The Tudors and the post-national, post-historical Henry VIII

Abstract

This chapter contends that 'The Tudors' (2007-10) is a prime example of a relatively new type of post-national and post-historical television series that has become an established global alternative to BBC costume drama. Drawing on international rather than specifically British ideals of nationhood, these series often run counter to received history while the use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) gives them a contemporary rather than historical aesthetic.