We're here to do business, not to judge them." Victoria takes an interesting detour to address the international relationship of the monarchy and also to repair the bonds between Victoria and Albert that have been broken since their traumatic experiences. Victoria has gained new momentum in her acquisition of knowledge to better serve her country and to gain the political skill that she has always needed. Prince Albert, on the other hand, is still suffering from the shocking new he received from his Uncle Leopold about his true origins.
The political spectrum has been pretty null and void in this series so far, and it's nice to finally at least mention the consequences of marrying and allying with the wrong people. As usual, Victoria is willing to be unconventional in these matters and sends a direct message to Louis Philippe, arranging a personal meeting. Whilst always loyal to his wife, Prince Albert is less than enthusiastic about the trip, considering the reputation of the French as being rather blaze about their fidelity. Their visit is riddled with complications, especially when Victoria feels self-conscious about her appearance compared to the French Court ladies. There were a lot of small details to treasure this episode. Dame Diana Ring as the Duchess was delightful as always, spouting brilliant insults at the country she claims to be godless. Her delight at returning to England to enjoy a familiar meal was wonderfully observed and acted. Albert's self-portrait was a great bit of introspection for his internal conflict about the nature of his heritage. Also, Victoria taking along her bag inscribed with Dash's name was a nice touch and reminds us that despite her ability to accept her losses, Victoria still remembers those who matter to her. Unfortunately, the story becomes distracted by whatever Daisy Goodwin has planned for Lord Alfred and Drummond. There have been a lot of hints about a taboo relationship between them, but that is all. Equally, Prince Ernest's presence is only minimal, and I'm starting to lose the thread of his role in the story, except as a shoulder for his younger brother. The script is also quite sloppy concerning some of its characters, concentrating far too much on formalities rather than proper interactions between dignitaries. I did, however, like Albert's final, convincing story, whether it was a successful convincer or not. Lavish in production, Victoria has never held back on its appearance and decor. The royal palace in Paris looks wonderful and all the costumes are incredibly extravagant. There's no doubting the effort is creating the perfect scenery for its many characters, and the attention to detail in traditional French customs must be commended. I doubt this will change as the series continues, but I do hope we concentrate more on the larger picture plot-wise, instead of rediscovering the characters in troubled situations. The character development is good, but too much and we're left in the dark about the actual history of this time. As an aside, Jenna Coleman has no need for make-up to improve her complexion. 7.5/10
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorA very passionate Welsh nerd... Archives
October 2017
Categories
All
|