The Musketeers 2.10 "Trial and Punishment" Review

                                            
Constance (Tamla Kari) is led to the gallows and all Treville (Hugo Speer) can do is stand by and watch next to Rochefort (Marc Warren).  However she refuses the blindfold so she can see as much as she can of the world.  Then she sees D'Artagnan (Luke Pasqualino) below who shoots the executioner, as all hell breaks loose and Treville manages to overpower Rochefort and his men are shot too.  As they ride away and decide the time is right to present Vargas (Peter Sullivan) to court and to Louis (Ryan Gage) in the hopes of unmasking Rochefort's treachery.  Aramis (Santiago Cabrera) is put on trial, with Louis hearing everything he has to say from above. Yes Louis presiding over the farce of a trial as if he's god from high on up and yet is in despair when he hears Rochefort say he is the dauphin's father as Marguerite (Charlotte Salt) testifies she only began the affair with Aramis after the dauphin was born and not before.  As if that makes any difference, maybe he didn't really notice her before then, for our purposes we know it was only so Aramis could be close to his son, but for their purposes it could've been for any number of reasons, including Aramis being a well-known womanizer.
Rochefort; "Do you swear to give us the truth of this sordid encounter."  The sordidness that was going through his own head with thoughts of Anne (Alexandra Dowling) and for him to be there instead of Aramis.
Aramis: "I understand that God is with us now in this room.  We will all be judged for what is in our hearts."

Rochefort wants Aramis to confess he slept with the queen and Aramis replies by saying the only thing he will confess to is Rochefort being a liar and plotting against them.  However he will be executed.  Louis wants to be left alone cos not only has he lost Anne but also his son.  As Aramis is chained he makes a promise to God that if by some miracle he is saved, he will give over his life to him and he is rescued by Milady (Maimie McCoy).  Who tells Athos (Tom Burke) that she is leaving for England and if he wants to be with her, she'll wait in her carriage until sundown.

Marguerite is disgusted with what she's done and takes her own life, leaving the dauphin crying and to be found by Rochefort of course and also tearing up her letter.  As he talks Louis into signing her death sentence, Rochefort now turns executioner and gets out a fave weapon of his no doubt and will take pleasure in strangling her.  Only moments before Aramis arrives to save her and also fights with Rochefort, who still stands even getting a dagger to his back, which is what he deserved and more for his backstabbing.  Of course all of the Musketeers get to fight him and it is left to D'Artagnan to finally kill him, as he said he wants Rochefort for himself.  As he finally dies, Aramis heads over to close his eyes and Anne tells him he doesn't deserve that.  Even with Vargas whispering in his ear before he passes that Spain got the better of him.

Treville accepts Louis's offer of his Minister of War as France is at war with Spain for its complicity as Louis calls it, as well as Louis being content with his son.  Aramis keeps his word and heads to the monastery, with everyone having a farewall.  Constance and D'Artagnan marry and would've thought Aramis would've been present at their wedding, but no, they sent him off already!  Athos wants to meet Milady and as he tries to leave, Treville tells him all leave is cancelled and they are at war.
                                           
Milady waits for him and he finally leaves the garrison and rides out, but he's too late, finding only her glove in the grass.
Milady"I'm not free.  I'm bound to you as you are to me.  I have become this foul and ugly thing, this creature who cheats and lies and kill  without conscience.  I don't want to be that creature anymore, I want to be as I once was with you.  To feel hope instead of this deadness in my heart."  But as we know that's not to be and she will continue to be the creature who kills without remorse and feeling.

Anne: "you understand nothing about love."  As Rochefort describes what will happen to Aramis's body on the wheel,
Rochefort: "It is pain, suffering."  What Grimaud echoes in series 3, however his woe is more on life and its injustices instead of love, although he's never known any.  A suitable finish to series 2 and plenty to look forward to series 3.  Of course Athos and Milady wouldn't get their happy ending, they've come too far for that, she can't really change who she is now, even if Athos went with her to England, think he was thinking more from his heart than his head.  Could he really fully trust her?  D'Artagnan gets the woman of his dreams, but I missed Aramis not being at his wedding, like they just shunted him off to the monastery already!  He deserved better than that, it seemed more as though he was being punished.

Victoria 1.4 "A Clockwork Prince" Review

                                           
Victoria (Jenna Coleman) finishes playing her piano piece and and acknowledges Albert (Tom Hughes) by his name.  Then Ernest (David Oakes)  Albert's brother greets her, with Melbourne (Rufus Sewell) watching all the while.  This ep was all about Victoria and Albert and how their marriage came about.  As Victoria and Albert find themselves at loggerheads with their indifference. He hates how she knows nothing about art, or any other painters, like Reubens, but does impress him when she mentions Rembrandt and later she tells Melbourne that Albert is "a prig."  He never smiles, compared to Earnest who is so carefree.  Maybe he would make a better match as Albert also tells him.  But he's not the one destined to be king, her uncle Leopold (Alex Jennings) tells Albert.  Well he didn't become king.  As Albert replies, she is the queen.  He also finds it distasteful how he sees children begging in the streets and nothing is done about it.  Thinking Victoria doesn't really know what's happening.

