Author Samantha Wilcoxson: Final Thoughts on Shardlake

Shardlake on Hulu, copyright Disney+

The ending of Shardlake episode two left me with some big questions about what changes were going to be made to the story. Forget that Jack wasn't even supposed to be at Scarnsea, now he had committed an action that didn't make sense, didn't add to the story, and could have huge consequences when Matthew discovered it. Except that didn't turn out to be true. Well, it was true that Jack's run-in with Goodhap didn't add to the story, but in the end Matthew - our justice loving, truth seeking Matthew - just sort of shrugged it off.

Well, alright, I guess.

Alice's part is done very well in the series, and it holds almost precisely with Dissolution, with the obvious exception that she doesn't run away with Mark Poer since his character has been chopped to give us and earlier introduction to Jack Barak. Ruby Ashbourne Serkis does a fantastic job bringing Alice to life and seeming very genuine in the role. She's a woman who has empowered herself in an era when women didn't have power, but her story is still believable and doesn't creep into anachronisms.

Ruby Ashbourne Serkis as Alice in Shardlake
copyright Disney+

I've strived to be a positive voice among Sansom fans who refuse to believe that Disney could do him justice. Are the books better? Of course. Was the show still worth watching? Absolutely! It included some great moments from Dissolution that I loved seeing on screen.

What I really missed were the moments that make readers really love Matthew and make the series more than a bunch of historical mysteries. I started out thinking we were going to get this. In episode one, Matthew has some private moments where he beats himself up, and we got a peek at his vulnerable side. Unfortunately, that didn't happen much for the rest of the series, though we see his heart break a little bit when he returns from London to find Jack and Alice embracing.

But where was Kate??? Matthew's memories of Kate, his love for her and admitting it too late - is it just me? I think this is an important part of Matthew's character. It's part of why he has a shell and why he's softer than you think underneath. It makes your heart break a little more for him when he realizes that Alice has also found another more appealing.

As for the mystery, besides a few minor tweaks, much of it is the same as the book, so I won't give spoilers here. For me, Sansom's mysteries, well done as they are, were always secondary to following Matthew on his personal journey through the series. I hope those who have discovered Shardlake through the show will read on in Dissolution and beyond to join us on Team Matthew.

Will there be another series of Shardlake? Your guess is as good as mine, but if there is, I will look forward to seeing Dark Fire brought to screen. What do you think?

This post covers episode 3&4, click here for episode 2, and here for Hello, Shardlake. Goodbye, CJ Sansom.

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