'Masterpiece' BBC period drama hailed 'best ever' with 99% Rotten Tomatoes score

TV fans are in for a treat as one of the BBC's most celebrated period dramas, hailed as a "masterpiece" by fans, can be streamed on BBC iPlayer. Wolf Hall currently commands an immensely impressive 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, cementing its place among some of British television's most acclaimed shows.

Starring Oscar-winner Mark Rylance as the enigmatic Thomas Cromwell, the drama plunges viewers into the dark heart of Tudor politics, where betrayal lurks behind every velvet curtain. With Damian Lewis as the volatile King Henry VIII and Claire Foy as the doomed Anne Boleyn, the show delivers gripping performances and grand visuals across two series and 12 episodes, adapting the Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies novels by Hilary Mantel. Film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes' critical consensus of Wolf Hall describes it as being "Beautifully filmed and brilliantly acted, Wolf Hall masterfully brings Hilary Mantel's award-winning novels to life."

Critics agreed during its inaugural series' 2015 six-part release as the show picked up a Best Drama Series BAFTA, and Rylance scooped the Best Actor award at the same ceremony for his Cromwell portrayal.

It also won Best Miniseries or Television Film at the 2015 Golden Globe Awards and received a nomination for

Outstanding Limited Series at the Primetime Emmy Awards.

Mark Rylance returned for the second series, The Mirror & the Light, the final novel in the trilogy, filmed between November 2023 and April 2024 and was first broadcast on November 10 2024.

Many Rotten Tomato reviews echo praises of both the show's writing and acting performances, with verified reviewer Paul S asserting it was "one of the best period pieces I've ever seen."

He added: "It masterfully captured the lives of the characters at the time, and I was glued to the screen for every second of it. I definitely recommend it for drama and history fans."

Both series of Wolf Hall are available to watch on BBC iPlayer, provided you have a TV licence.

"The best BBC drama ever.....Bar none," declared IMDB reviewer, Essex_Rider, in a 10-star synopsis of Wolf Hall.

"This wonderful drama just held me spellbound from the opening sequence to the closing shots of the first episode.

"Mark Rylance was just mesmerising, from the moment he appeared, he held me in thrall. The atmospheric lighting, the scenery, the period clothing, all a wonder, but the acting! It was a genuine privilege to see something that will be talked about for years to come."