Let’s face it: Fans of PBS’ Downton Abbey have been languishing in a showhole since the addictive series went off the air. It’s not every day that a brilliant period drama comes along — which is why you’ll be happy to know the network is filling Downton‘s old spot with another historical period series. Here are 10 reasons you should watch Victoria.
The opulence
Who doesn’t love a beauitfully crafted period piece? Everything is so opulent and grand, it’s hard to personally imagine what it must have been like to live that kind of lifestyle — well, hard and yet irresistable. Like Downton Abbey, Victoria is filled with all the beautiful things we never even knew we needed in our lives.
Empowerment
Y’all, Victoria was a total badass. In fact, the show’s creator, acclaimed novelist Daisy Goodwin, admits that she “developed a crush” on the royal matriach, who was crowned at the tender age of 18. Over the course of Victoria’s extremely long reign, she redefined what it meant to be queen.
Jenna Coleman
If the young queen looks familiar to Doctor Who fans, it’s because actress Jenna Coleman actually quit her three-year stint as Doctor Who’s assistant, Clara Oswald, to accept the role of Victoria. The Blackpool, England, native — who you may also recognize from the 2016 film Me Before You — is one to watch, for sure.
A great love story
Glossing over the fact that he was her first cousin, the love story of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert was a passionate one. “Together, they made a fantastic team,” Goodwin has said of the royal couple, who had nine children together over a 16-year span. When Albert died, Victoria lamented she had lost her “husband, close friend, father and mother” — he was, in a word, her rock.
Its track record
Wait, you may be wondering, isn’t this a new show? Well, yes and no. The show comes to PBS’ Masterpiece this month in the United States, but it began airing on ITV in the U.K. back in the fall of 2016 — and it’s a hit! Victoria pulled in an impressive 5.2 million reviews during its premiere, besting the super-popular BBC1 drama Poldark.
Royal family drama
If you think your family drama is a headache, wait till you see it from the perspective of a future-turned-reigning queen. Victoria had a very strict upbringing, during which she was required to share a room with her mother and had absolutely no alone time (the “Kensington System”). Her mother relied far too much on a courtier named John Conroy, who made Victoria’s life even more miserable. Expect to see that tension play out on-screen.
The scenery
In addition to seeing the stunning castles and manors of England, Germany and Scotland should get some solid screentime, too. Albert hailed from Germany, and Scotland held a special place in the couple’s hearts — after visiting, they become so enamored with the country that they bought Balmoral and built a new castle there.
The fashion
C’mon, now… as uncomfortable as some of the corseted gowns of this time look, fashion remains a major draw of period pieces — particularly when we’re talking about royal period dramas, which are heavy on style. I don’t know about you, but we’re already dying to watch Victoria and Albert’s royal wedding to see the queen’s amazing dress!
Suspense
While you may not initially think “suspense” and “danger” when you think of being a queen, the words very much applied with Victoria. During the course of her reign, she endured eight attempts to kill or assault her — including a close call with a gunman. “I saw him aim at me with another pistol. I ducked my head, and another shot equally loud instantly followed,” she wrote in her journal on June 10, 1840.
Authenticity
What is so incredibly remarkable about this series is that it was built around actual journal entries written by Victoria herself. As an outlet of self-expression during her strict upbringing, the young royal began writing in a diary around the age of 13. Goodwin read the journals when creating the series, so — as astounding as some of the events are — what you are watching is based on the royal matriarch’s personal experiences.
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