The series was an historical fiction telling the story of young Will's early years. As one of the on-demand additional features notes, Shakespeare may be the most famous person about whom we know the least. The story, while including numerous real-life characters, is largely invented in the specifics.
The story opens as Will leaves Stratford and his family and heads to London to find fame and fortune through work. He ends up joining James Burbage's company as a playwright and actor. During the course of the series, he pens several plays that a Shakespearean fan may recognize: one about King Edward, Two Gentlemen of Verona, a mash-up of Midsummer Night's Dream and Romeo and Juliet, and Richard III.
Will meets Christopher Marlowe, another famous playwright about whom we know relatively little. Marlowe's struggle to break writer's block is detailed as he works on, and eventually completes, Doctor Faustus. Was Marlowe homosexual? Was he a spy for the Queen? Did he make a pact with the devil? All of these questions arise as we learn more about his character.
Much time is given to the conflict between the Catholic Church and Queen Elizabeth. Richard Topcliffe, an actual historical figure, plays a major role in the series, as does Fr. Robert Southwell, S.J. Will and Southwell, related as cousins in the series, compete for Alice Burbage, daughter of James. The early career of Richard Burbage is detailed as he hones his craft on stage, working to become the famous actor we know through history.
While critical response to the show has been mixed, I enjoyed the ten-episode season. I found the acting to be quite good, especially Laurie Davidson as Will and Jamie Campbell Bower as Marlowe. (I did not recognize Bower, not having seen any of his previous work. I discovered in one of the on-demand additional features that he fronts a rock band, Counterfeit. They're on YouTube, and they're pretty solid!) The plot was a creative attempt to elucidate history. It held my interest and led me to try to learn more about the historical characters presented. The action is very graphic, with violence as a constant presence. Death and disembowelment are presented in full view of the audience; not for the faint of heart (or stomach). The script, while adeptly written, did seem a bit forced at times, especially in some of the numerous attempts to include famous Shakespearean lines in normal dialogue.
As I type this, the fate of Will is unresolved. Due to high production costs and low ratings, it seems unlikely that it will receive a second season. It was an enjoyable summertime TV diversion and a good attempt to bring Shakespeare and his world to a wider audience. Hopefully next summer will provide a return to London to see what Will writes next.
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