Rise of the Queen: Victoria on Masterpiece Classice "Doll 123" Series Premiere

(Note: I will not compare this show to The Crown (Netflix) in any way because I haven't seen ALL of it yet. I'm reviewing/recapping it as I see it.)

When we last saw Jenna Coleman, we said goodbye to her as Clara Oswald over a year ago on Doctor Who in one of the most heart-wrenching goodbyes on the show. But now she has returned to television in a royal and dramatic role, Victoria, on Masterpiece Theater.

In the series premiere, "Doll 123," we come to the late night/early morning of the death of King William IV (Victoria's uncle) and travel to Victoria's home about it. Ther,e he can't sleep; Victoria gets the news and proceeds of the Royal exchange of power at 18.

Throughout the episode, she holds and plays with one doll that she got from her mother at the age of 11 and didn't put a crown on it til she learned about her taking over from her uncle at the age of 13. But at the end of the episode, she does put her doll away and moves on into business by signing papers. Throughout the episode, she tries to take things independently, including not having her mom and dad with her during some critical business.

She makes one of the biggest mistakes, accusing Lady Flora of having a child from her stepfather. That was proven wrong after she was ordered to have an exam by Flora's doctor, and when the news came, it wasn't a pregnancy but a tumor of massive size, too. She took a backlash from it from her family to even the press (that was leaked from her own family).

There are perfect moments, one of which is the relationship between Victoria and Lord Melbourne. At first, the two might seem to be a fit for a couple if Victoria had the idea, but I believe or can tell that they'll have an excellent working relationship like the classics of Jack and Liz (even though this isn't a comedy).

The episode displays a lot of beautiful scenery, even though some might have been CGI at times. The music score throughout the episode was stunning, and at times, when the score was during the scene of Victoria's crowning or Coronation, I couldn't stop humming it out of my head.

Coleman shines in this episode. I can feel through her eyes of her and her character's emotions. Also, the cast is impressive as well. Rufus Sewell is excellent and shows chemistry with Coleman—the writing of this episode intensifies. Overall, I give this episode an 8.5/10.

You can catch Victoria Masterpiece Theater (in the United States) at 9/8c on PBS.