'Shardlake' (2024) air date, plot, full cast, and how to stream Hulu's historical mystery series
Show name: Shardlake
Platform: Hulu
Date of release: May 1, 2024
Countries of origin: United Kingdom
Genre: History/Mystery/Drama
Director: Justin Chadwick
Full cast list: Sean Bean, Paul Kaye, David Pearse, Babou Ceesay, Joe Barber, Gergo Borbas, Charlotte Christof, Hilary Tones, Anders Olof Grundberg, Roby Singh
Hulu is gearing up to release 'Shardlake' on May 1, 2024, a series based on CJ Sansom's book series. The show, starring Arthur Hughes and Sean Bean, dropped its trailer on April 10, 2024.
Set in 16th century Tudor England, 'Shardlake' follows Matthew Shardlake (Arthur Hughes), a lawyer hired by Thomas Cromwell (Sean Bean), Henry VIII's right-hand man, to look into a murder.
Anthony Boyle co-stars as Jack Barak, who aids Shardlake at Cromwell's request. The ensemble cast includes Babou Ceesay, Paul Kaye, Ruby Ashebourne Serkis, Peter Firth, Matthew Steer, Brian Vernel, Irfan Shamji, David Pearse, Miles Barrow, Mike Noble, and Kimberley Nixon.
'Shardlake' is written by Stephen Butchard and executive produced by George Ormond, Mark Pybus, and Stevie Lee.
What is the plot of 'Shardlake'?
Set in 16th century England during the dissolution of the monasteries, 'Shardlake' is an eerie whodunit adventure.
Shardlake, a sheltered lawyer, faces a life-altering task when Cromwell instructs him to investigate the murder of one of his commissioners at a monastery in the remote town of Scarnsea.
The official synopsis similarly reads, "Drenched in mystery, suspense, and deception, this four-part drama, based on the first novel in CJ Sansom's internationally popular Tudor murder mystery series, is an eerie whodunit adventure, set in 16th century England during the dissolution of the monasteries. Shardlake's sheltered life as a lawyer is turned upside down when Cromwell instructs him to investigate the murder of one of his commissioners at a monastery in the remote town of Scarnsea."
The synopsis further continues, "The commissioner was gathering evidence to close the monastery and it is now imperative for Cromwell's own political survival that Shardlake both solves the murder and closes the monastery. He leaves Shardlake in no doubt that failure is not an option. Cromwell insists that he is accompanied by Jack Barak to Scarnsea, where the duo are met with hostility, suspicion and paranoia by the monks who fear for their future and will seemingly stop at nothing to preserve their order."
'Shardlake' main cast
Sean Bean
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Sean Bean has been a prominent figure in theatre, radio, television, and movies since the 1980s. Born in Handsworth, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, to Rita and Brian Bean, he initially worked for his father's welding firm before pursuing acting.
Bean attended RADA in London, appearing in various West End stage productions, including RSC's 'Fair Maid of the West', 'Romeo and Juliet', 'Deathwatch' at the Young Vic, and 'Killing the Cat' at the Theatre Upstairs.
He portrayed emotionally torn warriors, including Boromir in 'The Lord of the Rings,' and noble Greeks, like Odysseus in 'Troy', where his presence added grace and validity to the film.
Recently, he starred in Shakespeare's 'Macbeth,' captivating audiences in London with a critically acclaimed performance.
Despite his success, Bean remains a man's man, residing in London, where he enjoys raising his three daughters, Lorna, Molly, and Evie, watching football, and the occasional pint.
David Pearse
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David Pearse, an Irish actor, portrayed Svein on the History Channel's drama series 'Vikings'. Pearse was born in Dublin, Ireland, and studied theatre at the Samuel Beckett Centre at Trinity College. He is recognized for his roles in 'The Guard', 'Grabbers', and 'The Foreigner'.
Nominated for a Drama League of America Distinguished Performance Award in 2009 for 'The Cripple of Inishmaan', Pearse won the Outer Critics Circle award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play in the same year.
Additionally, he was nominated for the Golden Nymph Outstanding Actor - Comedy Series at the Monte Carlo International Television Festival in 2011 for 'Trivia'.
Babou Ceesay
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Baboucarr Alieu Ceesay (born 1979) is a British actor known for his role in 'Guerrilla'. He also starred as the main antagonist Pilgrim in Season 3 of the AMC TV series, 'Into the Badlands'.
Ceesay was born in London, England, and grew up in West Africa. He is a dual-national of Gambian descent and trained at the Oxford School of Drama.
He has been involved in many significant stage projects, including 'The Overwhelming' opposite Andrew Garfield and 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. He also studied Microbiology at Imperial College London and worked as an internal auditor at the accounting firm, Deloitte.
Ceesay's first major role was in the horror/comedy film 'Severance'. Two years later, he appeared on TV in an episode of 'Whistleblower'.
In 2020, Ceesay was cast as DI Jackson Mendy in the Alibi television series 'We Hunt Together', starring alongside Eve Myles, Hermione Corfield, and Dipo Ola.
How to stream 'Shardlake'?
'Shardlake' is all set to hit your Hulu screens on May 1. Don't have Hulu?
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'Shardlake' trailer