Victoria Series 2 Episode 6 Review: Faith, Hope and Charity

Another late review unfortunately, as I had to rely on TiVo for this one! But still I couldn't go without my Victoria review, especially when this episode was so poignant. It got people talking about a time in history that people do not always cover in school.

So this episode covered the Irish Potato Famine, an awful occurance killing a million Irish people over the course of about seven years. I think that Victoria did the event justice the best they could, bearing in mind it was only one episode. The scenes on the famine were harrowing, and it made my blood boil that people were denied help simply because they were Catholic, and they should 'learn to live within their means'. I had never heard about this in detail, so I did some research on it, and it is sad to hear how little te government were said to have done.

I guess this is where the show was at a crossroads. They have been showing Victoria as a strong feminist figure, but how could they do that when from the outside it looked like she did nothing to stop the people. Well, her hands were tied by her Prime Minister who wanted to maintain his power over his party. Thus, no matter what she wanted, she could not do much.

I thought focus on one particular area through the eyes of Dr Robert Traill, played by Martin Compston was genius. He saw people starving in his parish, and wrote to Her Majesty, resulting in an invitation to Buckingham Palace to tell her in person how bad things were. It brought a more personal level to the disaster, which made it more effective to tell the story in one episode. Furthermore, Traill was a real person, as we tragically saw at the episodes end.

This was the main focus of the episode, so I wanted to make my review around it, but I will also talk about Miss Cleary, and seeing her suffer as her family starved. It was real, especially when her family were forced to emigrate to survive. It reflects very strongly with today's issues, and it showed the discrimination her faith suffered, and how not everyone agreed with it. I loved the scene when Lahzen apologised to the Queen for hiring a Catholic, and she just went 'what does it matter?' I wanted to applaud her! 

I liked this episode very much, despite the dark storyline, and I am interested to see what the series covers next.

Victoria Series 2 Episode 5 Review: Entente Cordiale

Yes another Victoria review! And it was a happy episode, much less soapy angst this week that I very much enjoyed!

I think I've happily entered a stage of ignorance as to how historically inaccurate the show is at this point. I know people moan that it's a bit out of order, but I don't care, because it's not like we are watching Victoria in 2017 getting Ubers to France and taking phone snaps of Albert in the lake.

So while it was nice to see Victoria meet foreign sovereigns and try to establish international relations, the main thing I enjoyed about the episode was the fact they were in France! It's so different to England in so many ways, but also it felt more like today. Girls being catty about Her Majesty, wearing makeup, and getting busy with Ernest in the hedges, it was like watching a reality show!

I'm glad they have not dragged out Albert's father storyline, because it was a real downer, and made the character a bit of a downer. Seeing Victoria accept him in that way, was probably a bit TV-esque, but touching all the same. Tom Hughes and Jenna Coleman have the best chemistry.

And I can't skim over the skinny dipping scene, because it was skinny dipping and it was funny and a bit random but I still loved it.

Also I felt really sorry for Miss Cook, because she blatantly had feelings for Ernest, and he's off doing dalliances with the French ladies. She looked so upset! I don't like that she's so heavily belittled by her aunt. Hopefully she will have a spine by the end of the series, and if she gives some epic speech, I will go all Braveheart and shout FREEDOM!

Was I surprised their trip was all for nothing?! Not really. It keeps things interesting in TV-land, and I don't actually know how much of that is history, so as I previous mentioned, blissful ignorance!

I'm happy to watch a lighter episode, which is back up in the levels of the first episode in terms of quality. Once more unto the breach onto next week!

Victoria Review Series 2 Episode 4: The Sins of the Father

Yes my review is a bit late! But still, better late than never! Although it will be briefer as I have another review I want to do!

This episode was very uneasy, which isn't surprising considering the subject matter it covered. Victoria's suffering of post-natal depression after the birth of her son was very sad, and I can see why it's been praised on social media. 

