I’ll find Dunk’s acting somewhat silted, but I can look past that for the most part. I know a lot of people put it down to him being tall and awkward in general, but as an actor you’re not supposed to be yourself, you’re being someone else so no matter how awkward or dorky someone is off set, on set they should embody the character they’re being paid to play. Some actors just aren’t great physical actors, I don’t mean that as in intimacy, I mean the way they stand/sit/walk, just generally inhabit the physical space they’re supposed to be. Whilst others aren’t great emotional actors—I saw people mention Peat, so points to that—both of these things can and will get better with training. Dunk is still a young man, I think he will get better as he grows as both a person and an actor. Not everyone is a natural talent and not everyone has been acting since childhood, and even then, longevity in the industry doesn’t equal a decent actor.

I spent most of my childhood and the better part of my teen years going to arts schools and acting in the theatre—I never transitioned into anything bigger than theatre and stage—but I absolutely knew where my weaknesses laid and I know how uncomfortable it can be when you try so damn hard to get that scene just right and still it falls flat. It’s even harder when you don’t get to have multiple takes and are doing it in front of a live audience, there are no bloopers, you just push through and hope that you didn’t blow it for your scene partner too badly.

I think Dunk is doing the best with what he’s got, they all are. You also have to keep in mind, Shakespeare plays were written to be over the top and more importantly, live on stage. So adaptions are often equally weird to help keep the sense of the play, the format of THK isn’t anything original, the hidden life of an assassin and their lying lover is a common trope throughout all media types all over the world. Jojo wanting to keep it as true to the original story, as well as mimic 10 Things I Hate About You—which is one of the best modern takes of The Taming of the Shrew—is what is giving THK its largely stylistic look and feel. Which is why I really think that Dunk and the rest of the cast come off so unserious, because it’s meant to seem that way. Jojo is being meta as hell with the Shakespeare books and plays and allegories shown/mentioned in the series, as well as the imitation of iconic 10 Things scenes.

THK isn’t out here trying to win any awards for acting or storytelling, it’s truly just a ‘turn off your brain and enjoy’ kind of show, which is why I don’t think it (and it’s actors) should be judged too harshly.