WILL Episode 7

Episode 7 of WILL brings a fire to the theater, a fire later found out, by Will, to be set by Presto.  This further jeopardizes the livelihood of the Burbage Family, as James is slated to be arrested, due to debt that he can not pay back. 

 

Will makes it his goal to write a new play and find a benefactor to help save the theater.  He finds a man who is willing to bail James Burbage out of debt, and save the theater, if and only if the play can convince the woman of the benefactor’s fancy to marry him.  Will gets to work on writing, and creates what is essentially A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 

 

Richard Burbage is cast as the “King of the Fairies” who is essentially Puck.  The woman of the benefactor’s fancy attempts to seduce Richard, backstage, but Richard refuses, placing his family’s well-being ahead of a cheap thrill.  Richard encourages the woman towards the benefactor, using a line that we later find out is from the play.

 

Richard Topcliffe survived Presto’s knife attack, but appears wounded and weaker than before.  He continues with his persecution of Catholics.

 

Alice Burbage expresses her hatred for Will, to Will.  Robert Southwell attempts to witness to Alice, explaining that Christ’s love is trustworthy and will never leave her.  Robert Southwell is excellent at imitating Christ’s love towards the woman caught in adultery.  He does not condone the sin, but witnesses to a love that is stronger than the sin.  Alice watches an infant baptism, but a raid occurs, in which two Catholics are taken away by Topcliffe’s minions. Robert Southwell, trusting in God’s ultimate goodness, the resurrection of the just, and the noble necessity of his cause accepts that the martyrdom of the two captives will lead to their ultimate peace in Heaven, surrounded by the glory of God. 

 

Presto sees Richard Topcliffe in public and plans to stab him to death, but Will catches Presto and advises him not to, on the grounds that such a public action would surely result in Presto’s death, and would not be an effective form of vengeance.  Will, however, promises Presto that Will will help him find a more appropriate form of vengeance against Richard Topcliffe.

 

Christopher Marlowe, who meanwhile has been getting more and more lost through the past several episodes attempts to have Satan invoked.  After finding the attempt to be a hoax, he decides that he wants there to be a new play featuring the devil on stage.

 

Will’s play ends with the benefactor’s proposal to the woman, and her acceptance.  James Burbage receives the money needed to pay off his debts and keep the theater functioning.  James is furthermore excited about this new play and the potential money that it can bring in, moving forward.

 

What will Will’s vengeance that he "owes" Presto against Richard Topcliffe constitute?  Will Robert Southwell convince Alice Burbage to convert to the Catholic Church?  Will A Midsummer Night’s Dream (variation) be a success?   What will Christopher Marlowe’s play be like?  The next episode is scheduled for Monday, August 21 on TNT.  I predict that just like the first 7 episodes, Episode 8 will be worth your time!

 

 

 

 

 

WILL Episode 6

In Episode 6 of WILL, Richard Topcliffe continues with his torture of a Catholic man, who refuses to renounce his Faith, as he recites from the Apostle’s Creed.  It does not seem that Topcliffe’s victims are well versed in the specific Bible based apologetics used to show the authority of the Catholic Church, under the Pope, as none of Topcliffe’s victims have attempted any Scriptural appeal, such as showing the Church’s authority through 1 Timothy 3:15 or 1 John 4:6. They don’t attempt to show the Pope’s authority through Matthew 16:17-19, further clarified by the “Feed my sheep” commands given to Peter in chapter 21 of John, through the lens of Mark 9:35, confirmed by the universal acceptance of Peter’s words, shown in Acts 15:6-12, words that by divine authority supersede the Old Covenant command found in Genesis 17:14.

 

With Alice’s convincing, Will and Alice commit adultery together, again.  The man who Alice’s parents tried to get her to marry senses Alice’s lack of love for him, and ends up breaking off the engagement, much to the horror of Alice’s mother who proceeds to tell Will that if he truly loves Alice, he must break her heart and stop leading her on, since he is a married man.  Will proceeds to do what Alice’s mother said, and is particularly hurtful and nasty about it, being a complete jerk to Alice, going far beyond what Alice’s mother asked Will to do, Will perhaps felt it was necessary to go to that extreme.  He was so cruel to her, though, that it was almost as difficult to watch as the Richard Topcliffe torture scenes.

