Line #119 Series/TheHollowCrown


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5	[[caption-width-right:300:''The Rise and Fall of a Dynasty'']]
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7	->''"Let’s talk of graves, of worms, and epitaphs,\
8	Make dust our paper, and with rainy eyes\
9	Write sorrow on the bosom of the earth. ...\
10	[L]et us sit upon the ground\
11	And tell sad stories of the death of kings—\
12	How some have been deposed, some slain in war,\
13	Some haunted by the ghosts they have deposed,\
14	Some poisoned by their wives, some sleeping killed,\
15	All murdered."''
16	-->— ''Theatre/RichardII'' III.2.150-152, 160-165 (the OpeningNarration of the 2012 series by Creator/BenWhishaw)
17
18	''The Hollow Crown'', created by Creator/TheBBC as a part of the "Cultural Olympics" in 2012, is a mini-series based on the ''Henriad'' or ''Major Tetralogy'', the quartet of Creator/WilliamShakespeare's plays ''Theatre/RichardII'', ''Theatre/HenryIV [[Theatre/HenryIVPart1 Part 1]]'' and ''[[Theatre/HenryIVPart2 Part 2]]'', and ''Theatre/HenryV''. It features relatively lavish production values, and an all-star cast, headlined by Creator/BenWhishaw (Richard II), Creator/RoryKinnear (Henry Bolingbroke/Young Henry IV), Creator/PatrickStewart (John of Gaunt), Creator/DavidSuchet (Edmund, Duke of York), Creator/JeremyIrons (Henry IV), Creator/TomHiddleston (Henry V), Simon Russell Beale (Falstaff), and Creator/JohnHurt (Chorus in ''Theatre/HenryV'').
19
20	A second season, covering the ''Minor Tetralogy'' (the ''Theatre/HenryVI'' plays and ''Theatre/RichardIII'') subtitled ''The Wars of the Roses'' aired in 2016--coinciding with the nationwide commemoration of Shakespeare's 400th death anniversary, as well as being just a year after the reburial of UsefulNotes/RichardIII. The episodes were primarily headlined by Hugh Bonneville (Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester), Creator/SophieOkonedo (Margaret of Anjou), Creator/TomSturridge (King Henry VI), Creator/KeeleyHawes (Queen Elizabeth Woodville), Creator/BenedictCumberbatch (Richard of Gloucester/Richard III) and Creator/JudiDench (Cecily Neville, Duchess of York).
21
22	Creator/{{PBS}} aired the 2012 series in the United States in September 2013 as part of their ''Great Performances'' series.
23
24	----
25	!!This series contains examples of:
26
27	* AdaptationalBadass: This is perhaps the first time that Margaret of Anjou is portrayed as the one leading her husband's armies and fighting hand-to-hand (in armor, even!).
28	** This is also one of the few significant productions where the Earl of Richmond/the future [[UsefulNotes/TheHouseOfTudor Henry VII]] goes one-on-one with Richard III and overpowers him, instead of Richard being ZergRush-ed by his opponents to death (which is more in line with reality, where Henry was believed to have hung around at the back).
29	* AllForNothing: The final fate of Richard III is a harsh DownerEnding to the once good-intentioned ideals of the Yorkist regal claim--all facilitated by Richard's cunning and murders (and also likely products of his damaged and conniving psyche). Had Richard not been as suspicious and self-centered by the end, he might have been able to keep his crown and strengthen the Yorkist claim to the throne. Instead, he destroys his bloodline and [[DyingAlone dies alone on the battlefield]].
30	* AlmostDeadGuy: Warwick lasts just long enough to give his final speech and entreat that his daughter be protected.
31	* AltarDiplomacy:
32	** Henry V marries the French princess Catherine to seal his victory and establish peace with his newly-seized French territory.
33	** The Duke of Anjou sells his daughter Margaret for the right to keep ruling his own lands after the English overrun him. Unfortunately, the marriage articles have Henry make such concessions that he effectively loses France, pushing England further towards civil war.
34	** Warwick tries to remedy the above after Edward IV takes the throne by arranging a marriage between the King and Louis XI's sister Bona, but Edward makes a hasty marriage out of lust instead.
35	* ArtifactOfDoom: The series's name comes from a speech where Richard II laments how the crown is particularly-inescapable, bringing despair and sorrow to all who wear it. Ergo, the choice of name and the fact the series keeps the same crown for Richard II, Henry IV, Henry V and Henry VI (coupled with the more significant part of Shakespeare's monologues on the illusory nature of power are delivered whilst holding said crown) gives a non-supernatural sense of this trope to the Crown: all those who wear it, die.
36	* ArtisticLicenseHistory: The Battle of Towton was fought during a snowstorm. The series takes place in summer, judging by the foliage.
37	* BeautyEqualsGoodness: In keeping with the play's origins as a bit of Tudor propaganda, the future Henry VII is portrayed by the very handsome Luke Treadaway.
38	* BelligerentSexualTension: Hotspur and Lady Percy, veering into SlapSlapKiss. Or smack, smack, attempted-finger-breaking, face-shove, slap, slap, face-shove, kiss. They're very...physical.
39	* BerserkButton: For Richard of Gloucester/Richard III, it would be being mocked for his deformity. He kills a number of people over it: [[spoiler: Edward, Prince of Wales and Henry VI. His being mocked by his nephew (one of the Princes in the Tower) could be added to this list too]].
40	* BittersweetEnding: While in most cases the death of Richard III at Bosworth is presented as a glorious happy ending on stage, ''The Hollow Crown'' takes it as another sad, tiring event akin to the victories in ''Henry V''--[[WhatASenselessWasteOfHumanLife with the loss of life overwhelming any potential victory that have been achieved]]. The coronation of Henry VII becomes more poignant and somber after it was immediately followed by the mass graves at Bosworth.
41	* BlingOfWar: Played with; Richard II confronts Bolingbroke in gold armor, but doesn't wear it for anything martial.
42	* BloodFromTheMouth: Young Clifford and Warwick cough up profuse amounts of blood after being stabbed in the back by Richard, duke of Gloucester. Clifford takes hours to die after being refused a merciful stab by his killer and then his king. Warwick is luckier, lasting only a moment longer than his final speech.
43	* BookEnds: ''Richard II'' opens and closes with a shot of the large crucifix that hangs over the king's throne.
44	* BreakTheCutie: In the two eponymous episodes named after him, Henry VI gets it hammered to him how unfit he is for the role of king, while his good nature does not help in any way. When the Lancastrian army is routed at the Battle of Towton, Henry, pretty much at the DespairEventHorizon, utters such before [[ItsAllJunk throwing away his royal crown (formerly worn by his Lancastrian forebears]]):
45	--> Would I were dead, if God’s good will were so,
46	--> For what is in this world but grief and woe?
47	--> -- ''Henry VI Pt. 3'', II.5.19-20.
