Mary & George

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Mary & George
Promotional Poster
GenreHistorical drama
Created byD. C. Moore
Based onThe King's Assassin
by Benjamin Woolley
Directed by
Starring
ComposerOliver Coates
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes7
Production
Executive producers
  • Liza Marshall
  • Oliver Hermanus
  • Sam Hoyle
  • D. C. Moore
  • Julianne Moore
Production companies
Original release
NetworkSky Atlantic
Release5 March 2024 (2024-03-05)

Mary & George is a British historical drama television miniseries created by D. C. Moore and directed by Oliver Hermanus, Alex Winckler and Florian Cossen, based on Benjamin Woolley's non-fiction book The King's Assassin (2017) about the affair between James VI and I and George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham. It was released on Sky Atlantic in the United Kingdom on 5 March 2024 and was released on Starz on 5 April in the United States. The miniseries received positive reviews from critics.

Cast[edit]

Main[edit]

Recurring[edit]

Guest[edit]

Episodes[edit]

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
1"The Second Son"Oliver Hermanus[1]D.C. Moore5 March 2024 (2024-03-05)
Young master George Villiers lives at home with his mother Mary, siblings, and ailing, abusive father. He half-heartedly attempts suicide after his mother begins strategising a marriage for him, as he is in love with one of the servants, Jenny. During a fight, Mary pushes her husband down the stairs and he subsequently dies. The family's accountant explains to Mary that her late husband left them no money or estate and advises her to remarry. Mary swiftly weds Sir Thomas Compton, particularly to secure funds for George, who is finally sent to France for further education in French, class, and court politics. There, George learns from the local aristocrats how to behave like a royal, and he is able to finally indulge in his same-sex desires. King James visits Sir Thomas and Mary's home, where she meets him, his lover the Earl of Somerset, and his sole English aide Sir David Graham. Mary bonds with Sir David, who dislikes the Scottish and wants to see more English influence at the Palace. George returns from France and Mary organises for him to serve dinner to the king, but during service he is purposefully tripped by a fellow server. George beats the man in the dinner hall, enraging the Earl of Somerset but winning the notice of King James.
2"The Hunt"Oliver HermanusD.C. Moore5 March 2024 (2024-03-05)
Mary asks George to cover up John's strangling of one of the servant's pet dogs, but he is not convincing. Mary and George continue vying for King James' attentions while also strategising a bride for John with the daughter of Sir Edward Coke, both to little success. Mary devises a plan with Sir David and Queen Anne, who despise the Earl of Somerset, to bring George front and centre at the king's court. Though George is knighted and joins the king's favoured men, the Earl of Somerset senses the plans to oust him and warns George to be wary. Mary begins visiting a local prostitute, Sandie, with a secret past. On a hunt with the king and his men, George is pushed off his horse by the Earl of Somerset but survives, rescued by King James. At the end of the hunt, the king excuses the Earl of Somerset and has George kill the wounded stag. That night, George and King James consummate their relationship. Mary and Sandie poison and kill Sir David, who had learned of Mary's forged identity.
3"Not So Much as Love as by Awe"Oliver HermanusD.C. Moore5 March 2024 (2024-03-05)
At her first day at court, Mary attempts to confront King James about George's continued mistreatment by the bedchamber, but she causes a scene and is excused. Queen Anne confronts Mary about the Earl of Somerset's unwavering presence, now a two-fold nuisance due to his detestable wife. George is approached by Sir Francis Bacon, who seeks an allyship. After meeting with the Earl of Essex, the "cursed" ex-husband of Countess Somerset, Mary learns of a murder plot enacted by the Somersets and passes the evidence on to Sir Edward. George attempts to stand up for himself but is struck by smallpox. Mary's lover Sandie stays close and continues assisting her schemes. In the midst of the investigation into the murder plot, the Earl of Somerset visits an ailing George and professes his love in attempt to bargain for a pardon. The two have sex with George afterwards revealing he hopes to see the Earl hang. The Somersets are found guilty and sentenced to death, and the king apologises to Mary for not taking her previous concerns seriously. George and King James are reunited.