Victoria however, plans a dance for the princes, not another ball as she tells Melbourne, but just a small dance and she also invites him, as she invites him to dinner too.  Where she sits and cuts meat for Dash and then leaves her food, cue plates being removed and Albert saying he hasn't finished, "but the queen has."  He talks with Melbourne about the Houses of Parliament, he would like to visit there.  Melbourne advises he must come incognito as many Tories despise the Germans and wouldn't want him in the House.  Melbourne suggests they join the ladies and doesn't reply to Albert when he asks how he feels about the Germans.

Of course Earnest is the more unruly brother and is taken aback by the ladies' of England.  He can't wait to get back to Coburg, but he can see that Melbourne has an eye for Victoria as she invites Melbourne to play cards with her.  Albert doesn't play cards and Earnest joins them.  He thinks they should pay a duet, as Albert takes over the piano and starts playing.  He'd like to hear Schubert, which she plays with Albert and one that involves a lot of touching of hands on the keyboard.  As Earnest watches Melbourne, who appears to be forever entranced by her.  Albert went to he the National Gallery with Earnest and looked at the paintings, but not at Victoria's portrait.

Albert is more emotional about the squalor he sees and asks Melbourne why he doesn't like Dickens as he accurately depicts what is happening to her subjects.  Melbourne counters he's been in power for ten years, so he knows.  Victoria invites Melbourne to the dance and dances with Earnest, as he tells her Albert prefers the waltz, as does he and she should dance with him.  Victoria wears the gardenia corsage Melbourne sent her.  Lady Emma (Anna Wilson-Jones) tells Melbourne how Victoria gets on well with Earnest.  As Albert is uncomfortable in his attire, undoing his buttons.  As Melbourne is pleased about her wearing the flowers from Brocket Hall, he is interrupted by Albert asking Victoria to dance as Melbourne was going to do the same.

Knew we'd get some sort of scene where they cut out the music a little and go all slow motion.  He notices the flower and asks for her forgiveness since his mother used to wear those in her hair when she used to say goodnight to him.  He's also noticed she doesn't care much for her own mother when they went strolling in the garden.  He prefers forests.  He takes out a knife from his boot and cuts his shirt where he places the flower she's given to him on the dancefloor and says he will hold it there, close to his heart.  Of course we're led to believe Melbourne has regrets and obviously the two are envious of each other.  Albert says he was nervous at making a fool of himself on the dancefloor. Well he needn't have worried cos he did have Victoria eating out of his hand.

Victoria decides she's going to Windsor, on a "Wednesday" as the staff and Melbourne say,  since he's brought dispatches from the situation in Afghanistan.  She asks him to come down too.  Her uncle getting impetuous and restless as to why Albert's made no headway with Victoria, as she hasn't asked him to marry her.  At Windsor Penge (Adrian Schiller) brings out the uniforms George III had made and Earnest comments if he made them before he went mad.  Her uncle is surprised to see Melbourne there and would've thought he was too busy.  You don't refuse the queen of course.  Once again Albert is jealous of his presence and that she greets Melbourne before him.

Next day they go riding and Earnest asks to be taken back when Albert shows up.  He's not like him, but he likes the forest and she tells him of the oldest oak in the forest.  They both run carefree and Victoria drops her hat.  He prefers her without it since she 's now a woman and not a queen.  He's impressed when she repeats what he calls the forest in German, being at one with it.  As he sweeps her hair back and sweeps Victoria off her feet too.  Well she was expecting him to kiss her.  He's not the cousin she recalls when she last saw him.  As the moment is spoiled by Dash's cries.  He's broken his leg and Albert puts it in a splint.  However they have a falling out when he says she should marry Melbourne.  Even if Earnest describes him as being old enough to be her father."  Oh yes Albert, once more with the knife!  Ha.  As he now tears his shirt sleeve to bandage Dash's leg.  She does ask him about his mother who ran away with her equerry when he was five (the story of these royals, hey?!) Which is why he doesn't like the way Victoria treats her own mother and as he tells her at the dance, he doesn't have one.

They leave Windsor and his uncle is perturbed there's no proposal, adding Earnest would've "had her in bed by now."  Victoria tells her uncle she doesn't know if he will accept her proposal and his answer is that if she doesn't ask, she won't know since he's heading back home.  His one stop being the Houses of Parliament where he questions Melbourne about Victoria and Melbourne says he won't always have his ministry and is thinking of retiring.  Especially since Victoria doesn't need him anymore with Albert around.  Victoria also mentioning to Melbourne that he will not marry her.  His reply to himself is that "only a fool would turn you away, ma'am."  Referring to himself cos he knew he had to do the right thing.  There; many hearts breaking right here all over again!

Victoria wears gardenias in her hair which Skerrett (Nell Hudson) had managed to get and Victoria couldn't ask Melbourne for them, as she summons Albert before her.  She has a question for him and asks if he, "would do me the honour..." which doesn't sound right to her.  Thought she'd have said,
"do us the honour."  She just asks, "will you marry me?"  He will answer if he can kiss her first and after not much hesitation, he agrees to marry her, cue endless kisses.

