7 Reasons Why Victoria Is Worth Watching

I was lucky enough to have a day off of school this past week, and I spent most of it catching up on grading, but what made it bearable was getting to rewatch the first season of Victoria.

I remember seeing promos for the show in 2016, and putting the season premiere on my calendar in January last year. A PBS production of Victoria's life would have to at least be of decent quality, and knowing my love for The Young Victoria, I had to at least try it.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is the best TV show/period drama production I've seen in years.

And that's saying something, because I watch a lot of period drama.

Here are my reasons why, in no particular order:

1. The costumes. The 1830-1840s were a beautiful time in women's fashion, and they do a fabulous job showcasing it. Victoria's outfits alone would be a reason to watch this show.

2. Jenna Coleman. Not only is she spectacularly beautiful, but she is one of the best actresses I've ever seen. I've seen her in other shows and was very impressed by her, but she takes on the role of Victoria and totally inhabits her. She is Victoria.

3. The Upstairs/Downstairs Stories. I know that the upstairs/downstairs parallel is best attributed to Downton Abbey, but I have loved getting to know the servant characters and all the intricacies of serving in a royal household, and how they interact with the queen and her companions.

4. Historical/Political Commentary. As a history nerd, I love that the show did not focus just on the relationships and family drama, but also made sure to include important historical events and how those would have affected Victoria at the time. That commentary makes this show deeper than your average period drama soap opera.

5. Rufus Sewell. Even though I don't agree with the historical accuracy of the Lord M depiction here, Rufus Sewell does such a fantastic job with the part, and its so well written, that I can suspend my criticism and just enjoy his performance.

6. Tom Hughes. Perfection. Absolute, complete, awkward, nerdy, mustachioed perfection. His Albert is so natural, viewers can see him grow with the character as the season continues.

7. The Victoria/Albert Relationship. Coleman and Hughes have fantastic chemistry on screen, and both do a wonderful job showing the progress in their relationship. The characters are also so well written! How often do we get to see what happens after a wedding, all the messy, real life bits? This couple makes it real for us.

Those are my thoughts on this series! Have you seen the show? What about season 2? What else have you been watching?

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