITH EDWARD VI, MARY AND ELIZABETH AND KEEP THIS GOING. OR GO WITH EDWARD V AND HIS BROTHER RICHARD III. ANYTHING JUST SO ITS AS WELL DONE ASTHE TUDORS.
Wow..I am so sad that The Tudors will end after season 4. Great show and the only reason why I got ShowTime, I will be canceling showtime as soon as the 4th season is over. I would love the producers to please think about it. Your show is great and King Henry’s story is one to be told. His daughters, his kingdom, the catholic church, his life. We need The Tudors to continue, so much to write about. Jonathan is awesome. Love him dearly, he is a great actor.
I am very disappointed in reading the Tudors will not be continuing, I understand how the economy effects on the show. The Tudors is a fantastic and addictive show, I keep asking my husband when the new season is going to start, which is why I have kept Showtime. After the Tudors is over I too will be cancelling Showtime to cut my expenses. Jonathan Rhys Meyers is an stounding actor and in my opinion as a great of actor as Sean Connery and versatility as Johnny Depp. Wish it would be continued. The creator and director should feel proud of producing a great series which sparked my interest into history again, Thank you!
I have truly enjoyed the Tudors from the very beginning, up to now. A friend and I would discuss each episode in detail,it was almost like a club (lol). I love the clothes, hair and makeup. It was my all time favorite show to watch and one of the reason why I keep Showtime as my movie channel only!
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