BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH
IN BBC'S 'HENRY VI' & 'RICHARD III' HISTORICAL MINI SERIES
I don't know if you enjoyed BBC's Shakespeare mini series THE HOLLOW CROWN which brought some of his biggest historical plays onto the 
small screens two years ago starring Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons and Ben Whishaw (I myself appreciated the outstanding performances and the artistic value of it, but found the whole series difficult and even monotonous to follow) but it is getting a continuation: BBC will also produce HENRY VI and RICHARD III into TV mini series and they have announced this weekend that Benedict Cumberbatch will play Richard III. Cumberbatch is already playing Hamlet in a London theatre.
DID YOU KNOW?
Richard III depicts the Machiavellian rise to power and subsequent short reign of Richard III of England. It is extremely long and is rarely performed unabridged! It follows King Richard III who had murdered HENRY VI during the infamous War of Roses before he got into the fight with his own brother EDWARD and killed his own nephews. We've seen that story already last year in BBC's unsuccessful THE WHITE QUEEN epic series. HENRY VI was remembered as a king who suffered from insanity and who took the throne when he was only 9 months old.
Richard III depicts the Machiavellian rise to power and subsequent short reign of Richard III of England. It is extremely long and is rarely performed unabridged! It follows King Richard III who had murdered HENRY VI during the infamous War of Roses before he got into the fight with his own brother EDWARD and killed his own nephews. We've seen that story already last year in BBC's unsuccessful THE WHITE QUEEN epic series. HENRY VI was remembered as a king who suffered from insanity and who took the throne when he was only 9 months old.
SUMMER 2014 ON SYFY
DOMINION RISES JUNE 19TH
If you're asking yourself what shall we watch this summer on TV, we shall watch sf shows: SyFy has scheduled their new sf show DOMINION and the second season of DEFIANCE for June 19th! DOMINION is an epic supernatural drama set in the year 25 A.E. when an army of lower angels, assembled by the archangel Gabriel, has waged
a war of possession against mankind. The archangel Michael, turning against his own kind, has chosen to side with humanity against Gabriel. Rising out of the ashes of the 25-year long battle are newly fortified cities which protect human survivors. Chris Egan and Tom Wisdom lead the cast.
a war of possession against mankind. The archangel Michael, turning against his own kind, has chosen to side with humanity against Gabriel. Rising out of the ashes of the 25-year long battle are newly fortified cities which protect human survivors. Chris Egan and Tom Wisdom lead the cast.
DEFIANCE RETURNS
Dominion will be preceded by the second season of DEFIANCE on Thursday nights. DEFIANCE is now in drastic turmoil. The Earth Republic has assumed control of the town, with far-reaching consequences including a new mayor. Nolan (Grant Bowler) traverses the badlands to find a lost Irisa (Stephanie Leonidas), Amanda
(Julie Benz) has an unexpected new
role in the town as she searches for Kenya and the Tarr family
desperately tries to keep control of their criminal empire in the midst
of dramatic changes. Joining the cast this season are James Murray as
new mayor Niles Pottinger, Anna Hopkins as Earth Republic soldier
Jessica “Berlin” Rai and William Atherton as Earth Republic official
Viceroy Mercado.
Dominion will be preceded by the second season of DEFIANCE on Thursday nights. DEFIANCE is now in drastic turmoil. The Earth Republic has assumed control of the town, with far-reaching consequences including a new mayor. Nolan (Grant Bowler) traverses the badlands to find a lost Irisa (Stephanie Leonidas), Amanda
(Julie Benz) has an unexpected new
role in the town as she searches for Kenya and the Tarr family
desperately tries to keep control of their criminal empire in the midst
of dramatic changes. Joining the cast this season are James Murray as
new mayor Niles Pottinger, Anna Hopkins as Earth Republic soldier
Jessica “Berlin” Rai and William Atherton as Earth Republic official
Viceroy Mercado.
Whoa. Some creepy trailers there. *shivers*
ReplyDeleteAs for Cumberbatch, think he'd be fabulous in any role.
we do like the fallen angels one :) Hope it will be epic this June
DeleteDefiance I liked the first season, although soon the second, very good series.
ReplyDeleteCheers .
hope the second season will be more dynamic and better written.
DeleteCumberbatch as Richard III? I'm intrigued. Henry VI and Richard III are two of my favorites. Will most definitely be watching those. :)
ReplyDeletefingers crossed that they make it more interesting this time. Even I as an English literature professor couldn't really go through all of the previous series :)
DeleteThe SciFi Channel has some promising and unique new shows coming out.
ReplyDeleteyes, and they preparing some other ones too. Hope they end up being good
DeleteCumberbatch as Richard III?? Oh hell yeah.
ReplyDeleteI knew you'd approve :)
DeleteHaven't seen Defiance.
ReplyDeleteyou haven't missed much, it was mildly boring and looking rather cheap
DeleteI enjoyed the first season of DEFIANCE. Can't wait to see the second.
ReplyDeletehope it will look more expensive in the second run and they will upgrade the stories so that it doesn't have a 90's show feel
DeleteThe Hollow Crown sounds interesting.
ReplyDeletegreat actors were in it, Hiddlestud especially
DeleteI loved The Hollow Crown series, even if we had to wait a whole year to see it here on PBS. I'm thrilled the next 2 plays in the historical sequence will also be filmed. And Cumberbatch as Richard III? OUTSTANDING! That role requires a great actor and he is more than capable of it. It's my all-time favourite Shakespearean play. I can hardly wait! SQUEEEEEEEEE!
ReplyDeleteglad to see you excited, Debs :)
DeleteYou made my whole day with this news, Dezzy. Seriously.
ReplyDeletenow, there's a great reaction we love to see :) Hope we get casting news for HENRY VI soon too
DeleteHe is an amazing actor
ReplyDeleteCucumberpatch?
DeleteDominion might be worth a watch, but I don't do too many tv shows in the summer. I'd much prefer to be lounging on the beach lol.
ReplyDeletebut it's in the evening, dear, you're not at the beach when the darkness falls :)
DeleteOooh! Benedict Cumberbatch v's a bit of English history. I, for one, will definitely be setting up camp on my sofa to watch :)
ReplyDeleteglad do see you excited :)
DeleteSyfy sure has come a long way with their shows. My hubby really liked Defiance. I couldn't get into it for some reason.
ReplyDeleteit's became boring as soon as the first episode was over :) I finished the season only because I didn't have anything else to watch last summer, but it was cheap looking and shockingly mediocre with really bad writing and appallingly bad costumes and make up.
DeleteHenry VI was 9 months old when he took the throne? No wonder he went insane. That would be enough to drive anyone crazy!
ReplyDeletehis daddy died when he was a baby :( His mother ruled a bit and when he went crazy his wife too :)
DeleteI like Cumberbatch in Sherlock. Though where I live, I have to wait a bit to see the seasons. Not a bother though, as I enjoy the show and am just happy to get to see it.
ReplyDeleteHope all is well on your end. I'm headed offline again. Cheers and boogie boogie.
I tried watching it, but it never worked for me.
DeleteA lot of SF these days, Dezz. A lot of raising to be done, too.
ReplyDeleteif only it was good sf.... DEFIANCE was wretchedly boring in the first season....
DeleteI love Tom Wisdom and am looking forward to Dominion. I love Benedict, but I know what you mean about Hollow Crown.
ReplyDeleteTom Wisdom was so unbearably cute when he was younger, I can't wait to see him again. He was my fave character in 300 and I loved the naughtiness of his early show MILE HIGH with stewards and stewardesses banging with pilots in every episode :)
Delete