My Lady Jane (titled My Queen Jane on screen for episodes four through six) is a historical fantasy romance television series made for Amazon Prime Video, starring Emily Bader as the titular character. Produced by MacDonald & Parkes, the television series is adapted by Gemma Burgess from a novel by Jodi Meadows, Brodi Ashton, and Cynthia Hand that provides a fantasy reimagining of the life of Lady Jane Grey.[1]
| My Lady Jane | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | |
| Created by | Gemma Burgess |
| Based on | My Lady Jane by |
| Showrunners |
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| Directed by | |
| Starring | |
| Narrated by | Oliver Chris |
| Music by | Rael Jones |
| Country of origin |
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| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 8 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producer | Paula McBreen |
| Cinematography | Maja Zamojda |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Amazon Prime Video |
| Release | 27 June 2024 |
All episodes of the series were released on June 27, 2024. In August that year, Amazon cancelled My Lady Jane after one season.[2] The cancellation inspired backlash and a petition, including from fantasy author and A Song of Ice and Fire creator George R.R. Martin.[3]
Synopsis
editIn an alternate 16th-century England, Lady Jane Grey is coerced by her mother into marrying Lord Guildford Dudley. Jane, as cousin to Edward VI, is in line to the throne. The world of My Lady Jane is inhabited by Ethians, humans who can take animal form, as well as ordinary humans, known as Verity. In England, the Verity ruling class have driven Ethians out of society; in response, Ethians have formed a group called the Pack.
Cast
editMain
edit- Emily Bader as Lady Jane Grey
- Edward Bluemel as Lord Guildford Dudley
- Anna Chancellor as Lady Frances Grey
- Rob Brydon as Lord Dudley, Guildford's father
- Jordan Peters as King Edward VI
- Kate O'Flynn as Princess Mary
- Abbie Hern as Princess Bess
- Henry Ashton as Lord Stan Dudley, Guildford's brother
- Oliver Chris as the Author (voiceover role)
- Dominic Cooper as Lord Seymour
- Jim Broadbent as the Duke of Leicester
Recurring
edit- Isabella Brownson as Lady Katherine Grey, Jane's younger sister
- Robyn Betteridge as Lady Margaret Grey, Jane's youngest sister
- Máiréad Tyers as Susannah, an Ethian who becomes a high ranking member of the Pack
- Christian Patterson as Charles
- Michael Workeye as Archer, leader of the Pack
- Tallulah Greive as Petunia, an Ethian working for Granny
- Joe Klocek as Fitz, an Ethian thief
- Brandon Grace as William Seymour
- Harry Trevaldwyn as George
- Barbara Marten as Granny
- Will Keen as the Duke of Norfolk
- Kevin Eldon as Dr Butts
- Stewart Scudamore as Rupert, Guildford's horsegroom
- Jason Forbes as Scrope, a nobleman
Episodes
edit| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Who'll Be the Next in Line?" | Jamie Babbit | Gemma Burgess | June 27, 2024 | |
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When Jane's father Henry Grey[a] dies without a male heir, his great uncle the Duke of Leicester inherits everything. Leicester wants Jane to marry Lord Guildford Dudley. Jane and her maid Susannah attempt to flee Jane's forced marriage to Guildford, but are captured. Susannah escapes, revealing herself to be an Ethian. King Edward VI prepares his will, secretly naming Jane as his heir. Edward's dog, Petunia, reveals herself as an Ethian, sent to protect Edward by his great-grandmother. Edward learns that he is not, as he thought, suffering from an illness known as the Affliction, but instead is being slowly poisoned. At the marriage ceremony, Jane feigns illness. | |||||
| 2 | "Wild Thing" | Jamie Babbit | Gemma Burgess | June 27, 2024 | |
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Jane completes the marriage ceremony with Guildford. She learns that Guildford is an Ethian, but is unable to control his changes and instead is a man by night and a horse by day. He begs her to discover a cure. Edward finds a merchant selling tofana. Mary and Seymour plot to speed up Edward's death. Seymour accuses Lord Dudley of being Edward's poisoner and Dudley is sent to the Tower of London. | |||||
| 3 | "With a Girl Like You" | Jamie Babbit | Shepard Boucher & Gemma Burgess & Meredith Glynn | June 27, 2024 | |
