Queen VICTORIA

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 15^th, at 9/8c.

OUTLANDER Gets Another Good "Mark"

Article originally written for Seat42F.

Tonight’s OUTLANDER episode, “The Devil’s Mark,” could be divided into two parts. In the first, Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Geillis (Lotte Verbeek) stand trial on the charge of witchcraft, with an execution all but certain. In the second, time travel secrets are spilled and Claire must make a very difficult choice about where she wants to spend the rest of her life. Both are quite compelling, and together, they make for a hell of an hour, more connected than they first appear.

At the start of “The Devil’s Mark,” Claire and Geillis, previously good friends, are on the outs, both blaming the other for the position that they are in. In truth, though, they’ve been keeping secrets from one another. Those secrets come out too late to do any good, but if they’d only confided more fully in each other earlier, they could have been better pals, and maybe a different outcome could have been reached.

See, Geillis is from the future, too; in fact, about twenty-five years further in the future than Claire. This is a huge bombshell that is telegraphed, but not enough that I saw it coming. Her dance in the woods, her knowledge of the supernatural; these things are clues to who she really is. She and Claire have something extremely important in common. Her vaccination mark leaves no doubt that Geillis is telling the truth when she confesses this.

But by the time she does, she is taking the fall for both herself and Claire in court, and Jamie (Sam Heughan) is escorting Claire away from the rioting mob. Claire can do nothing to save Geillis, and as far as Claire knows, she is once more the sole time traveler in the area. However, hearing Geillis spill her guts, in a fashion, makes Claire realize she must do the same, and Claire confides everything to Jamie.

Jamie, of course, is from this time, and has no reason to believe Claire other than his love for her. Even taking for granted that Jamie accepts some things beyond his comprehension, a product of the superstitious time he lives in, it’s a stretch for Claire to expect Jamie to believe anything she says. Yet, he does, fully and without question.

This proves how much love Jamie has for Claire. What is less certain is the love Claire has for Jamie. She’s fond of him, sure, and enjoys their sexy times, but she has not stuck her neck out for him in the same way that he has for her. In “The Devil’s Mark,” I think Claire finally realizes this. She may or may not be able to get home again through the stones, but by making a conscious decision not to try (or at least that’s how it appears), she does something monumental for Jamie, and the tears on his cheeks show how he feels about that.

Claire can be a bit of a jerk, and some may argue that she isn’t doing right by Frank (Tobias Menzies) to stay in the past. Frank loves her, and even if they aren’t particularly close at the time of her disappearance, given their long separation during the war, he isn’t ready to give her up. At the same time, there is no arguing that what Claire has been through with Jamie is significantly more dramatic, and the bond she has forged with the young Scot is probably quite a bit stronger than the one she shares with Frank. For now, anyway.

The fact that now is the time in which Claire makes this decision makes it much weightier. She has just barely survived a sham of a trail in which she lost a good friend. Claire knows what will become of the Scots, the MacKenzies and their ilk in particular, and she has no reason to think she won’t eventually suffer the same fate as Geillis or worse. Claire isn’t just choosing Jamie, she’s giving up safety to be with him. This is super important.

The trial itself is very gripping television. Despite Ned’s (Bill Paterson) best attempt at mounting a defense, something he says Colum (Gary Lewis) would disapprove of, the crowd is with Laoghaire’s (Nell Hudson) lies and the co-accusers that Laoghaire recruits. Until Jamie shows up and Geillis makes a false confession, things look dire for Claire, and it’s all the more frustrating because viewers know without a doubt that the charges are unfounded.

Except, from Laoghaire’s perspective, she might very well believe what she’s saying. After all, she thinks she has Jamie until Claire steals him away. Since Laoghaire believes in witches and can’t bring herself to accept Jamie’s rejection, she might justifiably think Claire is one.

Perhaps it’s good that this civilization didn’t last. As much as Claire might care for certain individuals she encounters and as sympathetic as many of the personalities portrayed are, society as a whole is lacking. Magic and religion rule the day, most people buying into things they are told by people no wiser and a great deal more crooked than themselves. The present has certainly not eliminated all of that, but it’s with a certain amount of (admittedly smug) superiority one can look back at how far we’ve come.

None of that matters in crafting a story, though, and OUTLANDER is crafting a doozy. There is no ‘typical’ hour for the program, “The Devil’s Mark” being as different as any other installment from the others. Its strength rests in the characters and the authenticity of the setting, both of which are done with the highest quality. OUTLANDER remains “must-see,” by far the best program on Starz.

