History was never like this when I was a boy, or I might be an historian instead of a film critic. The Tudors: The Complete Second Season made its cheeky royal bow on DVD this week.

It is labeled the Uncut Edition, offering more nudity and simulated sex than was shown in the mainstream broadcasts. Given how raunchy the series is anyway, that means these unedited versions should not be shown to children, at least not without supervision and discussion. Especially because the historical record is also subject to poetic interpretation.

One of the intriguing aspects of Season 2 is how Jonathan Rhys Meyers has matured into the role of King Henry VIII. In Season 1, he spent most of his time brooding, yelling or bedding wenches.

In Season 2, he still broods. He still bellows when called for. He still wrangles wenches. But there are more reflective, deeper moments here, too, and that means Meyers' performance is more in lock-step with the rest of the impressive Canadian and British ensemble (this is a co-production and Canada should be proud of its significant contributions).

The new box set, sturdily housed in a cardboard box, featured the 10 uncut episodes and three significant bonus featurettes. One is the doc Love & Passion in Tudor Times. The other is an unexpected treat, To Portray a Pope. Peter O'Toole, who seems old enough to have been born in Tudor times, is excellent as the Pope who so vexes Henry in his pursuit of Anne Boleyn, an heir and a new Church of England. We see how he does it.