My Lady Jane Review: Fantasy Romance Series is Delightfully Entertaining

My Lady Jane Review: Fantasy Romance Series is Delightfully Entertaining | Leisurebyte

Director: Jamie Babbit, Stefan Schwartz

Date Created: 2024-06-27 00:00

Editor's Rating:
3.5

Pros

• Fun twist to age-old story is entertaining.
• Good acting from all cast members.

Cons

• Sometimes the series can feel a bit dragged.

– No Spoilers –

Lady Jane Grey, burdened by her family’s plans to keep up with their high-profile life, runs away from home in order to not be forced into a loveless marriage in exchange for money. However, not being a retelling of another damsel in distress story, this series flips history upside down and brings to light what happens when she takes matters into her own hands and fights against the patriarchy in order to live her life however she pleases.

For history buffs who love their old English literature full of magic and adventure, My Lady Jane is a retelling of all that with a twist. Showcasing a political story with a bit of shapeshifting magic and a lot of naughty debaucheries, this series shows the story of Lady Jane Grey, the queen of England and Ireland in 1553, and her attempts to bring about reforms in her kingdom while simultaneously trying to figure out her relationship with her husband Lord Guildford Dudley.

The series makes it its mission to let us know that Jane is not like the other queens around her – she is a knowledgeable, learned and skilled woman who strives for independence above all else. It explores her and her siblings’ relationship with their mother, who is absolutely fine with selling her daughters off if it means she gets a cushier chair to sit on as well as exploring the bond between her and her siblings, who constantly cower under her mother’s iron fist. Jane’s character is fiery and warm and while she doesn’t take crap from others, she does showcase her empathetic side more often than not, which gives her character some much-needed dimension.

The politics of 16th-century England has been taken from its bloody place to something more flowery and interesting, with the grim realities of the time being sugar-coated a bit to catch the fancy of the modern generation. While Jane and Mary’s blood-soaked rivalry was a thing, it was more about Protestant vs Catholicism than anything else. However, simple religious murders have been replaced by something less brutal but equally exclusionary, with Ethian and Verities’s fiery relationship, comprising of the latter wanting to commit genocide against the former, representing a rather grim time in history.

The historical aspects with a twist are done quite well, and, for the most part, I can say that I really enjoyed the tense moments that these things would bring to the narrative. Considering the actual history and the state of the world in the present, it seems relevant and not out of place. Other than that we have Princess Mary or Mary I (or, Bloody Mary, if you will) played by the excellent Kate O’Flynn, who is delightful in every scene. She makes for a fantastic antagonist and her relationship and chemistry with Lord Seymour (played by Dominic Cooper) is nothing short of entertaining. She makes for a hilariously unhinged watch and her mannerisms align with someone who would be called “Bloody Mary” for the number of people she will end up murdering.

Another highlight of the series is the relationship between Jane and Guildford, whose enemies-to-lovers relationship will make you nothing but giddy. Emily Bader and Edward Bluemel have crackling chemistry and the two of them offer up the trope on a platter for the viewers. You will be able to feel the tension in the air as their feelings for each other grow and every time they are near each other, their longing for each other is excellently portrayed by the actors. You will root for both of these people as they go through some very tough situations (and, if history is to be believed, at 17 years of age no less) to find themselves as well as take care of each other and the kingdom.

Lastly, we have King Edward VI (played by Jordan Peters). His character is a bit underwhelming and a bit of an afterthought and I also didn’t understand the point of his relationship status at the end. That being said, the best part about the series is its really entertaining and humorous narration that is extremely dry and sarcastic. In spite of the characters and a discussion surrounding ancient royalty, the series doesn’t hold back on the sass, making it even more entertaining. These bits made me chuckle more often than not.

My Lady Jane Review: Final Thoughts

All in all, I think I really enjoyed watching the show. It’s entertaining and witty and the protagonists are really fun to follow. The best part about the series personally was Kate O’Flynn’s Princess Mary, who is delightfully unhinged in every scene. If you love history, fantasy and romance all together in one adventurous bundle, then this one is for you.

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