When I watched the first series of The OA, I remember thinking it seemed rather bizarre, but somehow it still pulled me in. By the end of Part I I was invested, and eagerly awaited its return for Part II. I will be avoiding spoilers in this review where possible (to be honest, there are some pretty big and crazy concepts involved that I’m not sure I could explain properly anyway) as it’s best to go into this show without knowing anything.
The first episode left me feeling rather perplexed. The first series was complex and I struggled to remember what had happened. I’d recommend taking a look at a recap of Part I! Episode 1 starts off with new detective character called Karim searching for a missing girl. How this connected to the rest I had no idea. However the ending of the episode suggested things would be coming together. And they did in the second episode. While I wasn’t exactly sure how things were going to connect, I could see the beginnings of hints and foreshadowing that everything was going to come together.
Starring: Richard Madden, Keeley Hawes, Sophie Rundle
Genre: Drama, thriller
Rating: 4.5/5
Image: BBC
It’s the show everyone seems to be talking about, and the most-watched, as it had the biggest BBC drama overnight viewing figures since the Doctor Who Christmas episode of 2008. The big question is – is it worth the hype? The answer to that question is simply yes. This review will be relatively spoiler free, so don’t worry about seeing any in this post. If, however, you decide not to read on for fear of spoilers, take one thing away: go and watch this show.
Bodyguard follows the story of David Budd, who is assigned to protect the Home Secretary, played by Keeley Hawes. The story is set in London in a time when the terrorist threat to the UK is very high. The plot unfurls across six episodes, and maintains high tension and mystery throughout. Tension and suspense drives the thrill of this series, and boy does it have bucketfuls of suspense. There are lots of twists and turns with conspiracies, and I found it totally unpredictable in the most exciting way.
I liked that it wasn’t too violent. So many TV shows these days have unnecessary violence. There was one scene where rather a lot of blood got splattered about, and David Budd does seem to regularly walk about with injuries and blood on his face. But the suspense is built from tense scenes, rather than violence, which I really liked. Nothing felt rushed. The slow build of scenes meant that suspense took the forefront in this series.
The announcement of the next actor to play the Doctor is always eagerly anticipated by fans. It is also always analysed in the aftermath, with some full of excitement, while there will always be some who are critical or sceptical. The announcement of the thirteenth Doctor was bound to catch a lot of attention. With Steven Moffat leaving the show – to be replaced by Chris Chibnall – and a new doctor, the next series could provide the opportunity to revitalise the show. That meant a lot was riding on the casting of the thirteenth Doctor.
I, like many, felt the show begun to go downhill when Steven Moffat became the show’s head writer. Undoubtedly, he has written some amazing episodes for the Doctor Who. The Matt Smith years were enjoyable, though bogged down by some complicated series plot arcs. Peter Capaldi made an excellent doctor, but wasn’t always given the best opportunity to shine, and didn’t gel well with Jenna Coleman. The introduction of Bill provided a spark. A plucky and entertaining companion, combined with some excellent writing, made the latest series a dramatic improvement on the previous couple. Yet, it still felt like the show could be better.
There were many a suggestion – and some not very subtle hints in the latest series’ dialogue – that the next doctor would be a woman. When the announcement trailer aired (ironically, after the men’s Wimbledon final, which is arguably always promoted and hailed more than the women’s final), and the hood was pulled down to reveal the thirteenth doctor as Jodie Whittaker, the internet exploded with a mixture of reactions. From elation, to horror, to deflation, the public gave their judgement through social media. Some said it would stop them watching the show, that Doctor Who was dead to them. This, I felt, was quite an unfair pronouncement. Can’t they at least watch one episode and then pass judgement? Many felt it was about time a woman was cast. Many praised the casting of a woman in the role for the first time as a win for equality.
The headlines – the thirteenth Doctor a woman. This is why there is no victory. The headlines were not – Jodie Whittaker cast as the next Doctor. The emphasis was placed on the fact a woman had been cast. All this does, is highlight that feminism is not finished. Women have far more rights and face less prejudices than they did a hundred years ago. But we are not equal. The Doctor is a regenerating alien and, as seen through the regeneration of the Master into a woman, can change gender as much a matter of course as changing height, or hair colour, or eye colour. The casting of a woman is, to me, undoubtedly a good thing. The issue is that Jodie Whittaker’s credentials as an actor are overshadowed by her gender in the media.
