Shardlake Review: Hulu's Frantic Historical Murder Mystery Is A Missed Opportunity

Summary SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT Like the murder mystery that runs through the heart of the show, Shardlake season 1 is a frustrating enigma. On the one hand, the series represents the first adaptation of C.J. Sansom's acclaimed and entertaining Tudor detective novels – a highly anticipated moment for the books' many fans.

Pros Cons Starring Arthur Hughes as lawyer and proto-Holmes Matthew Shardlake, the show follows the same basic premise as the first entry in Sansom's series, Dissolution. Set amid the conspiratorial atmosphere of 16th century England, Shardlake quickly establishes a religious war that threatens to divide the nation, between the old Catholic ways and the radical powers of reformation – embodied by King Henry VIII's malevolent enforcer, Thomas Cromwell.

Hughes is believably intense as the dedicated Shardlake, whose physical disability earns him the cruel moniker "crookback" from his enemies. Cast members David Pearse and Brian Vernel are also suitably sinister as clergymen who fulfill every negative stereotype of Catholicism. However, while generally strong performances ensure the action is engaging, Shardlake's litany of other problems halt any momentum.

The show's most obvious issue is atmosphere. In Sansom's novel, Tudor England is vividly brought to life on every page, from London's sewage-soaked streets to the prison-like walls of Saint Donatus. In Shardlake, however, any sense of history has been stripped away. The London scenes look like they were filmed on an unwanted Game of Thrones set, while the monastery itself variously resembles a castle, a cathedral, and a village pub.

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