How to watch
Wolf Hall Watch Order in the correct order
How to watch Wolf Hall in order
Last updated: November 12 2026
Written by: ChronoBob
Wolf Hall is the BBC's acclaimed adaptation of Hilary Mantel's novels about Thomas Cromwell and the court of Henry VIII. Here's how to watch both series.
Wolf Hall stars Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell, a blacksmith's son who rises to become Henry VIII's most powerful advisor, with Damian Lewis as the volatile king. Directed by Peter Kosminsky and based on Hilary Mantel's Booker Prize-winning novels, the 2015 series won widespread acclaim, including BAFTAs for Rylance and the show itself. Nearly a decade later, the cast reunited for Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, adapting the final book in Mantel's trilogy.
π Release Order
Release order follows Cromwell's story exactly as Mantel wrote it.
- Wolf Hall (2015)
- Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (2024)
The first series adapts both Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, ending with the fall of Anne Boleyn. The Mirror and the Light picks up immediately afterward.
π Story Chronology
The second series charts Cromwell's final years in power through Henry VIII's later marriages and his own eventual downfall, so story chronology and release order are identical.
- Wolf Hall (2015)
- Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (2024)
Which Order Should You Choose?
Watch Wolf Hall first and then The Mirror and the Light. The two series form one continuous story, and the emotional weight of Cromwell's final chapter depends on everything that came before. Both are slow-burning, richly detailed political dramas that reward close attention. If you love historical television, The Crown, Poldark, and The Last Kingdom are excellent companions.
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