Elsewhere the staff have to deal with Albert and Earnest's valet, Lohlein (Basil Eidenbenz) who doesn't speak English and Lehzen (Daniela Holtz) and he are pretty free speaking German in front of the staff.  Saying they don't like Germans.  However Penge surprises everyone after Lohlein calls the porridge disgusting when he speaks German, showing he knew it all along.  How'd he know German. We find out that Skerrett isn't really Eliza but Nancy, as her sister, Eliza (Samantha Colley) comes to the palace asking for help with money.  Skerrett won't steal and gives her the lace collar she wears. She does take one of Victoria's diamond pins and changes her mind later when she suggests Victoria should wear the pins in her hair to make it look more elegant.  Skerrett visit Eliza with more collars as Victoria allowed her to have them, when she saw hers was missing.  Eliza says the job should've been hers but she didn't want to leave her daughter.  Skerrett adding they're just like women when she brushes Victoria's hair.  That's the secret she's been hiding.

Plenty going on in this episode, least of which was Victoria's growing fondness and feelings towards Albert.  As he tells her, "this will not be a marriage of convenience."
Victoria: It will be a marriage of inconvenience."  Well he seemed relieved after Melbourne's words of "the queen must marry soon...then she will look to her husband, not to me."  Once again reinforcing the feelings he had for Victoria (at least for our purposes in this drama.)  I mean not too long again she was telling Melbourne she'd rather marry Peel than even consider the prig Albert!    It would be very inconvenient if Albert gets through tearing/ripping every shirt he's wearing!  Think she was swayed by his naked chest!  Ha.  Melbourne being the one to refer to Albert as a "clockwork."

A marriage of inconvenience, the title of a series 2 The Musketeers ep! I just posted last month!

The Musketeers 2.9 "The Accused" Review

                                        
As Rochefort (Marc Warren) sports his new eye patch he is visited by Milady (Maimie McCoy) who tries to subtly let drop she knows who he really is and that his eye patch isn't very fashionable.  He grabs her neck and threatens to strangle her then and there unless she begs for his forgiveness and mercy, clearly a nasty piece of work, mad and a misogynist too, as his plan to oust the king and get Anne (Alexandra Dowling) for himself is still unfolding.  Milady heads to the garrison and tells them she will let them know about Rochefort, Treville (Hugo Speer) assuring her she will be paid.  That he's a Spanish agent.  However they need proof of this.  Marguerite (Charlotte Salt) still has to help Rochefort and he won't let her go.  As Lemay (Ed Stoppard) prescribes some medicine for Louis's (Ryan Gage) headache, he's still at a dilemma of what to do with Anne.  He thinks he should see her and forgive her, but is dissuaded by Rochefort.  Who later brings in another bottle and substitutes it for the one Louis was prescribed, as Marguerite still does nothing and even lets Louis drink it.  He ends up poisoned by him and is saved by Rochefort.

Rochefort accuses Lemay of being behind the plot and of Constance (Tamla Kari) helping him too. However he states he only administered a slight opiate for the headache.  Marguerite lies saying he and Constance were both intimate and planned this together.  As Rochefort sentences them to death. He forces Constance to watch Lemay being killed and says she will have until dawn to think of this and to help him.  Aramis (Santiago Cabrera) tells the others of his great transgression with Anne, well, Athos (Tom Burke) speaks for him and up pops the treason again.  It is shocking for them to think that his son is the future king of France.  Aramis telling Porthos (Howard Charles) he didn't want him to be a part of it so he didn't tell him.

They fear Anne is in danger and take her out of the palace to the convent, where they decide what they will do.  Catherine (Marianne Oldman) makes an appearance at last and follows Milady in the marketplace, finally taking her to an abandoned building in the market.  Knew Milady already sensed she was around, suppose they had to take care of that business somehow, but it just didn't seem to fit in, how for one did they know Catherine was around.  She asks about Thomas and Milady tells her he really did force himself on her, as she stares at the noose she has waiting for her.  Athos may have let her go, but she won't, as he enters to save her.  She asks if he felt anything at all for her and doesn't answer.
As Athos and Milady break into Rochefort's office to find proof of his treason and lies.  They find nothing and are almost caught as she hides them in the cardinal's secret bookcase.  Where they passionately kiss, as they can't get beyond that, and their past, no matter how many times they say it. Rochefort senses something amiss as the candle still smokes but they are saved when he hears cries from Louis.

As they leave, Athos takes Rochfort's seal and rides out to the convent.  They hatch a plan whereby Vargas will be tricked into coming out into the open and into France, where they can use him for their own purposes.  But they can't forge his writing.  However Sister Teresa (Hara Yannas) helps them as she's been reproducing copies of the texts.  Porthos will ride alone to deliver the message and has a shoot out with Vargas, until the others arrive to take him back.  At the palace Rochefort orders everyone to leave and convinces Louis to sign a death warrant for Anne, it's the only way he can be free of her and after the letters that she wrote to Phillip asking for help.  As he refuses to believe it was when he was lost and presumably dead, she wrote them to save the dauphin.  To which Constance also agreed.

At the convent Aramis is told that Anne regrets nothing of that time here, but she also wants to return to Paris and convince Louis.  As she does she, Athos tells D'Artagnan (Luke Pasqualino) to see Constance whilst he still can and he speaks to her through the bars, telling each other they love one another and D'Artagnan is beaten for his troubles.  Aramis is arrested by Rochefort for treason and as he whispers to him about sleeping with Anne, whilst his guards can overhear him, he was just uptight cos he wasn't the one who got Anne and she wanted and wants nothing to do with him.

