Grab your popcorn and settle in because BBC’s latest series is a must-watch for any period drama fan, at least according to the ratings.
Released on November 10, the show, titled Wolf Hall features performances by Britain’s most loved stars, including Claire Foy and Mark Rylance and has gained so many fans that it’s even surpassed EastEnders and Emmerdale in terms of popularity.
Following Thomas Cromwell’s rise to power when King Henry VIII was seeking an annulment from his second wife, Anne Boleyn, to wed Jane Seymour, the six-part series is based on the novels of the same name, written by Hilary Mantel, and has proven a hit with audiences.
According to rating outlet Barb, Wolf Hall’s first episode impressively pulled in more than four million viewers within its first week on air, beating some of the UK’s most popular soap dramas.
Currently ranked 16th on the television ratings, the episode is two places ahead of Emmerdale’s top-performing episode, which is ranked 18th, and EastEnder’s most popular episode, which is ranked 24th. However, it has yet to beat Coronation Street, whose most popular episode is ranked 11th.
Despite being the talk of the town right now, Wolf Hall isn’t exactly a new release, as the first season landed on BBC in 2015.
Becoming an immediate success, the series received eight Emmy award nominations and three Golden Globe nominations, going on to win best miniseries or television film.
Unfortunately for fans, it wasn’t until 2019 that they learned that a second season would be going ahead, following the news that the second novel, Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, was being released in 2020.
Filming officially began for the second season in 2023, and alas, earlier this month, fans received the long-awaited project, which they insist was worth the wait.
Taking to X, Music Marmite said: ‘The BBC has in my view, been in decline for years. But every now and then, it bangs out a masterpiece. Wolf Hall. A long overdue 2nd season. Superb. Script, acting, set, score are simply outstanding.’
ThatsOurLewis added: ‘#WolfHall: The Mirror and the Light really is just gorgeous television. Its quiet moments of empathy between some rather enigmatic historical figures really do reign supreme.’
‘I barely breathed or blinked while it was on. Its mesmerising’, BeksChaps added.
‘Wolf Hall is such great TV. Wow. I absolutely love this show. So glad I decided to rewatch all of season 1 before starting this new season. Gorgeous costumes and really gripping,’ Chic Stranger wrote.
Elsewhere, WorkPsychol called it the ‘best series the BBC have ever produced’, adding that it is ‘quality TV at its very highest’.
In line with the high television rating, the show also holds an impressive rating on the website Rotten Tomatoes, coming in at 97% on the Tomatometer. Many critics agree that the two seasons create an ‘elegant’ and ‘naturalistic’ storytelling of historical events.
The first three episodes of season two are available to watch on BBC iPlayer. A new episode airs every Sunday on BBC One at 9pm.
BBC’s ‘superb’ new period drama attracts over 4,000,000 viewers in its first week