Doll 123

With Downton Abbey ending ITV needs another heritage drama and Victoria fits the bill. A look at the young Queen Victoria as she ascends the throne and a look below stairs with the shady staff on the take.

What is more as with Broadchurch ITV realised that their is no harm populating the cast with ex-Doctor Who universe actors.

The final credits inform you that the series is based or inspired on A N Wilson's factual book on Victoria. A N Wilson has made several documentaries on Victoria but this series rather pushes the truth somewhat.

The first episode shows the young Queen as feisty and Jenna Coleman certainly looks the part and it sets up its heroes and villains rather quickly. Victoria's mother's aide, Sir John Conroy played by what looks like a heavily Botoxed Paul Rhys is the pantomime villain who wishes to control the young Queen. However to her aid comes the dashing Lord Melbourne (Rufus Sewell) and the Queen quickly becomes dependent on him. In reality Lord Melbourne was many decades older than Victoria.

The first episode was chocolate box pretty and some judicious use of CGI. I did not find the tale of the servants that interesting but I do fear this is all going to be get a little too soap opera-like for my liking. After all it is no secret that Victoria reigned for over 60 years and saw off all comers.

After having seen all of "The Crown," it was interesting to go back a hundred years to another long reigning monarch. Here we are introduced to the young queen who is informed by a courier at her country home that her uncle is dead. Her mother, who looks so dour, and her consort, Sir John Conroy, are obviously hoping she will fail miserably. She is feisty from the get go and tells everyone that she has been waiting for this moment. She makes it clear she just wants them to back off. She carries this into her early reign as the Parliament begins to put pressure on her. They say she is a child and should be turning things over to her mother and Sir John. But she soon hooks her wagon to Lord Melbourne, who is tired of politics. He tries hard to guide her, but she is still entrenched. She makes a serious mistake when she accuses a young woman, who advises her, of being pregnant. It is a fatal tumor and she is badly embarrassed. There is also a coup from one of the Torys to consider a case of insanity. I can't go into everything, but this is a fine start. The images, like with "The Crown," are really striking. Excellent camera work. Also, there is lots of upstairs/downstairs intrigue. We'll see how this all plays out in subsequent episodes.