Impressions:
-Queen Elizabeth just keeps having children! I mean, WOW, it seems like every time she is on screen she's pregnant or birthing another prince or princess. The crazy (and painful) role of a royal wife!
-Touching scene between Margaret Beaufort, Queen Elizabeth, and the newborn prince who wouldn't cry until Margaret held him. Feeling that Margaret brought her baby to life, Elizabeth now feels indebted to her former enemy.
-Richard and Anne already have a son?! Didn't they just get married at the end of last week's episode? I still can't keep up with the speed of this show...
-I feel bad for Isabel, who wants so desperately to please her husband George - who is so power-hungry that he is blind to the pain he causes her and the cruelty he shows to almost everyone. Poor Isabel wants so much to give him a son and to have peace in her relationship.
-Edward's post-war gift for his wife, a trunk of malmsey wine, is a nice bit of foreshadowing to a certain execution coming up... Yes, I caught onto it. Clever, clever, BBC/STARZ.
-Already Richard and Anne are having issues. His argument with Edward has turned him a bit colder than we've seen before. Again, this show moves too fast! Is the cute, romantic part of Anne's and Richard's relationship already over?
-Good idea calling a sorcerer to thwart Queen Elizabeth, George. I can't see anything at all going wrong with that scenario.
-Rest in Peace, Isabel. Yours was a tricky and painful life... On that note, poor Anne. She's now alone in this dangerous game of court politics.
-The masquerade scene was really well done. George looked sufficiently crazy when accusing Elizabeth of murder.
-Finally George goes on trial. This is something I've been waiting on for several weeks. The downfall of the troublesome, angry York brother has arrived.
-Again, a very touching scene between Elizabeth and Margaret when they pray together. Maybe Margaret's intentions at court aren't admirable ones, but there is a certain softness to her that I can't help but admire. Elizabeth, in her panic and distress, also seems to trust her more than anyone ever expected.
-Drowning in a barrel of malmsey wine was A) a jab at the queen on George's part, and B) a horrible way to die. Duchess Cecily's tearful plea for her "favorite son's" life was touching, but to no avail.
Favorite Characters:
Still Richard. I'm very excited to see how he becomes more powerful and influential as the episodes continue. Right now, we've seen many different sides of him and through it all, I just think he's one of the most likable characters in the series.
-This show just moves too quickly for me at times. It's frustrating because the story is so rich and the characters should be so much more developed, but the miniseries status obviously makes for an escalated pace. I just wish we could slow it down and look at the story in greater detail. These actors and actresses are fantastic, and I think the show would do so well as a full series.
Final Thoughts:
-Can you believe we only have three episodes left? I can't.
-Edward's death scene must be coming up. Now THAT is going to be a tear-jerker.
-I'm really anxious to see how Philippa Gregory wrote the Princes in the Tower part of the show... It should shape people's opinions of the characters (especially Richard and Henry Tudor).
-We still have so much to look forward in the remaining episodes - new kings, new battles, the inevitable deaths... It should be a great rest of the series. I can't wait for Saturday!