Shardlake review: Great cast, but how is anyone supposed to follow this convoluted Tudor murder mystery?

Indeed, the people in Shardlake (Disney+) like to talk, a lot, but nothing ever sticks. Sean Bean’s Thomas Cromwell tries to explain Shardlake’s mission to us, but he does so in a way that makes it sound complicated and boring. Something about a murdered commissioner in the fictional coastal town of Scarnsea and how he wants the renowned lawyer Matthew Shardlake to investigate the matter. Oh, look at that — maybe I do know what’s happening. I just needed to step away from it for a minute.

Shardlake | Official Trailer

The year is 1536, a reformation is afoot, and Henry VIII has ordered the dissolution of Catholic monasteries throughout his kingdom. Bean’s Cromwell is a wee bit excited about it all, but the dead commissioner appears to have spoilt his fun, and so he orders his henchman, Jack Barak (Anthony Boyle), to fetch Shardlake (Arthur Hughes) for a job. It’s a simple one, really: find out what happened in Scarnsea, or else. “You will not fail me,” says Cromwell, and we are inclined to believe him.

Shardlake isn’t fond of Barak, and the feeling may be mutual, but they’ll need to get along and do what they’re told if they want to keep their heads. After arriving at the monastery, the boys initiate a heavy-handed investigation that angers the monks, most of whom appear to be hiding secrets from their superiors. The mood isn’t great, basically, and a cunning Sherlock — sorry, Shardlake — won’t stop until he has solved the mystery of the decapitated commissioner.

Throw in a hooded, Batman-esque villain, an ill priest and a yappy protagonist who likes to think out loud when nobody is around (more on that in a moment), and you have yourself a proper television puzzle. The problem is this: it’s just no fun.

Based on the popular historical mystery novels by the late CJ Sansom, who died this week on April 27, Shardlake should be a hit. On the one hand, it’s brilliantly cast, and the murder bit is a genuine head-scratcher. On the other, it’s silly (not in a good way), convoluted, and occasionally difficult to follow.

Shardlake is one of a growing number of complex historical dramas (here’s looking at you, Franklin) that forgets to provide meaningful context for the viewer. There is some, but not nearly enough. We are not asking for characters to spell things out for us — the last thing we need is for an irksome supporting player to step into the frame so they can provide a detailed summary of Tudor-era politics. But a gentle take-off would be nice.

‘Watching it is like listening to a conversation that started before you entered the room’

Instead, Shardlake throws us straight in the deep end. Watching it is like listening to a conversation that started before you entered the room, and it’s only afterwards that you realise what everyone was talking about. That gets annoying after a while, and visually, Shardlake — with its stagey sets, watery CGI, and fresh-out-of-the-box costumes — doesn’t fare much better. Director Justin Chadwick shoots his series like a daytime murder mystery, and it’s a bad look for this sort of set-up.

Meanwhile, our enthusiastic performers appear to be on different pages. A scenery-chewing Sean Bean perhaps knows he is in limited demand with this story, and so he does everything he can to make sure we notice him when he’s around. Belfast actor Boyle — a decent performer, brilliant with accents — marches about the place like he’s in The Tudors. And then there’s Hughes, the undeniable star who approaches his character with delicacy, sincerity and low-key charm.

Shardlake has scoliosis, and Hughes, who has radial dysplasia affecting his right arm, portrays him as a man who refuses to allow his disability to define him. Strangers stare and call him names, but Shardlake almost always gets the better of them. He’s a tremendous character; clever, confident and wonderful to watch, and Hughes is perfect for the role. But our level-headed sleuth also has an unusual habit of speaking to himself about the case whenever he’s alone — a neat literary device, for sure, but on screen it just sounds terrible. Great performers, but the show around them needs some work.

Shardlake is now streaming on Disney+