NOTHING MUCH, AND VICTORIA

Every time I reread a post that I write on this blog I'm completely dissatisfied. They're all crap. That's my self-critical alter ego speaking.

I do, however, truly appreciate your comments (even when I'm too lazy to respond to them, as in the previous post).
I've never appreciated the insults and (occasional) death threats - of course - but I think most of the bitter trolls have been successfully weeded out.
At least for the moment.

Lately I've been in a miserable mood - plagued with devastating aural migraines. I had several of them yesterday. I blame it on stress, lack of sleep, poor eating habits, eye strain, and the extreme changes in the weather. One day it's 70 degrees, the next day it's 35. With rain, rain, rain....
Did I mention stress?

Jenna Coleman as Victoria

Well, the first season of Victoria is finally over...and I'm not particularly looking forward to a second season.
I'm talking about Queen Victoria, the Victoria series on Masterpiece, PBS.

The costumes and settings are satisfying. The cast is doing their very best with the mediocre scripts they have to work with. But the potency of the series has dwindled with every new episode, and my interest is gone. Besides, I can't  get very enthused about a flimsy semi-biographical story that is strongly rooted in fiction.

Victoria is a combination of Upstairs, Downstairs and a Harlequin romance - - and the overly-glamorized queen often comes across as Kate Middleton in Victorian garb.

I realize that liberties have to be taken to enhance the plodding story line, but the deviations in this saga border on the ridiculous. It's great if you're merely looking for costume-drama entertainment.
If you want to know the real story of Queen Victoria, however, read a legitimate biography (such as the one by Stanley Weintraub) - not the fictional fantasy fluff devised by Daisy Goodwin (who created and wrote this series).

I suppose all good stories need subplots to hold interest, but the wacky antics and romantic shenanigans of the downstairs servants are grossly overdone - to the annoying point that it often overshadows the Queen and Albert.

 Queen Victoria and actress Jenna Coleman

Prince Albert and actor Tom Hughes

As for Queen Victoria (Jenna Coleman) and Prince Albert (Tom Hughes), both actors are very good in their roles - even though the characters they portray are a far cry from the real British monarch and her German consort.

I can overlook the fact that the cutsie German Prince Albert has a decidedly British accent. And that Queen Victoria is far less bitchy and demanding than the real woman was. 
Sometimes I grow weary of Albert's bumbling ineptness.....and the endless closeups of lovely Victoria's moon-like face.

But now I'm nitpicking and being bitchy. Politely overlook it if you can. Being bitchy is part of my charm.


My other blog (as if one wasn't enough...)
Cabinet of Curious Treasures