The first series is an adaptation of Shakespeare's second historical tetralogy, the Henriad: Richard II, Henry IV, Part 1, Henry IV, Part 2 and Henry V, starring Ben Whishaw, Jeremy Irons and Tom Hiddleston. This is a cracking adaptation.The Hollow Crown is a series of British television film adaptations of William Shakespeare's history plays.

Director Dominic Cooke opens out the play with visceral scenes such as Joan of Arc's burning on the stake, added sex with passion between Margaret and Somerset and the powerplay between various characters. Less chivalry from the knights who want to grab power. Just think of the Godfather saga as people plot and counter-plot. The dramatisation looks like a template copied many times since Shakespeare's day. I understand that the text has been chopped and changed by writer Ben Power who actually deals with Part 1 of the play in the first hour and we are well into Part 2 before we see Plantagenet storming off from the King's castle and into his where we glimpse his children. Henry VI is too feeble and indecisive to prevent the country slipping into civil war when Gloucester is murdered.

Gloucester is forced to resign as the Lord Protector and is later arrested for alleged treason. Margaret is provoking tensions at court, manipulating her husband all along in league with with Somerset who she is also having an affair with. After the death of Joan of Arc, Henry VI is guided by Somerset to marry a minor French royal Margaret of Anjou to unite England and France, but there is no dowry, angering the court especially the Duke of Gloucester. Henry VI is unaware of the rival claims and wants to unite the factions but inadvertently sows the seeds of discontent when he carelessly discards a white rose petal. Plantagenet of York and Somerset of Lancaster are at loggerheads and their feud will cause the War of the Roses. However there are other claimants to the throne who are plotting to take over the crown especially as Henry VI is regarded as weak. With Henry V dying young and France being lost, an infant Henry VI comes to the English throne, under the protection of the Duke of Gloucester, his uncle.

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