Rochefort rising in the ranks and using any and every means open to him, including people easily disposable, blinded by love and deceit on the other side.  Withe Marguerite as his tool who was so willingly able to help him, forget about his threats, but it seemed at times she was doing this out of being scorned and spurned by Aramis, declaring her love for him, when he was just using her to see the dauphin.  Yet she too easily plummets the depths of despair as she can't find a way out of it and instead of coming clean, which would've been too easy, all she does is warn Aramis to save himself, something he won't do and won't leave Anne in danger again.  Rochefort: "I am your god now."  As deluded as ever and proved even more dangerous than the cardinal.

Milady expressing some more home truths to Athos about not lying to him about his brother and she couldn't tell him who she really was or he wouldn't have married her, so she became the cardinal's paid assassin cos she had nothing else to live for.  "Why not become the woman you believed me to be."  Lots going on to provide an explosive series 2 finale.

Victoria 1.3 "Brocket Hall" Review

                                         
This episode highlighted the romance between Victoria (Jenna Coleman) and Melbourne (Rufus Sewell) but of course we know it was fictional.  It was none the less compelling viewing, as the search was on to find a husband for Victoria to calm her down and as her uncle, King Leopold of Belgium put it, to slow down her giddiness.  But as we know Victoria only had eyes for Melbourne and as he said, she must give her heart to someone worthy.  She however replying she has already given it.

The episode opened with Leopold (Alex Jennings) arriving and telling Victoria that at least she inherited her posture from their side of the family, even if not her height and also how he would be living at the palace had his daughter Charlotte survived child birth.  Also telling her, well demanding or ordering, that she should marry her cousin, Prince Albert, his nephew.  Who is like him, but she didn't get on with him last time and recalls him as the boy he was.  Her mother, Duchess of Kent (Catherine Flemming) tells Leopold that she doesn't like Conroy (Paul Rhys) and won't listen to him.  Asking Leopold for money since she's living like a pauper and needs new clothes.

There's also trouble in Newport as the Chartists are in uproar and march, as Victoria rides in her carriage for the ceremony, we see the soldiers open fire on them and shoot.  The Duchess of Cumberland (Nichola McAuliffe) suggests that Cumberland (Peter Firth) should put forward his nephew, Prince George (Nicholas Agnew) into the running as a suitor for Victoria, especially as they learn of Albert (Tom Hughes) and also of Prince Alexander of Russia.  It would make a very English marriage as Melbourne advised her she needs.  Victoria also wondering if Elizabeth I was happy as she didn't marry.  He tells her of her many companions.  Victoria thinks she too can have companions and doesn't want to marry yet.

She attends an unveiling for her father's charitable pursuits and both George and Alexander are eager to win her hand, though Alexander more so than George, who as Victoria tells Melbourne, was rather pleased with himself.  Victoria ponders her choices at the opera as they watch Lucia and Leopold watches Victoria watching Melbourne in her box and he at her.  As he tells Conroy she has "an obstacle" in her way which must be removed before she considers Albert.  Or rather before Albert was thrown at her.  They think Albert will be able to control her and if she ash children then she'll be kept busy.  Of course we know that wasn't the case and not only did Albert not control her, but he was just a consort with no power at all.

She finds out that Melbourne hasn't arrived as he's at Brocket Hall and she travels incognito in Emma's (Anna Wilson-Jones) carriage, after viewing the night sky through the telescope Melbourne gave her for her birthday.  He welcomes her to the Hall and she talks of her heart being taken already, as he tells her about the rooks, known as a parliament and much more humanized that their human counterparts.  As well as saying rooks mate for life and build their nests full of sparkle.  That perhaps he should have done the same for his wife.  Victoria being adamant she'd never have left him, or would leave him.  He taking her hand during all this and with the nation on their edge of their seats willing for them to kiss!  So much chemistry between them there and indeed throughout the entire episode.  However he lets her down gently, as gently as he could by saying he too mates for life, like the rook.  She walks away having received her answer, heartbroken.  Melbourne: "I believe when you give your heart it will be without hesitation."  Yeah she gave it as soon as she met him actually!

However she does put on a brave face for the dance, yes another one, this time for Leopold.  Emma tells Victoria she has orchids and they must be from Melbourne.  They're very hard to grow and he stopped growing them after his wife, so he must have grown them especially for her.  At the dance, Victoria dresses like Elizabeth I.   As she dances with Alexander, he knows he isn't the one for her. Neither is George who calls her a "midget!"  He's not really interested in her as a person and only there cos of his uncle.  Melbourne arrives and he also dances with Victoria.  He comes as Leicester, Elizabeth's companion.  He didn't have a wife either but they didn't marry, yet he was one of her companions.  Leopold talks with Melbourne and basically asks if he let her down gently.  Adding that Albert is on his way here.  Without Victoria's permission, adds Melbourne.

