No matter how deep in space you are, always feel like you can see home. Don't you think? Maybe it's just me. Forgive the lighting; the lack thereof. A recent battle injury. There's nothing they can do if I want to keep my own eyes, and I do. I have to suffer light change slowly. I like to think it makes me mysterious." Now that we're fully aware of the characters, tone and direction of this series, the show decides to take a more mature route in its third instalment. To be honest, it has improved the quality even more, giving us an exciting mix of adventure, science and horror. All the elements work well together to create a new mystery that has expanded the content of the series so far from just simply an erratically-born war to the eponymous 'discovery' of new science. The inclusion of A-list actor Jason Isaacs is the extra bonus.
Sonequa has settled into her role nicely, with her character now known universally as the mutineer of Star Fleet, both revered and despised. There's clearly a feeling that her presence on the discovery is an isolating experience, but she quickly adapts to her new environment like the officer that she once was, and her ability to engage with either her equals or superiors without regret shows how powerful she is as a character. I may question the vague and almost amateurish approach to science, but the mention of her familiarity with quantum physics is context enough for the question of her intelligence. The new invention is science, however, has great potential. Whilst I've never once questioned things like Star Wars and Doctor Who for its seemingly outlandish disregard for the laws of physics, simply because they have in-universe explanations. Star Trek is demonstrating its own brand of explanation with these micro-particles that apparently make up the web of spacetime; meaning, by harnessing their power, Star Fleet can effectively use a method of teleportation for fast space travel. Michael's reaction is the spitting image of ours. Ignoring the capacity for such a discovery, it's a fascinating idea nonetheless, and it seems there are darker methods behind the mask if Lorca's mysteriousness is anything to go by. Generally, this episode had some effective visuals, and the sudden tone-change when the excursion arrived on the empty Star Fleet vessel was a great way to introduce a new threat, one that not event the almighty Klingon could overcome. Whatever these terrifying creatures are, their presence could mean the difference between Michael's loyalty to the Lorca or her loyalty to her self-persecution. Paul Stamets hasn't appealed to me as a character yet, but that may just be because he's quick to judge. This great third episode ups the tension from the first two as we start to explore the hidden world inside the Star Fleet organisation. It's nice to see Michael develop her character while also reminding herself of her betrayal to Captain Georgiou. There's still a lot we don't know about her, which can be perceived a good thing, but eventually we'll want to understand her intentions properly, and why Vulcan culture is such a taboo subject to mention. As a final note, I'd like to say that Mary Wiseman is wonderful as Sylvia Tilly, bringing a more realistic and comedic side to the Star Trek that has seemed too monotonous and non-risky so far. 8/10
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Charity starts at home." Due to the increase in popularity and the markedly larger budget this season, I was worried that the writers and directors of the series would feel obligated to avoid darker and more harrowing storylines. However, I'm proud of Daisy Goodwin for giving us a grim glimpse of the harsher sections of Victoria's history, where perhaps her rule was far more troublesome and uncoordinated. It seems Ireland is suffering famine due to major complications in economic infrastructure, and the Queen is anxious to send help. However, her Prime Minister is reluctant as it could put his party in jeopardy.
