Article first published as VICTORIA Review on Seat42F.
PBS’
Masterpiece presents a new drama this week called VICTORIA. Centered
around the long-reining British queen of that name, the show originally
aired in the UK, and is now coming to the states, the first two hours
premiering this Sunday. The initial offering deals with Victoria
taking the throne, befriending the prime minister, and her struggles
between what she wants personally and what the politics of the country
demand.
Although not a fan of Jenna Coleman’s Clara in the series Doctor Who, I do like her better as Victoria.
She does a fine job portraying the young, short queen (only eighteen
when she took the throne, and under five feet tall) as she comes into
her own.
Victoria
has a very sheltered childhood, controlled as she is by her mother
(Catherine Flemming, Simones Labryinth) and her mother’s close pal, Sir
John Conroy (Paul Rhys, Da Vinci’s Demons). When she gets that first
taste of being in charge, it goes to her a head a little bit. Coleman
keeps her sympathetic through those bits, helping us understand why
Victoria makes the decisions she does, and rationalizing the more
selfish ones.
I also like Rufus Sewell (The Man in the
High Castle) as Lord Melbourne. He and Victoria had a special
relationship, and while the way it is shown in VICTORIA isn’t wholly
accurate, I like this chemistry, too. It avoids being romantic, which is
certainly a good thing, but I do get that Melbourne really cares for
her, and that’s important as Victoria transitions into power.
Other than that, though, this series,
while interesting, isn’t overly compelling. Some of what is portrayed is
relatively factual, historically speaking, but other parts are
dramatized to try to add more excitement. This seems unnecessary, and
feels forced, especially in making Melbourne so attractive. What happens
with Victoria’s birthday cake is a good example of something that
didn’t need added in, as is the scheming of relations behind her back.
The show could have focused more on the real things, such as the
possible scandal with Sir John, which is gotten through pretty quickly,
rather than adding excess drama.
I would point to The Crown on Netflix as
an example of how to do things better. It doesn’t help VICTORIA that
its U.S. release comes just after The Crown has gained steam and awards.
(It hadn’t yet premiered when VICTORIA aired across the pond.) The
Crown keeps things more grounded, less episodic, and that makes it
stronger overall. VICTORIA should take note of that as it develops
season two, changing course to feel more like a docudrama and less like a
soap. I doubt it will, but that would be the smart move.
The other comparison VICTORIA is sure to
rate is to Downton Abbey, mainly because there are plenty of scenes for
the servants, including the queen’s German baroness, Lehzen (Daniela
Holtz, Phoenix), Mrs. Jenkins (Eve Myles, Torchwood), and the young
Skerrett (Nell Hudson, Outlander). I feel like this is a bit of an odd
choice because the household of a queen would have a LOT more servants
than Downton Abbey, and yet it doesn’t feel like it does because
VICTORIA focuses on such a small group. Which again, takes me a bit out
of the story, and feels like an odd choice for a show about the queen
herself.
Neither comparison, to Downton Abbey or
to The Crown, leave VICTORIA the better for it. Taken on its own, I
found it entertaining and beautifully produced. By comparison to its
peers, it feels trite and superficial, as well as more soapy than it
should be. For that reason, I can’t see continuing to watch it, even
though it has been renewed for a second series overseas.
VICTORIA premieres this Sunday, January 15th, at 9/8c.
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