Rufus Sewell
We love him as the villain in like, everything: Man in the High Castle, A Knight’s Tale and The Holiday (yes, he’s a villain in that, duh) and we love him even more now that he’s the “good guy” in Victoria. Rufus as Lord Melbourne is the older, wiser man and mentor that Victoria needs at exactly the right time. When he sends Victoria the orchids? HEART CLUTCH. When he tells her the story of the Rooks and “has” to reject her? HEART CLUTCH. We are HERE for it Lord M, WE.ARE.HERE.FOR.IT.
Albert
Tom Hughes is Ezra Millier-lite if Ezra was less goofy and more into women and even more brooding. You might remember Tom from The Hollow Crown and About Time but I don’t. During all my mid-show Googling, I found out that Tom and Jenna who play Victoria and Albert are actually a pair in real life. Uh, sorry Robb Stark, I guess there’s a new guy in Jenna’s town. Plus boys with curly hair, who doesn’t love ’em?
Victoria
Sure, Jenna Coleman plays her a bit bratty and also made me side-eye her when she told Albert the Rubens paintings weren’t her favorite because of all the “wobbling flesh.” Uh, honey here is a picture of you:
This is like me hating on girls on the Bachelor for their “thigh gaps.” PUH-LEASE GURL. Beyond her side-eye moments, Jenna Coleman portrays Queen Victoria as a head-strong woman, intent on ruling the country HER way and without the intervention of meddling men who think she needs a husband or an advisor to tell her what to do. Haters and mansplainers to the left, because Victoria has NO TIME for it. This recent rise in storytelling around strong females has been a boon to me personally, as a business owner, a woman and in our FUCKING AWFUL political times. I love watching (even if a tad fictionalized) how women operated in days when they couldn’t even vote. Plus ne’er-do-wells tried to kill Victoria four times during the time of her reign. Talk about a rough week at the office.
Upstairs / Downstairs Drama
If you were a Downton Abbey fan, you’ll love the Upstairs/Downstairs drama that Victoria brings to the table. While Victoria is busy trying to figure out how to be a female monarch, her team downstairs are trying to outsmart each other, make money on the side, romance each other and of course, deal with their personal drama outside of their work. Plus for the Outlander folks, everyones favorite leg hair, or Laoghaire, Nell Hudson is a central piece of the downstairs drama, she dresses the queen and does her hair every day so she’s in a prime position to get in on all the drama.
Elaborate Dance Scenes with Sexual Tension
Every historical drama’s gotta have an elaborate old time-y dance scene filled with sexual tension and Victoria has it IN SPADES. When Albert cuts open his shirt to put the flowers next to his heart? DEAD. Here for it, Part 2. We will look at paintings by the Masters with you any day, Albert.
Elaborate Piano Scenes with Sexual Tension
CHECK. Who knew piano duets between first cousins could be so hot?
HERstory!
I never met a good historical drama I didn’t like! Add in costumes and sexual tension and politics and intrigue and SIGN ME UP. Victoria is one of those shows that will drive you to Wikipedia and Google about half way through each episode so you can read about her and the time period from the history books. Much like The Crown, Outlander (though fictionalized), The White Queen (and White Princess coming soon!), and even shows like Black Sails, Victoria will have you diving for the history books like simultaneously planning your next trip to Britain.
What’s next? I have no idea but I’m pretty sure that swoon-y engagement is gonna lead to a wedding and the NINE children Victoria and Albert have… plus a lot of drama and an eventual art museum.
Catch up on all the episodes online and watch Victoria on PBS on Sunday nights.
Are you a Victoria fan? Add your reasons to tune in to the comments below!