An episode that has the courage to cover morality is always in my good books. The story surrounding Dr. Traill is well envisioned and it gives us a bleak understanding of what the famine entailed, and how badly it affected the population. The show may not be able to depict the scale of the disaster, but the scene where the doctor stumbles across children around their dead mother is enough context to summarise its nature. Whilst we don't spend much with the doctor, we have enough empathy as the audience to understand his situation and why he has decided to help the poor Catholic people in their struggle to survive. We can clearly see that Dr. Traill is the martyr of this disaster, a man who put the saviour of suffering innocents before his faith and personal protection. We've had a lot of scenarios this season where Victoria has countermanded her own minister, but this was the most important, and one that may have defined her reign as someone who's far more progressive and open-minded when it comes to the suffering general public. The famous quote "Charity starts at home" was put to good use, in that the Queen convinces Sir Robert Peel to send aid, after demonstrating that some babies are dying because their mothers cannot provide them milk. The Queen's comparison of her own children was convincing enough for the Prime Minister to change his mind on the matter, regardless of the consequences to his party. As Prince Albert mentions, Sir Robert is a practical man, who stands for political integrity, but it takes the Queen's moral high ground to sway him. There were two smaller storylines also prominent in the episode - one which involved Miss Cleary, the new palace maid, who is personally connected to the famine outburst, as she belongs to a poor Catholic family, and has been using her employment at the palace as a safeguard for her family's survival. This is another example where the writers have shown Victoria's open-mindedness when it comes to the suffering of those in a capacity less than hers. Whilst unbelievable for a maid to be in the private presence of the Queen, it can be justified in this particular context. The other storyline concerns Prince Ernest, Albert's brother, who is suffering physically due to an illness. It is not quite clear what contagion he has suffered, but the fact that he keeps the details from his brother points to his own pride. We are left on a cliffhanger really as the Duchess of Sutherland, Harriet, returns to the palace following her husband's death. This is the same Duchess whom Ernest had been admiring for a long time while present at court. It's the final note of the episode that is the most important though, and similar to episode three, the emotional harnessing is the writer's strength. Saddening though it is, it's also humbling to see a kind man, who devoted his life to helping people, be buried after befalling death for helping those people in the first place. The final Celtic piece of music that ushers in his funeral reminds us that whilst Queen Victoria did attempt to make amends for her government's slow action to aid their cause, Dr. Traill was first and foremost Irish, and his independence from the monarchy was perhaps his defining trait. 8/10 You’re not gonna have fun if you analyze everything." With season three's record so far, it was almost inevitable that Rick and Morty's finale might suffer an anti-climax. It has been an incredibly dark, consistently sarcastic and self-aware season with a number of very notable moments that will not be forgotten quickly. The finale may not be up to the standard of the season premiere, Pickle Rick or Ricklantis Mixup, but it is not hindered when it comes to the comedy and heart. First and foremost, the characters are always addressed, and that is the key point in this finale. We've experienced a lot with these characters, and we've seen them progress from hilarious caricatures, to meaningful people with multi-dimensional personalities. This finale wonderfully addresses how Rick's long-winded machinations can sometimes backfire on him. In the premiere, he revealed his intention to ostracise Jerry from the family, but in the end, it's Rick's lack of mutual perspective that brings them back together again.
The episode starts with a request from the President of the United States to rid the White House basement of a nuisance creature. Realising their almost totally-obedient situation, Rick and Morty decide that they will pretend to continue the job, but actually return home to play virtual minecraft. This spirals out of control when the President, who has kept them under supervision, accuses them of dereliction of duty. The whole scenario is brilliant realised, and allows for a rapid succession of jokes both against the President and Rick. I particularly enjoyed Rick's subtle joke passed on by the Gargantuan species. It's amazing that this show can still produce very funny material from previously established storylines. As the mayhem of the White House invasion unfolds, the main storylines continues as Beth starts to have reservations following her adventure with her father last week. She is juggling perplexingly with the thought that she might be a clone and her real self is adventuring far and wide. Whilst the episode doesn't explicitly answer that question - leaving a gap open for a future reveal perhaps - it does ironically lead Beth back to Jerry as she relives her past emotions when they first met. So, inadvertently, Rick actually gives Beth the motivation to go back to her husband. It's interesting to point out also that Morty and Summer are quick to support their parents in protecting their reunion - regardless of whether Rick can find them or not. This addresses early on in the season as both kids suffered greatly in the wake of the separation of their parents. I like how the in-characters address the new situation in which they have returned to their 'Season One' selves. Rick may have attempted to separate the family because he feels Jerry interfere's too much in his voracious adventures. Even though Rick sometimes offers him respite, as in the Whirly Dirly Conspiracy, it still transpires that Rick and Jerry are both at each other's throats. This new setup may just be an old picture, but I imagine the tensions are going to be higher than ever, especially now that external forces could be attempting to attack their already complicated lives. The aftermath of episode seven certainly points to a darker future in which they could be in jeopardy from their own parallel personae. This season promised a lot, and delivered a lot more. As the fourth season wait begins for what could possibly be the longest hiatus yet, as Mr. Poopybutthole mentions, we look back at the open storylines that could be making a return appearance. Evil Morty is definitely top of the anticipation list as his takeover at the Citadel means everything in this Rick and Morty Universe. But there are also other small references , such as Tammy's resurrection of Birdperson as Phoenixperson; Jerry's possible hidden agenda; whether Beth is a clone or not and so on. Questions that may purposely be misleading, but connected to possible future concepts nonetheless. As always with shows like this, it's a matter of being patient and giving the writers enough time to create intelligent work. The finale may suffer by allowing the action to take a back seat to emotion, but this is still top quality television with extra sass. 8.5/10 Season Overall: 8.5/10 Why are we fighting? We're Starfleet. We're explorers, not soldiers." A mild improvement on an already decent sci-fi show. The second instalment amps up the excitement, space and political rivalry. Its greatest achievement though, is fleshing out its main character with a clear past and a realistic motive. The role of the Klingon is even expanded, to give us newbies a chance to understand their culture a bit more, but also the scale of their species, not to mention its general consensus in attacking the Star Fleet. In short, their pride is absolute, and under fire they would do anything to uphold their honour as inter-galactic warriors. The inevitable space battle may seem a little tacky in the science-fiction world, but for television, it's nothing bad at all - the proceeding is quite threatening at times, especially when the admiral's ship goes up in flames.
