thetudors

Why was Wisteria Lane's resident troublemaker Edie killed off 'Desperate Housewives' last month? Depends who you ask.

Nicollette Sheridan, who portrayed Edie for five years, and series creator Marc Cherry are sparring over why exactly the character was sent to meet her maker -- and some of the allegations are downright funny.

In other news, NBC's Boston affiliate has backpedaled on its earlier decision to air a newscast instead of Jay Leno's new primetime show, Showtime has renewed 'The Tudors' for a fourth and final season, and HBO is planning a movie about the 2008 presidential election.

See more of today's TV headlines, casting scoops and premiere dates after the jump.

'The Tudors'
(Sun., 9PM, Showtime) 3rd season premiere
It's going to be quite a busy season for Henry VIII (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), as he begins his ill-fated marriage to Jane Seymour in tonight's opener, but rumor has it, will end the season with a wedding to wife number five, Catherine Howard.

In between, there's the birth of Henry's son, the future King Edward; his short-lived fourth marriage, to Anne of Cleves (Joss Stone); and Henry's particularly brutal – more than 200 executions, including those of monks and priests – squashing of the Pilgrimage of Grace.

Plus, look for downfall of Henry's chief minister, Thomas Cromwell, whose fall from favor is swift, and harsh, after Henry's marriage to Anne of Cleves.

"This season ... I'm going to put on 50 pounds and grow a full beard."

British actor Henry Cavill got his big Hollywood break in an unlikely place: Ireland. That's where the Showtime series 'The Tudors' is filmed, in which he plays King Henry VIII's close friend and confidante Charles Brandon. As the king tears through wives, mistresses and men who cross him, Charles is one of the few constants in his life.

As 'The Tudors' heads into its third season (premiering April 5), AOL TV chatted with Cavill about life in the king's court, co-star Jonathan Rhys Meyers' recent stint in rehab ... and why there's no "bromance" brewing for Henry VIII. -- By Katy Kroll

Let's just forget that drab fall TV season ever happened and prepare for the stellar lineup ahead.

Follow our midseason guide to find out what happened -- and what's going to happen -- on '24,' 'Battlestar,' 'Scrubs' and all your returning favorites.

R&B singer Joss Stone is giving television acting a try. Stone is taking on the role of Anne of Cleves in season three of Showtime's The Tudors. Anne of Cleves was Henry VIII's fourth wife; the marriage was annulled after less than a year. The role is Stone's first significant part on a TV series. She previously appeared in an episode of American Dreams and in the film Eragon.

Fans of the singer will have to wait a while for Stone to turn up on the drama series. The third season begins with the king's marriage to Jane Seymour (played by Anita Briem), with Anne of Cleves coming into the picture later on.

(S02E10) I'm just going to come out and say it. I really enjoyed the season finale of The Tudors. The wife-number-two storyline is all wrapped up. And now next season we'll move on to wife-number-three, Jane Seymour. I think I'm even more excited for next season because I know next to nothing about Henry's wives post Boleyn drama. I know many of you history buffs will disagree, saying that you'd rather they keep to the facts because Tudor history alone is interesting enough. I feel, at this point, I'd rather just watch the story --which is basically a primetime melodrama with corsets and crowns and public executions. So, I'm not as worried about accuracy. And by the way, public executions on Melrose Place would have been awesome.

But, enough about what's to be, let's talk about what happened tonight. My review of the season finale is after the jump.

• FOX has the NASCAR Spring Cup: Coca-Cola 600 race all night.
• TV Land has an Andy Griffith Show marathon all night.
• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes.
• NBC has a new, two hour Dateline at 7.
• At 8, TNT has the NBA Playoffs, Lakers vs. Spurs.
• Food Network has a new Challenge at 8, followed by new episodes of Iron Chef America and Throwdown with Bobby Flay.
• Hallmark has the new movie Shark Swarm at 8.
• At 9, HBO has the new movie Recount.
• There's a new episode of The Tudors on Showtime at 9, then a new This American Life.
• At midnight, Cartoon Network has a new Metalocalypse, followed by new episodes of Squidbillies and Assy McGee.

Check your local TV listings for more.

(S02E08) Much to Anne's chagrin and Henry's delight, Jane Seymour joined the queen as the new lady-in-waiting. Henry, not as athletic and spry as he once was, was injured in a jousting match. Everyone scrambled to figure out who will succeed him if he does die. Pope Paul III decided to execute the Bull of Excommunication against the king. Jane Parker started planting her seeds of revenge against her husband. And Thomas Cromwell continued to do what he's done since the end of season one, play puppet master. (Okay, puppet master is harsh.)