And Albert's history, or alleged history, was very surprising, although the whole introduction of it did take the show away from it's historical roots. It felt very soapy. Hopefully though that will the end of it for now. The show is stretching its historical roots more and more, and so far each episode hasn't topped the premiere yet.

Also, I was so glad Miss Skerrett was allowed to keep her job, considering her cow of a cousin ratted out her story to the press. She was trying to support her family with the job, and they threw it back at her. I hope she cuts all ties with the cousin now. And I was sad to see that the blame was pinned on the chef because he had treated himself with his pay rise. Lahzen is the worst housekeeper ever! She clearly wants to look good in front of her seniors and I just find her character annoying. 

So yes a very brief review, but there was nothing in particular from this weeks episode that truly stood out for me. Hopefully next week will be better!!

TV Review: Victoria Series 2 Episode 3 'Warp and Weft'

Victoria was emotional this week...RIP to Lord M

It's that time of the week again! Time to review Victoria. This time I actually pre-warned I wasn't going to write my review until today because of two reasons. One: It was late and I was in the midst of a Call the Midwife marathon and Two: That stuff was emotional and I needed time to grieve

So now I'm a bit more composed, time to review! Spoiler alert of course! 

Well I'm glad that they are not shoving Victoria's second pregnancy down our throats. We got the jist with her first, and we all know she had eight more children, so just let it happen and deal with the new little one when it arrives. And by the looks of the synopsis for next week they are speeding up the process nicely.

But can we talk about Lord M? That was emotional! I know he doesn't die for a few years after the point the series is at, but by the looks of it, this is the last time we will be seeing him on screen. I teared up a bit when he got his little canary contraption. 

And I don't care that it's not historically accurate, I wanted him and Victoria to get together so badly! Rufus Sewell plays a handsome PM as well! I couldn't believe how old he was when I Googled him as well! 

And for the second death of the episode, Victoria's dog Dash, I can understand why it sent Twitter into absolute mourning, but I'm not a dog person so I just went 'aww' and that was that. 

I have one big gripe about this episode though, and it's about Victoria. She's meant to be a strong independent woman who doesn't need male advice to rule, but the idea of throwing a lavish costume ball was just a bit dim. If she was a proper queen, she would know about the problems with the people, and she didn't need a dramatic look out of the window to figure that out! The mirroring to problems today did make me laugh (MP expenses/extravagant spending anyone?) 

So I felt the emotions this week, but they laid the political stuff on a bit thick for my liking. There were some weird montages of people eating and all the food that just didn't seem to fit with the tone of the show. I suppose we shall have to see where it all goes, but Lord M you will be missed! 

Victoria Review: "The Green Eyed Monster"

After I loved the season premiere of Victoria so much, I was worried that the following episode would be a let down. And while I still prefer the previous episode, I cannot deny that I enjoyed this episode too.

And that is for one reason, and the reason Twitter rejoiced. Lord M (Rufus Sewell) has returned! He was one of my favourite parts of the first season, despite the historical inaccuracies, and while I was worried that his return would be forced, since historically at this point he was no longer Prime Minister, they have implemented it into the plot nicely.

Seeing how Lord M is still able to help Victoria (Jenna Coleman) with some of the most difficult decisions in her marriage is fascinating. Due to her sheltered upbringing, she has little experience in the obstacles of marriage. Her and Albert feel more and more like a real couple, with bumps in the road (some bigger than others! No spoilers don't worry.)

Considering Victoria takes place a century before any idea that could eventually become computers, and as a bit of a tech geek, I found the inventions of engines and early computer programs fascinating. The fact that it stems from a woman, Ada Lovelace, makes it even better. After a bit of research on the real Lady Lovelace, I am a fan. Seeing Albert (Tom Hughes) attempt to push these new advances is welcome in an era grounded in tradition and historical values. Just think, without these ideas, there would be no hub of knowledge and technology that we are so reliant on today.

If I had to give a negative for this episode, I just cannot grasp any interest in the 'below stairs' characters. I understand how the writers are trying to boost interest in them in an attempt to copy Downton Abbey, but it's just not working. Maybe the series needs to run for a bit longer but right not I'm not sure.