Concentrating on Michael, I didn't mention in my last review how charismatic Sonequa is as an actress. Her Walking Dead character may be a subtle basis for this character, but her role is far more demanding here. She conveys her emotions very well, especially in that final scene as the show offers up its first casualty. Her character is interesting, and still mysterious enough for the audience not to predict her next move. Her current situation may be dire and seem impossible of reconciliation, however seeing as she has friends in high places who have acquired a bit of leverage, she may not be permanently incapacitated. The story around her clash of cultures, and Michael's temptation to lean towards Vulcan traditions, may still be vague at the moment, but they are a fascinating element of the show so far, and gives us a hint of the Human race structure, what with their multicultural alliances with other species. Also, Michael's suppressed hatred for the Klingons, because of her parents' deaths, seems to be the main motivation for her rash actions. Whilst the characters appear to be making stupid mistakes, they can be justified by their psychological mould. It's also great to see the consequences of the Captain and Michael's two-man mission to capture T'Kuvma, ending in his death. Despite, the character only being present for two episodes, his reputation and image as a martyr, following this encounter, will very probably be the driving force of this series' conflict. Science, as always, is a difficult concept to envision on screen, and whilst there are some inaccuracies and unbelievable scenarios, the general vision is astounding. I liked the fact that Michael's imprisonment box reacts to half of the Star Fleet ship being demolished and cast out into space by reinforcing the containment field around the destroyed area. Convenient for a main character, yes, but futuristic nonetheless. Also, whilst the shots are moving at rapid speed, the design and architecture of the spaceships are pretty cool to look at, and just alien enough to feel original. My one, consistent gripe about the two episodes so far is that the story has been isolated in one location, and the repercussions of the events in the binary system has not been fully realised in the outside Universe. It was hinted that all the Klingon factions came together in the system due to the number of the ships that exited warp space, but apart from a few holographic communications, the audience doesn't get a glimpse of the full reaction. Hopefully, as we follow Michael's story into further territory, we'll start to expand our knowledge with the Universe, and we'll be on track to understanding how monumental this skirmish has been for the political landscape of Star Trek. 8/10 Your human tongue is not the problem, it's your human heart." Before I begin this review, I'd like to point out, guiltily, that I have never watched Star Trek before - not even the films. I have always been a Star Wars/Doctor Who fanboy and have never once thought of being a Trekkie, or even watching some of the old repeats on TV. So, this review comes from the perspective of someone who is entirely new to this concept and Universe. Interestingly, this is a prequel, so hopefully I won't have much trouble jumping on the story, but if any references or homages pop up, believe me, they will sweep over my head without notice. Apart from "we come in peace" of course.