Oh, and Dougal (Graham McTavish) will not be happy his love and unborn child are killed to save Claire. He may not know about the baby yet, but he’ll probably find out. Knowing that certainly provides a bit of a cliffhanger.

OUTLANDER airs Saturdays at 9 p.m . ET on Starz.

OUTLANDER "Pricking" Fans' "Thumbs" and Hearts

Article first published as OUTLANDER Review Season 1 Episode 10 By the Pricking of My Thumbs" on Seat42F.

A lot happens in this week’s Outlander on Starz, “By the Pricking of My Thumbs.” Each of the primary players has disagreements with others, and the fall-out from some of these conflicts will cause unpleasantness for some time to come. There is no denying that Claire (Caitriona Balfe) is a part of this time and place now, as she has been seamlessly integrated into history.

The hour begins with Jamie (Sam Heughan) petitioning the Duke of Sandringham (Simon Callow, Amadeus) to clear his name. When Claire warns Jamie than the Duke and Black Jack (Tobias Menzies) are friends, Jamie then sets out to discredit Black Jack. However, it is Claire’s interference that eventually gets Jamie saved, and his own quips that land him in hot water again very soon after.

Watching Claire manipulate and blackmail the Duke is not pleasant. I understand that Claire is protecting her innocent husband against a corrupt system, but the coldness in her eyes is not easy to overlook. She does this with such ease and composure that it feels natural, not like she compromising her morals, and that’s why this is disturbing. Claire can be ruthless when she wants to be.

Jamie seems much more light-hearted. His feud with another clan happens quite by accident, as he trades insults with them after seconding the Duke in a duel. He isn’t trying to start a fight, and only defends himself as far as he must, never on the attack. Jamie is a good man, and his actions stand in stark contrast to Claire’s, making them seem like they might not fit together as a couple as well as they appear to in the opening scene of “By the Pricking of My Thumbs.”

For Jamie’s actions, Colum (Gary Lewis) sends him away. Colum doesn’t give Jamie a chance to explain, which can be overlooked given the other things on Colum’s mind at the moment. Still, despite Jamie’s name being cleared, the outcome is not at all what Jamie and Claire hope for, nor what the viewers would like to see. Our heroes have still more to overcome.

Colum is distracted because of the behavior of his brother, Dougal (Graham McTavish). Dougal has been having an affair with Geillis (Lotte Verbeek) and she is pregnant with his child. At first, it seems like Geillis is counting on fate to bring her and Dougal together, but after both of their spouses die, some begin to suspect foul play, at least on Geillis’ part. Colum sends Dougal away to try to minimize the fall-out to the clan, frustrated with the threat Dougal causes them.

I still think Geillis is a true friend to Claire. I don’t sense anything ill between them, even after Claire accuses Geillis of murder. Geillis’ romantic issues are hers, not Claire’s, and they remain friends, Claire even trying to help Geillis escape the law.

Unfortunately for the both of them, Laoghaire (Nell Hudson) isn’t so kind. When Claire confronts Laoghaire over what she’s been doing, trying to break up Claire’s marriage, Laoghaire not only admits to it, but pledges to keep up the fight. Claire and Geillis’ arrest for witchcraft at the close of “By the Pricking of My Thumbs” is Laoghaire’s doing, as she wins the latest round of battle. So I guess all three main women on OUTLANDER can be pretty bad.

Laoghaire cannot be triumphant for long. Jamie loves Claire, and whatever feelings he had or has for Laoghaire, he is an honorable and dedicated husband. Were Jamie to see what Laoghaire has been doing, he would not approve and it would kill any chance of the outcome she desires. I guess she thinks that she can get away with being sneaky, but that doesn’t seem likely.

Will Claire’s relationship with the Duke, tenuous as it is, get her and Geillis out of trouble? Or at least save Claire? If he is the one to sit in judgment over the girls, they stand a chance of getting off without too much trouble. Claire still has the dirt on him, and Laoghaire’s evidence is faked, so cannot possibly hold up to much scrutiny, even by old court standards. Claire has friends in the castle who will surely speak up for her. I don’t think this is a serious, lasting problem, dire as the situation might seem in the cliffhanger.

OUTLANDER certainly knows how to keep things exciting. None of what goes down in “By the Pricking of My Thumbs” is expected, at least not by those who haven’t read the book series, and drama keeps building. The characters are well-defined enough at this point to get a read on them, yet they still have hidden depths to be explored, such as when we learn about Dougal and Geillis’ affair. Even if not a lot happens in this hour, I come away satisfied and ready for the next installment, which sadly is a full week away.