 

Will meanwhile proceeds to start writing the play that Richard Topcliffe has asked him to write.  In that play, Will personally attacks Robert Southwell with outright lies.  Robert Southwell, however, remains humble and forgiving, hoping and praying that Will comes back to the Faith.  Robert Southwell also attempts to comfort Alice, when it is clear that Will has wronged her.  While Will remains the central protagonist, Robert Southwell remains the noblest character on the show.

 

Things get rough for the prostitute Apelina and her brother Presto.  Apelina’s madam puts Presto in a dress, Presto initially under the impression it would be an effective disguise to rob people.  When Apelina informs Presto that the actual intent was to pass him off as a girl to be prostituted off to men interested in sodomizing a little girl, Presto runs off.  The madam informs Apelina that if Presto does not return, Apelina will be killed.  Presto returns, is made up to look like a girl, and then discovers that his first client is Richard Topcliffe.  Presto proceeds to stab Richard Topcliffe, run off, and tell Apelina to run, too.  In the attempted escape, Apelina gets shot, and dies. 

 

Will’s wife, Anne, who previously did not support Will’s dream of becoming a stellar playwright, gets to see one of Will’s plays successfully performed.  She is moved to tears, tears that she later explains are a result of accepting the harsh reality that Will would always view his marriage as secondary to his career dream as a playwright.  She realizes that London is not the place for her and the children.  With great sadness, while she remains married to him, she releases him to pursue his dream, without interfering, asking merely for him to send money back to her and the children.  This is indeed a sad moment, brilliantly performed by actress Deirdre Mullins who projects Anne Shakespeare’s pain out to the viewing audience in such a way that our hearts break for her.

 

Will Richard Topcliffe survive the stab wound?  Will Will finish Richard Topcliffe’s play that betrays Will’s cousin, his family, his Faith, and his God?   Will Will get back together with Alice, now that Will’s wife is out of town?  Will Alice even take him back after the inexcusably cruel way he spoke to her?  Find out next Monday, August 14 on TNT.  I predict it will be worth your time, like this week’s episode.

 

 

 

WILL Episode 5

Episode 5 of WILL starts with Will proclaiming his love for Alice Burbage, to Alice Burbage, claiming to her that she has brought him a level of happiness like he never experienced before.  They are having adulterous sex as this discussion is going on, but this is interrupted by an announcement that Will’s wife and three children have arrived, a surprise visit.

 

Alice is devastated seeing the reality of Will’s wife and children, who previously, in Alice’s mind, were almost nonexistent, since Will essentially treated them as nonexistent in his willingness to have the affair with Alice.  While Olivia DeJonge does a phenomenal job conveying Alice’s emotional devastation, strictly through her facial countenance, the audience is left with mixed feelings, the genuine sympathy that those with hearts will inevitably feel towards anyone who is clearly hurting, and the “this is what you get for knowingly having an affair with a married man,” sense of poetic justice.

 

Alice’s mother is happy about Will’s wife and children arriving, hoping it will be a catalyst to get Alice to marry the rich man she picked out for Alice.  Alice makes it clear to her mother, though, that she will not marry someone who she does not love.  Alice’s mother shuns love, as she verbally berates Alice’s father and her marriage to him, to Alice, making Alice’s mother who was already very dislikeable become thoroughly repugnant to the audience.

 

Will is extremely uncomfortable about his wife and children arriving, both out of fear of his affair being exposed, and out of concern that in London, his Catholic family is more likely going to be targeted for execution by Richard Topcliffe and his minions.

 

When speaking to his young daughter, Richard Topcliffe spreads revisionist history propaganda about Mary Tudor, who had been given the unjust moniker “Bloody Mary,” claiming Mary was killing Protestants over their religion.  REAL history shows that Mary never targeted people over their religion, but over rebellion against her rule.  Elizabeth, her half-sister successor, on the other hand, had at least 700 Catholics murdered.  What is fascinating about the way Richard Topcliffe is shown spreading hateful propaganda to children is that this same evil strategy is being used in modern America.  To get people to feel morally justified in REALLY hating someone, falsely accuse that person of bigotry, even invent a fictional disease and claim that person has it, and then furthermore claim that all people who share that person’s race, religion, gender, or political leanings are the same way. 

 

Knowing how hateful Richard Topcliffe is, Will feigns an inability to write something that both entertains and sends a message, as he meets with Topcliffe, lacking a script.  Richard Topcliffe agrees to co-write the anti-Catholic play with Will, at a later time.  Topcliffe then asks Will to try to interpret the letter that was initially stolen from Will, a letter that reveals Robert Southwell’s location, but through code.  Will denies understanding the code.

