VICTORIA: Drina to Regina, Small to Large {Recap}

Victoria, the latest drama from Masterpiece starts tonight and will take us through the first year or so of Queen Victoria’s reign in Great Britain in this season.

We first meet a young Victoria (Jenna Coleman) just as she learns that she is Queen, an eighteen year old still sleeping in the same room as her mother, who has spent years controlling the Princess/Queen away from court in Kensington Palace. Easily, I wanted to feel for Victoria and cheer at each moment when she can defy her mother, though their relationship is complicated.

Victoria
On MASTERPIECE on PBS
Shown from left to right: ALICE ORR-EWING as Lady Flora Hastings, CATHERINE FLEMMING as Duchess of Kent and PAUL RHYS as Sir John Conroy
(C) ITV Plc

Her mother, the Duchess of Kent (Catherine Flemming), and her trusted advisor, Sir Paul Conroy (Paul Rhys) are scheming from the start on how to control the young queen, to little success.

Victoria defies the controlling hands of both of them, moves herself to Buckingham Palace and starts to assert her own power, both in the house and with Parliament.

Lord Melbourne (Rufus Sewell) guides Victoria through the difficulties or finding Ladies in Waiting, her coronation and two scandals (one with assuming her mother’s lady’s maid was pregnant and the other over not changing her ladies to suit a new government), but through it all, Victoria’s youth clashes with the heavy responsibilities of her new title.

Victoria
On MASTERPIECE on PBS
Shown: Rufus Sewell as Lord Melbourne
(C) ITV Plc

While all of Victoria’s attempts to be her own guide are intriguing and well worth the watch, her staff also play a crucial role in the drama.

Her lead dresser, Mrs. Jenkins (Eve Myles) has to deal with not being able to choose her underline, Skerrett (Nell Hudson), but the head steward has classes with Baroness Lazen abotu the running of the house and expenses.

Victoria
On MASTERPIECE on PBS
Shown from left to right: NELL HUDSON (Skerrett), EVE MYLES (Mrs Jenkins) and JENNA COLEMAN as Victoria
(C) ITV Plc

Skerrett has the most complicated story in this episode, as we learn at the end that she used to work in a house of ill-repute but has managed to escape that life for something far nicer in Buckingham Palace.

Of course, it is only the work of wikipedia to know where this season will go, and despite that, watching the ways in which Victoria bests the Tories (and her uncle who wants her throne) as well as demonstrate that she is no small person to look over is a delight. Coleman plays feisty very well and still has some hints of being afraid of the world.

Victoria continues on Masterpiece until the beginning of March at 9PM/8PM Central.