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 VIII (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.
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.
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.
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
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… Read more »
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.
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.
THE TUDORS SERIES IS GREAT VERY SORRY TO SEE IT GO I GOT SHOWTIME JUST BECAUSE OF IT . I’LL CANCEL SHOWTIME IT DOES NOT CHANGE MOVIES ENOUGH ANY WAY SO WHEN THE TUDORS ARE GONE I”M GONE JOHNATHAN RHYS IS HOTTTTT!
I am sorry to hear that The Tudors will end. I don’t have Showtime and rented the DVDs. I got hooked and considered subscribing to Showtime in order to see this series. Now, I guess I won’t.
The Tudors is one of the best historical sagas ever to be presented. The Directing of each series is outstanding; the acting is outstanding. With several “wives” to go, it would be a shame to not continue with such a series.
I am cancelling Showtime until the Series continue.
How sad I am to hear that one of the best shows ever aired will be no more? I am extremely disappointed in this. I agree with everyone when they say that this is the best show and the only reason I watch showtime. 🙁
I am so glad that I am not the only one who has planned their life around the
Sunday night Tudor show. Absolutely amazing. It has breathed a real life into the
Reformation. Now I look at English history and religion with a more intelligent
eye and ear. Eventhough I went to England many moons ago I would like to retrace
the steps of the Tudors.
Is there anyway possible to get some kind of petition going to keep this show from ending? This is the best show i have ever seen in my entire life. There is so much more of the Tudor dynasty that can be told, it doesnt have to end after season 4. This show is brillant, the actors are amazing and the mere thought of it coming to completion breaks my heart.
This series is the best I’ve been privileged to watch; its not boring nor is it hard to follow; what is even more remarkable tis hat this series also has my children interested. From an educational point of view, its fantastic – the first time my children have enjoyed ‘a history lesson’ without realising they have learnt about history … how remarkable is that? In my opinion, whatever it takes, don’t stop filming! I will miss it but more importantly my children will too!
I am so extremely disappointed. This was such an amazing, brilliant series. The best I’ve ever seen in fact. I can’t believe they are cancelling this. There is so much more to tell about the Tudors. So, so, so sad. 🙁
I knew that the end was in sight for The Tudors, but I was hoping that Showtime would realize what may well be the finest series ever produced for television and reconsider before sending it to the gallows. I have enjoyed the history, the characters, the historical sets and visual background images, the attention to details to make it believable and realistic has truly been a work of art. I will miss it terribly, but it is time to put it to bed along side ROME and DEADWOOD. Maybe we could get a series around Teddy Roosevelt or Ernest Heminway…just… Read more »