48	** ''Henry VI Part 2'' shows how Richard, son of the Duke of York (the future Richard III), started out as an earnest (if slightly obsessed) young man and how he gradually turned into the villain we see in his respective play; his home is destroyed, his father and younger brother are gruesomely killed (the latter ''right in front of him'' while he's powerless to help) and he constantly has to watch his older brothers screw up or betray each other, every setback causing him to lose more faith in just about everything until he ''finally'' has enough and decides to take the throne himself. His hunched-back, withered arm, and the subsequent taunting he gets because of them, don't help.
49	* BuryYourGays: Poor Richard II.
50	* CastingGag: Andrew Scott plays French King Louis in the second season, meaning he is the counterpart to Benedict Cumberbatch's eventual King Richard III. Both, of course, played Moriarty and Sherlock Holmes in [[{{Series/Sherlock}} the BBC series]].
51	* CatapultNightmare: Unsurprisingly, Richard III bolts up after he is haunted in his sleep with a shrill "Jesu!".
52	* TheChainsOfCommanding: Unsurprisingly, as the source material is among the first {{Trope Codifier}}s of it in fiction. All of the kings presented are saddled with it, and all try and fail to deal with them (with Henry V arguably the only person to have acquitted himself with flying colors). To quote old Bolingbroke once again:
53	--> ''"Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown."'' (''2 Henry IV'' 3.1.31)
54	* CharacterTics: Richard III develops a habit of drumming his rings against the table in his paranoid ponderings. They serve as a version of HeartbeatSoundtrack when some of his murderous instructions are being carried out.
55	* CharacterizationMarchesOn: Probably InUniverse, even. As we saw domestic life in the House of York, Duchess Cecily and her son Richard are nothing if not a normal mother and son, Cecily even warmly handing Richard his cloak as he rides a horse. The brutality of war and loss (as well as Richard's complicity in most of them) probably embittered both of them against each other, such that when they finally confront each other at the tail-end of ''Theatre/RichardIII'', they can do nothing but snark and throw curses at each other.
56	** Bolingbroke/Henry IV undergoes a pretty substantial character shift between ''Richard II'' and the ''Henry IV'' plays, which can't be entirely accounted for by the change of actors from Rory Kinnear to (the very dissimilar looking) Jeremy Irons. Whereas Kinnear's Bolingbroke is depicted as a [[TheQuietOne quiet soldier type]] whose unwillingness to mince words contrasts sharply with Richard II's [[LargeHam constant speechmaking]], Irons’ Henry IV is much more outspoken and emotive and prone to long soliloquies about the cares of kingship (not unlike [[MeetTheNewBoss the very man he deposed, Richard II]]). Some of this could be chalked up to the changes brought about by the crown (which is an ongoing theme of the series), but between the visible aging and the personality shift it's easy to forget that this is supposed to be the same man just ''10 years'' after the events of the first installment.
57	* ColourBlindCasting: As shown by Edward of Westminster being played by white actor Barney Harris rather than a biracial actor, Margaret of Anjou is an example of this trope.
58	* CombatPragmatist: Across the series, notions of chivalry or fair play in sword-fighting are pointedly not observed, which makes sense considering war does not allow for such niceties. It's noticeable in that both a "heroic" character such as Theatre/HenryV and a "villainous" character such as Theatre/RichardIII are both seen DualWielding swords and daggers. Even the {{Mooks}} engage in this, as in ''Henry VI Part 2'', when a York soldier stabs Somerset from behind while he's preparing to duel one of his comrades.
59	* CompositeCharacter: This is common to productions of the histories, and ''Series/TheHollowCrown'' is no exception:
60	** Bagot in ''Richard II'' is conflated with Lord Salisbury, who appears in two scenes in the full text.
61	** Also in ''Richard II,'' Aumerle takes over most of Exton's dialogue and his role as regicide.
62	** In ''Henry V,'' most minor English nobles are combined into the Duke of York.
63	** The ''Henry VI'' episodes did a significant compression with the Duke of Somerset, who remains as Richard of York's bitterest rival and takes over the Duke of Suffolk's role as Queen Margaret's advocate and lover. He still dies in St. Albans, albeit he is decapitated and his head tossed to Margaret, akin to Suffolk's fate.
64	** A case happening with ''events'' in the second ''Henry VI'' episode: the Battles of Barnet[[note]]where Warwick the Kingmaker was killed[[/note]] and Tewkesbury[[note]]where Edward, Prince of Wales was executed and the Lancastrians defeated[[/note]] (separated by 20 days) was presented as one battle altogether. This compression is related to the following example.
65	** A confusing case of ArtisticLicenseHistory happened with Thomas Beaufort, 1st Duke of Exeter, who was Henry V's retainer at Agincourt. Thomas of Exeter died in 1426, while he is shown falling at the Battle of Tewkesbury in the second ''Henry VI'' episode. Tewkesbury happened in 1471--'''[[WritersCannotDoMath a full 45 years after his supposed death]]'''. He may have, however, been conflated with Henry Holland, 3rd Duke of Exeter[[note]]an heir of the original family that held the duchy of Exeter before Beaufort (since 1397), and who regained the title after Thomas of Exeter died without issue[[/note]]who fought for the Lancasters at Barnet (combined with Tewkesbury as mentioned above).
66	* CompressedAdaptation: One could take the entire saga as a further-compressed version of Shakespeare's already-compressed adaptation of the last years of UsefulNotes/TheHouseOfPlantagenet, albeit one that is better-paced and beautifully produced.
67	** Specifically, however, the 2016 ''Wars of the Roses'' cycle chose to compress the three ''Henry VI'' plays into two: (a) the ''Part 1'' episode comprised by a small part of ''Theatre/HenryVIPart1'' and the first half of ''Theatre/HenryVIPart2'' (making Humphrey of Gloucester the central tragic character while conveniently removing the negative portrayals of Joan of Arc); and (b) the ''Part 2'' episode continues ''Theatre/HenryVIPart2'' up to the entirety of ''Theatre/HenryVIPart3'' (consistently portraying the rise and travails of the House of York, while dropping the subplot of Jack Cade's rebellion).
68	* ContinuityNod: The presence of Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter (portrayed by Creator/AntonLesser), bridges ''Henry V'' with the two ''Henry VI'' episodes. His presence in the martial glory of the former king and the pathos of his heir highlights the degradation of the majesty of the English crown--ending with his death at the hands of George of Clarence in Tewkesbury. See, however, CompositeCharacter above as why this is historically inaccurate.
69	** The prop chair standing in for the throne of England remains consistent since the ''Henry IV'' episodes, the only thing changing is the opulence of the court hall.
70	** The crown worn by the elderly Henry IV and Henry V was the same crown later worn by Henry VI while he is in England--with another crown for when he was in France. Later, when France was genuinely independent, Louis XI wore the French crown Henry VI once bore.
71	* CrucifiedHeroShot: ''Richard II'' ends with a pan from Richard's loincloth-clad corpse to the crucifix above the throne. At one point, Richard deliberately invokes this trope during the deposition scene, lying on the floor at Bolingbroke's feet with arms outstretched.
