For those of us disappointed with the recent film adaptation of stories from King Henry VIII's court, tonight's second-season premiere of Showtime's bodice-ripping soap The Tudors offers plenty of satisfying drama and intrigue.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers returns as the young brooding King of England who wastes no time in tonight's first episode getting to the good stuff: greasing the wheels to divorce the queen in order to make room for the very ambitious Anne Boleyn. This season the historical period known as the Reformation is ushered in, as Henry looks to break from the Catholic church and faces resistance from his own court — not to mention Pope Paul III, played by the wonderfully chilling Peter O'Toole.

While the dry and sometimes yawn-inducing dialogue from season one remains, this time around there is less talk and more action, as King Henry tears his country apart in a quest for supreme power and (of course) the right to make Anne his queen. And yes, the series' signature hot and heavy love scenes are back — and wow. If you're already a fan of this show, the second season brings back everything you expect and more. If you're just learning about it now, tonight's episode is as good a place as any to start if you want to give it a try. (In case you don't have Showtime, you can also watch the episode online.)

Are you excited for the return of the steamiest series on cable? For now, you can check out a funny pseudo-remix video of many of the Rhys Meyers-as-king scenes if you just read more.

Photo courtesy of Showtime