You’ve probably seen the memes of Benedict Cumberbatch looking terrifyingly intense in a suit of armor or Tom Hiddleston crying in the rain. Those aren't just random period drama clips. They’re from The Hollow Crown, a massive undertaking by the BBC that basically turned Shakespeare’s history plays into a high-budget cinematic universe.
Watching The Hollow Crown episodes in order is like watching a medieval Game of Thrones, but with better dialogue and much higher stakes for the English throne. It’s gritty. It’s dirty. Honestly, it’s one of the few times Shakespeare actually feels like the bloody, political thriller it was meant to be.
What People Get Wrong About the Series Structure
Most people think this is just a random collection of plays. It’s not. It’s actually two distinct "cycles" or seasons, released years apart. The first cycle, which dropped back in 2012, covers the Henriad. That’s Richard II, Henry IV (Parts 1 and 2), and Henry V.
Then, in 2016, they did the "War of the Roses" cycle. This one covers Henry VI (condensed into two parts) and Richard III.
If you jump straight into the middle, you’re gonna be lost. The continuity is the whole point. You see a young, partying Prince Hal in the Henry IV episodes transform into the hardened, slightly weary king in Henry V. Seeing the same actor—Tom Hiddleston—carry that burden across multiple films makes the payoff in the French mud of Agincourt hit way harder.
Richard II: The High-Budget Tragedy
The first of the The Hollow Crown episodes is Richard II, starring Ben Whishaw. It’s gorgeous. It’s also incredibly frustrating because Richard is kind of a brat. Whishaw plays him with this fragile, almost ethereal arrogance.
He thinks he’s literally chosen by God. Then he loses everything.
The cinematography here is different from the later episodes. It’s more stylized. Director Rupert Goold used a lot of gold hues and oceanic imagery. It feels like a dream that’s slowly turning into a nightmare. When Richard is finally forced to hand over his crown to Bolingbroke (the future Henry IV), the tension is thick enough to cut with a broadsword.
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The Henry IV Saga: Falstaff and the Prince
Next up are the Henry IV episodes. These are the fan favorites. Why? Because of Jeremy Irons and Simon Russell Beale.
Irons plays a King Henry IV who is basically dying from stress and guilt. He stole the throne, and now he can't sleep. Meanwhile, his son Hal is hanging out in taverns with thieves and drunks.
- Simon Russell Beale’s Falstaff: Most critics agree this is the definitive version of the character. He’s not just a "funny fat man." He’s a manipulative, tragic, aging liar who genuinely loves the prince.
- The Tavern vs. The Court: The show cuts between the dark, cold castle and the warm, filthy Boar’s Head Tavern.
Hal is playing a long game. He tells the audience early on that he’s only hanging out with losers so that when he finally "reforms," he’ll look even more impressive. It’s a bit sociopathic when you think about it. Tom Hiddleston plays that ambiguity perfectly. You never quite know if he’s Falstaff’s friend or just using him for practice.
Henry V: The Reality of War
By the time you get to the Henry V episode, the vibe changes. The colors are muted. The rain feels wetter.
The famous "St Crispin’s Day" speech isn't delivered to a massive army on a hill. Hiddleston says it to a small group of dirty, terrified men in a forest. It’s intimate. It feels real. Director Thea Sharrock focused on the cost of invasion. You see the hangings of old friends and the exhaustion in the King’s eyes.
It’s not a "pro-war" movie. It’s a "war is a nightmare but we have to do it" movie.
The Second Cycle: The Wars of the Roses
Fast forward to 2016. The BBC brought in Benedict Cumberbatch, Sophie Okonedo, and Judi Dench. The stakes got higher and the gore got way more intense.
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The Henry VI episodes are often skipped by casual readers because the plays themselves are considered "lesser" Shakespeare. The show fixes this by hacking them together into two fast-paced films.
Sophie Okonedo as Queen Margaret is the MVP here. She goes from a young bride to a fierce warrior queen to a grieving widow over the course of three episodes. She’s the thread that holds the chaos together.
Benedict Cumberbatch as Richard III
Everything in the second cycle builds toward the Richard III episode.
Cumberbatch doesn't play Richard as a cartoon villain. He’s a man who has been rejected by his family and his country because of his physical deformities. He decides that if he can’t be loved, he’ll be feared.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: Richard talks directly to the camera. It’s creepy. He brings you into his conspiracies.
- The Battle of Bosworth: This isn't a clean fight. It’s a chaotic, muddy mess where Richard ends up screaming for a horse in the middle of a swamp.
Why The Hollow Crown Matters in 2026
We live in an era of "prestige TV" where everything is a reboot or a franchise. The Hollow Crown episodes prove that 400-year-old scripts are still the gold standard for political drama.
They didn't modernize the language. They kept the iambic pentameter. But because the acting is so grounded, you stop noticing the "thees" and "thous" within ten minutes. You just see people desperate for power.
Ben Power, who adapted the scripts, did a massive service by cutting the "fluff." He focused on the central arc of the crown. That golden circle is the main character. It ruins everyone who touches it.
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Key Takeaways for New Viewers
If you’re planning a binge-watch, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the 2012 cycle first. The emotional weight of the later episodes depends on knowing how the civil war started in Richard II.
- Pay attention to the recurring motifs. Look at how the crown itself is handled. Look at the mirrors.
- Don't worry about the history. Shakespeare played fast and loose with the facts to please the monarchs of his time. This is "historical fiction," not a documentary.
- Listen to the silence. Some of the best moments in the series have no dialogue. It’s just Jeremy Irons looking at a map or Ben Whishaw looking at a grain of sand.
How to Access the Series
Currently, the series is available on various streaming platforms depending on your region. In the US, it’s often found on Amazon Prime (via the PBS Masterpiece channel) or BritBox. In the UK, it cycles through the BBC iPlayer.
If you’re a student or a writer, pay attention to the editing. The way they transition between the "public" scenes of the plays and the "private" moments is a masterclass in adaptation. They took stage plays meant for a wooden O and turned them into sprawling cinematic epics without losing the soul of the poetry.
Next Steps for Deepening Your Knowledge:
Check out the "Making Of" documentaries often included with the Blu-ray sets. Specifically, look for the interviews with director Dominic Cooke regarding the second cycle. He explains how they used the locations (like real English castles) to influence the actors' performances.
Once you’ve finished the series, read the text of Henry IV Part 2. Compare the "rejection of Falstaff" scene in the book to Hiddleston’s performance. You’ll see how much subtext a great actor can add to a single line of verse.
There is no better way to understand the evolution of the British monarchy—or the evolution of modern acting—than by spending twelve hours with these kings. It’s exhausting, it’s bloody, and it’s absolutely essential viewing.