Viewers left 'gutted and sobbing' over BBC period drama with 99% Rotten Tomatoes rating

Viewers are raving about the BBC's adaptation of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall novels which are available to stream on the BBC or purchase to watch on . The story is a fictionalised adaptation that focuses on Thomas Cromwell's rise to power in the court of King Henry VIII. Two series of the show, which star Mark Rylance as Cromwell and holds an impressive 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, have been made and viewers have left rave reviews for both.

Writing on Google one wrote: "I am absolutely gutted and sobbing as I write this. As a serious student of history and a lover of the Wolf Hall trilogy I knew from episode one how the story ended. For that reason I found myself watching the series with anticipation and dread... If you want to see the most perfect, beautiful, wonderful, intelligent and heartfelt storytelling ever seen don't miss out on watching 'Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light'. You will be rewarded for the time you spend in these peoples' presence."

Another added: "The acting and script in Wolf Hall are nothing short of superb. The performances bring Hilary Mantel's brilliant novels to life, capturing the nuanced political intrigue and personal drama of Thomas Cromwell's rise to power. The dialogue is sharp, the characters are compelling, and the production design beautifully recreates the Tudor period."

A third chimed in: "Absolutely superb. Every aspect of it is perfect! Should get every award going! Superb acting by everyone but special mention to Mark Rylance has to be given. He has delivered imho the most amazing performance I have ever seen in a tv series: he is exceptional and totally riveting! Shame it has finished but will watch it all again fairly soon!"

"This is the most stunning historic period drama I've ever seen! I devoured Hilary Mantel's books and the series is so true to form. The series was shot in actual 'houses' (estate houses, castles) of Henry VIII and only in natural or candle light. It is utterly beautiful to watch. And the pacing is so measured, suspenseful and never glib in any way. I've watched it 4 times now and will do so again," a fourth opined.

"Absolute brilliance! One of the few book adaptations I've watched that lives up to its origins. Mantel is an incredible author - this brings her work to life with great skill and atmosphere. It's hard to find non banal historical fiction on television these days with this kind of gravitas and attention to detail. More please!" a fifth gushed.

Meanwhile a sixth offered: "This show is beautifully done. The acting is superb. Everything is perfect. Even the night is portrayed and filmed using only the light available in the 16th Century. This show should have been made into more seasons. It's a must watch."

The second series of the show Wolf Hall: The Mirror and The Light only aired on the BBC in November 2024, a full nine years after the original series in 2015.

However it almost didn't make it onto television screens after as author Hilary Mantel died unexpectedly in 2022 after suffering a stroke at the age of 70. Director Peter Kosminsky told The Reporter there were serious discussions to end the historical drama following Mantel's death.

He explained: "If it hadn't been for the support of the and Masterpiece at that point, when our morale was pretty low, I think there might've been a different outcome."