Victorious Victoria (a review of the ITV series, ‘Victoria’)

(Reported by Jess Upton, Year 9).

 

When you hear the word “Victorians”, what is the first image that comes into your head? Poor, dirty children in a dark, polluted city? Well, ITV have decided to change our perceptions and allow the nation to fall in love with our past through its television series, Victoria.

Jenna Coleman stars as Queen Victoria as she tries to find her way as the new Queen of England. She is faced with many challenges but her stubbornness and loyalty to her country means she always ends up on top. However she is not always willing to do everything ‘by the book’, making her stand out as a head strong, female monarch – a bastion for our newly revived, 21st century feminism.

This heart-warming series inflicts a range of emotions on its viewers whilst imparting great historical knowledge and understanding. Each character is portrayed and created with care and great respect for the era. Tom Hughes presents the character of Prince Albert in a way that warms our hearts. His subtle actions and considerate manor forces us to fall in love with his charms, over and over again.

The scenery and sets are all carefully crafted in measureless detail. No single inch is left without thought, precision and planning – this extends to the props and costumes. However some of the props may not have been as expensive as we first thought. For example, Production designer Michael Howells told Architectural Digest that he actually went up to Scotland and collected 22,000 seashells for free to help build his intricate objects. What’s more, he bought all the Victorian inspired swords from Poundland and actually spray-painted them gold!

The Evening Standard describes this season’s conclusion as moving with a “nail-biting slowness of pace and that hovering over one another only added to the tenderness of the moment.”

Overall this ITV series is definitely a must see if you are looking for a heart-warming experience that will increase your understanding of the less well-known times of Queen Victoria’s reign.
Season Two of Victoria will begin on ITV this Autumn.