My Lady Jane Review: Humor and Girl Power and Bringing The Character To Life In An Eccentric Way
Cast: Edward Bluemel, Anna Chancellor, Jordan Peters, Dominic Cooper
Director: Jamie Babbit, Stefan Schwartz
Streaming Platform: Prime Video
Filmyhype.com Ratings: 3.5/5 (three and a half stars)
From 27 June all 8 episodes of My Lady Jane are available for streaming on Prime Video, a TV series inspired by the best-selling novel of the same name by the three authors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows and set in an alternative and fantastic version – or better, fantasy – of England in the Tudor age (precisely around the mid-1500s, after the death of Henry VIII). Before summarizing briefly and without (excessive spoilers) the plot of My Lady Jane, therefore, it may be useful to provide an even briefer summary of the true story of the protagonist, Lady Jane Grey, who sees several upheavals (in a positive way) in the series. The story of Joan I of England, known as the Nine Day Queen, is one of the most tragic of royalty, but in this historical reinvention released by Prime Video, the young Tudor avoids the executioner’s ax and has a fun life and is full, full of romance and adventure.
That is what My Lady Jane proposes, a new period series set in the 16th century, which comes to fill the void of Bridgerton fans with a sexy, fun, and epic story about romances and great adventures in an alternative universe. Of British production, Gemma Burgess, the author of the successful novel Brooklyn Girls, has been in charge of adapting the historical novels written by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows for the screen, and has had Jamie Babbit (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) as director. In front of the cameras, Emily Bader (Charmed) leads the cast as Jane Gray (Charmed), accompanied by Edward Bluemel (Persuasion, Killing Eve) as Lord Guilford Dudley, Dominic Cooper (Preacher) as Lord Seymour and Jordan Peters as Edward VI.
My Lady Jane Review: The Story Plot
Jane Gray was the daughter of Henry Gray and Lady Frances Brandon, who in turn was the daughter of Princess Mary Tudor (sister of King Henry VIII). Her ambitious parents sent her at the age of 9 as a lady-in-waiting to Catherine Parr, sixth wife of Henry VIII: when he died the following year, her son Edward VI of England ascended the throne, while Catherine Parr remarried Lord Admiral Thomas Seymour, and Jane moved under the guardianship of the Queen Dowager, dedicating herself to study, together with her cousins Mary and Elizabeth. Henry VIII had arranged that if his son Edward died childless, and so did his sisters Mary and Elizabeth, the throne of England would have to pass to English, not foreign, descendants. This excluded Henry VIII’s older sister, Margaret, because she had married the Scotsman James IV Stuart, and therefore left Henry’s younger sister, Mary, who had married the Englishman Charles Brandon, and with whom she had her daughter Frances Brandon, mother of Jane Grey, Catherine Gray, and Mary Grey.
Jane was married at a very young age to Guilford Dudley, the scion of John Dudley, Edward VI’s new advisor, to convince the king to designate her cousin Jane as successor instead of Mary (Edward’s sister). When Edward died, the throne passed to Jane (who initially didn’t want to hear about taking away the right from her Catholic cousin Mary), but it didn’t last long because Mary took the throne away from her nine days later, with popular consent, and after having been proclaimed queen in her place, he had her imprisoned together with her husband, and then sentenced her to death a few months later.
My Lady Jane Review and Analysis
From the presentation, it was very clear that the series would tell another story. “My Lady Jane” is a radical retelling of English royal history, in which King Henry VIII’s son, Edward, does not die of tuberculosis, Lady Jane Gray is not beheaded and her scoundrel husband Guildford is also saved. At the center of this engaging new series, we find the brilliant and headstrong Jane, unexpectedly crowned queen overnight, who finds herself the target of evil enemies who want her crown (and her head)” And so we meet Jane, her sisters and her mother, all forced to please the slimy Duke of Leicester who inherited the title of Jane’s late father, Henry. And her sleazy uncle wants her to marry Guilford Dudley, but Jane is a rebellious girl, who prefers to study the medical benefits of herbs, talk to her lady-in-waiting friends, and above all she would never accept an arranged marriage. It’s a shame that someone points out to her that “what you want doesn’t count for anything”.
She will try in every way to escape her destiny, including asking for help from her beloved cousin King Edward, but we will stop here so as not to spoil… Or rather, no, before showing you the trailer one more thing: when do we mean it is a fantasy series we don’t mean that true history is rewritten with fantasy, but that there are fantastic elements, namely the Ethians: people who, “just as they are born left-handed or with other characteristics”, can be transformed into animals. Jane is not an Ethian, but she is part of the Verities, who are the “normal” people. Here, now you can watch the trailer for My Lady Jane. We have to admit it: this thing about the Ethians and the Verities may seem a little excessive, in a series that already started with the rewriting of official history. However, at least in the first episodes, this element seems to fit well into the story, where it symbolizes the religious (Anglican vs Catholic) or territorial (English vs Scottish) differences of the time.
My Lady Jane captures the spirit and tone of works like “Blood, Sex & Royalty” and “Ella Enchanted.” The language of the TV series is quite contemporary, with newlyweds going on their honeymoon and political rivalries resolved during a game of bowling. Lighthearted on the surface, it flirts with elements of fantasy, takes enormous creative liberties with the historical period in which it is set, but also conceals a socio-political subtext. Everything is accompanied by pop music, not just instrumental covers but actual songs like “Wet Dreams” by Wet Leg, which add further momentum. Emily Bader is charming as Jane, a noblewoman about to embark on the predictable path of marriage, until her life changes completely. She gives us a heroine we can root for, even when her ethics put her life in danger. Of course, some doubts and inconsistencies remain, mainly due to the fictional elements added to the story.
However, the fun she provides makes these imperfections fade into the background, leaving us curious to delve deeper into the eccentric way in which this fantasy historical series reimagines the story of a little-known British queen. As we said, the TV series My Lady Jane stands out for its bold script, which abandons historical accuracy in favor of modern language, lively anachronisms, and a cheeky narrator who breaks the fourth wall. Similar to “The Great” and “Dickinson,” it combines historical elements and contemporary sensibilities, creating an original and irresistibly entertaining work. The plot, while chaotic and delightfully intricate, maintains a coherent undercurrent of conspiracies and intrigue as Jane, Edward, and Guildford must navigate political machinations and magical secrets. While the stakes are high, the tone remains light, ensuring the series is as entertaining as it is engaging. My Lady Jane is a feminist fantasy series that reworks the past with wit and vivacity: if you’re looking for a hugely entertaining series that courageously rewrites the rules, this is the perfect choice. Don’t expect historical accuracy but be prepared for panache.
My Lady Jane Review: The Last Words
The TV series My Lady Jane turns the tragic story of Lady Jane Grey on its head, mixing fantasy, humor, and girl power and bringing the character to life in an eccentric way. But we liked My Lady Jane. If Prime Video was looking for a response in kind to Netflix’s Bridgerton, they may have found it in this series. Which is more irreverent and foul-mouthed and less politically committed than Bridgerton, even if here too there is a King Edward with black skin. A costume fantasy action comedy: in fact, there are many irons in the fire, but it is well managed in terms of timing and above all in the visual and verbal languages it adopts, remaining fresh and credible, romantic and compelling. Then, as always, it will be up to the public to decide whether or not it is a success.