72	* CruelMercy: Richard of Gloucester slowly develops a taste for inflicting them, especially for downed combatants who request a MercyKill. He, however, was raring to kill Margaret of Anjou--but was prevented from doing so by his brother Edward IV, who thought this might be what she deserved.
73	* DarkerAndEdgier: ''Henry V''. The RousingSpeech for both Harfleur and Agincourt are often desperate attempts to pick up terrified soldiers suffering the beginnings of PTSD. Henry himself seems brave--but unsure and increasingly weighted down by his decisions: it really does seem like he might lose at Agincourt.[[note]]While it has come down to history that Agincourt was a decisive, lopsided victory for the English, certain medieval historians (for example, [[https://www.amazon.com/Agincourt-Henry-Battle-That-England/dp/0316015040 Juliet Barker]]) would like to point out that there was the very real risk of a French counter-attack just after the baggage train massacre--which could have reversed the English position.[[/note]] His victories are not triumphs; their cost shows on his face and his army. The only visually "glorious" moment is his funeral. While almost all productions have the Chorus remind the audience how short Henry's life was, it's rare to actually see him dead, and England in mourning.
74	* DeadpanSnarker: Young Richard of Gloucester (before he becomes the terrifyingly Machiavellian Richard III) is portrayed as such.
75	* DeathByAdaptation: Bagot in ''Richard II'' survives by testifying against his former compatriots; this adaptation cuts that scene and has him beheaded along with the rest of Richard's former allies.
76	* DeathGlare: When Richard III's nephew makes fun of his hunched back, Richard seriously looks as if he's willing to kill the kid himself, and everyone around them is suddenly ''very'' nervous.
77	* DecapitationPresentation: ''Richard II'' ends with the heads of most conspirators against Henry IV rolling around on the floor.
78	** The second ''Henry VI'' episode is littered by examples, but most notable would be the cases of the Duke of Somerset and Richard, Duke of York.
79	* DecompositeCharacter: The aforementioned Aumerle in ''Richard II'' and York in ''Henry V'' are based on the same historical figure.
80	** The Duke of Suffolk still exists as a separate character (despite most of his roles taken by Somerset). He has, however, been made Young Clifford's father--and his death at St. Albans drives the young man to vengeance.
81	* {{Deconstruction}}: Interestingly, the second ''Henry VI'' episode and ''Theatre/RichardIII'' episode manages to do this to UsefulNotes/RichardIII's plotting and MagnificentBastard reputation. For most of his adult life fighting for the House of York, he has been consumed by the idea of Yorkist supremacy that he is willing to go to so much ends to ensure it happens--even at the cost of alienating and discarding the people closest and related to him who should have backed him up. In short, he was obsessed with the ''idea'' of protecting the House of York that he doesn't even see the damage he has wrought on his family and relatives--not unlike the criticism levied against [[Series/GameOfThrones Tywin Lannister]].
82	* DefiantToTheEnd: Joan of Arc remains unhesitatingly oppositional to the English, raining down heavenly curses before the flames engulf her.
83	** Richard III, true to history, goes down fighting against his foes, never begging for his life.
84	* DiesWideOpen: Suffolk, Young Clifford, and the Duke of Warwick end their lives this way. Only Warwick had someone close his eyes.
85	* TheDungAges: JustifiedTrope, in that soldiers getting mud-caked only happens during the open-field battles, where blood, sweat and soil would churn and muddy up almost everybody (i.e., the Battle of Shrewsbury in ''Theatre/HenryIVPart1'', the Battle of Agincourt in ''Theatre/HenryV'', and the Battle of Bosworth in ''Theatre/RichardIII'').
86	* EstablishingCharacterMoment: When the York brothers are reintroduced after a few years of Edward IV's rule, Edward is not only drinking but getting a refill, George is totally absorbed in a book and Richard is reading through some official documents, apparently the only one getting any actual work done when it comes to ruling the kingdom.
87	* EtTuBrute: Richard II is murdered by his closest friend, Aumerle.
88	* EvenEvilHasStandards: Buckingham is alright with everything Richard III does, but he freezes when he suggests killing the Princes in the Tower.
89	* EveryoneHasStandards: During Henry's graphic description of the city pillaging, the Duke of Exeter (the same guy who talked of Henry's thundering wrath shaking France) seems taken aback, almost shocked.
90	* EvilFeelsGood: An actual central concept of Richard Gloucester's characterization here. In this we are shown Richard can enjoy very little in his life because of his deformity (as he bitterly notes in a speech near to the end of ''Henry VI Part 2''), so when he does enjoy crushing his Lancaster enemies, he grows a tad overboard with it to overcompensate.
91	* ExactEavesdropping: In ''Henry IV Part 2'', Hal and Poins decide to pose as servants and jump out on Falstaff unawares. Coincidentally, Doll Tearsheet has just asked Falstaff why he even hangs out with them, and he disparages them both. Falstaff tries to talk his way out of it when Hal and Poins jump down, but Hal is unsatisfied.
92	* {{Foreshadowing}}: Near the beginning of ''Theatre/RichardII'', Richard watches a model posing for a painting of St. Sebastian. [[HumanPincushion Guess what happens to him at the end?]] The very opening scene of ''Richard II'' also foreshadows the layout of how the entire affair will end (see the [[TearJerker/RichardII Tear Jerker]] section for details).
93	** When Richard II comes ashore, he claims that "all the waters in the rough, rude sea cannot wash away the balm of an anointed king" and writes his name in the sand. The scene ends with the waves washing away his name.
94	** A literal case in ''Henry VI Part 1''. As Richard of York calls his sons by name, we see each of them until he gets to young Richard (future Theatre/RichardIII), in which we only see his distorted, shadowy silhouette approaching as ominous music plays, hinting of Richard's future villainies.
95	** Deliberately invoked in the final minutes of the second ''Henry VI'' episode, where Richard of Gloucester begins engaging in sinister soliloquies--leading up to the opening monologues of ''Theatre/RichardIII''.
96	* FaceDeathWithDignity: Bushy refuses to be dragged to the executioner. Instead, he walks up to him with dignity.
97	* FuroScene: ''A five-and-a-half minute'' Furo Scene with Creator/TomHiddleston and Creator/DavidDawson. Nothing sexual happens, be assured, but it'll be hard to ignore for viewers of both genders.
98	* GiveMeASword: Hal loses his sword during Shrewsbury and asks for Falstaff's. Falstaff hands him a bottle of wine instead. (Which in the present circumstances, Hal doesn't find amusing.)
99	* GratuitousFrench: Agincourt or rather ''Azincourt'' is pronounced the French way.
100	* GoldAndWhiteAreDivine: Underlies Richard II's wardrobe choices.
101	* {{Gorn}}: The ''Henry VI Part 2'' episode is positively the bloodiest and most graphic of the saga--approaching levels only previously seen in ''Series/GameOfThrones.''
