This period in history is my favorite to study. The European transition from Medieval to Renaissance is the foundation of modern mankind. It was the movement from religion to science. Cromwell had just successfully led a revolution against aristocratic rule in Britain. This had sent ripples through the consciousness of leaders across Europe and its colonies.
So, I was delighted to see this series was researched well. Its fluff is forgivable in the days of HDTV. It could probably pass the test of smell-o-vision if it existed. The reality of the time would not.
I am a fan of George Blagden. I enjoyed his acting in "Vikings". He has a visual intensity that suits roles like these. Noemie Schmidt as Henriette was a notable success at playing a royal pawn of the time. Her part's femininity was balanced well with her rationality. She played it well. Stuart Bowman (Bontemps) and Tygh Runyan (Marchal) are excellent at playing key roles which are historically central to life at court, but are often ignored.
The relationship between Philippe d'Orleans (Alexander Vlahos) and Chevalier (Evan Williams) is an interesting way of interpreting homosexual relationships in the aristocracy of the time. It's a pleasant departure from the usual exploitation of homosexual characters as psychopathic villains. Vlahos does a better job at staying away from swish stereotype.
On the level of pure physical beauty, it is a fantastic production, as good as any epic film about the subject. It is another example of the positive effect streaming video markets have had on small-screen media.
So, I was delighted to see this series was researched well. Its fluff is forgivable in the days of HDTV. It could probably pass the test of smell-o-vision if it existed. The reality of the time would not.
I am a fan of George Blagden. I enjoyed his acting in "Vikings". He has a visual intensity that suits roles like these. Noemie Schmidt as Henriette was a notable success at playing a royal pawn of the time. Her part's femininity was balanced well with her rationality. She played it well. Stuart Bowman (Bontemps) and Tygh Runyan (Marchal) are excellent at playing key roles which are historically central to life at court, but are often ignored.
The relationship between Philippe d'Orleans (Alexander Vlahos) and Chevalier (Evan Williams) is an interesting way of interpreting homosexual relationships in the aristocracy of the time. It's a pleasant departure from the usual exploitation of homosexual characters as psychopathic villains. Vlahos does a better job at staying away from swish stereotype.
On the level of pure physical beauty, it is a fantastic production, as good as any epic film about the subject. It is another example of the positive effect streaming video markets have had on small-screen media.