hbo be renowned for their excellent original programming . recently and the premier cable channel have get into historical drama with the excellent elizabeth i and rome . ever the copycat and showtime now offer the tudor and combine the time period of elizabeth i and the format of rome . too bad it have none of the quality . where elizabeth i have gravitas and the tudor be deadly dull . where rome be risqué and shocking and the tudor be just empty head and smarmy . it be difficult not to change the channel on this show in the first ten minute while i can not imagine plod through an entire droning and silly season of this . hbo program be the product of creator genuinely keen on their subject and time period and while this plodding and vapid showtime program be another lame attempt to mimic a rival glory .