From the first seconds of the show, it's clear that the budget is monumental, giving us a visual richness that I highly doubt has graced Star Trek shows before. The grand landscapes and glittering space is wonderful to look at, and the science and astronomy behind it, being an astrophysicist myself, is pretty prominent in the narrative. The binary system looks and is described correctly, with references to the accretion disk adding to the feeling that the writers have done their research. However, there's always a dramatic license when it comes to space, and I always question when it is not shown as a hostile place. Regardless of scientific accuracy, the story is very intriguing, giving us introductions to the USS Shenzhou and its crew, and a battalion of Klingons who have disguised themselves in the orbit of a binary system. The story predominantly concentrates on the events surrounding the ship's discovery of a Klingon ship, but there are also hints to First Officer Michael Burnham's troubled past, in which her parents were killed by the Klingon. Whilst this is a good way of developing our main character, there's not enough to constitute a full introduction yet as we're heavily involved in a diplomatic situation towards the end of the episode. The interactions between characters, especially Michael and Saru are great banter, but the script is dripping with corny lines. Unfortunately, this can take away the seriousness of the scenarios, especially when it comes to Michael disobeying an order from her captain to destroy the Klingon ship before they can make the first move. The conflict between the officers is interesting, especially as it's hinted that they are close. It's also interesting to see a new take on the morality of violence and how the relationship between Vulcans and Klingon was built on the fact that the Klingon respected their opposition for their strong attacks. Whilst the tone may suffer in places, and lose respectability, the director does his best to create a atmospheric situation. Michael trip through space with a jet pack was wonderfully shot, and actually gave the impression that she was flying through space. I also loved the opening scene between Michael and Philippa as they traversed a desert planet in search of a well - it gave me the notion of a science-fiction such as Star Wars, Stargate or Dune. However, most of the episode was set inside, on the deck of the Starfleet spaceship, which has its limitations. If only the script had a little filing, especially in terms of flat jokes (something that I'm never a big fan of), then the episode might have appeared more exciting and threatening. The Klingon scenes were fine, it's just that as a newcomer I'm liable to be blind to their intentions and motivation as a species. Their language sounds wonderfully guttural, but their culture and general traditions are lost on me for the moment. Why were they hiding in that binary system for one question? 7.5/10 Smart people get a chance to climb on top, take reality for a ride, but it will never stop trying to throw you, and eventually it will." This penultimate episode feels a lot more like a Season One episode, especially as we're delving into the background story of Rick's own daughter, Beth. The tone is far more vulgar and depressing this time around too, giving us another serious look at how Rick's miraculous creations have caused real-life distress and disaster. But, this time, it seems Beth has made the biggest faux pas - Rick may be indifferent to his daughter's mistakes, but we see an element of her father in Beth here, which is more revealing than anything else. Perhaps, his influence on her is more far-reaching than we first assumed. Unfortunately, as the writers decided to feature a more subdued, life-is-unfair narrative, they lost a lot of momentum early on.
The premise is brilliant as always, introducing us to Froopy land, a place designed by Rick for his daughter's perpetual enjoyment as a child - a place that regressed in her mind to imaginary. But, there's also a dark story behind the place, which was catalysed by Beth's abandonment of her childhood friend, Tommy. This resulted in him creating his own society after mating with a local sentient species - spiralling into a cannibalistic civilisation that worships Tommy as its ruler. Vulgar and blatant though it is, the story mirrors that of real life in which his actual father is accused of eating him in explanation for his disappearance. Rick and Morty has touched on dark plot lines before, but this may take the biscuit as the most disturbing conundrum yet. What Beth does to resolve this incredibly complicated and seemingly impossible predicament is beyond words. It's clear that she commits genocide in Froopy land, including killing Tommy, and returns his finger for Rick to create a clone. What ensues is a particularly savvy sequence of events that leads up to Tommy being returned to his family and his father being saved from execution for a crime he didn't commit. in typical Rick and Morty style, it tells a million stories in a short minute clip. This is where the integrity of the show lies, in which the writers merely need a few expressive scenes to describe conclusions. It's the final father and daughter discussion that has the most meaningful content though - with Beth considering cloning herself in order to escape the humdrum of life. Rick's openness to performing the cloning is typical of his indifference to the normality. Perhaps the most meaningful conversation they've had in the entire show, and yet it contains the most disturbing tease yet, in which we will now question whether Beth is the original her or just a clone in disguise. The main plot line was coupled with a return to form Jerry, who is at his old tricks again, making a mess of the Universe with his incompetence, cowardice and severe lack of consideration for his own kids. Shacking up with an alien