I loved the first season of the Tudors. It was fun and scandalous and wonderful eye-candy. The second season was a huge let down. While the addition of the Pope and the creation of the Jesuits and the take over of the English Church by Henry made for good intrigue, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers continued to show his prowess as an actor, and the rest of the cast does a brilliant job supporting him, the character decisions made by the creators were upsetting. The gratuitous explicit sex continues, which is no surprise and in itself fine. But the brief respect the writers gave their gay/bisexual men in the first season did not carry on into this one. There is barely a touch between the male couple, Boleyn and Smeeton. Instead of showing a sex scene, or even a kiss, between these characters, the creators opt to make it clear that Boleyn is gay by showing him anally rape his wife. I was so shocked (and offended) by the decision I could not bring myself to finish the series. Up until that episode I had been only half as invested in the season as I had been in the first. And afterward, I decided it was just not worth my time. I was really looking forward to catching up with this show. What a waste.