With multiple big changes happening to Doctor Who, the next series could either mark the revitalisation or demise of the show. If throughout the series it is constantly referred to how the Doctor is now a woman, it could be a disaster. It could be like having political correctness shoved down our throats. If it is treated like a normal regeneration (albeit of course with some reference to the change of gender, it is bound to be a surprise to the Doctor!) with another great actor taking the reins, then it could be a great move. Having enjoyed Broadchurch – both Chibnall’s story and Whittaker’s acting – I have hopes for the next series. Let’s hope the number 13 revives the show, and doesn’t cause its demise.
Executive Producers: Daisy Goodwin, Dan McCulloch, Damien Timmer
Producers: Rebecca Eaton, Paul Frift
Directors: Tom Vaughan, Sandra Goldbacher, Olly Blackburn
Network: ITV
Genre: Period Drama
Episodes aired: 8/8
Rating: 4/5
This review is a follow-up to my mid-series review. The series definitely grew on me as the episodes went on and I looked forward to settling down to watch each new episode.
Mercifully, Jenna Coleman’s portrayal of Victoria became less whiny. However it just took her too long to settle into the character, whose personality seemed quite erratic. This was perhaps an attempt to show the difficulties of being a very young queen, but it just left me annoyed some of the time. Hopefully in the next series a more mature Victoria will be presented. In terms of other characters, I liked the development of Victoria’s relationship with her mother as the series went on.
The music, especially the titular music, I liked very much and found suitable for the time period. It was visually appealing and there were some beautifully designed costumes. There was a touch of humour throughout the series, just enough to provide lighter moments.
One thing that irritated me was that Lord Melbourne disappeared. Once Victoria married Albert I guess his role did run its course but I didn’t feel he got a proper exit to the series. One episode he was there and the next he wasn’t. There was no resolution to his characters role in the series. A small scene would have sufficed.
While unsurprisingly the show focuses on the interpersonal relationships of Victoria and how she deals with being a monarch, I found the neglect of societal Victorian issues a shame. In episode 7 there was a glimpse of the potential, as Albert is interested in the development of the railways. This was an important development of the era and I’m glad it had a place in the series, but other big issues of the time were lacking representation. Of course, this isn’t about the Victorian people, it’s about their monarch, but the major events and issues of the Victorian period would have influenced Queen Victoria, and vice versa. In one of the early episodes there was some issue of protests which was good, but it was hardly dwelled upon.
The series has proved to be popular, often garnering more viewers than BBC’s Poldark, which I found quite surprising. It’s no surprise then that there will be another series. I’ll be interested to find out in what direction they take series 2. I hope they do not overly focus on Victoria’s family and forget about the social and political issues, of which there were many, during her long reign.
Executive Producers: Daisy Goodwin, Dan McCulloch, Damien Timmer
Producers: Rebecca Eaton, Paul Frift
Directors: Tom Vaughan, Sandra Goldbacher
Network: ITV
Genre: Period Drama
Episodes aired: 4/8
Victoria is ITV’s latest foray into period drama. I had been looking forward to it since hearing about the prospective series earlier this year. It follows Queen Victoria’s ascension to the throne and courtship of Prince Albert. I knew a bit about the monarch from seeing the film The Young Victoria and was interested to see how the story would translate to television. As there is considerably more time available in a television series, more happens in Victoria, although it seems to follow a similar pattern to The Young Victoria.
Jenna Coleman, having left her role in Doctor Who to play Queen Victoria, has improved as the series has gone on. At times I found her portrayal of Victoria too whiny, but at other times her acting was much better. The accompanying cast do well to balance out her occasional whininess and Rufus Sewell as Lord Melbourne brings some maturity and interesting characterisation to the table, creating a complex character in Melbourne. Finally in Episode 4 came the introduction of Tom Hughes as Prince Albert (his entrance at the end of Episode 3 hardly counts). So far, he’s done a good job of playing the awkward prince. I liked that it wasn’t love at first sight between Victoria and Albert (these programmes have a habit of over-romanticising) and their courtship was a slow progression.
Similarly to ITV’s vastly popular Downton Abbey, the show also features some of the servants and kitchen staff at the palace. I found their scenes a nice break from all the well-to-do-ness going on upstairs. The character of Miss Skerrett is intriguing as there is obviously something going on with her past that she wants to hide.
As it is based on the real life of Queen Victoria many of the events are predictable (not much of a spoiler that Victoria and Albert get together is it?), although it’s hard to know how much is fact and how much is embellished.
So far I have liked the series; although it does have some flaws it has been entirely enjoyable with great sets and costumes.
Aired: Netflix
The Last Book On The Left 