And finally, while I like the humour in Victoria, I find Dame Diana Rigg's character (Mistress of the Robes) a little bit tiring at this point. Her one-liners come across as general complaints, from an old woman so desperate to maintain her ways. I love her niece, especially as she is so passionate and intelligent, but the Duchess just ties her back. I frustrates me, as a lover of the passionate female in Victoria literature.

So, good episode as a whole, though not as good as episode 1. And with Lord M returning next week, the series is heading in the right direction!

TV Review: Victoria Season 2 Premiere

It's finally back! One of my favourite period dramas finally returned, and I was ready when it began, tea and biscuits at my side (yes I'm that traditional). 

When it was announced Victoria was returning for a second series, I was slightly worried. When I watched the first series, I viewed it as one with a start and an end. In a way it is still like that, but I wondered where they would take Victoria's story. Would there be a time jump? What elements of Victorian history would be focused on? WOULD LORD M BE RETURNING?

I can say, after a few minutes of this episode, I relaxed into the sofa knowing that we are in safe hands. The episode begins with Victoria (Jenna Coleman) confined to a wheelchair six weeks after giving birth, something Her Majesty is not happy about. It leads to one of her first brilliant lines of the episode, and it made me laugh. 

That's my first positive. The humour in this episode is out in spades, far more than the first series. While I began this with shades of The Crown in my mind (mainly as I finished the series yesterday) it soon separated itself. The tone is lighter even with the darker tales interwoven within the story, that are starkly true.

As a history-buff, I found the story about the invasion of Afganistan fascinating. Not only did I know nothing about it, leading to some immediate Googling, but the mirroring between that war and the Afganistan war on terror today is very poignant. Using the 19th Century framework to document these modern events captivated me, especially in the scene where Her Majesty meets the sole survivor of the Khyber Pass crossing out of the 4000 soldiers. The ongoing theme of 'The Soldiers Daughter' as the episode is titled was very smart on Daisy Goodwin's part.

Even that early in the Queens motherhood, she was making waves, as a monarch and woman. I had never heard of the concept of being 'churched', and it sounds ridiculous today. Not so much as a religious act, but that she had to undertake it in that manner. She was treated as an invalid after having a child, and you can see how we far we have come since time. Can you imagine a woman going through all that today? I don't think so!

Without getting all feminist, the two highlights of this episode that made me want to stand up and applaud, where firstly the scene where she reprimands her husband Albert for trying to keep secrets from her about Afganistan. As the wife, she is expected to submit, but as a Queen she rules. Torn between two worlds, it was great to see her bite back. (Shoutout to the Duke of Wellington here, hes one of few characters who treats The Queen as she should be treated: as a person. I like his character a lot.) And secondly, one of the concluding scenes in which she stands on HMS Trafalgar after the loss of troops in Afganistan. Not only was her speech just plain epic, but I viewed the scene as her saying "We are British we carry on!" I've seen that a lot recently in British historical media I've watched and read, and I just love it.

And as a hopeless romantic, I also loved the dynamic between Victoria and Albert (Tom Hughes). I'm still a hardcore Victoria and Lord M (Rufus Sewell) fan so hear me out! If you read my review of The Crown I sound like I am repeating myself here, but never mind. They feel real, and not in that 'real' way you see in reality tv land today. I mean they actually loved each other, they wanted to be intimate for them not for the needs of the royal bloodline. As Her Majesty greatly said, in my favourite line of the episode: "The country needs a Queen not a broodmare." 

I could write another paragraph about the acting, but I will save the words and typing time. Everyone is excellent. The Queens Mistress of the Robes (Dame Diana Rigg) is also great, and I mainly liked her because of her no-nonsense approach towards some characters I really dislike.

As it is only the start of the series, I won't give a substantial verdict just yet. I'm beyond excited for the return of Lord M next week, so we shall see where this series goes.