There was a re-run of this series on Drama TV starting just after the New Year and showing one episode each week day. I was laying in bed ill and saw the first episode was on that day. I remembered it back in the 1970's and I also remembered even though I was only nine years old when the first series aired, I was taken by it but I couldn't remember why. So I watched the first episode and I was hooked....I recorded each episode each week day and watched them in the evenings. The last episode showing last Tuesday.
Gemma Jones is superb in the role. Having seen Gemma Jones being interviewed a few times over the years I was struck how refined and softly spoken she was. Louisa Trotter on the other hand is a handful which is what makes Gemma Jone's ability to act all the more impressive. I have noted a negative reaction to this series in relation to the early storyline where Louisa falls into an affair with the Prince of Wales. However to view this as "disgusting" is to completely misunderstand the era and the class pressures of expectation in society at that time and the outcome had Louisa not agreed to the affair - superb storyline and whilst we can all frown upon such behaviour, none the less it is without doubt accurate to the sort of dalliances that took place in society of that era......blackmail to a degree......but what choice would a woman in that era have when the suffragist movement was but a embryo and there was certainly no "Me Too" movement!!!
The series is enchanting, the characters, whilst possibly stereotypical, delightful and engaging and the writing exceptional. Gemma Jones without doubt carries the series and in my view deserves such credit.......one of the best character actresses of our time.
I remember now why I was so captivated as a young boy watching this, only this time, I understood the plots !! :-) Brilliant.
Gemma Jones is superb in the role. Having seen Gemma Jones being interviewed a few times over the years I was struck how refined and softly spoken she was. Louisa Trotter on the other hand is a handful which is what makes Gemma Jone's ability to act all the more impressive. I have noted a negative reaction to this series in relation to the early storyline where Louisa falls into an affair with the Prince of Wales. However to view this as "disgusting" is to completely misunderstand the era and the class pressures of expectation in society at that time and the outcome had Louisa not agreed to the affair - superb storyline and whilst we can all frown upon such behaviour, none the less it is without doubt accurate to the sort of dalliances that took place in society of that era......blackmail to a degree......but what choice would a woman in that era have when the suffragist movement was but a embryo and there was certainly no "Me Too" movement!!!
The series is enchanting, the characters, whilst possibly stereotypical, delightful and engaging and the writing exceptional. Gemma Jones without doubt carries the series and in my view deserves such credit.......one of the best character actresses of our time.
I remember now why I was so captivated as a young boy watching this, only this time, I understood the plots !! :-) Brilliant.