OUTLANDER airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET on Starz.

OUTLANDER Sails Through Any "Reckoning"

Article originally written for Seat42F.

“The Reckoning” picks up pretty much right where Starz’s OUTLANDER left off in its midseason finale last fall. Claire (Caitriona Balfe) is in the custody of one Black Jack Randall (Tobias Menzies), about to be raped. The episode, which is narrated by Jamie (Sam Heughan) for a change, begins with his daring rescue of his wife, which of course must happen. But Black Jack trying to rape Claire and make Jamie watch is actually arguably not the most disturbing thing in the hour.

Yes, that scene is absolutely awful. Black Jack is a truly twisted individual, a cold-blooded exhibitionist and sadist who would kill Jamie while taking Claire against her will and probably take extreme pleasure from it. But we expect that from Black Jack. We know he’s a bad dude, and no one would think he’d do anything more civil than this.

No, “Reckoning” takes the aftereffects of this event and continues to make us uncomfortable with them. Claire and Jamie’s reconciliation is easy enough. There’s an ugly screaming match, but as soon as she realizes that his anger comes from a place of fear for her safety, she can forgive him. He’s a noble man who just wants to protect his wife, and she can understand that, as she is surely scared, too. The fight is emotionally raw and moving, and concludes with mutual forgiveness.

That doesn’t satisfy the clan, however, who are not her husband and are also put in danger. In modern times, a heartfelt apology and some fresh baked goods might be enough to get Claire back into their good graces, but that is not the way of the MacKenzie clan of past centuries. Instead, Jamie takes Claire upstairs and beats her bare bottom with a belt as punishment for her recklessness.

I find this scene even more disturbing than what Black Jack does. Not because of the clan’s reaction, which seems in character for those rough and tumble men, but for Jamie’s. He doesn’t offer Claire an out; he doesn’t try to keep her from harm. He thinks he’s doing her a favor, fighting her physically to be able to inflict the lashes, and enjoying her squirming in pain. This is 50 Shades, but without the sub agreeing to it.

I know I am judging Jamie through modern eyes, and I can’t help that. Because Jamie is so loving towards Claire, I forget he is part of that larger group and expect him to be better than them. It’s Claire’s resistance and anger, more than anything, that ruin this scene for me, and Claire seems perfectly justified in freezing Jamie out until he promises to never do it again, even threatening him with a knife during sex to even the score. Now, Jamie will be the man that Claire, I, and other fans want him to be, but he must be punished to get there, which has a certain sort of poetic justice, even if his chastisement is emotional, rather than physical.

“Reckoning” may understand what it’s doing to Jamie, and thus gives him a more respectable plot as well. Colum (Gary Lewis) is furious with Dougal (Graham McTavish) for collecting money for the Jacobites and confiscates the funds. The clan almost splits into civil war, with various members siding with one brother or the other. Jamie intervenes, though, and brokers peace as only an outsider can. This proves his worth to Colum, even if he won’t swear fealty, and shows Jamie’s level headedness that many of the Highlanders lack.

Lastly, Jamie gets a very cold welcome at the castle from Laoghaire (Nell Hudson). She has flirtation with him before he leaves and he returns a married man, so she has plenty of reason to be upset. However, she handles it poorly, offering herself up as a fling in the woods and planting bad totems in the couple’s bedroom. Thankfully, Jamie resists, though he does appear tempted by her charms, as many men would be. I’ve heard Scottish women have a temper and can be vindictive (a stereotype I know that does not apply to all of the group), but Laoghaire takes this to a terrible level. She isn’t going to accept the union anytime soon, which makes her a danger to Claire in the meantime. Let’s hope she doesn’t step up her stunts to the level of violence against our heroine.

Despite the scene I spend a great deal of this review discussing, or maybe even because of it, I do think “Reckoning” is a strong return for OUTLANDER. It gets us back to the characters, tells an unexpected, engaging story, and maintains the complex, beautiful tale told over the first eight episodes. I’m greatly enjoying the show, and think it has stayed true to form during its break.

OUTLANDER airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET on Starz.

"The Gathering" A High for OUTLANDER

Article first published as OUTLANDER Review Season 1 Episode 4 The Gathering on Seat42F.

This week’s entry of Starz’ OUTLANDER is called “The Gathering.” As all of clan MacKenzie gathers to pledge their allegiance to Colum (Gary Lewis), Claire (Caitriona Balfe) plots her escape. If she can map the castle and its guard patterns, might she be able to find the stone that could possibly send her home again? There’s a lot of uncertainty and plenty of obstacles standing between the out-of-time nurse and her home.

