This episode was, in one word, fantastic! I absolutely loved the emotion of the episode - with Edward IV's death, Elizabeth's fears for herself and her children, and Richard Plantagenet's inner struggle to maintain his word to his late brother while protecting himself. Philippa Gregory wove a great story out of this tumultuous period in Plantagenet history, and the actors have played it to perfection!
Impressions:
-I hope you've been buckled up, Tudor Enthusiasts, because we've just sped almost a decade forward since our last episode - the year is 1483, only two years before our beloved Tudors will take the stage! Edward and Elizabeth have only slightly been aged, while everyone else looks exactly as they did ten years ago.
-Edward's death completely got me. His line, "Thank you, lovely Elizabeth, for waiting under that oak tree," almost got me to shed tears - yes, I'm a weeper... and Elizabeth's heartbroken reaction to his death was enough to turn even the stoniest of hearts a little softer. The king is dead, long live the king.
-It's pointless to criticize Edward now that he's gone, but honestly - has he never learned who and who not to trust? Making Richard Lord Protector of the Realm while his son Edward grows up was, in a word, stupid. Sure, Richard's been the quiet brother all along, but can't we assume that he's been sneakily plotting his own power and waiting for an opportunity to strike the entire time? (This is a complete fabrication of my mind, by the way. I have no idea what Richard's motives were, but his somewhat creepy persona makes me wonder in this show).
-Elizabeth's standoff with Duchess Cecily outside the king's chamber was one of the harshest confrontations yet! What a way to treat a woman whose husband has just died. Elizabeth is truly in danger now, with virtually no allies.
-Must be nice to be Anne Neville - I think she's the first woman on the show that Duchess Cecily has actually taken a liking to.
-Richard is coming out of his shell more and more - now he needs to face some tough decisions, and he'll do so with the help of his meek and naive - turned - hardened and ambitious wife, Anne. She sure seems to know all the answers now, doesn't she? I'm loving her relationship with Richard right now.
-Can I just say... POOR BOY WHO'S TAKING THE PLACE OF PRINCE RICHARD! Elizabeth's being a good mom by sending another boy in her son's place, to the dangerous Tower of London where there are sure to be risks - but seriously, that poor kid. Walking into the lion's den...and he'll never come out.
-By far my favorites are now Richard and Anne. While both of their personalities were a little lackluster in the beginning of the series, they have now come into their own, I think. Not only are they powerful now (all hail King Richard and Queen Anne!), but they are making controversial decisions and truly exercising that trait we all see too often in this period of history - ambition. Not only are they entertaining to watch because of their great character development, but they are also a heartwarming romantic pair.
-I think I'm also going to like Princess Elizabeth (soon to be Queen Elizabeth of York). She seems to be much softer than her mother, despite the difficult upbringing she had. I know we're going to see some scandal between her and her uncle (which should be interesting), but so far, I'm a fan.
Criticism:
It's almost over! Only two episodes left!!!!
Final Thoughts:
-Best episode of the series thus far, in my opinion. Riveting, emotional, and exciting.
-We had death (Edward IV, Anthony Rivers, and Thomas Grey), coronations (Richard III and Anne), good advice (Princess Elizabeth), bad advice (Duchess Cecily and Anne), heeding advice (Richard), and rejecting advice (Elizabeth).
-Margaret Beaufort, while remaining one of my least favorite characters because of her incessant plotting and hard-hearted scheming, is absolutely, without a doubt, played by the best actress in the series, and because of that, I can't get enough of her.
-We have so much to look forward to in the next two episodes - Henry Tudor is a'coming to claim his throne, as Maggie B. has been foreseeing all along.
-Richard and Anne might think their safe and sound in their comfy castle with their heavy crowns and the two little boys locked up in the Tower - but a storm is brewing! The face of England will be changing soon.
-I guarantee (because I've read my history) there will be more deaths, more pain, more emotion, and more intrigue from this fantastic show.