What an episode! My review is after the jump.

(S02E07) I need to point something out first. When they show Jonathan Rhys Meyers in the opening credits, he stares into the camera and widens his eyes just a little bit at the last second. It's perfectly sexy and haunting and dangerous at the same time. I know some readers have commented that his portrayal of Henry is insufferable at times (too much screaming "I'm the king of England" and the like). But I think Rhys Meyers' Henry VIII balances a good amount of wanting to do the right thing (or at least feel like he's doing the right thing) with wanting to do exactly what he wants, because after all, he's king.

A review of tonight's The Tudors (not just the opening credits!) is after the jump.

(S02E06) "It's called a printing press, my lord. And it will change the world." --Thomas Cromwell to George Boleyn

Thomas Cromwell continues to wage war on the Catholic Church. Henry is haunted by the death of Thomas More. A paranoid Anne loses her grip on her husband's affections. The turbulent royal couple try to fix up baby Elizabeth with King Francis's youngest son. George Boleyn marries, much to his dismay and even more to the dismay of his new wife Jane (not to mention the dismay of George's lover Mark Smeaton).

Just another day in the life of a Tudor. A review of tonight's show is after the jump...

(S02E05) This was by far the heaviest episode of The Tudors I've seen. I'll get to my review of the heavier parts later. First, however, I think I'll begin with some of the lighter parts of the episode, all of which were provided by the Pope. I know I've said it before but Peter O'Toole is an invaluable addition to this show. All of his scenes were impeccable tonight (not really anything different from any other night). I think by far his best scene was after Michelangelo threw a tantrum and used foul language when one of his apprentices didn't paint Moses right. Also great but a little haunting was the pope's mention of Cardinal Fisher's martyrdom. He had this eerie expression on his face while he "lamented" that he would not be able to die for Christ like Fisher.

Read on after the jump for my full review of The Tudors...

The Tudors just got picked up for a third season slated to air in 2009. Production will begin June 16th in Dublin, Ireland and Jonathan Rhys Meyers will star once again as Henry VIII. Season three will follow Henry as he weds Jane Seymour and then Anne of Cleves.

This really doesn't come as a surprise to me. The show, when it premiered in April 2006, garnered both a large audience and critical acclaim. In fact, the series and Rhys Meyers earned Golden Globe nominations. "The Tudors is now a fixture for us at Showtime and we're on our way to completing the entire saga of all six wives of Henry VIII," says President of Entertainment Robert Greenblatt. He goes on, "We are enormously proud of this show, the extraordinary cast, and the production team that recreates the grandeur of the Renaissance year in and year out. There is nothing like this anywhere on American television."

I only have one question, Is season three the season they will make Rhys Meyers wear a fat suit? I love the JRM but come on, he doesn't look one bit like the real-life portly king that changed the political and spiritual landscape of England.

(S02E04) The 16th century soap opera continues... George Boleyn is having an affair with Mark Smeaton. Anne's pregnant again. Henry's on mistress number two to keep him company while the bun is in the oven. Henry passed a bill making him supreme ruler of everything. Lady Mary lost her title to a little baby named Elizabeth.Trouble is brewing overseas with the French king not recognized Anne as queen and the Spanish emperor planning Anne's assassination. Now, all we need is for someone to come back from the dead or have a sex change.

I can barely keep up with The Tudors. How about you? Let's talk about it after the jump...

(S02E03) And to the right, my dear readers, is the main reason I watch The Tudors. Let's face it, if they hired an actor who actually resembled King Henry VIII, I don't think this show would be quite as popular. But shameless appreciation of Jonathon Rhys Meyer's hotness aside, I kind of like the show too. *wink*

Tonight's episode had some big plot progressions but in between was a lot of the same old stuff they've been using since the very beginning of the series. There was more Team Katharine (led by the Duke of Suffolk and loyal Catholic Thomas More) versus Team Anne (led by her family...oh, and the king). For a discussion of what happened tonight, read on after the jump.

(S02E02) This week we see just how much Anne has beguiled Henry (some might even say, bewitched?). The gifts, the trip to France, the title--all tokens of his love and all signs of how narrow-minded he is about her. I think the gifts, while very special and expensive, are nothing compared to the trip to Calais and Henry's elevating Anne to Marquess of Pembroke. Those two things show, more than anything else, that Henry is indeed serious about divorcing Queen Katharine and marrying Anne Boleyn.