Elizabeth R: Review & Picspam (Pt 2)
Part Two! (You'll find the exciting Part One here. Actually, it really is exciting. It has treason and beheadings and stuff.) Again, I've tried to avoid anything that would count as a proper spoiler rather than a well-known historical fact.
Episode Five: Enterprise of England
This is the Spanish Armada episode, and it works by continually contrasting Philip and Elizabeth as they prepare for it. If you are expecting sea battles, you will be disappointed.
This is totally the only boat in the episode. (Peter Jeffrey is back, but not at all like Grendel this time. He is quite lenient.)
Drake, however, is present, played by John Woodvine (also in DW's The Armageddon Factor, I believe.). He looks pleasingly right, and they have a little scene in Cadiz, which seems to be there for no other reason than to acknowledge that he's really a pirate.
All sea battles have to be relayed through Captain Tregarron. (Who is from Cornwall, ooh-arrr). "Your Majesty, that was a great sea battle we just had!"
"Is the Armada defeated?"
"No, not yet."
"Then go away!" (etc etc)
Glenda Jackson does get to deliver the famous Tilbury speech, though (and, in case you were wondering, the horse is real).
And in victory, news comes of Leicester's death. (And, btw, in the end Robert Hardy made me like Leicester. And I never like Leicester/Robert Dudley, or not in fiction and films.)
Part Six: Sweet England's Pride
There were some really gorgeously-written bits in this - not that there aren't in the others, but I did notice it more here.
I liked how there was no attempt to soften the elderly Elizabeth's strange appearance.
Elizabeth: All the fabric of my reign, little by little, is beginning to fall.
Walter Raleigh (Nicholas Selby) turned up (and look, there was almost a clash of swords! Almost...)
Raleigh: Imagination, death. It's all the same. [To the musicians] Awake my boys, you come too soon. She always preferred the music to the Mass.
Shakespeare was present in spirit only with seditious plays and the Earl of Southampton talking about his love of the theatre, but he never appeared. However, we did get Francis Bacon (John Nettleton) instead, who is here with Cecil Mark II (William Cecil's son, Robert, played by Hugh Dickson. He has been well-trained by his father, but whereas Cecil Mark I was her spirit, he is her little snail. It's not the same).
Bacon: She [the Queen] is magnificent.
Cecil: Before it goes out, the candle always flares.
Surprisingly, Burghley/Cecil is still around for a bit. If Elizabeth hadn't banished him during Episode Four, he would be the only other person to be in all six episodes. As it is, he's the only person to manage five.
This episode centres around Essex, who is really a very annoying historical character, but well played here by Robin Ellis. (Both his irritating, shallow, selfish side and in attempting to portay some of the qualities he must have had to be so popular at the time.)
Elizabeth: The fault is mine... I have nourished proud men at the expense of my people."
And after all the episodes of no action and court intrigue, the serial pulls out a last minute ace up the sleeve with the Irish playing HAVOC with the English. (Yes, action by HAVOC!! With a resounding cheer from all UNIT era fans. Or maybe that was just me when I saw that in the credits).
I was going to talk about the ending, but I will just say it was exceptional, and those who know will know why, and those who don't may find out at their leisure and I won't have spoiled anybody for anything.
Elizabeth's final speech to the commons: To be a king and wear a crown is a thing more glorious to them that see it than it is pleasant to them that bear it. And for my own part, I would be willing to resign the place I hold to any other, glad to be free of the glory with the labour, for it is not my desire to live nor to reign longer than my life and reign shall be for your good. And though you have had and may have many mightier and wiser princes sitting in this seat, you never have had nor shall have any who loves you better.
***
And I should mention the costumes here. I don't think anyone will be surprised to hear that they are elaborate and quite beautiful, but what impressed me was the effort that had gone into realising the dresses she wore in portraits. If you are familiar with any images of Elizabeth, you'll recognise some of these:
Now go back again and look at the expert make-up job involved in gradually ageing Elizabeth. A lot of people in this need to be aged up or down at various points; some with more success than others, but overall, it's extremely impressive. Especially that no attempt is made to prettify the elderly Elizabeth in the final episode.
***
My thoroughly nonsensical picspam on the complete lack of even one Yuletide fic for this TV serial. I am very, very sorry. I just thought that Yuletide would have something... and then kept mentally captioning pics as I capped them and... There isn't any excuse for what follows, not really. *runs*
Elizabeth: It has come to my attention that we have no fanfic. How is this, my Moor?