known as Kiara (something like that), in a semi-revenge against Beth, who is also an obsessive huntress, Summer and Morty finds themselves dragged along in the flawed relationship, in which they perform ritual hunts in order for Jerry to train his telekinesis and perhaps form a decent relationship in the process. The jokes may be a recycled form of Jerry's complete ignorance to boundaries and his capacity for the extreme, but the revelation in which Kiara was actually using Jerry as rebound hit the nail on the head regarding Jerry's entire existence. The show has definitely become more self-aware this season, and I liked the fact that Rick mentioned his tendency to have an adventure with Morty more than anyone else. Also, this episode had one of the best post-credits scenes yet, in the simple form of messages on an answering machine. But, because it has touched on many of these themes thoroughly already, it can seem repetitive of the writers to revisit past narratives for derivation in new ones. The concept beyond Beth's imaginary world was originally conceived, but the reliance on both Rick and Jerry's opposing personalities as the catalyst for the stories was less than inspiring. Nevertheless, the effort that goes into creating this hundred mile-an-hour script is always at the forefront, and it is consistently a joy to watch and hear. 8/10 Sometimes I feel like I'm pretending to be a mother and a Queen, and really I'm an imposter." ITV's soft, historical drama takes a breather to collect its thoughts, but fails to show its mettle in this episode. There are disparate storylines all trying to progress together, but it's too confusing and overwhelming to settle on one at any time. Some storylines are almost non-existent, they just appear briefly for thirty seconds before disappearing into the history books. Albert's game-changing revelation was a surprising and somewhat awe-inspiring development, but the rest was squashed together into something less coherent, and more filler.
Victoria is in turmoil following the deaths of two individuals very dear to her, and now with the added burden of another child to look after, she perhaps suffers the overwhelming pressure of having to be mother, Queen and be equally resilient at both. It's a draining task, and one that sometimes doesn't reap rewards in its wake. It's interesting to see the Prime Minister almost forcefully convince her to attend events in order to keep up the morale of the people and to ensure that the country and its people still respect the Queen. But after a disastrous accident in London, Victoria is obliged to visit those affected and offer condolences. This proves too much for her as one of the victims informs her that he named his daughter after her, reigniting that responsibility within her that she is her Majesty, and the glowing representative and symbol of an entire nation. For Prince Albert and his brother Ernest, times are changing and they start to see the grey areas in their lives. The death of their father is a blow to their lifestyle and their family. Albert himself learns of a devastating revelation, which could be his undoing in Britain (a place where his reputation is in disrepair anyway) as it involves his legitimacy and the possible illegitimacy of his children in a hidden scandal. It seems his Uncle Leopold may have comforted his mother at some point, meaning that Albert would be a bastard. This new information leads Albert into a stupor in which he feels betrayed, and perhaps even an outlaw. Whilst his uncle urges him not to reveal this information to anyone, Albert is still forced to live with it, a scarp of knowledge that could be the death of the monarchy. For Ernest, we're still being spoon-fed a possible relationship between him and the Duchess of Kent, but it has amounted to nothing as of yet. The third main story is a culmination of the last two episodes in which the event of the boy who snuck into the palace unseen was advertised in the local newspaper. The Baroness attempts to find out the culprit for leaking the information, which is eventually wheedled down to Miss Skerritt. Despite revealing that she is an imposter herself and is under the guise of her cousin who was unable to be employed due to an unexpected pregnancy, the Prince is generous enough to keep her position. In truth, I felt this story lacked substance, and there do not seem to be any consequences, despite the fact the public have been informed that there's a security breach at the palace. There are many other smaller elements, too numerous to mention here. This means that a lot of the impact of some scenes is lost because there's a lack of consideration for important events. For instance, the opening of the underwater tunnel is a big step forward for the country, a feat of engineering that it should be proud of, and yet it is mired by Victoria's depression. Whilst the new addition to the animal kingdom is adorable, there's a lot of substance and exposition missing from our characters' lives, and it would be nice if they were shared too. 7/10 We shouldn't take things for granite." Whilst I'm disappointed that the show hasn't already picked up where last week's left off - concerning evil Morty and his dastardly plan to take over the society of Ricks and Mortys - this week's self-contained adventure gave us a lot of laughs and a lot more exposition surrounding the lives of Rick and Morty that we haven't seen in its plethora of parallel universes. Cleverly, the writers developed a way to show that these scenes are actually forgotten memories, removed because either Rick or Morty decided it needed to be. The Morty's Mind Blowers concept takes heed of Pixar's recent success of Inside Out, but it also has a lot of original content going for it that is typically connected to this wonderful show. The anthology style that takes Interdimensional Cable's place is just as successful as its predecessor.