Claire is smart, but she is still out of her depth. This becomes clear as, despite all the precautions and planning she does, she still puts herself in a no-win scenario, as Jamie (Sam Heughan) tells her when he catches her by the horses. She’s lucky it’s Jamie, who kindly escorts her back to the keep, rather than just about anyone else, who wouldn’t look so favorably on the prisoner making her escape.

Jamie isn’t really part of the clan, though, as you may remember. He’s staying with his uncle, Colum, to hide out from the English that are after him, but he doesn’t quite belong to this group. His own outsider status, combined with his obviously-growing feelings for Claire, likely influence the way he handles the situation.

Claire’s bumbling puts Jamie in danger. He is hiding in the stables to avoid making his own pledge to Colum, knowing that if he fails to do so, his countrymen will kill him, but if he does swear allegiance, he’s next in line to be laird, putting his life in danger from the current heir, Dougal (Graham McTavish). It looks like a no-win scenario until a brilliant Jamie deftly sidesteps both scenarios, making everyone reasonably happy and keeping his life, at least for now.

Jamie and Claire seem well fit together. They both aren’t quite where they belong, and they both have enough wits and luck about them to keep them alive, though in a precarious position. This definitely plays into their bond, and should serve them well as they only fall more in love, as they surely must.

After failing to escape, Claire reluctantly goes along on a boar hunt, where she ends up watching Geordie (Bryan Larkin, Running in Traffic) die after being gored. I’m actually surprised more isn’t made for Claire’s outspoken distaste for the hunt itself. I assume this is because the others realize she has seen death caused by violence before, earning her a pass women unaccustomed to such an experience wouldn’t get. Claire’s life has given her the weight to make judgment in such matters. Thankfully, she doesn’t gloat when proven right.

Geordie isn’t the most important focus in his own death scene. Instead, OUTLANDER shows us Dougal and Claire holding him as he dies, united in purpose at last. Douglas gets more complex this week in multiple scenes, including a semi-touching moment during a game between him and Jamie. A failed drunken rape of Claire reinforces the view many viewers hold of him as a selfish leader whom the people would not be well served to have rule over them. But watching him Geordie, and then the regard he gives Claire after seeing her in action, tell a different story. Perhaps he’s just a man of his time, hardened, but not evil. I look forward to seeing where they go with him next.

Which brings us to the conclusion of “The Gathering,” in which Dougal asks Claire to accompany him as he travels around the land. Well, asks may be too mild a word, as she surely has no choice in the matter. This may afford her a better opportunity to get away, not being so closely guarded now that he trusts her at least marginally, but it also may keep her to her current fate more strongly, as she can’t seem to resist helping anyone that needs it, even delaying her flight to give Laoghaire (Nell Hudson) peace of mind, and she will definitely be encountering those who could use her help.

Something interesting I caught in “The Gathering” is a reference to The Wizard of Oz. This is intriguing because the previous episode also alludes to the story. Claire is very Dorothy-like, having been swept away from her home and regarded somewhat suspiciously by the locals because of her ‘magical’ skills. Is OUTLANDER taking a convenient parallel and exploiting it for modern audiences, or will they make long-term use of it, drawing more connections between Dorothy and Claire?

Though, one does wonder a bit how Claire is so familiar with the film, quoting it to Laoghaire, which came out during the war she just escaped, and wasn’t highly popular in its initial release. She doesn’t seem the type to indulge in such fantasies during her gritty reality.

“The Gathering” lacks many flashback scenes with Frank (Tobias Menzies) that have been so prevalent in previous weeks, but that’s a good thing. We know Claire’s history well enough now, and more appearances by her husband tend to just drag things down.

The other cool thing in OUTLANDER this week is the introduction of a rival for Mrs. Fitzgibbons (Annette Badland), Iona MacTavish, who is played by Diana Gabaldon, the author of the OUTLANDER books. She may not be an actress, but she is great in the role, and although only billed as a cameo, I find myself hoping she’ll be recurring. Producer Ron Moore also makes a cameo, but in a much smaller capacity.

“The Gathering” is probably my favorite episode of OUTLANDER thus far. It is fun and exciting, with a healthy dose of suspense and character development. It’s the first week the show really seems to know what it is, and now that the setup is established, begins to play with the players and their relationships. If the rest of the season is as good as this week, consider me firmly in the fan camp.

OUTLANDER airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET on Starz.