Mrs Jenkins (Eve Myles) receives a letter from her sister and after keeping it to herself she finally tells Skerrett (Nell Hudson) about it.  Her nephew is to be hung, drawn and quartered for being a traitor and part of the Chartists, but he's just a foolish boy.  Skerrett is also bothered by Francatelli (Ferdinand Kingsley) who finally gets the news she only worked at the laundry of Ma Fletcher's place.  He commenting on how she washed the clothes of tarts and then came here.  She doesn't want her business known and he just wants to be her friend.  The staff also wager on whom Victoria will marry, started by Penge (Adrian Schiller). Skerrett tells Victoria of the men waiting to be hanged and of the people not being happy.  She summons Melbourne and wants to sign the bishops' petition to stop this.  She wants her reign to be "merciful" and Melbourne informs her she can commute their sentences and send them to Australia.

Victoria sends away Conroy giving him an Irish title and a £1,000, increasing her mother's allowance.  She tells her mother she knows how hard it is to lose someone you love and cries.  Adding that Conroy wanted to leave.  As the others watch and listen to Victoria playing piano, Albert arrives and turns over the music sheet for her.  Well she got the surprise of her life, or should that be shock!  That coupled with Alexander's parting gift of a box carved with the initials of V&A was timely, though     the A was more appropriate for Albert.  

Yes, heard the hearts of many breaking when they found we will not go the whole hog with dramatic licence and they will both have to keep stiff upper lips (and to themselves! ha) as there'll be no more romance between them, no matter how many glances Victoria and Melbourne steal towards one another.  Nor any secret assignations or late night meetings.  Still good to see her maintain her position on marriage and firmly controlling her life and her regency, running things as she wants them still.  Without any influences from meddling relatives, no matter who they are.  After all Belgium is just a small, poor nation and Victoria will reign just as she wants to over hers.

Did anyone manage to keep a straight face when Penge was naming the contenders, The British bulldog or the German sausage (some innuendo there no doubt!  Especially when he said the same at the end about the sausage getting the queen!)  Upon writing Lord M is trending on Twitter.  Maybe they need a spin off all about Lord M with Rufus in the title role again!!  With Jenna as Lady Caroline and this time round she can break his heart all over again!!  Seriously good idea!

The Musketeers 2.8 "The Prodigal Father" Review

                                           
Porthos (Howard Charles) learns of his father from Treville (Hugo Speer) and ends up going to see him.  Here he reveals himself with Aramis (Santiago Cabrera) and they find two girls being beaten relentlessly by a man by a gate.  He says Belgard (Liam Cunningham) doesn't see anyone but Porthos enters anyway.  He says he's his son and he finally gets to see him.  Telling him that it was de Foix and Treville who lied and took Porthos from him.  Belgard introduces Porthos to his half sister, Eleanor (Emma Hamilton) and her husband Anton (Steven Cree) who are both perturbed by him being here just for his inheritance.  At dinner he accuses him of being a blackman out for wealth and Porthos is spat at by him too and he fights him, beating him down.  Aramis asks about the girls but doesn't get much out of them.

Eleanor tells him the dead girl was struck by a horse and he doesn't believe her, she'll send her back to her parents.  Aramis then follows the other girl to a large house and gets in, saying he's here early for the entertainment.  She doesn't want to leave with him and Eleanor gets back anyway, saying he can't afford the entry of 20 livres.  He returns to the garrison and tells the others of what's happening here and he sends in Athos (Tom Burke) and D'Artagnan (Luke Pasqualino) as potential clients, as girls are paraded for the highest bidder.  Athos says he bids "nothing."  Then gets the girls to leave as a fight ensues and they manage to leave.  She tells them what they've done and they think maybe Belgard might be involved too.

Belgard is glad that he finally has a son who will defend him against his son in law and daughter and he shows him a photo of his mother, who he says was beautiful.  She was a servant and he married her but his father objected, and Treville and de Foix were colluding with him, taking them both away from him.  Porthos asks Treville what happened and he says Belgard isn't being honest with him. Porthos hands him his Musketeer sleeve and leaves.  At the house he noses around and doesn't find anything and then hears knocking outside.  Here he finds a chained girl and Belgard tells him Anton is nothing but a pimp and needs to be taken care of.  As the others arrive in time to help Porthos with him and Eleanor.

Porthos tells Belgard he knows he's lying cos that woman isn't his mother, he recalls his mother's face even though he was young and he can't believe him.  Treville said they swear on a blood oath but he thought he had to keep it, they took him and his mother and left them at the court of miracles, but later he went back to find them and he was gone.  When he did find him, he made him a Musketeer. As they leave Belgard alone, Porthos tells Athos his place is much bigger than his.  As Aramis hands him back his Musketeer sleeve.  Doubt Porthos would've wanted to be a part of that family and his Musketeer family is all he needs, no backstabbing and fighting there to get one better over each other.

Constance (Tamla Kari) mourns Bonacieux and tells D'Artagnan she's not ready for him yet.  He tells her to decide quickly or she'll find he's no longer around.  Though he was unable to understand that she could be in mourning especially since she'd decided she wanted to leave him, but he remarkably wasn't very comforting towards her.  No matter what he thought of him, or she of Bonacieux too, he was her husband for a number of years and wasn't really a wife beater until that one moment in the last ep.  She did have a good life with him.  As she said maybe she shouldn't have married him.  Le May (Ed Stoppard) offers a marriage proposal to her since she intrigued him and he was impressed withe her resolve and attitude in general.  However she tells him she loves another and with some convincing from Anne (Alexandra Dowling) who tells her true love is very hard to find and she can be with D'Artagnan, she can even arrange for them to be at court.  As Constance goes off to change her clothes and ended up dressing like Alice in Wonderland, at least I thought so!