102	* HandicappedBadass: In this version, Richard III has a massive crooked hunchback, a withered arm, and misshapen legs, which give him a gait. Despite all this, he somehow manages to be a foreboding force in combat: He successfully outfences Clifford and later matches Henry Tudor blow for blow.
103	* HeelFaceRevolvingDoor:
104	** Due to most of Exton's lines and role as the person to kill Richard going to him, Aumerle becomes this, as he starts out as loyal to Richard II, before reluctantly being forced to swear loyalty to Henry, only to join in on the conspiracy to assassinate the new king, until his dad catches him and he kills Richard to atone (even though that isn't what Henry wanted).
105	** George joins his family to put his father the Duke of York on the throne and eventually becomes Duke of Clarence under his brother Edward IV. Then he falls out with Edward over Edward's marriage and defects to the Lancasters and marries the also-turned Warwick's daughter to prove his allegience. But then when Edward turns up at Tewkesbury and makes an emotional plea, Clarence returns to him.
106	* HeroicBSOD: When Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, demands that Henry VI make him his heir, Henry invokes his right as heir of Henry IV and V through succession. York and Warwick note that Henry IV only got the crown by usurping Richard II by force--not purely by Richard II resigning. Seeing the Lancastrian claim as a BrokenPedestal, Henry VI was cowed towards giving in to York's demands. Margaret's subsequent reproach of his guilt-driven decisions (coupled with York's subsequent extrajudicial execution) sends him over to the edge of despair and apathy, [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere throwing away any care for his royal title altogether]] and running off into the wilderness after the Battle of Towton.
107	* HeWhoFightsMonsters: Richard of Gloucester/Richard III is portrayed as a loyal son embittered by warfare and vengeance against the Lancasters towards becoming a ruthless villain.
108	* HistoricalHeroUpgrade / HistoricalVillainUpgrade: This is, after all, Shakespeare's history plays, and the upgrading has been debated for centuries. ''Series/TheHollowCrown'', however, interestingly [[PlayingWithATrope plays with it]]:
109	** Richard II and Henry Bolingbroke are portrayed as neither heroic nor villainous, merely men doing things out of their seemingly-justified entitlement yet unable to go beyond them, leading to their tragedies;
110	** Henry V, despite his "Prince Hal" antics and conqueror schtick at Harfleur and Agincourt, is portrayed as a man who wants to follow his heart yet beset by expectations to meet them. He succeeds in meeting those expectations, but is not entirely happy over it--and had to sacrifice many things to meet them.
111	** Henry VI is best described by writers as either the most saintly of English kings or the most incompetent. Tom Sturridge's portrayal of him shows him for what he might actually be: a sheltered, good-natured young man saddled with kingship, mollycoddled and manipulated for most of his life. He is a good man, but indeed one who shouldn't have been forced into the role of king in the first place.
112	** UsefulNotes/JoanOfArc, in the original ''Theatre/HenryVIPart1'' text, was portrayed as the malevolent French witch the English would like to see her. In this production, it's almost consistent with historical writings on Joan: a woman who chose to fight for her country. The production significantly only used the least negatively charged of Shakespeare's dialogue for her.
113	** Margaret of Anjou lives up to (maybe even exaggerating) her reputation as a "She-Wolf of France" (killing nobles and soldiers left and right with her own sword while plotting the next scene--owing to Creator/SophieOkonedo's energetic portrayal). Yet even then she appears less as a malevolent, petulant woman and more as an impulsive woman trying to make the best out of her situation and position. That she loses her son, her title and dignity makes her appear less a case of LaserGuidedKarma and more a tragic figure herself.
114	** At best, the only villainy we could accord Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York would be his complicity in the execution of Joan of Arc and his open defiance of Henry VI--whereas in historical records he was careful enough to accumulate influence, never to openly declare his desire for kingship. However, the rest of the nobles of his generation (Somerset and Warwick among them) are consistently portrayed as primarily driven by self-interest and nothing more.
115	** Richard of Gloucester springs to life not as an inherently evil man, but as a dutiful son who wants to make sure his father York's entitlement to kingship comes to pass. Being met by frustrations, the deaths of his family, and the short-sightedness of his brothers made him the ruthless plotter who will stop at nothing to keep the crown in Yorkist hands--setting the stage for his negative reputation as UsefulNotes/RichardIII. See also BreakTheCutie above.
116	** Indeed, perhaps the most heroic and "clean" characters in the entire saga would be Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester and John Talbot--men of honor and duty whose unwillingness to take sides lead to their downfall due politicking. See NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished below.
117	* HistoricalInJoke: Due to being portrayed in a combination of Tudor propaganda and the facts that have come to light in the centuries since, the hump of Richard's hunchback is crooked, making him look like he has an extreme case of scoliosis. A nickname of the historical Richard III was "Richard Crookback" and given this portrayal's crooked hump, it is apt.
118	* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Richard III is stabbed in the throat with his own dagger by Henry Tudor.
119	* HopeSpot: In ''Henry VI Part 2'', Richard and Edmund are hiding from Clifford and he appears to turn away. Unfortunately as the boys attempt to make their escape, Clifford reveals himself from behind a doorway and grabs Edmund; Richard only avoids death as a step behind.
120	* HypercompetentSidekick: Richard of Gloucester to his brother Edward IV. It's part of what sours Richard on his older brothers; he has to pull all the weight of the family after their father's death, while Edward IV and the middle brother George Duke of Clarence waste their time either indulging themselves or bickering with each other.
121	* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: Richard III is finished off by Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond in this fashion.
122	* ImpromptuTracheotomy: Richard Duke of York stabs the Duke of Suffolk in the throat at close range in ''Henry VI Part 2''.
123	* InadequateInheritor:
124	** John of Gaunt's famous speech is, in truth, a dying plea to Richard to become a better king else England will fall into ruin. Richard pays him no heed, too busy tallying up Gaunt's belongings in anticipation of seizing them.
125	** Henry IV believes his son Hal is this, and isn't shy about telling him so.
126	** The Minor Tetralogy covering the Wars of the Roses might as well be called "InadequateInheritor: The Series," considering the kings of the period (Henry VI, Edward IV, Edward V and Richard III) will all be saddled with shortcomings that leads to the end of UsefulNotes/TheHouseOfPlantagenet.
127	* InformedDeformity / HistoricalBeautyUpdate:
128	** Henry V goes out of his way to apologize to Catherine for his looks, and in real life he had facial scars from an earlier battle. In this production, Creator/TomHiddleston [[http://www.britishmuseum.org/images/event_hiddleston_henry_V_304x384.jpg looks like this]].
129	** Richard III's angsting about how deformed and undesirable he is ([[http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/05/15/00/342B67C800000578-3590907-image-m-81_1463268293492.jpg despite being true on-screen]]) still rings hollow considering he's still freaking Creator/BenedictCumberbatch.
130	* InterplayOfSexAndViolence: Invoked by juxtaposing the assassination of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester with the adulterous bedding of Queen Margaret and the Duke of Somerset--a statement to how state power was centralized and perverted at the cost of innocent blood. Later on, Margaret seems to enjoy her stabbing of Richard, Duke of York (before she orders him beheaded)--the man responsible for her lover Somerset's death.
