Showing posts with label Jenna Coleman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jenna Coleman. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Companions and Lovers: Victoria "Ladies In Waiting"/"Brocket Hall"

Image result for victoria doll 123

"Ladies in Waiting" 

I think the best word to describe this episode would be nature. As in you can't mess with nature that it should take it's time. That's what went running through my head after watching this episode.

As Queen Victoria takes her role on, her family from uncle, mother's boyfriend to even some of the caretakers have taken their plan to make sure that she loses her position, making her look crazy, just like her grandfather. But also the Whig Prime Minister Lord Melbourne resigns because he feels that he lacks the requirement of mandate in the parliament.

Of course, this doesn't go so well with Victoria because he's the only person that she can trust out of all the rest of the people around her. Robert Peel comes in it doesn't quite go so well and everything that he would suggest, she just turns it down, like letting go a few of her lady friends because they're married to the opposite party. With that in mind, Peel leaves and Melbourne comes back and takes his position as the Prime Minister again.

I thought that this was a suitable episode. The performances from actor were good. The reason I think that the word nature comes into play of this episode was that no one wants to let Victoria do her own thing and yet her uncle and Sir John tries to mess with her, it just seems that they're messing with the nature of her abilities. But with Melbourne leaving and then coming back, it sets things right with her. I enjoyed this episode and thought that the writing was very good. Overall, I give this episode a 8/10.




"Brocket Hall"

"Brocket Hall" probably one of the most interesting match making episodes I've so far.

As everyone around Victoria trying to get her to marry, thinking that being an independent is a problem and that she needs a man to help control her. But she tries to turn them down, her uncle King Leopold of Belgium tries to get Lord Melbourne to go with it, but he doesn't think it's right for her to be force into marriage.

We do see Victoria express her interest in having a romantic relationship Melbourne but he turns her down in a nice way. Later the two of them do dance at a costume party, after dancing with other men, who are trying to win her over, failed anyway later on.

Melbourne and Victoria danced and it just seemed to click just watching them. He wants her to choice someone who makes her happy long term, as he tells her later on.

Meanwhile, Victoria confronts Sir John about taking a pay and leave the court, along with leaving her mother, for which he takes. But finally Victoria and her mother finally bonded for what looks to be the first time since. Finally, that guy was really getting on my damn nerves with how he acts around, thinking he's all high and freaking mighty.

This episode really centers around it's historical moments like in this episode during the Newport Rising, Victoria learns about one of the house staff's nephew was one of many setting to put to death by hanging but stop it and instead exile them to Australia, showing that her reign of power can be a merciful one.    

The show ends in one of the best moments of a first meet, as Victoria plays the piano,  who pops up and catches her by surprise, her cousin Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, who pretty much looks nothing like what she remembers or describes.

I enjoyed this episode pretty much the same as the previous episode. The performance was good, just watching Coleman and  Sewell on screen is just amazing to watch. Also I've been amazed from Nell Hudson in these last couple of episodes, her character, Miss. Nancy Skerrett, just seems interesting to know more and more as she's quite different than the rest of the house staffers.  The directional visuals were amazing even during that scene when Victoria meets with Melbourne was wonderful. Overall, I give this episode a 8/10.

You can catch Victoria on Masterpiece Sunday nights at 9/8c on PBS.



Sunday, January 15, 2017

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

Image result for victoria doll 123

(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.