Rochefort (Marc Warren) in his madness and stupidity confronts Anne about the cross that he gave her when he was her tutor and expected some sort of feelings from her in return.  She replies she was only 14 and he tells her she gave it away to another man and to Aramis.  She tells him to leave but he doesn't and instead he forces himself on her, as she tries to resist him, Constance enters before he stops and Anne stabs him with her hair pin, taking out his eye, for which he now has to wear a blindfold.  It's easy to understand with his actions how Milady (Maimie McCoy) claimed that Thomas also tried to force himself on her, if such a vile man can try to take advantage of none other than the queen, so shamelessly.

Milady searches for Athos and tells him for a price, she'll reveal information about Rochefort which will help them.  He says she should tell him anyway for France and have his respect, as well as being able to redeem herself a little.  Of course she doesn't tell him since she needs some way to make a living.   Constance finally tells D'Artagnan he's the only one for her and that she loves him, before he tells her to shut up and kiss him.

Victoria 1.2 "Ladies In Waiting" Review

                                                         
No sooner had the series opener ended, ITV was back with Part 2 for the Bank Holiday and this didn't disappoint, though it seemed a little slow in places.  Such as the downstairs staff getting up to their usual shenanigans to earn an extra shilling or two.  Especially with Penge (Adrian Schiller) seeing it as another money making opportunity when the gas instalment doesn't go according to plan.  Especially when rats fall from the walls and obviously Victoria (Jenna Coleman) hates rats.  Inadvertently this was fodder for Cumberland (Peter Firth) and Conroy (Paul Rhys) to plot some more to have her certified and for a royal regent as Cumberland hastens to add, to be appointed. Things almost go that way when Melbourne (Rufus Sewell) informs Victoria of a vote in Parliament to end slavery in Jamaica, with Victoria thinking slavery had been abolished.

Even though the Whigs win, narrowly, with the Tories still advocating for slavery to remain otherwise the economy will suffer, Melbourne is adamant he will lose next time and thus he resigns as her PM.  She takes this very hard and to heart and thrashes about in the rain with her umbrella, with her mother telling her she should look to Conroy at every opportunity.  But she refuses.  She thinks the Duke of Wellington (Peter Bowles) should be PM but he refuses on the grounds of age. However he puts forward Robert Peel (Nigel Lindsay).  A man she instantly dislikes, as Wellington says later, he doesn't have the charm of Melbourne.  Wellington even advises Peel to flirt with her when Victoria refuses him in wanting to appoint at least one or two Tory ladies in waiting.

Victoria puts her foot down, as she will have no friends and doesn't want spies.  He wants her to show no favouritism towards her government, whichever party they're from and maintain a distinction between crown and parliament.  However she thinks if she holds out long enough, she will get back her confidante and friend, Melbourne.  He advises her the same in that she cannot refuse Peel and his wishes as he has every right to ask her to meet that request.  Lady Emma Portman (Anna Wilson-Jones) offers to leave but Victoria insists her plan will work.  As she also sits for a royal portrait for her birthday.

Penge decides the gas must go and uses the rat infestation in the most heinous way possible by telling the Baroness (Daniela Holtz) it will cost to get a rat catcher and that there's no use meddling in the 'natural order' and the gas needs to go.  Mrs Jenkins (Eve Myles) burns her hand whilst attempting to light a lamp and Francatelli  (Ferdinand Kingsley) gives Miss Skerrett (Nell Hudson) some ice for her hand, there's an ice room in the palace.  He also is intrigued by where she goes at night and follows her, pretty sure he's seen her face before.  When she's accosted he realizes she's from Ma Fletcher's nunnery, a place of ill reputation and wonders how someone like her could've gotten work at the place.  Francatelli "never forgets a face" and one would ask why he's so well informed of such a place.  Creep!

Cumberland and Conroy feel they have a case against Victoria after she screams in hysterics when she spies rats on her birthday cake.  Cumberland adding his grandfather had hallucinations.  Her reaction was OTT as Conroy tells him.  She informs her physician she is fine and summons Melbourne to court.  However he still refuses to form a ministry for her as he must do what is right and uphold the constitution, which he so vehemently believes in.  Victoria still has problems with her mother, Duchess of Kent (Catherine Flemming) undermining her and wanting Conroy to help her. Since he is the only one she has.  Of course, adding Victoria doesn't love her.  "Who's fault is that?" Victoria replies.  Her mother giving her a copy of Shakespeare's King Lear with the passage about an ungrateful child underlined.

Wellington informs Melbourne of Cumberland and Conroy's plan and tells him he's the only one who can act since she won't accept a government headed by anyone else.  As she attempts to unveil her portrait, the rope gets stuck and she can't do it.  Melbourne helps her saying he will form a ministry if she asks him too.  Leaving viewers to watch Melbourne some more.  Baroness Lehzen decides not to have gas installed and the staff get their way.  But Melbourne broke her heart and as she said also forsaking her when he practically walked out as her PM.  I mean it was barbaric in leaving her to fend for herself when vultures were swarming overhead ever since she became queen.
It was a little funny when she complained of her chin on the coin (Doctor Eleven (Matt Smith) in Doctor Who was always getting comments and criticisms about his chin! ha)  Another tantrum to add to her list of many.  Liked her purple dress though!