The idea itself is triumphant in that it is capable of analysing how these two characters' minds work. Rick has obliged Morty by using his invention to remove memories that have possibly psychologically haunted Morty for whatever reason. However, there's the hilarious opposite where Rick has removed memories deliberately because he has either made a big faux pas or embarrassed himself irreparably in front of his grandson. Morty's reactions to these once-owned memories are priceless, especially ones such as Rick's confusion between 'granted' and 'granite'. Not to mention mercilessly slaughtering a harmless creature because he mixed up the names of planets. The opening memory was a great way to start this little collection as Morty mistakenly thinks a man is on the Moon, which coincidentally leads him to meeting the same man the next morning at school. Due to some notable snippets of dialogue, Morty informs the headmaster about the man's presence on the Moon, which indirectly leads the man to killing himself, as the headmaster mistakenly believed Morty's accusations were code for him being a pedophile. It turns out that Summer was right all along and that Morty's telescope lens merely had a smudge on it. A dark and twisted story that you can understand why Morty had it erased from his mind. However, an even greater faux pas, and far more hilarious predicament, has to be Morty's attempts to converse with the wildlife of the world, which accidentally leads to overhearing a squirrel colony's worldwide dominion template. I can hardly think of a more hilarious scene as the head squirrel attempts to get Morty's attention. This unwittingly leads to Rick deciding that this reality is just as dangerous as the one caused by the potion back in Season One. It leads one to question how many times Rick and Morty have switched realities. Amongst all the dark short stories, the religion who believes in the afterlife included, there's a definite sense that the relationship between grandfather and grandson has reached the pinnacle of its development. They have experienced so many horrific and unprecedented events together, that it's hard to pull them apart. And yet, as Rick and Morty unexpectedly remove all their memories (apart from Rick's haunting memory of Men in Black 2), there's a moment of surprise as we see how these two brand new templates of the characters learn about each other all over again. It's a scenario we haven't really predicted could happen, but it's a tense one at that. It's like going all the way back to the beginning of their adventures and reliving their bond again. Thus, the truth comes out. After reliving all those memories, Rick and Morty are ready to kill each other. It's testament to the creation of these characters that we can believe that despite their family relations, they would be cutthroat enough to end each other. So, despite not getting a resolution to our Rick and Morty discovering the hell that the Citadel has fallen into, we get a glimpse of what could be the incoming future. Thank god for Summer, who's selflessness gives Rick and Morty a chance to live a little longer. It's nice to see that Rick has informed her of contingencies for just such an occasion as this. Whilst diverting from this season overarching story, Morty's Mind Blowers doesn't falter its characters. In fact it expands on them and gives us a chance to explore a different possible avenue of the main characters' dynamic. This stash of memories could hold many interesting and unseen moments in time that could mean the difference between cooperation and separation for our main characters. There's no doubt that Rick can sometimes be incredibly careless when it comes to his emotions and intentions, but Morty is just as emotional in his reaction. On a side note, I'd like to commend the writers on their ability to ridicule Jerry once again in a mere forty seconds at the denouement. Poor E.T.-equivalent. 8/10 Any damn fool can be prime minister. To leave behind a thing of beauty - something like this - something that people will marvel over centuries from now...that's worth living for." One of the better and more emotionally coherent episodes of Victoria, Warp and Weft has enough momentum to cover the basis of two of the Queen's sincerest relationships, while simultaneously addressing the class diversity that was so poisonous during the early years of the British Empire. Whilst Prince Albert continues to cautiously find his way through the unnatural order of things, Victoria finds attempts to help a struggling silk business by advertising its stock to the public with a ball. Naturally, this extravagant event is surmised to be simply the rich enjoying their own privilege, so to speak, as Victoria ashamedly discovers.
