My Lady Jane

Have you ever watched a period drama series that throws in a bit of everything and still turns out to be one of the best you've seen? Well, I started My Lady Jane expecting the usual historical story with a bit of action only to be caught off guard by how much I enjoyed it.

Created by Gemma Burgess based on Jodi Meadows' novel and starring Emily Bader, Edward Bluemel, Anna Chancellor, Kate O'Flynn among other actors, this period drama embellishes the history part and adds magic, romance, political intrigue, ridiculous humour and a bit of modern theme to it. In the background is a narrator who speaks in a way that reminds viewers that none of this should be taken seriously. Yet the eight-episode series turned out to be action-packed and fun.

The premise is centred on a young lady, Lady Jane Grey, who is not directly in line for the English throne but a close friend and cousin to the reigning sickly king, Edward VI. When Edward is advised by his close associates to choose a successor, he could think of no other but his favourite cousin, Lady Jane. When the associates get wind of this intention, they do all they can to foil it.

Still, Edward VI makes the declaration and Lady Jane is enthroned as queen but for only nine days because the king's associates who turn out to be enemies are determined to remove this young ruler as their monarch. Will they succeed in their nefarious plans?

My Review And Rating

The plot gives the idea that it should be based on English history (though I don't know much about this) but it is not trying to be historically accurate and it makes this clear from the first episode. My Lady Jane is the sort of show you watch when you want to laugh and be entertained. It's like an alternate Tudor world where there are people who can transform into animals called Ethians as distinct from the normal humans called Verity. This creates some interesting chaos all through the series and I enjoyed it.

What surprised me most was how quickly I became invested in Lady Jane played by Emily Bader. She's not a soft royal who waits around to be married off but she's intelligent, stubborn and more interested in books and medicine than in becoming an obedient wife. She has opinions and is not afraid of airing them which leads some people to want to silence her. I like that about her.

Her society has plans for her but she struggles through the political mess around her to determine how much of her life she is willing to surrender to other people's expectations. I think this is one area most women can relate to. And Emily Bader embodies this character in a remarkable way.

Her love interest, Guildford (Edward Bluemel), is a bit of a puzzle at the beginning. He appears with an arrogant, troublesome energy but in no time, his rapport with Jane became one of the things I enjoy most about the show. The creator is smart not to rush their romance. There is suspicion, irritation and resistance at first, then trust and love begin to develop. The supporting cast are fabulous to watch too. Their roles complemented the two leads to make the series amazing.

I enjoyed the fantasy element where Ethians are treated as inferior citizens to the Verity population. This lets the show explore the themes of fear and prejudice in such an alternate setting and dresses it up with good humour. Though some of the humour is kind of a hit and miss. Also, there are moments when romance, politics, fantasy and comedy seem to be competing for the same attention.

The show ends on a cliffhanger and I thought it might be renewed for a second season. After checking online, I realised it has been cancelled, sadly.

Rating this series, I'd give it 8 out of 10 stars. The plot, action scenes, romance, costumes and humour all add up to make this show an entertaining one. If you are looking for a serious historical drama, this might not be for you. But if you don't mind a good laugh with profound lessons, this show is for you.

All images above are screenshots from the series

Poster image source

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