Victoria 1.1 "Doll No 123" Review

                                           
Victoria was a lavish production and an opener which is sure to bring back many viewers for the remainder of the episodes.  It wasn't filmed or written in a way that was boring or tedious but kept up the right amount of info to make it watchable and wasn't loaded with historical facts to make it a documentary rather than a drama.  As you know any production has its fair share of dramatic licence to make it more interesting.

From the news of William IV's death, which seemed to be relished by all at Kensington Place, even a smile on the 18 year old Victoria's (Jenna Coleman) face, as she realizes she is now queen.  Though she knew she would be Queen one day, hence doll 123, as she later tells Lord Melbourne (Rufus Sewell) whom she affectionately calls "Lord M." Doll 123 was the one that she crowned when she found out the news.  However as I was saying, she wasn't groomed for the part of being queen and educated in that extent.  No protocols or royal rules, seems her mother, Duchess of Kent (Catherine Flemming) and Sir John Conroy (Paul Rhys) wanted her to be a 'puppet' queen, with them ruling the roost and telling her what to do.  As will be seen in part 2, as they advocate for a regency by making her out to be 'unwell' in the head (putting it mildly) and unfit to rule. Mad like George III, whose son was regent due to his incapacity.

However she did show herself to be more independent, if naive and inexperienced in matters of court, state, decorum and diplomacy.  Also falling and being enamoured of Melbourne, as really he was her first encounter with a man, she would be infatuated by him, having lived such a sheltered life.  He who was married to Lady Caroline Lamb of Lord Byron fame.

Scandals at court with thinking Lady Flora Hastings (Alice Orr-Ewing) was with child and going ahead and getting her examined, more her heart desires, in hoping she could get rid of Conroy and convince her mother to do the same; rather than thinking with her head and again demonstrated her inexperience and not listening to Melbourne, even though she made him her private secretary.  But at every turn she was under scrutiny and the move to Buckingham Home (as it was then called) still didn't help. Seems her 18 years should have been in preparation for this moment, as I said and yet there was always the doubt that others tried to place on her in preventing her from her own style of monarchy.  Like changing her name to Elizabeth as Alexandrina wouldn't do.  However Victoria was a typically English name.

At least we got a reprieve from the tension during the ads with the Sainsbury's 'ads', I mean the one with placing peaches on pizza, wouldn't do it myself, but it was probably peachy keen that they had a line about peaches in this episode too, where Victoria asks a dying Lay Flora if she'd like some peaches.  "I am beyond peaches!"

Jenna Coleman was at her best with a mix of adolescent immaturity, to wanting power, but in the sense of doing things her way and perhaps learning from her mistakes, finally and to succeed on her own and desperately wanting her mother away from here, taking Conroy with her.  Conroy was menacing as he lurked in every possible nook and cranny, as was the drama in the "downstairs" staff, selling off items from the palace, including her old gloves.  The chemistry between Victoria and Melbourne was apparent, but of course we know from history this went nowhere.  It was rather more an on screen chemistry here between Jenna and Rufus, who looked nowhere near like the real Melbourne.  Also being let loose on the champagne at the coronation ball, choosing her own ladies in waiting, which have nothing to do with her height and finally learning how to salute the Household Cavalry.  Hiding the pain and keeping a face of dignity in public.

Victoria was drama at its best and easily made up for the loss of Downton Abbey which we'd be getting pretty soon if it was still around!  At least Melbourne got a city named after him in Victoria, Australia, now there's some sort of ironic connection there!  Ha.  So he wasn't as redundant as some people made him out to be.  Don't you think the Whigs should've kept that party name?  They had much more success with it back then.  More so than the Liberals they became.

My sister mentioned how Jenna should've played Victoria in Doctor Who and that would've been the icing on the cake.  Having a Clara in a different dimension who was such royalty, as Jenna once again hows she was not only superb as Clara Oswald, but excels as Victoria.  We are amused..!  Wonder how ratings will fare when Victoria goes up against the return of Poldark next Sunday.

The Musketeers 2.7 "A Marriage of Inconvenience" Review

                                              
As the Musketeers escort Princess Louise (Perdita Weeks) Louis' (Ryan Gage) cousin to Paris for her wedding to the Prince of Sweden, thus forging an alliance with France and Sweden she is attacked en route and Porthos (Howard Charles) finds Spanish coins.  The Musketeers bring her to the garrison before they take her to the Archbishop Jacqueme (Laurence Kennedy).  Treville (Hugo Speer) is told of their plans. Whilst she is at prayer with the archbishop, she is attacked again by someone with an arrow and as D'Artagnan (Luke Pasqualino) is unable to catch him, he escapes.  Well there's only a few people who could've been the assailant and that had to be Francecso (Ben Starr) her bodyguard.  Louise was coincidentally lucky as she trips whilst greeting the Archbishop, so he's killed instead.  Again she didn't strike me at all as clumsy and the Musketeers are to told to bring her to the Louvre by Rochefort (Marc Warren).