There were a great number of comparisons being made throughout the episode for the political diversity of Britain. The montages interchanging between the ball dancers and the protestors outside the palace gates resolutely symbolised the blind humanity of the situation as Victoria, instead of attempting to gain appraisal from the deprived, is admonished for enjoying luxury in her own home. The moment as Victoria watches from the palace window and witnesses the new perspective on wealth is beautifully done. Despite the backlash of the ball, it's nice to see that a few walls between classes are knocked down - once as Victoria learns that the ball was beneficial to the local silk merchant, and twice as Prince Albert decides to increase the palace staff wages in an effort to negate crooked dealings. The most poignant story of the episode, however, is concentrated on the infallible Lord Melbourne as he's given bad news about his health. Whilst his journey to death is heavily foreshadowed, the gradual development is nevertheless saddening as the audience is fully aware of Victoria's closeness to him as both an adviser and friend. My favourite scene is the Prince's meeting with him at Westminster as Lord M discusses the fact that despite all his contributions and successes, he regrets never having been the architect or progenitor of a beautiful building such as the Abbey. It's a defining moment for the respected man who brought about a new age of progression and prosperity for the country. Indeed, this is coupled with Victoria's final gift to him, a scene too emotional to comprehend as Victoria is unable to reveal the fact that she knows his end is nigh. His demise is nuanced by the dying tune of Mozart composition. If M's death wasn't enough, Victoria's most loyal companion, Dash, unfortunately suffers as well due to old age and Victoria finds herself heading speedily into the future with barely any of her past friends for guidance. Where the series still struggles, is it's obsession with the smaller stories and never allowing them space to breathe. Prince Ernest's love triangle between the Duchess of Kent and Wilhelmina Coke is rather unconventional and holds no bearing against other events, even if the Prince's final offering to Wilhelmina is sweet. Equally, whilst Penge's contribution on the comic relief front is appreciated, the general stories around the staff have effectively fizzled out of proportion. Whatever happened to the young burglar and thief was never truly explained. Miss Skerrett's story surrounding Eliza and her baby may amount to something eventually, but currently it's completely ostracised from the main storyline. Production-wise, the show is certainly showing signs of rivalling the Crown, but its writing is still aeons behind, and despite some convincing performances as expected, the overall product is less than on point. However, I felt more connected with the characters this week given the severity of the developments that occurred and the sombre note that it left during the end credits. 8/10 What am I, then? An ignoramus who has to have things summarised by her husband?" The second episode of the second season offers a more light-hearted tone to the historical drama, but also balances a relationship obstacle for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Both are juggling their marital and occupational lives, which sparks a conflict of jealousy and miscommunication. There's a welcome return for Lord Melbourne as well, as Rufus Sewell gives another understated performance as the former Prime Minister. I particularly appreciated an emphasis on science, being a physics student myself. It's nice to see the Royal Society playing a close part with the royal family.
The feud between Victoria and Albert does have moments of incredulity, but it mostly follows on from last week's trepidation. Victoria continues to feel as though the men around her would prefer that she remain in the nursery rather than be in charge of sovereign duties. Thus, it's quaint to see her revisiting Lord M in an effort to find familiarity once again, as a way to countermand the fact that Albert always appears to be many steps ahead of her - especially in his newfound interest in mathematics. The scene discussing the theory of pi was both well written and well acted, giving us a clear sense of the trench that Victoria feels between herself and her husband. As usual, Lord Melbourne has the common sense to interlude their private meetings and give his opinion on Victoria's possible misgivings. His letter is a great way to say goodbye to the old and usher in the new. This is the clarification that Victoria needs to communicate with her husband once again and trust him to believe in her and bury her irrational fears about Lady Lovelace. The final scene between the Queen and Prince is a sublime way of asserting their new trust for one another as they welcome a new child. Other storylines in the story took a more comedic route. The Duchess, played unquestionably well by Dame Diana Rigg, is attempting to entrench her authority in the palace, but finds that things are not going as planned. The whole plot behind the boy loose in the palace was a bit strange and unconnected and without resolution felt inconclusive as a whole. Though it did provide some funny moments with Miss Skerrett's new assistant, Cleary, who fears there are ghosts loose in the palace. I'm pleased that Daisy Goodwin is succeeding in continuing other plot points as well, though sometime with so much to cover, certain elements are rushed. It doesn't take long to understand what's going on with Lord Alfred, but references such as the Duke of Coburg's sexist views and the Duchess' racist ones holds well for the time period. There's certainly enough exposition to ensure that we're fully immersed in Victorian times and are not distracted by any historical inaccuracies. In short, the show is progressing nicely and that we're easily divulging into Victoria's tumultuous life as leader of Britain. 8/10 |
AuthorA very passionate Welsh nerd... Archives
October 2017
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