The Tudors Season 4 Episodes
Season 4 Episode Guide
Episode 1 - Episode 1Whitehall Palace, London, 1540. Thirty years into the reign of King Henry VIII: London is experiencing intense heat and there has been no rain for two months. But while his subjects wilt, the King’s vigor remains undiminished. The Reformation goes on. Henry has just married the beautiful Katherine Howard, his fifth Queen, who is a mere seventeen years old. She’s different from earlier wives in more ways than age: far from being nobility, she was ‘discovered’ by some of the King’s friends in a boarding house for wayward young ladies.
|
Episode 2 - Episode 2Thomas Culpepper, principal groom to Henry VIII, continues to make eyes at the King’s sexy young bride. He is not alone; the teen Queen inspires many admirers in Henry’s court, not least the King himself who spoils his new wife with an endless supply of extravagant gifts.When Lady Rochford sleeps with Culpepper, he doesn’t hide that the Queen is his real desire and she helpfully suggests that she aid him in seducing Katherine. As part of the Christmas festivities, Henry invites his previous wife Anne of Cleves to the palace. He is pleasantly surprised by her beauty – something he missed when they were married – and delighted by her graciousness.
|
Episode 3 - Episode 3Henry VIII is in great spirits. He is noticeably more tolerant and forgiving than the Henry of old. He pardons criminal, visits his estranged young daughter Princess Elizabeth and plans a visit to the North of England – his first visit to the territory that hatched the ‘Pilgrimage of Grace’ rebellion. Scenes of rebellion are now closer to home. Unknown to the doting King, his wife Katherine Howard has begun a serious flirtation with the young and handsome Thomas Culpepper, with the assistance of her lady in waiting, Lady Rochford.Cuckolding the King is a capital offense but Henry, of course, can play by different rules and takes his pleasure in the bed of Anne of Cleves, the ex-wife he once thought ugly.
|
Episode 4 - Episode 4Pontefract Castle, Yorkshire was the only royal property captured by the rebels during the Catholic uprising known as the ‘Pilgrimage of Grace’. In a symbolic gesture, it now welcomes Henry and his large entourage. Rejuvenated by the affection he has experienced in his tour of the north of England, Henry feels a stirring sexual energy towards his Queen. Charles Brandon, on the other hand, senses death as he remembers the hangings and punishment he oversaw as the King’s representative during the Northern rebellion. Her past begins to catch up with her on another front. The King receives an anonymous letter accusing his wife of sexual relationships with two men, Henry thinks the whole thing is a fraud but nonetheless orders an investigation, to be led by Lord Hertford.
|
Episode 5 - Episode 5Queen Katherine is shocked by the King’s orders that she be confined to her apartments. The investigation into her past moves with speed: Francis Dereham is arrested and interrogated. Joan Bulmer is questioned, as is the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk. Henry’s response is unsentimental and swift: Katherine Howard is removed from court and her title as Queen withdrawn. Her pleas for understanding and forgiveness are coldly ignored.
|
Episode 6 - Episode 6In a surprise decision, the King orders a new Act of Parliament, which restores the succession rights of his two daughters, Princesses Elizabeth and Mary. Although they are next in line after their youngest brother Edward, this powerful gesture of his love will have historical consequences.The King dispatches Hertford and his arch enemy, the Earl of Surrey, north to warn the King of Scotland that any further acts of aggression will be responded to with the might of England’s armies. Meanwhile, a Catholic alliance signals a weakening of the Reformation’s influence in English politics. Single once again, Henry takes an interest in the twice-married Catherine Parr, a woman closer in age than his usual fancies.
|
Episode 7 - Episode 7Henry marries Catherine Parr, his sixth and final wife. The wedding is notable for the presence of Henry’s daughters, Princesses Mary and Elizabeth. Plans are made for the invasion of France and Charles Brandon is named commander of the English armies. As the Catholic influence increases, Bishop Gardiner begins to investigate the new Queen’s religious beliefs. She is rumored to be a secret Protestant and he intends to expose her. The war effort is elaborate and costly. Three hundred ships have been requisitioned to bring guns, wagons, horses and the army to France. The King is determined to lead his armies into battle to recapture lands he once held. In his absence, he appoints Catherine regent and protector of the realm and guardian of his children. The new Queen rises to the challenge and is well liked and respected by all.
|
Episode 8 - Episode 8The year is 1544. Under the supervision of Henry VIII, the Earl of Surrey and his men attempt to tunnel their way into the French castle at Boulogne. Charles Brandon, who has been separated from his wife for sometime, finds happiness with a young Frenchwoman named Brigitte, who returns with him from France. While Henry too has been rejuvenated by the siege of Boulogne, given a taste once more of the vigor and vitality of his youth, he may have pushed his already weakened body too far.
|
Episode 9 - Episode 9King Henry VIII is aging rapidly: the recent siege of Boulogne has taken its toll, his ulcerous leg is constantly in pain and he now requires glasses to read. Political events continue to be tumultuous and exhausting. The rising influence of Bishop Gardiner is signaled by the appointment of a Catholic, Risley, to the important position of Lord Chancellor. Nonetheless, the Lutherans continue with their radical reforms, the latest of which is women preachers. Sensing their rise in authority, Gardiner and his allies are determined to trap Queen Catherine.The Earl of Surrey, defiant on his return to court, Henry’s Privy Council is unconvinced by his explanations about how so many men were lost under his command in France.
|
Episode 10 - Episode 10Henry is forced to surrender Boulogne, his great prize, as part of a peace treaty with France. There is a slow, quiet and nonetheless inevitable shifting of allegiances as Henry’s own health begins to fade. Factions are forming at court as thoughts turn towards a successor. Some see Prince Edward, Henry’s son by Anne Seymour, as his natural heir while others, notably Bishop Gardner, are determined to restore a Catholic to the throne in the person of Princess Mary. Hearing that Charles Brandon is very ill, the King summons his old friend to court. It is to be their last encounter. Henry is greatly shaken; his longest and most loyal ally now gone. Realizing his own death is now imminent, Henry retreats more and more into himself.
|
More movies and TV shows at the American TV Listings Guide..
In order to keep our service free we display advertising and may earn affiliate fees for purchases you make on external sites that we partner with.
All content is © 2024 On TV Tonight unless pertaining to advertisers, companies, studios, movies and TV series listed on this site.