131	* InTheBack: The second series portrays the deaths of several characters as being stabbed in the back unawares, as if to emphasize just how degraded the War of the Roses is compared to the conflicts in the first tetralogy.
132	* ItsPersonal: Henry V does a SkywardScream of his anger when he's told that the Duke of York is dead and declares that until this moment, he had not been angry in France. His order to slaughter the French prisoners is portrayed as an act of vengeance for York's death.[[note]]Historically, Henry did commit this crime, but it was for fear that his troops couldn't keep them from escaping back to their own lines to renew the fight.[[/note]]
133	* KarmaHoudini: Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester--the man responsible for the deaths of both Joan of Arc and Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester [[note]]the latter plotted together with Queen Margaret and Somerset[[/note]]--never gets his comeuppance[[note]]whereas Somerset was killed at St. Albans and Margaret dethroned[[/note]]. Albeit this may be more of a case of WhatHappenedToTheMouse, as Winchester is portrayed dying in Shakespeare's original text (in a scene that's quite horrific, spiritually at least).
134	* KissingTheGround: Bolingbroke kisses the English sand after he returns from exile, as does Richard II after he returns from Ireland. Henry VI would himself do so after arriving in France to be crowned.
135	* KubrickStare: Richard of Gloucester, more and more as the parts of Henry VI drags on, and also in his eponymous play - ''by Jove'' is he good at it.
136	* LargeAndInCharge: Warwick is one of the most physically imposing figures in the War of the Roses and he is fearsome on the battlefield.
137	* LargeHam: Hotspur. Otherwise, mostly averted, which is surprising considering that it's Shakespeare. Speech is delivered as dialogue rather than verse. Even two great speeches of ''Theatre/HenryV'' are delivered in a more subdued way than usual.
138	** On the other hand, key characters from the ''Wars of the Roses'' cycle would ham it up accordingly when given the spotlight (Joan of Arc, Richard of York, Queen Margaret, Somerset, Warwick and Edward, Prince of Wales).
139	*** Humphrey of Gloucester, for someone who has served as a ReasonableAuthorityFigure and OnlySaneMan at court, was tipped over to SuddenlyShouting when the bickerings brought about by Henry VI's marriage to Margaret of Anjou become too much for him:
140	--->''Lordings, farewell; and say, when I am gone,\
141	I prophesied France will be lost ere long!''
142	---->-- ''Henry VI Part 2'' I.1.152-153.
143	*** Unsurprisingly, [[VillainProtagonist Richard III]] takes the cake out of everyone, with his soliloquies designed to unleash the hog as gloriously as possible. ([[MythologyGag Coincidentally]], [[AnimalMotifs Richard's sigil is a boar]].) Choice examples would be:
144	*** As he walks towards Henry VI's prison to murder him (''Theatre/HenryVIPart3'' III.2.158-163):
145	----->''To shrink mine arm up like a withered shrub;\
146	To make an envious mountain on my back,\
147	Where sits Deformity to mock my body;\
148	To shape my legs of an unequal size;\
149	To disproportion me in every part,\
150	Like to a '''[[SuddenlyShouting CHAOOOSS]]!!!'''
151	*** As he holds his infant nephew while contemplating to destroy Edward IV's regime (''Theatre/HenryVIPart3'' V.7.34-35):
152	----->''To say the truth, so Judas kissed his master\
153	And cried "All hail!" whenas he meant '''[[EvilSoundsDeep ALL. HARM.]]'''
154	*** His "Winter of Discontent" monologue (''Theatre/RichardIII'' I.1.1-41) is probably dripping with far more contempt compared to previous productions (see, for example, Creator/LaurenceOlivier and Creator/IanMckellen);
155	*** His condemnation of Lord Hastings (''Theatre/RichardIII'' III.4.75-78):
156	----->''If? Thou... protector of this damnèd strumpet,\
157	[[PunctuatedForEmphasis TALK'ST. THOU. TO ME. OF]] '''[[SssssnakeTalk "IFFFSSSS?"!]]''' Thou art a traitor.--\
158	OffWithHisHead! NOW BY ST. PAUL I SWEAR\
159	I WILL NOT DINE UNTIL I SEE THE SAME!
160	*** His VillainousBreakdown at Henry, earl of Richmond's return to England (''Theatre/RichardIII'' IV.4.497-501):
161	----->[[ChewingTheScenery IS THE CHAIR EMPTY?I IS THE SWORD UNSWAAAAYEEEDDD?!]]\
162	[[ThisCannotBe IS THE KING DEAD?! THE EMPIRE UNPOSSESSED?!]]\
163	WHAT HEIR OF YORK IS THERE ALIVE BUT WE?!\
164	AND WHO IS ENGLAND'S KING BUT GREAT YORK'S HEIR?\
165	'''THEN TELL ME! [[PunctuatedForEmphasis WHAT. MAKES. HE. UPON. THE. SEAS?!]]'''
166	* LaserGuidedKarma: For the duration of the ''Wars of the Roses'' cycle, most characters with blood on their hands (justified or not) would have been horrifically murdered or disgraced. It's almost positively similar to Creator/AkiraKurosawa's ''Film/{{Ran}}'' (itself an adaptation of Shakespeare's ''Theatre/KingLear'').
167	* LecherousLicking: Creator/BenedictCumberbatch does one over previous adaptations of ''Theatre/RichardIII'' by ''actively slurping Anne Neville's spit.''
168	-->'''Richard:''' He that bereft thee, lady, of thy husband\
169	Did it to help thee to a better husband.\
170	'''Anne:''' His better doth not breathe upon the earth.\
171	'''Richard:''' He lives that loves thee better than he could.\
172	'''Anne:''' Where is he?\
173	'''Richard:''' Here. ''[Anne spits at his face]'' Why dost thou spit at me?\
174	'''Anne:''' Would it were mortal poison for thy sake.\
175	'''Richard:''' ''[wipes the spit and then licks his fingers]'' Never came poison from so sweet a place.
176	--->-- ''Theatre/RichardIII'', I.2.148-160.
177	* LooksLikeJesus:
178	** [[http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mijusui36y1rywehbo1_1361415343_cover.jpg Richard II]] resembles the traditional image of [[UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} Christ]]. This is implied to be a calculated gesture to emphasize Richard's belief in the divinity of kingship. At Flint Castle, he stands in front of a golden disk, similar to the depiction of halos in medieval art, flanked by silhouettes of angels with trumpets. Even in death, his loincloth and the position of his legs are similar to depictions of Jesus on the cross.
179	** This was later unconsciously invoked by Henry VI himself. He starts off with the same long hair (albeit unkempt) and royal robes as Richard II. When he runs away from all the battles to become a mendicant, he eventually grows a beard and wears only a loincloth, much like Richard in his death. He ends in prison with gray robes and a shaggy beard, consistent with the kind of robes the historical Jesus would wear. In contrast to Richard's megalomaniacal image-building, the evolution of Henry's image seems more consistent with first-century Christian imagery.