 

Will proceeds to run towards the location in an attempt to save Robert Southwell’s life.  Will succeeds in warning Robert Southwell, in time, but Topcliffe arrives and the owner of the house is beaten in front of his wife and children, and taken away, likely to be executed. 

 

Robert Southwell, while upset about what happened to the family who was protecting him, is grateful to Will, happy that Will has taken up his cause, and trusts in God’s greater plan, in accordance with Romans 8:28.  Will, on the other hand, says that he merely saved Robert Southwell, since he is family, and is not in support of his cause.  Will proceeds to condemn Robert Southwell’s cause as being selfish, which is far from reality.  Still, Will’s attitude exemplifies that of someone who is so caught up in sexual sin that he has lost his way, in his Catholic Faith, to the point where not only is he not willing to take a stand for his Faith, but that he feels justified in pointing hateful fingers at those who do.  Robert Southwell responds, “I care not about myself; I fight for a world where people do not have to hide what is in their soul.”  Essentially, Robert Southwell was fighting for the principles upon which the United States of America would later be founded upon.  Sadly, there are many Americans, today, whose SEXUAL agenda is a threat to the very values upon which the United States of America was built  upon, the religious freedom that SHOULD protect all Americans from being compelled to aid and abet what they believe to be the grave sins of others.

 

Meanwhile, Will’s wife finds out about Will’s affair with Alice, and is heartbroken.  Will, however, chooses his wife and children over Alice, asking them to stay in London, with him.  Alice, however, still has her sights set on Will.  Will Will be able to resist Alice’s future advances?  Will Will co-write a hateful play with Richard Topcliffe?  Will Will’s return to his family also help draw him back to his Catholic Faith, making him join Robert Southwell’s noble cause?  What will happen next?  Find out, next Monday, August 7, on TNT, now at 11:00 P.M.  I predict the next episode will be worth your time, too! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WILL Episode 4

Episode 4 of WILL continues to bring forth the quality of writing and acting that keeps me watching every week and leaves me excited to see what will happen next.  In Episode 4, the spiritual warfare gets even more intense, manifest both internally and externally.

 

In St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, he writes about the internal battle between the flesh and spirit.  To Will, Alice represents the flesh, lust towards the forbidden.  Will’s cousin, Robert Southwell, on the other hand, represents the spirit, encouraging Will to use his God given talents, aided by the Holy Spirit, to finish his manuscript to be given to the queen, in hopes of bringing about peace.  While it is clear that Will is torn, it is also clear that he is leaning towards Alice.

 

Alice’s mother has meanwhile arranged a chance for Alice to meet a specific rich man to potentially marry.  It is fascinating that the show’s tone in pulling for the Will and Alice forbidden relationship initially makes Alice’s mother’s attempted fix-up appear antagonistic, until one gives it further thought and remembers that Will is a married man.  That being said, when the intent of Alice’s mother is made clear, we see that she wills to sacrifice Alice’s chance of finding true love in order to secure her a husband who will provide financial security not merely for Alice, but for the entire Burbage family.  Thus, the initial instinct in opposing this fix-up manifests itself again, but for a different reason.

 

With the encouragement of Christopher Marlowe, Will attends a gathering of men that involves drugs and astrology, attempting to invoke the Archangel Michael in a manner that would be illicit both for Catholics and Protestants.  Will, while under the influence of whatever he smoked trough something that resembles a flute, begins to have hallucinations that torment his soul.

 

Soon afterwards, Will attempts to burn the manuscript written by Robert Southwell.  One could argue that his rationale was that being caught possessing the manuscript would reveal him to be Catholic, jeopardizing both his life, and the lives of the entire Burbage family.  One can glean a much deeper meaning than that surface reason, however, looking at his actions more comprehensively.  Will was engaging in illicit sexual behavior, while furthermore using his talents for personal fame and recognition, rather than to bring about peace and glorify God.  He was drifting away from his Catholic Faith, blaming his Faith for making him feel guilty, and perhaps, burning the manuscript as an action of deeper symbolism in terms of how he was feeling about his religion.  Those who are choosing to drown in sin often make the choice to reject the validity of the teachings of their church, hoping that doing so will ease the conflict of their conscience.  What they find out, however, is that such a decision doesn’t alleviate their pain; it merely blocks their hope and healing, even if they are self-deceived to believe otherwise.