Walsingham: We are all historical figures, your Majesty. How would anyone know it was not historical fiction?
Elizabeth: Hmm. Still, there is fan fiction for any number of less important things. See to it that something be done.
Kat Ashley: ... And she's in there now, writing fan fiction to pass the time, no doubt Robin/Elizabeth fluff. You know how girls are.
Elizabeth (writing a multi-chaptered fic about the wonderful Queen Mary Sue): And now I shall translate it into Latin, then six other languages and present it to my sister to demonstrate my love and loyalty. That should put me back in her favour.
It was never easy being beta to the Queen, but at least Cecil was the only other person at court who found the obscure Latin jokes amusing.
Elizabeth: "My lords, your first efforts at fan fiction are disappointing. None of them is in Latin and surely Sussex, even *you* could have managed more than Once upon a time there was a great and beautiful Queen. The end. Moreover, which of you is responsible for the obscene limericks?"
Mary, Queen of Scots: "I have no talent for fiction, but I have done some embroidered fanart of my cousin Elizabeth dying horribly at the hand of John Savage, and now I have run out of red silk for all the blood. Pray, do you think Sir Amyas will let me have more?"
Elizabeth: "See, everyone, Leicester has written a very pretty story and he has even had a review! Now go you all and do likewise."
Cecil: "Leicester, you're a thief and a plagiarist - you know that one was mine!"
Leicester: *smuggity smug smug*
Drake: "Pirate fic for me!"
Tregarron: "Aye, a real sea battle for us, and we'll have a crossover with PoTC!"
Drake: "PotC? What century do you think you're living in, man?"
Babington: And I am writing an AU in which I successfully rescue Queen Mary and we all live happily ever after.
Ballard: Ye-ess... Just how alternate is that universe, Sir Anthony?
Babington: It is the world without Walsingham.
Ballard: Even so...
Burghley: Leicester, this has got to stop.
Leicester: What has?
Walsingham: Your terrible doggerel!
Leicester: The Queen herself requested fanfiction.
Sussex: Fiction, yes. Crude and insulting rhymes about the rest of the Privy Council, no.
Norfolk: Besides, your limericks are appalling. They don't even rhyme, let alone scan.
Leicester: *sulks*
Elizabeth had discovered a new and inventive way of punishing her Privy Council: explicit slash fic. The Latin translation was always particularly amusing.
Episode Five: Enterprise of England
This is the Spanish Armada episode, and it works by continually contrasting Philip and Elizabeth as they prepare for it. If you are expecting sea battles, you will be disappointed.
This is totally the only boat in the episode. (Peter Jeffrey is back, but not at all like Grendel this time. He is quite lenient.)
Drake, however, is present, played by John Woodvine (also in DW's The Armageddon Factor, I believe.). He looks pleasingly right, and they have a little scene in Cadiz, which seems to be there for no other reason than to acknowledge that he's really a pirate.
All sea battles have to be relayed through Captain Tregarron. (Who is from Cornwall, ooh-arrr). "Your Majesty, that was a great sea battle we just had!"
"Is the Armada defeated?"
"No, not yet."
"Then go away!" (etc etc)
Glenda Jackson does get to deliver the famous Tilbury speech, though (and, in case you were wondering, the horse is real).
And in victory, news comes of Leicester's death. (And, btw, in the end Robert Hardy made me like Leicester. And I never like Leicester/Robert Dudley, or not in fiction and films.)
Part Six: Sweet England's Pride
There were some really gorgeously-written bits in this - not that there aren't in the others, but I did notice it more here.
I liked how there was no attempt to soften the elderly Elizabeth's strange appearance.
Elizabeth: All the fabric of my reign, little by little, is beginning to fall.
Walter Raleigh (Nicholas Selby) turned up (and look, there was almost a clash of swords! Almost...)
Raleigh: Imagination, death. It's all the same. [To the musicians] Awake my boys, you come too soon. She always preferred the music to the Mass.
Shakespeare was present in spirit only with seditious plays and the Earl of Southampton talking about his love of the theatre, but he never appeared. However, we did get Francis Bacon (John Nettleton) instead, who is here with Cecil Mark II (William Cecil's son, Robert, played by Hugh Dickson. He has been well-trained by his father, but whereas Cecil Mark I was her spirit, he is her little snail. It's not the same).
Bacon: She [the Queen] is magnificent.
Cecil: Before it goes out, the candle always flares.