180	** Oddly enough, the one later to adopt the "Christ the King" image in Richard's vein would be Henry's rival, Edward IV.
181	* LoveAtFirstSight: Edward IV is smitten as soon as Elizabeth Woodville pulls back her veil. When she refuses to become his mistress in exchange for getting her late husband's land back, he says he'll do one better and asks her to be his ''queen.'' As noted below, this impulsive proposal creates bloody ripple anon.
182	* LoveRuinsTheRealm: In ''Henry VI Part 2,'' Edward IV chooses to marry Elizabeth Woodville, a relatively low-born widow.[[note]]For those who would want this plot point explored better (even if historically-inaccurately), Creator/PhilippaGregory's ''Literature/TheCousinsWarSeries'' and its TV adaptation ''Series/TheWhiteQueen'' may be useful.[[/note]] This infuriates Warwick, who was arranging Edward's marriage to a French princess, and he promptly switches sides to join forces with Margaret of Anjou. Even worse, it alienates Edward's brothers, who are disillusioned with both him and his decisions. George flat-out rebels and joins Warwick (if only for a little while before he comes crawling back) while Richard bides his time and waits...
183	* LoyalToThePosition: The Bishop of Ely is present in both the second ''Henry VI'' episode and in ''Richard III'' as the one presiding over the coronations of Edward IV, Richard III and Henry VII--despite being loyal to Edward, fearful of Richard and Henry being the Lancastrian usurper to his previous Yorkist patrons. Interestingly, his continuing presence at court in all historical records probably makes this TruthInTelevision.
184	* ManlyTears: In ''Richard III,'' the Lord Lieutenant of the Tower weeps as the two princes are murdered.
185	* MomentKiller:
186	** Deliberately invoked by Hal and Doll Tearsheet; they set up the sheriff to be a cockblocker as a way to 1. make the sheriff uncomfortable 2. [[FakeOutMakeOut give Hal a reasonable excuse]] for sending the sheriff and his men away without searching the house (and arresting Falstaff) and 3. make the sheriff ''extremely'' uncomfortable. It works.
187	** The sheriff also kills another moment that has nothing to do with sex: for the first time, Hal has implied to Falstaff that their friendship cannot and will not survive his ascent to the throne. Before Falstaff can adequately respond, the sheriff arrives.
188	* MercyKill: Clifford begs for "dispatch" from Richard of York, but Richard decides to let him die in agony instead. Clifford tries requesting it again from Henry when Henry happens across him, but Henry can't bring himself to do it and flees, leaving Clifford to slowly drown in his own blood until the Yorks treat him like a marionette in his final moments.
189	* MistreatmentInducedBetrayal: Warwick defects because the news of Edward's marriage is announced just as Warwick has sealed the deal to have Edward marry the French princess Bona, making a fool of Warwick before the entire French court. Clarence defects for similar reasons when he says that he should have married Lady Grey so that Edward could make an appropriately advantageous marriage.
190	* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Across the series, some characters soliloquize on their complicity in a crime, and how it has marked them for retribution. Only a few have crossed the MoralEventHorizon.
191	** Henry Bolingbroke / Henry IV seems to see his unwitting role in ordering Richard II's execution as this.
192	** Richard, Duke of York, despite raining insults on Joan of Arc, eventually falls disturbed after seeing her consumed by flames. It doesn't, however, come up again when he himself is at the mercy of the Lancastrians.
193	** George of Clarence remembers his sins and contributions to the Wars (especially his killing of the Duke of Exeter) at Tewkesbury while he is imprisoned, and seems to begin regretting his actions. Shame that it was at that point that Richard of Gloucester's assassins turn up for him.
194	** Edward IV's last lines alive exhibit his shock and despair at failing to prevent George of Clarence's execution. His being sickly pale only adds to his pathos and fear.
195	** The most stark exhibition of it, of course, would be Richard III's nightmare where is haunted by the ghosts of all he killed (Henry VI, George of Clarence, the Duke of Buckingham, Queen Anne Neville, Rivers and Gray, and the Princes in the Tower). That the still-living Margaret of Anjou appears as his "tour guide from hell" doesn't help.
196	* NarratorAllAlong: The narrator (Creator/JohnHurt) of Henry V is really Henry's squire as an old man.
197	* NeckSnap: Warwick kills a Lancaster soldier this way in ''Henry VI Part 2''.
198	* NeverMyFault: By this point a broken, haggard woman, Margaret of Anjou in ''Theatre/RichardIII'' still seems oblivious towards her own complicity in her downfall and curses the entire House of York for her misfortune[[note]]forgetting she crossed the MoralEventHorizon when she oversaw the execution of Richard of York, gleefully stuffing a handkerchief with his son Edmund's blood on his mouth before chopping off his head[[/note]]. It's probably only at the very last scene, where she stands at the aftermath of the carnage at Bosworth, [[WasItReallyWorthIt that she begins to see the futility of it]].
199	* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Perhaps the most central tragic figure of the ''Henry VI, Part I'' episode would be Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, Lord Protector and uncle to King Henry VI. Despite his best efforts, trying to live a frugal life (even spending his own coffers to finance the war in France) and being well-loved by the public, his power, competence and loyalty became the object of jealousy. Through the manipulations of Queen Margaret, Somerset and the Bishop of Winchester, he sees his wife disgraced, he is forced to resign his titles, imprisoned and then assassinated. He has it as bad as [[Series/GameOfThrones Lord Eddard 'Ned' Stark]].[[note]]Humphrey's role as Lord Protector is an almost-approximate office to the Hand of the King in the series.[[/note]]
200	** John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, in contrast to most English nobles (especially York and Somerset) was trying his damned hardest to salvage the ground battles in France. Somerset's petulance and the lateness of York's response led to Talbot and his army being slaughtered wholesale at the Battle of Castillon.
201	* OffWithHisHead: Bolingbroke has Bushy and Green beheaded on-screen.
202	** The bitterest instigators of the Wars of the Roses, the Duke of Somerset and the Duke of York, also had their turns in losing their heads: the former at St. Albans, the latter in an ambush at his home.
203	** The heads of Richard III's enemies begin to roll in the middle part as he inches closer to the throne: [[spoiler: Rivers and Grey, Hastings, and finally Buckingham]].
204	* OhCrap: Margaret of Anjou does this when her son Ned (Edward Prince of Wales) insults Richard, directly leading to Richard stabbing him.
205	* OneShotCharacter: The defection of Warwick to Margaret of Anjou's camp was presided by King Louis XI of France. While Louis XI only appears in this one scene, Creator/AndrewScott's turn as him is verily {{Camp}} and yet believable in his fury that [[OneSceneWonder it's one of the more memorable scenes in the series]].
