Wouldn't be Christmas without some period soap/drama
Victoria 2.9 Comfort and Joy
Or Victoria invents Christmas
Confirmation that Victoria really is the new Downton, it followed the pattern of continuing from season 2’s drama, and, being Victoria, repeating certain storylines and inventing Christmas as we know it. Kind of. Take that Mr Charles Dickens.
It involved pretending that Victoria and Albert, expecting their fourth child, hadn’t spent a Christmas together before or quarrelled over it! So, never mind what to do with Christmas trees or Christmas cards, let’s have that other staple of the holiday: an awkward family getogether. She was right to be irked that he went behind her back and invited the family member most likely to stress her out - her mother.
But Albert was fixated on having the perfect Christmas and Victoria was oberidentifying with Sarah (yes, you were neglected as a child because your mother was afraid you’d be killed, but having every member of your family being slaughtered is a different lever of trauma). I thought they handled Sarah’s affinity with the caged bird well, though.
I snarked from the first scene on that as well as inventing Christmas, Victoria would deal with slavery again, but that was for Skerritt. Having said that, Francatelli took the fact that she didn’t consult with him remarkably well. I agree that it was her decision to make, but PENGE had more input. But sure, that’s a basis to share a life on and it’s not as if Skerritt lied to her boss about anything before.
Because it was a Christmas special, we had two proposals. Duchess Diana Rigg did some matchmaking. I rather thought Wilhelmina deserved better than someone still mourning and with a sexual orientation that didn’t seem to be directed at her. But Lord Alfred decided that he was okay with not dancing with just men and was quite convincing that it was more than appreciating her kindness (even though he was a little more restrained than her, I bet the slashers are mad).
Meanwhile, the couple that made out the most didn’t get engaged, and everyone that counted - Leopold, Harriet and Albert - found out about Ernst’s venereal disease.
Albert was a hypocrite over inviting Leopold but not being willing to talk to him. Nice bit of psychoanalysis from Ersnt of his brother and a nice bit of brotherly winding him up over the bauble. Even only children saw that coming and smirked.
I daresay the servants’ ball was historical, but it was another reminder of Downton Abbey Christmas specials past.
The ice-skating accident? I spent most of it critiquing Victoria’s rescuing skills and I thought the delivery of ‘you’ve been skating on thin ice’ by David Oakes was rather brilliant. (Ugh, it was probably a historical event.)
Victoria will return with more of this, and the footman will still look about 16 as they replace the royal children with older actors. I expect it will remain a ‘catch-up’ show for me.
This entry was originally posted at https://shallowness.dreamwidth.org/310350.html.
Or Victoria invents Christmas
Confirmation that Victoria really is the new Downton, it followed the pattern of continuing from season 2’s drama, and, being Victoria, repeating certain storylines and inventing Christmas as we know it. Kind of. Take that Mr Charles Dickens.
It involved pretending that Victoria and Albert, expecting their fourth child, hadn’t spent a Christmas together before or quarrelled over it! So, never mind what to do with Christmas trees or Christmas cards, let’s have that other staple of the holiday: an awkward family getogether. She was right to be irked that he went behind her back and invited the family member most likely to stress her out - her mother.
But Albert was fixated on having the perfect Christmas and Victoria was oberidentifying with Sarah (yes, you were neglected as a child because your mother was afraid you’d be killed, but having every member of your family being slaughtered is a different lever of trauma). I thought they handled Sarah’s affinity with the caged bird well, though.
I snarked from the first scene on that as well as inventing Christmas, Victoria would deal with slavery again, but that was for Skerritt. Having said that, Francatelli took the fact that she didn’t consult with him remarkably well. I agree that it was her decision to make, but PENGE had more input. But sure, that’s a basis to share a life on and it’s not as if Skerritt lied to her boss about anything before.
Because it was a Christmas special, we had two proposals. Duchess Diana Rigg did some matchmaking. I rather thought Wilhelmina deserved better than someone still mourning and with a sexual orientation that didn’t seem to be directed at her. But Lord Alfred decided that he was okay with not dancing with just men and was quite convincing that it was more than appreciating her kindness (even though he was a little more restrained than her, I bet the slashers are mad).
Meanwhile, the couple that made out the most didn’t get engaged, and everyone that counted - Leopold, Harriet and Albert - found out about Ernst’s venereal disease.
Albert was a hypocrite over inviting Leopold but not being willing to talk to him. Nice bit of psychoanalysis from Ersnt of his brother and a nice bit of brotherly winding him up over the bauble. Even only children saw that coming and smirked.
I daresay the servants’ ball was historical, but it was another reminder of Downton Abbey Christmas specials past.
The ice-skating accident? I spent most of it critiquing Victoria’s rescuing skills and I thought the delivery of ‘you’ve been skating on thin ice’ by David Oakes was rather brilliant. (Ugh, it was probably a historical event.)
Victoria will return with more of this, and the footman will still look about 16 as they replace the royal children with older actors. I expect it will remain a ‘catch-up’ show for me.
This entry was originally posted at https://shallowness.dreamwidth.org/310350.html.