Surprisingly, Burghley/Cecil is still around for a bit. If Elizabeth hadn't banished him during Episode Four, he would be the only other person to be in all six episodes. As it is, he's the only person to manage five.
This episode centres around Essex, who is really a very annoying historical character, but well played here by Robin Ellis. (Both his irritating, shallow, selfish side and in attempting to portay some of the qualities he must have had to be so popular at the time.)
Elizabeth: The fault is mine... I have nourished proud men at the expense of my people."
And after all the episodes of no action and court intrigue, the serial pulls out a last minute ace up the sleeve with the Irish playing HAVOC with the English. (Yes, action by HAVOC!! With a resounding cheer from all UNIT era fans. Or maybe that was just me when I saw that in the credits).
I was going to talk about the ending, but I will just say it was exceptional, and those who know will know why, and those who don't may find out at their leisure and I won't have spoiled anybody for anything.
Elizabeth's final speech to the commons: To be a king and wear a crown is a thing more glorious to them that see it than it is pleasant to them that bear it. And for my own part, I would be willing to resign the place I hold to any other, glad to be free of the glory with the labour, for it is not my desire to live nor to reign longer than my life and reign shall be for your good. And though you have had and may have many mightier and wiser princes sitting in this seat, you never have had nor shall have any who loves you better.
***
And I should mention the costumes here. I don't think anyone will be surprised to hear that they are elaborate and quite beautiful, but what impressed me was the effort that had gone into realising the dresses she wore in portraits. If you are familiar with any images of Elizabeth, you'll recognise some of these:
Now go back again and look at the expert make-up job involved in gradually ageing Elizabeth. A lot of people in this need to be aged up or down at various points; some with more success than others, but overall, it's extremely impressive. Especially that no attempt is made to prettify the elderly Elizabeth in the final episode.
***
My thoroughly nonsensical picspam on the complete lack of even one Yuletide fic for this TV serial. I am very, very sorry. I just thought that Yuletide would have something... and then kept mentally captioning pics as I capped them and... There isn't any excuse for what follows, not really. *runs*
Elizabeth: It has come to my attention that we have no fanfic. How is this, my Moor?
Walsingham: We are all historical figures, your Majesty. How would anyone know it was not historical fiction?
Elizabeth: Hmm. Still, there is fan fiction for any number of less important things. See to it that something be done.
Kat Ashley: ... And she's in there now, writing fan fiction to pass the time, no doubt Robin/Elizabeth fluff. You know how girls are.
Elizabeth (writing a multi-chaptered fic about the wonderful Queen Mary Sue): And now I shall translate it into Latin, then six other languages and present it to my sister to demonstrate my love and loyalty. That should put me back in her favour.
It was never easy being beta to the Queen, but at least Cecil was the only other person at court who found the obscure Latin jokes amusing.
Elizabeth: "My lords, your first efforts at fan fiction are disappointing. None of them is in Latin and surely Sussex, even *you* could have managed more than Once upon a time there was a great and beautiful Queen. The end. Moreover, which of you is responsible for the obscene limericks?"
Mary, Queen of Scots: "I have no talent for fiction, but I have done some embroidered fanart of my cousin Elizabeth dying horribly at the hand of John Savage, and now I have run out of red silk for all the blood. Pray, do you think Sir Amyas will let me have more?"
Elizabeth: "See, everyone, Leicester has written a very pretty story and he has even had a review! Now go you all and do likewise."
Cecil: "Leicester, you're a thief and a plagiarist - you know that one was mine!"
Leicester: *smuggity smug smug*
Drake: "Pirate fic for me!"
Tregarron: "Aye, a real sea battle for us, and we'll have a crossover with PoTC!"
Drake: "PotC? What century do you think you're living in, man?"
Babington: And I am writing an AU in which I successfully rescue Queen Mary and we all live happily ever after.
Ballard: Ye-ess... Just how alternate is that universe, Sir Anthony?
Babington: It is the world without Walsingham.
Ballard: Even so...
Burghley: Leicester, this has got to stop.
Leicester: What has?
Walsingham: Your terrible doggerel!
Leicester: The Queen herself requested fanfiction.
Sussex: Fiction, yes. Crude and insulting rhymes about the rest of the Privy Council, no.
Norfolk: Besides, your limericks are appalling. They don't even rhyme, let alone scan.
Leicester: *sulks*
Elizabeth had discovered a new and inventive way of punishing her Privy Council: explicit slash fic. The Latin translation was always particularly amusing.