206	* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: In the opening of ''Henry VI Part 2'', Warwick has disarmed the Duke of Suffolk and is about to kill him when Richard Duke of York shows up and tells him to not kill him, "[[ThisIsSomethingHesGotToDoHimself For [he] himself must hunt this deer to death]]". Richard allows Suffolk to pick up his sword before dueling and killing him.
207	* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Also doubles as WhamLine (though ironically the final line and not for what is said) in ''Henry IV Part 1'' of King Henry suddenly speaking frail indicating that the strong warrior king is sick. TruthInTelevision as King Henry IV did become ill after Shrewsbury.
208	* OutOfFocus: Very little screentime is accorded to John Talbot, despite being supposedly one of the bigger tragic characters of ''Theatre/HenryVIPart1'' -- which translates to more focus on this production's central character, Humphrey of Gloucester.
209	* ParentChildTeam: In the opening scene of ''Henry VI Part 2'', Richard Duke of York and his sons Edward and George are shown fighting side-by-side in the Battle of Saint Albans and Battle of Wakefield. Edward saves his father when he loses his sword, allowing York to finish off his opponent.
210	* PatrickStewartSpeech: Subverted by John of Gaunt's famous speech about the greatness of England, as the end of the speech suggests that it is doomed. Coincidentally, the one delivering this version is Creator/PatrickStewart himself.
211	* PlanetOfSteves: The upper echelons of medieval English society was jam-packed with Henries, Edwards, and Richards, along with Elizabeths and Kates. The nicknames tend to be more differentiated (Henry "Harry Hotspur" Percy and Henry "Hal" the Prince of Wales, along with Henry VI's son Edward being called "Ned"). Characters are often referred to by their noble title instead--York, Gloucester, etcetera.
212	* PragmaticAdaptation: ''Henry VI Part I'' uses very little of the material from its corresponding play, since much of its plot -- fighting against Joan of Arc -- is irrelevant to what happens in the rest of the cycle. Plus, Joan is a) not depicted very tastefully in this play and b) the patron saint of France.
213	* ProtagonistJourneyToVillain: How Richard of Gloucester is presented. In Henry VI Part 2 we see a crippled young man be forced by circumstance of war into a mischevious backstabber, and finding out he likes it, thus embracing it.
214	* PunchClockVillain: The French ambassador, at least from the in-universe point of view of the English, comes off this way. He's constantly bringing Henry V bad news and rude messages, but he and Henry acknowledge that it's just his job to convey messages, not control for content.
215	* RapePillageAndBurn: Henry V makes extensive and graphic threats of this kind to the mayor of Harlefleur, persuading the man to surrender. Later, however, Henry uses the sight of Bardolph's hanged body to inform his army that he does ''not'' want them to despoil the French countryside.
216	* RefugeInAudacity: Falstaff claims credit for Hotspur's death whilst speaking to Hal, who ''himself killed Hotspur.'' Hal of course sees through it, but he lets it slide anyway.
217	* RememberTheNewGuy: You'd think you would have seen Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester in ''Theatre/HenryV'', being Henry V's brother and subsequent regent for his son, yet he only debuts in ''Theatre/HenryVIPart1.'' In fact, Shakespeare's original play has him, but he was cut out in the 2012 series.
218	* RousingSpeech:
219	** Henry V's "Once more, unto the breach" and "St. Crispin's Day" speeches appear, but are considerably more subdued (see DarkerAndEdgier above).
220	** At the morning before the Battle of Bosworth Field, the speeches of Henry, earl of Richmond and Richard III are inter-cut with each other. Richard's is streamlined as a more straightforward rallying cry about the foreign hordes coming for English families, while Richmond's is quite more subdued akin to Henry V's above and a promise to end bloody battles like the one they're about to fight.
221	* RuleOfSymbolism:
222	** Related to LooksLikeJesus above, the image of UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} (sometimes his pure identity, sometimes his "Christ the King" iconography) is best invoked by kings to assert their authority (or at least their closeness to him in spirit). Richard II (in riding a donkey to his deposition) and Henry VI (as a mendicant) invokes this best, although only the latter could be categorically justified as such.
223	** The red and white roses are blatantly invoked early into ''Henry VI Part 1'', and Henry VI's innocent favoring of the red rose pretty much stokes the Duke of York's resentment further.
224	** Margaret of Anjou leading her husband's armies into battle might as well be a theatrical fantasy-fulfillment of what the historical Margaret of Anjou would have wanted to do, ham-strung as she was by her gender and limited authority as queen consort.
225	** At the Battle of Towton, Henry VI's armor is conspicuously designed to carry the coat of arms of England--and even invokes similarity to the armor worn by Creator/LaurenceOlivier and Creator/KennethBranagh in their respective adaptations of ''Theatre/HenryV''. That Henry VI utterly fails to do anything valiant wearing it highlights how much of an InadequateInheritor he is to his father's mantle.
226	** In Richard III's nightmare where he is haunted by his victims, a roasted pig's head is decked out on the table while the ghost of Buckingham waits for him. The boar is Richard's personal sigil.
227	** As mentioned elsewhere, Richard II's death very explicitly mirrors Catholic iconography of St. Sebastian--who, despite being a Christian saint and martyr, has long been considered a symbol of gay desire. Richard, too, is depicted as gay, and as a sort of religious martyr in his own way (he still espouses the divine right of kings, as contrasted with Bolingbroke's more pragmatic, and modern, political outlook).
228	* SadClown: Simon Russell Beale's Falstaff has definite shades of this, particularly evident in his "honor" monologue before the Battle of Shrewsbury. While he's very much the LovableCoward (like ''all'' iterations of the Fat Man), the harsh realities of war seem to sadden him just as much as they frighten him.
229	* ShatterTheSymbol: As the Lancastrians attack the York castle, Margaret enters the dining room and burns the Yorkist white rose tapestry.
230	* ShirtlessScene:
231	** Richard II wears nothing but a loincloth for the final act.
232	** In ''Henry IV,'' there's one for Hal and Poins and two towels.
233	** Henry VI becomes the medieval version of a hobo wearing nothing but a loincloth too.
234	** Finally, Richard III (with his [[SarcasmMode glorious]], [[BodyHorror exaggerated humpback and scoliosis]] [[FanDisservice in full view]]) begins his "Winter of Discontent" soliloquy this way.
235	* ShooOutTheClowns: A few of Hal's old Eastcheap friends appear into ''Henry V'', but though they get some comic moments, their roles come out tragic. Falstaff passes away without any lines to be mourned by Mistress Quickly and the gang. Ancient Pistol, Bardolph, Nym, and the Boy are part of the army to France. Bardolph is seen making off with some ecclesiastical booty at Harlefleur -- the next we see him, he is hanging from a tree for this act of looting and Henry, after a brief reminiscence, announces that this is a just punishment. Pistol, always a MilesGloriosus, starts for the battle at Agincourt, halts at the sight of the carnage, and ends hiding in terror.
236	* SissyVillain: Played with Richard II, who's more of an AntiVillain[=/=]TragicHero than a villain. Still, the contrast between his delicate effeminacy and apparent homosexuality and Henry's more conventional, heterosexual manliness is striking.
