The Hollow Crown
The Hollow Crown

The Hollow Crown

2016TV ShowEndedEnglish

A series of British television films featuring William Shakespeare's History Plays.

Read Reviews

Insights

IMDb7.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes95%
Metacritic81/100
Google Users90%
Director: Various (Dominic Cooke, Rupert Goold)Genres: Drama, History, War

Plot Summary

This acclaimed series dramatizes the Wars of the Roses, adapting Shakespeare's history plays "Richard II," "Henry IV, Part 1," "Henry IV, Part 2," and "Henry V." It chronicles the tumultuous reigns of English kings from Richard II's deposition to the rise of the Tudor dynasty, showcasing the brutal power struggles, betrayals, and personal toll of the English crown. The narrative follows the Plantagenet and Yorkist families as they vie for control, leading to decades of conflict and bloodshed.

Critical Reception

The Hollow Crown was widely praised for its stellar cast, faithful adaptations of Shakespeare's works, and powerful production values. Critics lauded the performances, particularly those of Tom Hiddleston as Prince Hal/Henry V and Jeremy Irons as Henry IV, and appreciated the series' ability to bring complex historical and dramatic narratives to life for a modern audience.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praise for the exceptional performances by a star-studded cast.
  • Admiration for the compelling and accessible adaptation of Shakespeare's history plays.
  • Appreciation for the high production values and dramatic intensity.

Google audience: Google users overwhelmingly praised the series for its brilliant acting, fascinating historical context, and faithful adaptation of Shakespeare. Many found it to be an engaging and educational viewing experience that brought classic plays to life.

Awards & Accolades

BAFTA Television Award for Best Miniseries (nominated), Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film (Tom Hiddleston, nominated).

Fun Fact

The series is a continuation of the 2012 production of "The Hollow Crown," which adapted Shakespeare's "Richard II" and "Henry IV Parts 1 & 2," also featuring many of the same core cast members and creative team.

AI-generated overview · Verify ratings on official sources

My Review

TMDB Reviews

7 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

Richard III: Historians now dispute the extent to which Richard III (Benedict Cumberbatch) was actually the malevolent and power-hungry creature depicted here, but there can be no doubt as to William Shakespeare's interpretation - nor of Cu...
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

Henry VI, Part 2: With virtually nothing left to call English in France now, the ailing and mentally strained Henry VI (Tom Sturridge) returns home with his French wife Margaret (Sophie Okonedo) to a court that is just as rife with intrigue...
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

Henry VI, Part 1: Now that Henry V has died young, the crown passes to his infant son who grows under the regency of his uncle, the lord protector Gloucester (Hugh Bonneville), into Tom Sturridge. Despite claims to his throne from others wi...
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

Richard II: With Bollingbrooke (Rory Kinnear) and Mowbray (James Purefoy) at each other's throats over treason allegations, it falls to their king (Ben Whishaw) to try to settle matters. Thing is, Richard II isn't the most imposing of chara...
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

Henry V: With Henry V now firmly on the throne, this drama moves on to challenge not only the robustness of his character but also Tom Hiddleston's characterisation - and I didn't really love the latter. His success in the Henry IV stories ...
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

Henry IV, Part 2: Though this hasn't quite the characterful potency of the first part of the Henry IV story, it's still a compelling couple of hours that depicts the decline of one king and the ascension of another. Henry IV (Jeremy Irons) ...
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

Henry IV, Part 1: I think sometimes when us Brits moan about the BBC licence fee we are apt to forget that following in the tradition of the excellent "I Claudius" and "Elizabeth R" it can produce some of the finest drama to be seen on the ...