 

Alice stops Will from burning the manuscript, due to fear that the fire would spread.  When she realizes what it is that Will was trying to burn, she becomes outraged at the danger that Will potentially placed her family into, by possessing the manuscript.  Alice shows no outward signs of care as to whether Will believes in and supports the cause behind the manuscript.  Alice breaks off the affair, and meets with the man who her mother set her up with.  Will, however, interferes with that, and Alice regains her feelings for Will.

 

Robert Southwell calls Will out on his affair, placing the central focus not on how Will cheated on his wife, but on how Will took Alice, a woman of virtue, and stole her virtue from her.  (He didn’t phrase it quite so charitably.)  Will’s reaction was to verbally attack Robert Southwell for saying what he said, Will claiming, “You are full of bitterness and anger, cousin, and peace has never been born of these things.”  Will’s words are a typical reaction of people who are desperately trying to deny the inappropriateness of their own illicit sexual exploits.  They take a hateful attitude towards whoever or whatever is confirming their guilty feelings.  We have seen this with the Biblical character Herodias who had John the Baptist beheaded for telling her that her sexual behavior was wrong.  The evil spirit of Herodias tends to remain to this day in those who want to eradicate their own guilt, by trying to deny the wrongness of their actions.   They resent the God who created sexuality and designed it to be beautiful in its proper context, the God who gives grace to enable people to use their sexuality in a way honorable to Him and to the opposite gender.  Will’s true mindset behind his words towards his cousin epitomizes a very real, yet unfortunate coping strategy utilized by a sadly large number of people who have forgotten that God loves them and wants to forgive them.

 

Will is soon summoned by Richard Topcliffe, who has still been torturing and murdering Catholics.  Will willingly consents to meeting with him.  Richard Topcliffe asks Will to write a play that is overtly anti-Catholic, realizing that the arts are an excellent way to subtly yet effectively spread messages of hateful propaganda to unsuspecting people who merely believe they are being entertained, even though they are really being manipulated and indoctrinated, without knowing it.  Essentially, this request is the polar opposite of what Robert Southwell has asked Will to do.  What will Will do?  Tune in to TNT next Monday, July 31, at 9:00 P.M. EDT to find out.  I certainly plan to, as I believe next week’s episode will be worth your time, as was this week’s show.

 

 

WILL Episode 3

In the third episode of WILL, the powerful storyline and stellar acting picks up right where it left off.  The viewing audience gets drawn even more deeply into the story.  The plot thickens as the danger becomes even stronger.

 

Saint Robert Southwell is brilliantly portrayed by Max Bennett, the show using poetic license in making him the cousin of William Shakespeare.  Will finds him and receives the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) before him.  Southwell has prepared a letter to Queen Elizabeth, asking for religious freedom, wanting Will to finish the letter and to deliver it, believing the letter will be so convincing that Queen Elizabeth could not deny the justness of their cause.   No matter how eloquent, watertight, and loving

a person’s written words may be, however, people will interpret them through the lens of their own mindset and worldview, making even the most compassionate sentiments appear hateful, in the minds of prejudiced readers.  It is my prediction that even if Will manages to complete the letter and bring it to Queen Elizabeth, it will not go over well with her.

 

Will’s writing gets rejected by James Burbage.  Alice decides to help Will improve his writing, offering the solution of stealing material from other writers.  While Will haggles over the price of a book with content he wants to lift, Alice outright steals the book, itself.  When called out on it in public, Alice slickly convinces the crowd that the person who she stole from is lying about the theft.  After Will and Alice work on the new play together, Alice disrespectfully convinces her father to give it a chance, which James Burbage begrudgingly does.  The play gets performed.

 

Olivia Dejonge reveals even higher levels of acting talent by keeping Alice Burbage believable, as Alice sheds her innocence, culminating in adultery with Will.  From a Catholic perspective, Alice Burbage overtly and unrepentantly (as of now) violates Commandments 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 in this episode, yet the show’s overall tone still treats her more as a forbidden love interest than as a dangerous temptress who uses immoral means to help the central protagonist achieve his goals.     

 

I am looking forward to Episode 4, next Monday, July 24, on TNT at 9:00 PM, EDT.  I am very interested to see along which path the show brings its characters.  I predict that next week’s episode will also be worth your time.