237	* SmartPeoplePlayChess: A motif in ''Richard III.'' Richard mostly plays chess against himself, but we also see him playing a game with the Duke of Buckingham.
238	* SparedByTheAdaptation: In the full text of ''Henry V,'' the Boy is killed with his fellow pages while guarding the luggage. In this production, he survives to old age [[spoiler: and at the end is revealed to be the Chorus.]]
239	* SueDonym: Ancient Pistol asks Henry V his name while wandering around disguised. He answers "Harry le Roy." Fortunately Pistol is too uneducated to see through it and takes it for Cornish, and still doesn't get that Henry goes the extra step by "correcting" that he's Welsh (as in, former Prince of Wales).
240	* StuntCasting: Creator/JamesPurefoy as Thomas Mowbray and the buildup to his duel with Bolingbroke suggest he will be a significant character. Instead, he only appears in two scenes and is banished for life.
241	* TakeAMomentToCatchYourDeath:
242	** During the Battle of Tewksbury in ''Henry VI Part 2'', Warwick stops momentarily to catch his breath when he is stabbed in the back by Richard, the latter shown in a RevealShot.
243	** A non-fatal example happens later when Margaret walks after the battle and stops to sit on a log. Richard, George and several others subsequently appear and capture her.
244	* TimeShiftedActor: Henry IV (Bolingbroke) is played by Rory Kinnear as a young man and Creator/JeremyIrons when he's older.
245	* TitleDrop: The title of the series was taken directly from Richard II's despairing monologue (''Theatre/RichardII'' III.2.165-167):
246	-->''For within '''the hollow crown'''''\
247	''That rounds the mortal temples of a king''\
248	''Keeps Death his court...''
249	* TokenMinority:
250	** In Richard II, the Bishop of Carlisle is black; though nobody seems to notice. It's difficult to ignore it once he says, "O forfend it God/ That in a Christian climate, souls refined/ Should show so heinous, '''''black''''', obscene a deed!"[[note]]That said, people who we would today call Black or African were generally referred to as either a Moor or an "Ethiope" in Shakespeare's plays.[[/note]]
251	** Also, in ''Henry V'', the Duke of York is black, despite being the same individual as the Aumerle of ''Theatre/RichardII'' played by a white actor. (Few productions make the connection between the two characters, however.)
252	** One of the most-discussed casting choices would be Creator/SophieOkonedo's portrayal of Margaret of Anjou--which even [[http://indy100.independent.co.uk/article/ukip-councillor-attempts-to-blast-bbc-for-historical-inaccuracy-gets-destroyed-by-actual-historian--ZyZAasU2fb invoked racist abuse online]]. [[DeliberateValuesDissonance It does, however, highlight her foreignness from the English court--as Margaret's French blood did during her time]].
253	* TokenGoodTeammate: The Duke of Exeter consistently remains the most morally heroic character of the Lancastrian forces in Henry VI Part 1 and 2. Markedly, when the Lancastrians conspire to kill Humphrey, Exetor's their only member who has no part in the conspiracy and is thus shocked when he's killed. He's even this in Henry V, as he seems appalled by some of Henry's crueler moments.
254	* TooDumbToLive: The young Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York (the younger of the Princes in the Tower) seems to have developed a habit of doing an exaggerated, limping impression of his uncle Richard III--despite being warned by his mother of its impropriety (and it being his BerserkButton). He had the temerity to do it in front of Richard himself. Needless to say, it cements Richard's intent that they do not leave the Tower alive.
255	* TragicVillain: The series plus adds a lot of emphasis in how Richard UsedToBeASweetChild in Henry VI Part 2, so when we see him in full cackling villainy in Richard III, there's a sense of tragedy to it. In one of his last monologues in ''Part 2'', he also muses about happiness and nearly breaks in tears when he observes his deformity robs him of all joy in life except his cruelty and ambition.
256	* TrainingMontage: Featured over the opening credits of ''Richard II'' as Bolingbroke and Mowbray prepare for their duel.
257	* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl of March. Only referred to by word in the ''Henry IV'' episodes, he was seen as the only threat to the Lancasters' usurpation of Richard II. Come ''Henry VI Part 1'', the dying Mortimer calls Richard Plantagenet to his deathbed, enjoining him to regain the duchy of York to his name and seek the English crown for himself.
258	* VillainousFriendship: Richard III looks genuinely upset when Catesby is killed, the only major character whom he hasn't killed and who stayed at his side for all his misdeeds.
259	* TheVoiceless: Elizabeth of York[[note]]Richard III's niece whom he plans to marry, and who later becomes Henry Tudor's queen[[/note]] appears across ''Richard III'', but is never given a speaking role. Still, considering she is normally TheGhost in most stagings of this play, it's technically a step up.
260	* VomitIndiscretionShot: Henry VI, not a martial man by any fashion, throws up on-screen when the carnage of the Battle of Towton gets to him.
261	* WarIsHell: Consistently throughout both Major and Minor Tetralogies. Writers normally suggested that the Minor Tetralogy portrays war in all its vulgarities while the Major Tetralogy (especially ''Theatre/HenryV'') portrays WarIsGlorious. Yet throughout all productions, not once were the battles and triumphs (even in ''Henry V'', as mentioned in DarkerAndEdgier above) seen as worthy and of praise: people are stuck in the mud, cut down with brutal frequency, and human tragedy cuts across all--nobleman and foot soldier alike.
262	** The best illustration of this would be in the second ''Henry VI'' episode, where King Henry VI witnesses two men (one a son, the other an old father) killing their opponent for booty, only [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone to horrifically discover that they killed their own kin]] (the former his father, the latter his son).
263	** And then the last scene of the ''Theatre/RichardIII'' episode tops this up with less gore and more scale, with Margaret of Anjou listlessly looking towards heaven while the camera zooms out of Bosworth Field, highlighting the hundreds of dead this last battle of the Wars of the Roses wrought.
264	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Douglas has two scenes in Theatre/HenryIVPart1 and is never mentioned again. In the play, Hal is so impressed by his courage in battle that he releases him without a ransom, but this scene is omitted. It's a shame, too, because Hal's account of Douglas's capture paints him in a much better light than the DirtyCoward noblemen who get sentenced to death by King Henry in the same scene.
265	** Poins' role as one of Hal's friends is somewhat expanded on in this version, yet he still drops off the face of the earth part of the way through ''Part 2''.
266	* WhatTheHellHero: Henry V's generals all look pretty aghast when Henry threatens RapePillageAndBurn at Harfleur.[[note]]This is more a case of Henry V saying the quiet part out loud, as what he describes was the standard consequence for towns that did not surrender.[[/note]] Later, Exeter is horrified at Henry's order to execute the French prisoner's at Agincourt.
267	* TheWisePrince: Henry V starts out rather fresh-faced and dashing, but the toll of his decisions and the demands of leadership weigh him down more and more as his story unfolds. Then he dies.

Context Series / TheHollowCrown