Wolf Hall: Master Of Phantoms (BBC-2 25 Feb 2015, Richard Dillane)

In Master Of Phantoms, the final episode of Wolf Hall, Anne accuses Cromwell of betrayal when she finds out that he tried to protect Mary and not Elizabeth at a time of crisis. But Anne’s power is rapidly dissolving and her enemies are gathering.

Anne argues with Jane Rochford but in her anger Anne divulges that the musician Mark Smeaton and the nobles Francis Weston and Harry Norris have all declared their love to her, a treasonable offence.

Jane Rochford takes great pleasure in reporting these events to Cromwell. She further insinuates that her husband, George Boleyn’s unhealthy sexual appetite extends to his sister. Cromwell is dumbfounded by such accusations, but brings Mark Smeaton in for questioning. Smeaton foolishly boasts of his own exploits with the Queen and under duress he starts to spill other names including Norris, Weston and William Brereton. Cromwell now has enough information to act and these men together with Anne and George Boleyn are brought to the Tower of London.

As Cromwell visits each Gentleman in his cell, he thinks back to Cardinal Wolsey’s demise and remembers how each of Norris, Weston, Brereton and George Boleyn had cruelly mocked his master. Cromwell has extracted the ultimate revenge.

Anne is also found guilty and sentenced to death. But with so many heads removed, who now stands between Cromwell and the King?

production details
UK / BBC-2 / 1×60 minute episode / Broadcast Wednesday 25 February 2015 @ 9.00pm

Writer: Peter Straughan / Director: Peter Kosminsky

Series: Wolf Hall Season 1 Episode 6 (of 6)

cast
Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell
Damian Lewis as Henry VIII
Claire Foy as Anne Boleyn
Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Wolsey
Bernard Hill as Duke of Norfolk
Anton Lesser as Thomas More
Mark Gatiss as Stephen Gardiner
Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Rafe Sadler
Harry Lloyd as Harry Percy
Jessica Raine as Jane Rochford
Saskia Reeves as Johane Williamson
Natasha Little as Liz Cromwell
Charity Wakefield as Mary Boleyn
Joss Porter as Richard Cromwell
Tom Holland as Gregory Cromwell
Kate Phillips as Jane Seymour
Robert Wilfort as George Cavendish
Richard Dillane as Duke of Suffolk
Luke Roberts as Henry Norris
Will Keen as Thomas Cranmer
Jacob Fortune-Lloyd as Francis Weston
David Robb as Sir Thomas Boleyn
Joel MacCormack as Thomas Wriothesley
Max Fowler as Mark Smeaton
Edward Holcroft as George Boleyn
Bryan Dick as Solicitor General Richard Rich
Tim Steed as Lord Chancellor Audley
Ed Speleers as Edward Seymour
Iain Batchelor as Thomas Seymour
Paul Ritter as Sir John Seymour
Monica Dolan as Alice More