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Edward disappears, and it is assumed that he threw himself from a high window in despair at his illness. Jane and Guildford travel into the woods to free Susannah after receiving an anonymous ransom note. Seymour sends soldiers to kill Jane and Guildford. Jane learns that the note was a ploy to get money for Ethians. She and Guildford escape the murder attempt. Jane is named queen. Jane's younger sister Katherine marries the Duke of Leicester. Margaret, Jane's youngest sister, suffocates him to death with a pear. Frances covers up the murder. | |||||
| 4 | "Bluebird Is Dead" | Jamie Babbit | Cathy Lew | June 27, 2024 | |
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Jane and Guildford discover proof that Mary and Seymour colluded to murder Edward. When Jane confronts Mary, Mary attacks Jane and destroys the proof. Frances witnesses Guildford changing into a horse. | |||||
| 5 | "I'm Gonna Change the World" | Stefan Schwartz | Bisanne Masoud | June 27, 2024 | |
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Lady Margaret Beaufort, Edward's great-grandmother and now a member of a religious order, nurses Edward back to health. Lord Dudley pressures Jane to name Guildford as her king. Mary agrees to make Lord Norfolk her chancellor when she is on the throne in exchange for the use of Norfolk's army. Jane disbands the Kingsland guards and invites the Ethians to attend her coronation banquet. After being threatened by Frances, Jane consummates her marriage to Guildford. Bess tries to flee with Petunia but is captured by Seymour. Margaret tells Edward that he is an Ethian, just as she is. Jane tells Guildford that his Ethianism cannot be cured. | |||||
| 6 | "I Feel Free" | Stefan Schwartz | Alyssa Lerner | June 27, 2024 | |
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Mary, facing arrest, has fled. Guildford runs away with an Ethian who promises him a cure. Archer, a representative of the Ethians, saves Jane from an assassination attempt. Edward, unable to switch to an Ethian form, realizes Margaret is insane when she tells him of her plan to exterminate all Verity, and escapes with the help of Fitz, an Ethian. Archer and Norfolk wager the fate of the oppressive Division Law on a bowling match; Archer wins. Guildford is attacked by his Ethian companion but escapes. Jane abolishes the Division Law. Mary, Norfolk, and Seymour take over the palace and arrest Jane. | |||||
| 7 | "Another Girl, Another Planet" | Stefan Schwartz | Gemma Burgess & Meredith Glynn | June 27, 2024 | |
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Jane is placed under house arrest. Guildford sneaks past the guards to rescue Jane, but she refuses to leave with him because her family is being held hostage by Mary. Jane's trial on charges of high treason begins. Bess rises to support Jane's claim that she was fulfilling the orders of the king's will. Edward sneaks into the palace and surprises Jane when she is taken to her room. Jane sends him away to raise an army so he can fight Mary. Although the council finds Jane innocent on the charges, Jane's guards captured Guildford after their meeting. Mary and Seymour bring in the groom Rupert, who has been tortured to reveal that Guildford is Ethian, and then Guildford (in horse form) himself. Jane and Guildford are condemned to death for violating the reinstated Division Law. | |||||
| 8 | "God Save the Queen" | Jamie Babbit | Gemma Burgess & Meredith Glynn | June 27, 2024 | |
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Jane is taken to the Tower of London. Mary kills Norfolk when he criticizes her tyrannical behavior. Edward and Fitz beg the Ethians to help fight against Mary. At Jane and Guildford's execution, flying Ethians attack Jane's executioner and guards. Jane, freed by Susannah, rushes through the crowd to untie Guildford from the stake before fire reaches him, but is unable to undo the knots. Guildford is finally able to control his change. Lord Dudley and Stan clear a path for Jane to ride free on Guildford's back. In an epilogue, Bess is shown to secretly be an Ethian. Frances and Katherine remain Mary's hostages. Stan and Frances resume their relationship. Katherine clandestinely marries Lord Seymour's son William. Fitz and Edward kiss. Jane and Guildford agree to take back the throne. | |||||
