Victoria

It took me more than half a season to figure out how to approach the series. In the end, I opted for fiction set in the Victorian era, partially based on historical events. If you don’t require historical accuracy and you can get over some exuberant romance, you'll probably have a good time. After a certain disillusionment, I managed to understand the creators’ intention, I stopped being unnecessarily critical, and I wasn’t disappointed or bored in the end. (28.05.2019)

"I enjoy movies and series from the time when Britain was still Britain and not the current parody of itself, so from this perspective, the first episode was perfect. It also entertained me with the typical English mix of reserve and cunning intrigue, so if the series continues in this way, I will definitely enjoy it." (26.05.2019)

The second episode lost some pace compared to the first one and I was a bit disappointed that the political intrigues took a backseat to the household servant's shenanigans. However, Rufus Sewell was excellent here as well, although the other actors somewhat fade next to him. (26.05.2019)

This time I watched a slightly modified fox hunt, instead of a fox tail, the trophy was the queen's hand, and I thought I would give this "race" five stars because there was once again skillful politicking, but I was unpleasantly surprised by a significant increase in romantic atmosphere, so in the end I decided on four pieces. (26.05.2019)

I silently hoped that it wouldn't happen, but it was in vain. The creators completely deviated from the political (historical) storyline in the fourth episode and created a nearly purely romantic part with typical back and forth between he loves me- he doesn't love me, but I expect something else from this series. (26.05.2019)

No, nothing has actually changed from the previous episode, all the matters that interest and entertain me (history and politics) were pushed aside, while the essentially uninteresting romantic storyline got the maximum amount of space. The opening episode, which I praised, actually misled me, it seems to be a completely different genre than I expected. (26.05.2019)

After watching the sixth episode, I returned to a four-star rating because I was very pleased that the creators stopped focusing on the Red Library and returned to significant matters. I was so happy that I didn't lower my rating even for the anti-slavery conference, which became the most important event of this episode, and yet I couldn't find any mention of it anywhere. Well yeah, it's probably a challenge when you're filming a Victorian period series and you want to put a black person in front of the camera... (28.05.2019)

So, yeah, I gave up on historical accuracy and started approaching the series as a fiction from the Victorian era. This approach worked for me, so I could comfortably rate the seventh episode, which clearly showed why the nineteenth century was the "century of steam," with four out of five pieces. (28.05.2019)

The final episode of the first season did not deviate from the standard quality of the previous two episodes. Since there was no return to unsuccessful attempts at unnecessary romance, as the creators demonstrated in episodes 4 and 5, there was no reason to lower the rating. (28.05.2019)

Apart from the unfortunate Christmas episode, it was a great season, even better than the first one in my view. In any case, I’d appreciate it if there were fewer romantic scenes in favor of political and historical events (historical according to HBO, of course). I wasn’t happy to see that political correctness managed to seep into this series, too, I was secretly hoping it wouldn’t. (20.08.2019)

The season opener wasn't flawless, but considering how much I enjoyed the first season, I'd say it comfortably earns a solid four stars. My only gripe was how they balanced the drama in Afghanistan with the cook's subplot – felt a bit off. (19.08.2019)

So, we're in the supposed steam-powered century, right? But blink and there's a computer – no steam in sight. The episode didn't exactly set my world on fire, and there was a bit too much romance for my liking. But somehow, it all came together quite nicely in the end. (19.08.2019)

The third episode really delved into the contrasting lives "above and below the stairs," offering a detailed glimpse into the disparities. It was interesting to see the characters shedding tears over fictional characters, oblivious to the harsh realities around them. It's like how people donate to children in Africa while ignoring those in need closer to home just because it's not trendy. (19.08.2019)

Another episode that lacked significant plot developments (aside from the heir to the throne). Surprisingly, though, I found myself thoroughly entertained throughout. It's a shame we won't see Rufus Sewell in the series anymore, but as long as the creators keep up their quality, I'm not too worried. (19.08.2019)

As I watched the European marriage politics unfold, I couldn't shake off memories of "The Queen of Spain's Beard" episode from the first season of Blackadder. I half-expected to hear, "Cheswick, fresh horses!" any moment. Witnessing the negotiations between my beloved Britain and my not-so-favorite France promised pure entertainment. (19.08.2019)

At last, I can give this episode a five-star rating. The romantic side took a backseat, allowing the spotlight to shine on the Great Irish Famine. Though the episode couldn't fully capture the gravity of this tragedy due to time constraints, the narrative remained incredibly poignant and impactful. (20.08.2019)

This time, romanticism took center stage over romance, and strangely enough, I found it rather enjoyable, being a fan of Scotland myself. (20.08.2019)

The creators took a deep dive into political happenings, which I appreciated. However, the focus on events within the royal household didn't quite hit the mark for me. The plot felt a tad weaker compared to previous episodes. 4*- (20.08.2019)

The Christmas special left me feeling pretty disappointed. It irked me that even in a Victorian-era TV series, the creators felt the need to bend over backwards to appease the forces of political correctness. But then again, maybe I shouldn't be all that surprised. (20.08.2019)

I realized this wasn’t a standard historical series in the very first season and I quickly got used to the fact. However, after a better second season, I was still expecting something slightly better. The third season wasn’t bad, but it was spoiled again by the annoying political correctness and the evil sister with a basketful of intrigue straight out of a soap opera. (09.11.2019)