'Masterpiece' BBC period costume drama hailed as 'close to perfection' is streaming free

Racy, sumptuous, and addictively watchable, The Tudors ruled the small screen over the course of its four series. The BBC show starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers was based on the reign of the infamous King Henry VIII and dalliances that led to his six marriages.

The Tudors was an enjoyable romp through a scandalous time in history that leaned into the passion, intrigue, and violence of it all. Not only did viewers find it easy to watch, it was a feast for the eyes. The lavish costumes and sets – captured beautifully with lush cinematography – enthralled audiences and critics.

As the opening of the show says: "You think you know a story but you only know how it ends. To get to the heart of a story you have to go back to the beginning."

The lavish historical drama begins in the early years of King Henry VIII's reign whilst his grip on the throne is threatened inside and outside the kingdom.

It's 1518 in the first series. Henry is in his late 20s and has been on the throne for about a decade. Trouble is brewing abroad and the pressure is compounding over his lack of a (legitimate) male heir.

The king soon becomes entangled in an affair with Anne Boleyn (played by Natalie Dormer pre-Game of Thrones fame), a lady-in-waiting to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. His efforts to annul the union were denied, which ultimately led to the Church of England's split from the Roman Catholic Church.

Another famous face in the cast is Henry Cavill, who portrayed the king's long-time friend Charles Brandon, the 1st Duke of Suffolk, for the entirety of the show.

Peaky Blinders fans will also recognise Annabelle Wallis, who comes into the picture in series three as Jane Seymour, Henry's third wife. Meanwhile, Sam Neill plays the powerful Cardinal Thomas Wolsey.

The Tudors covered about a 40-year time period, featuring all six wives, and ending in series four with the death of the king.

A common critique levied by professional critics and history buffs was that the period drama veered into soap opera territory. Dramatic license aside, fans found it eminently watchable.

On the Period Drama forum on Reddit, fans discussed how they felt about the show 14 years on. The general consensus found it an enjoyable "guilty pleasure" show, with strong acting by Rhys Meyers, Dormer, and Cavill.

"Despite the liberties taken, it’s very much a mid 2000s masterpiece," said one user. "It aged very well in so many aspects, including stunning aesthetics and incredible acting from fantastic direction. I think The Tudors was really ahead of its time and paved the way for other shows in the fantasy and historical/period genres."

One fan on IMDb raved: "The Tudors is about as close to perfection as a show of its genre can get. I understand people may argue that there are many historical inaccuracies but these become irrelevant when you realise the quality of the sets, scripts and not to forget the incredible acting."

Critics likened The Tudors to other TV and film, including The Sopranos to Ocean's Eleven. The New York Post had high praise: "Showtime's glorious, gorgeous 'The Tudors' is the best series since 'The Sopranos.' Period."

The New York Times said: "When the camera follows the young king and his rat pack of randy, rambunctious courtiers, 'The Tudors' is a captivating romp, 'Ocean’s Eleven' in ruffs and doublets."

Whilst in its first series, Empire dubbed The Tudors as a "sexy-historical in the vein of HBO's Rome".

When it came to award season, The Tudors was nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Drama Series in 2007. Jonathan Rhys Meyers was nominated twice for Best Actor in a Television Drama in 2007 and 2008.

The series won the Creative Arts Emmy Award in 2007 for Outstanding Costumes for a Series and Outstanding Main Title Theme Music.

The Tudors is available to stream on Channel 4.