Still up to his conniving ways he tells Marguerite (Charlotte Salt) to bring the cross that Aramis (Santiago Cabrera) wears to him and he also tells her to spy on them.  She thinks he and Anne (Alexandra Dowling) are close and he threatens to tell her father of her liaison with Aramis, which she says would kill him.  Also making sure she doesn't find a suitable match for herself which is why she's at court.  She meets with Aramis who can't stop with those glances at Anne and vice versa, being very obvious with each other and Marguerite tells him if it's over he should tell her now.  He calls it a fling and nothing more, as she asks him for one final embrace and removes the necklace from him.  He didn't feel the weight of it gone form his neck!  He later tells her he's misplaced it, after he preens his moustache in the mirror (see 3.1.)

D'Artagnan is tasked with looking after Louise and she sees him with Constance (Tamla Kari) who tells him she's going to tell Bonacieux (Bohdan Poraj) about them and will leave him.  However when she does this, he slaps her and orders her home.  D'Artagnan notices and says he will kill him and Constance stops him.  Louis is angry with Milady (Maimie McCoy) and has her leave and as she does so, Rochefort stops her and takes away the necklace he gave her, saying she'll leave with what she came.  Athos (Tom Burke) is there and tells her to leave Paris after giving her his money, it's all he has.  It's a gift but she calls it charity and refuses to take it.  Of course she can make her own way.

Louis refuses to leave his chambers out of fear and won't let Anne in, she asks Rochefort to go to him and he tells him he doesn't want to see Louise, but Rochefort convinces him to meet with his chancellor, who is on his way to see him.  Anne tells the courtiers Louis is unwell and asks Rochefort to get the present for Louise but he hands Treville with the task instead.  A mundane task he's not happy with and thinks he should've accepted the post of minister when he was offered it.  A new captain will be named soon and he thinks it should be Athos.  Athos tells him to take the gift straight to the queen and show her his loyalty.

As he arrives at the house, he is watched by Francesco and Milady sees him too, but doesn't stop him from shooting Treville.  Constance tells Aramis and he has to help him, but says they need doctor Lemay (Ed Stoppard). Aramis removes the musket round but he can't do anything further, as the doctor bleeds his lungs of fluid.  Marguerite fives Rochefort the cross and he talks of how Anne promised she'd always keep it, so that was his cross she gave her, which she gave to Aramis and not one of her own, strange she shouldn't give him something belonging to her, but what was given to her by another man!  He tells her to give it back to Aramis and to still continue spying on them, she has no choice.  She returns it to Aramis saying she found it in the corridor.  Otherwise think of the trouble it would've stirred up. Which he doesn't really get.

The Musketeers question a man who manufactures such weapons and he tells them the weapons were taken and the Red Guards have them now.  They convey this to Rochefort who isn't convinced they have a traitor in their midst, he is the traitor of course so he wouldn't want anything found out or to investigate further.  Rochefort relieves D'Artagnan of his post in guarding Louise and enters her room with a case, containing another bow.  She is the assassin and she must kill the chancellor. Athos and Porthos search the house where Treville was headed and find the painter dead and the painting which was to be a gift, missing.  Athos tells them to look for the sketches and find the woman in them doesn't resemble Louise at all, so she's an imposter and chancellor Dupre (Tony Guilfoyle) is in danger.

Bonacieux arrives to take Constance with him and Louise tells him she's gone home cos of the way he commanded her.  He leaves and she gets ready with Francesco to kill.  As Aramis and D'Artagnan wait for him to arrive, Bonacieux returns for his hat and is killed by her, she hates wife beaters, adding to her earlier comment of how she'd kill him for Constance, so she could be with D'Artagnan. Porthos and Athos arrive in time as they protect the chancellor and D'Artagnan arrives to see her skirts flowing behind the wall.  She ends up behind bars and says it's over, also mentioning she left him in the state room and did him a favour, she can't get out as Aramis and Athos are on the other side, as Porthos fights Francesco.  He stabs himself with his sword.

D'Artagnan rushed to find him there and pauses for a moment before he decides to help him, but it's too late.  D'Artagnan wants to tell Constance himself as he has his blood on his hands.  He tells him Treville will be fine.  Louise is imprisoned but is paid a visit by Milady who tells her she'll release her if she tells her who was behind the attempt.  She says it was Rochefort, he's a Spanish spy and is killed anyway.  Rochefort taking care of everyone in his path and working his way to the top.  As Louis tells Rochefort how he's pleased with him and is the only one he can rely on, he makes him first minister and gives him the ring.  As he walks past the courtiers and the Musketeers, he was really expecting them to bow before him too, don't think so!

Treville tells Porthos when he's better he will tell him the truth.  Well can't wait for Rochefort to be found out but he's going to plunge them into a war with Spain since his new position will enable him much greater influence with the council, but also to do whatever he wants and get away with it, not that he hasn't bee doing that already.  At least this leaves the way open for D'Artagnan and Constance to be together now, even if it isn't how either one of them would've expected it to happen.  Obviously Milady will use that information she knows as leverage against Rochefort.  But as I said, Aramis is rather careless in his glances at Anne and now Rochefort is convinced of this, he'll have to watch out for him too.