Production
editThe series is based on the historical young adult novels by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand and Jodi Meadows. Production company Parkes & MacDonald are producing the series with Gemma Burgess and Meredith Glynn as co-showrunner and executive producers, and Jamie Babbit directing the pilot and executive producer, whilst Sarah Bradshaw and Laurie MacDonald are executive producers.[4] Eight episodes were ordered for season one of the series.[5] In November 2022, Anna Chancellor, Rob Brydon, Dominic Cooper and Jim Broadbent were announced to have supporting roles as aristocrats.[6]
Filming took place in the UK in 2022 ahead of a projected late 2023 release.[7] In November 2022, filming was reported at Great Chalfield Manor, standing in for the Greys' residence Bradgate House,[8] and Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, standing in for Hampton Court Palace.[9] Production designer Will Hughes-Jones initially intended to use the real Hampton Court, but found its architecture had evolved too much since the 16th-century, whereas Herstmonceux "looks more like Hampton Court did back then than it does now". Still, the grounds of Hampton Court were used in the series for outdoor scenes. Hughes-Jones selected Broughton Castle for the Dudleys' residence.[10] Other filming locations included Dover Castle, Dorney Court, Hatfield House, Ashridge, Chiltern Open Air Museum, Langley Park, St Bartholomew-the-Great, St Etheldreda's Hatfield, and Crossways Farm.[11]
In mid-August of 2024, it was reported that the series had been canceled.[12]
Release
editThe series had its world premiere at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival on 12 June 2024, and was streamed on Amazon Prime Video on 27 June 2024.
Reception
editOn review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds a 94% "Certified Fresh" score, based on 36 reviews with an average rating of 7.0/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "A romp-antasy for revisionary souls, My Lady Jane has her cake and slays it too."[13] On Metacritic, the series holds a weighted average score of 71 out 100 based on reviews from 12 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[14]
Notes
edit- ^ Historically, Jane's father was executed after Jane.
References
edit- ^ Leake, Natasha (4 January 2023). "Fans of Bridgerton rejoice: opulent star-studded series chronicling the life of Lady Jane Grey is coming to screens". Tatler.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (16 August 2024). "'My Lady Jane' Canceled By Prime Video After One Season". Deadline.
- ^ https://people.com/my-lady-jane-cancellation-george-rr-martin-shares-fan-petition-to-save-show-8709815
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas (2 August 2022). "Amazon Greenlights My Lady Jane About Brit Monarch Jane Grey; Sets Emily Bader, Edward Bluemel & Jordan Peters To Lead Cast On Parkes+MacDonald Series". Deadline.
- ^ Massoto, Erick (3 November 2022). "Dominic Cooper Joins Emily Bader in Comedic Historical Reimagining My Lady Jane". Collider.
- ^ "Rob Brydon joins Amazon Prime's My Lady Jane". Chortle. 3 November 2022.
- ^ Singh, Anita (27 December 2022). "Amazon rewrites Lady Jane Grey story as feminist comedy because she 'deserves a different ending'". The Telegraph.
- ^ Currie, Hannah (3 November 2022). "Amazon Prime series My Lady Jane rumoured to have been filming at Great Chalfield Manor". Wiltshire Live.
- ^ Graves, Kieran (17 November 2022). "Filming for Amazon Prime 'supernatural period' drama series confirmed after crews descend on Dover". Kent Live.
- ^ Wheeler, Tilly (28 June 2024). "Where was My Lady Jane filmed? A deep dive into the locations and set design". House & Garden. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ Thapa, Shaurya (3 July 2024). "Where was My Lady Jane filmed? Inside the filming locations and stately homes behind the drama". Time Out. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ Porter, Rick (16 August 2024). "'My Lady Jane' Canceled After Single Season at Amazon". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ "My Lady Jane: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
- ^ "My Lady Jane - Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
External links
edit- My Lady Jane at IMDb