The Pillars of the Earth - Power struggles in 12th century England (2010)

Blog Rating: 9.05 out of 10

This series is based on the best-selling book by the well-known British writer Ken Follett, in which he tells the story that describes the entire process of building a cathedral in the English city of Kingsbridge. Ken Follett engages his protagonists in intrigues, allowing them to experience the violence and despotism of those times and reward them for their faith and devotion.

In 1135, King Henry I of England died, leaving no successor. As he only had illegitimate children, as his only legitimate child was killed in a shipwreck, it sparked an endless dispute over the crown. Meanwhile, a bricklayer with his pregnant wife moves through the fields in search of work.

Ian McShane as Waleran Bigod

Tom Builder (Rufus Sewell) is a builder and is looking for a job. With his pregnant wife and his two children, he wanders through the Shiring area when they meet the witch who lives in the forest, Ellen (Natalia Wörner). His son Jack (Eddie Redmayne) is calm and very skilled with his hands. When Builder's wife dies at the birth of the baby, Tom places it in the grave, where a monk picks it up and takes it to Kingsbridge. Local prior Philipp (Matthew MacFayden) wants to rebuild the old cathedral, where Tom takes over the work.

Mathhew Macfadyen as Philip

At the same time a war of succession begins in England between the sons of the deceased king. Stephan (Tony Curran) and Mathilda (Alison Pitt) fight each other in battle, and the church through Waleran Bigod (Ian McShane) eagerly joins in. Nothing works without the approval of the clergyman, who looks out for his own interests, and the construction of Kingsbridge Cathedral is constantly delayed. As a result, the work continues for decades, leaving Tom Builder, Prior Philip, and his assistants more than once with problems that seem impossible to solve.

Evil church servants, bloody battles, intrigue, sex, and tragedy are featured in abundance throughout the series.

Eddie Redmayne as Jack

In this interesting story, the obnoxious bishop of the church, Ian McShane, stands out above all, who portrayed his devious character in an extraordinarily compelling way. But the good guys Matthew Macfadyen or the red-haired Eddie Redmayne dominate their roles with great success. There are also household names like Rufus Sewell and Donald Sutherland, who also contribute to the success of the story. A very well accomplished work...simply unmissable.