By Romey Norton June 27, 2024
Audiences are loving their "Romantasy" period dramas as of late, and for any Bridgerton/Queen Charlotte fans out there, this series is a must-see! My Lady Jane is the radical retelling of English royal history, in which King Henry VIII’s son Edward does not die of tuberculosis, Lady Jane Grey is not beheaded, and neither is her mischievous, and devilishly handsome, husband Guildford.
Synopsis
Inspired by the best-selling book, this series follows headstrong Jane, unexpectedly crowned queen overnight, who finds herself the target of those who want her crown…and head. Newcomer Emily Bader leads the titular role of Jane Grey and is supported by Edward Bluemel (Killing Eve), Jordan Peters (Pirates), Dominic Cooper (Preacher), Rob Brydon (The Trip), Jim Broadbent (The Duke) and more in this risqué romance retelling.
Review
Across all eight episodes My Lady Jane has themes of true love, adventure, and self-discovery as we watch the damsel in distress save herself, for once. In this world there is magic, where certain people can turn into animals, and whilst they are not accepted, Lady Jane finds herself unwillingly married to one. They make a deal, she discovers a cure, he’ll give her a divorce.
From episode one we’re thrown into foul language, fun content and fierce female characters. There’s a rather posh narrator helping guide the episodes along and adds a layer of humour through their opinions, innuendoes and swearing.
The acting is brilliant - believable and bewitching. Bader and Bluemel have a heated chemistry from the get-go, and work off one another very well. The costumes and set design will take you back in time, but those big dresses don’t stay on too long; there’s plenty of naughty sex scenes to tickle your fancy. The series also has a killer soundtrack - can’t have too much Bowie.
Jane is a character we just can’t help but love - she’s flawed, and tries to be an independent woman, but actually needs the help of a lot of people around her. Endearing in her disposition, her character develops, learning to love and accept responsibility, understanding the world around her and how she fits in. Whilst the series is ultimately about her, each character gets enough individual screen time for audiences to engage with. The wannabe-queen Mary is hilarious, Kate O'Flynn does an excellent job in portraying this desperate, devious, dark menace. Anna Chancellor is also compelling in her role as Jane’s interfering, manipulative mother. Both of them certainly don’t make Jane’s life easy.
There are some criticisms however, the fight scenes could have been better choreographed and the magic/mythical elements weren’t pushed and showcased enough, but it’s forgivable. I do think if you’re going to rewrite history, and play with audiences, you can go bigger.
My Lady Jane is an entertaining, enjoyable watch. I binged the whole series in a few days as I couldn’t stop watching, and I hope there will be another season. Fans of the genre and similar will find this series diverting.
Star Rating
My Lady Jane is streaming now on Prime Video
댓글