Shardlake (2024-) Episode 1

Shardlake (2024-) is a gritty murder mystery set in England during the dissolution of the monasteries, in the late 1530s. I touched on the fact that this show has fabulous costumes in my Tudor Summer Preview post last week, but I think there’s definitely enough material in this show to do a good dedicated episode-by-episode showcase of the costuming, which was designed by Bartholomew Cariss (Becoming Elizabeth). So let’s take a look at episode 1, shall we?

The role of Matthew Shardlake is played by Arthur Hughes, who has radial dysplasia affecting his right arm. He wears a leather back brace in the show as well, which I’m assuming is a nod to the novel’s version of Shardlake who had severe scoliosis, resulting in a “hunchback” appearance.

Right off the bat, we get a dressing scene where Matthew Shardlake is shown putting on his clothing. We always love a good dressing scene that shows the appropriate layers of clothing in a historical flick. Also, it allows us to admire the handiwork on this nice linen shirt with a simple blackwork design on the collar and a small frill.

All the layers present and accounted for. Shardlake is wearing a robe over his doublet and breeches, appropriate for his station as a barrister.

Here’s a mostly full length shot of the outfit.

Sean Bean plays Thomas Cromwell, Shardlake’s boss. He really only has one costume for the show, since he’s not seen very often (he’s more of a presence felt throughout the episodes than actually in them), consisting of a red satin doublet with gold trim and buttons, black breeches, and a sumptuous black fur lined robe. I’d also like to point out that my friend Nicky Wade Evans made the replica of Cromwell’s turquoise ring seen here.

Shardlake gets a sidekick, Jack Barak (played by Anthony Boyle), who is one of Cromwell’s henchmen assigned to shadow Shardlake on the mission to the monastery at Scarnsea, which refuses to submit to Henry VIII’s demands to dissolve.

Babou Ceesay plays Abbott Fabian, the head of the incredibly wealthy monastery at Scarnsea and the thorn in Cromwell’s side.

Abbott Fabian has a surprising number of costume changes and accessories throughout the series, which I particularly enjoyed, since as the head of a rich monetary he would have access to the finest clothing and jewelry. This crimson silk velvet capelet and goldwork belt are super yummy.

Surprise, there are women in this show, and their costumes are also really good! This is the first scene in which the character Alice, played by Ruby Ashbourne Serkis (real-life daughter of Andy Serkis), is introduced. Alice is a serving girl working at the monastery and under the protection of Abbott Fabian. Hair is up, though this scene is the only one that she appears with it uncovered.

Alice also gets a few costume changes, which is a good change of pace for shows where there’s only one working-class woman in the cast. The costume department equips her with a nice range of accessories and mix-and-match clothing items, so she always appears neatly dressed but without wearing the same exact thing over and over.

Apologies for the slightly blurry screen grab, because she was moving at quite a clip in this scene. But you can make out that she has a blue wool jacket, lined in natural colored linen, and pinned closed in the front. She wears this over a mustard yellow wool kirtle with a black linen apron. It’s one of those looks that is pretty obviously drawn from *The Tudor Tailor*, *The Typical Tudor*, and the *Queen’s Servants*. I love it when a show references these books!

I’m reasonably certain that this is the kirtle that Alice is wearing under the blue wool jacket above. Excellent fit!

And we get a glimpse of it from behind, showing again that it’s been expertly tailored to the actress. Also, check out those yummy pleats!

Speaking of female characters, there’s actually another one in this show: Joan, Shardlake’s sassy housekeeper. Again, the image is blurry because she’s always moving in every scene she’s in (busy lady). Her outfit is also directly inspired by *The Tudor Tailor*, and is nicer than what Alice wears as Joan is higher in station.

It appears that she has a pink kirtle under the mulberry wool overgown and is wearing orange sleeves that would be pinned to the kirtle. She accessorized this with a moss green linen apron and a leather purse. She’s also married (not to Shardlake), as is evidenced by the ring on her left ring finger, and the fact that it’s pointed out to Barak when he tries to put the moves on her.

Matthew Steer plays Dr. Goodhap, who is staying at the monastery on behalf of Cromwell, in an attempt to get the abbot to surrender to Henry VIII’s demands. He has a beautiful purple silk satin suit trimmed in black braid and worn with a black fur lined overgown.

And I just wanted to end on this scene, which actually happens fairly early in the episode, because you can see the range of clothing styles in the crowd scene behind the bird lady. I love a good costumed crowd scene.

Especially noteworthy is the woman in the green gown with the French hood, and the other lady standing behind her in what looks like a gown that was modified to accommodate a pregnancy, with lacing open across the stomach. Really nice touches in a scene where the costume department really didn’t have to go to that length but they did, because they know people like us will be looking at it. ;)

Have you seen Shardlake (2024-) yet? Tell us in the comments!

Find this frock flick at:

More Frock Flicks

9 thoughts on “Shardlake (2024-) Episode 1”

Gail says:

May 21, 2024 at 7:53 am

Have you read the books?
(The author, sadly, recently died…)
1. ED says:
  
  May 21, 2024 at 12:33 pm
  
  I’ve read the first novel, but didn’t really cotton to the series – not an admirer of Henry VIII, Thomas Cromwell or their leg men – though I am willing to give this show a chance, should it show up on a subscription channel I can access.
  1. M.E. Lawrence says:
    
    May 21, 2024 at 1:00 pm
    
    Shardlake, and Sansom, aren’t admirers of H8, eiither. (Sansom detested nationalism, so I doubt very much he was a Tory.)
    1. M.E. Lawrence says:
      
      May 21, 2024 at 6:56 pm
      
      Sorry, that’s “either.” Anyway, I must see this. Not sure about Bean, much as I admire him, playing Cromwell, but cannot resist hot English kirtle action.
Mary says:

May 21, 2024 at 9:46 am

I’m reading the last Shardlake book now & am sad that there will be no more. I’ll have to pay for a month or look for a free trial of Disney+ to see the series. I would love to see these stories come to the screen.
One question about the parrot — blue and gold macaws are native to South America. Isn’t the 1530s a little early for one to show up in England?
1. gunnsdaytter says:
  
  May 22, 2024 at 2:21 am
  
  In the show they say the parrot is from “Peruland”.
Peacoclaur says:

May 21, 2024 at 11:41 am

Disabled actors playing disabled characters FTW (even if it’s not a 100% match) – yay for no cripping up!
Cheryl from Maryland says:

May 22, 2024 at 6:53 am

I do hope the TV series continues with the other books – which have more court characters and more women!
Kat says:

May 22, 2024 at 12:29 pm

Loved Anthony Boyle in Masters of the Air so am very glad he’s getting more historical work!