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TV Worth Watching [follow link for complete column]
TV WORTH WATCHING: BEST BETS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013
...
GREAT PERFORMANCES: "THE HOLLOW CROWN"
PBS, 9:00 p.m. ET
The Hollow Crown is
PBS’s latest attempt to mount a version of some of
William Shakespeare’s “
history plays” – specifically, the four-play cycle of
Richard II (premiering tonight), followed by
Henry IV: Parts 1 & 2 and
Henry V. The last time public television presented all of these was in the late Seventies, when
PBS and the
BBC spent seven years televising all of
Shakespeare’s plays. That cycle’s
Richard II, made in 1978, starred
Derek Jacobi in the title role. This new version, overseen by director
Sam Mendes, stars
Ben Whishaw of
The Hours, in a version that also features
David Morrissey of
The Walking Dead,
James Purefoy of
The Following, and
Patrick Stewart. The acting is impressive, the effort commendable – and the scenery, especially of the outdoor scenes, serms appropriately
Shakespearean. Continues on subsequent Fridays...
CLICK HERE TO VIEW A VIDEO PREVIEW FOR PBS' GREAT PERFORMANCES 'THE HOLLOW CROWN'