4"The Wolf and the Lamb"Alex WincklerD.C. Moore5 March 2024 (2024-03-05)
After a night together, George sustains a brutal bite on his arm from King James, whose mood swings continue. In yet more bizarre behaviour, John, who cannot swim, walks into a lake and nearly drowns. King James travels with his men to Edinburgh and appoints Sir Francis as Keeper of the Seal in his absence. In a bid to secure marriage between John and Frances, still aggressively rejected by Lady Hatton, Mary and Sir Edward have Frances kidnapped by Sandie. At Sir Thomas and Mary's manor, Sandie witnesses John repeatedly stab Jenny, disturbing her. George's new lover Peter Carr, cousin of the Earl of Somerset, continues to cause a rift between him and the king. When the king dismisses George, he and Peter visit the remote Ruthven Castle, where Peter tells George of the king's first love, the late Lord Lennox. During an attempt to trap and murder George as revenge for the deaths of the Somersets, Peter is shot and killed by Kit. King James and George reconcile. The king reveals the true purpose of the trip north was to retrieve Lord Lennox's embalmed heart, and the two bury it in a new secret location. A spiraling John and miserably unhappy Frances are ultimately wed, and Mary promises to next find George a wife.
5"The Golden City"Alex WincklerD.C. Moore & Stacey Gregg5 March 2024 (2024-03-05)
As Mary gains more power, her marriage with Sir Thomas breaks down. Diego, Count of Gondomar, arrives to tell King James of an attack by the English, led by Sir Walter Raleigh, on the Spanish in Guiana, defying a standing peace treaty. George, inserting himself into the king's political affairs, is invited to sit on the Privy Council but oversteps his bounds in its meeting with Raleigh, naively believing his sympathetic tales of war and gold. With Queen Anne ill, Prince Charles' bitterness compounds. Sir Francis reveals to George that Mary and Sandie murdered Sir David. As King James attempts to juggle his people's favour and peace with Spain, the public turn against him for not hailing Raleigh as a national hero. Sir Francis and Diego prove to George that Raleigh is a warmonger keen on conflict between England and Spain, hoping George can influence the king to stop him. Mary attempts to arrange marriage between George and the wealthy Katherine, and, though he initially refuses, confident in a long-standing relationship with the king, Katherine convinces him she won't stand in his way and the two sleep together. Sandie assists Frances, who has been having an affair, in an abortion and confronts Mary about refusing to admit to John's madness. John is put in an asylum. George comes face to face with the harsh realities of his influence when King James orders Raleigh to be executed. Mary realises she is losing hold on her power over George.
6"The Queen Is Dead"Florian CossenD.C. Moore & Anchuli Felicia King5 March 2024 (2024-03-05)
Following Raleigh's execution, the English revolt. Queen Anne dies, but the Palace is too debt-ridden to afford her state funeral. George empathises with the bitter, grieving Prince Charles, and the two work to bring the king out of his self-indulgence and recognise the grave issues at hand. King James finally agrees to open Parliament for the first time in six years to argue for higher taxes and continued peace with Spain. Sandie, who had warned Mary of Sir Francis' scheming, is jailed for Sir David's murder. The king mourns Queen Anne but admits he did not love her and cannot be sure of George's continued declarations of love for him, as love is fickle. Sir Edward resigns from the Privy Council to lead Parliamentary committees into the Spanish threat and domestic corruption. Mary begs him for Sandie's release, but he vows to see Sandie hang as revenge for Frances' suffering. King James retreats back into his indulgences amidst the political chaos. Sir Edward seeks to arrest George and Kit on behalf of his committees, so the two flee to Mary for advice and she agrees to help them in exchange for a pardon for Sandie. To avoid going down with the lot, George convinces Diego to help him frame Sir Francis for treason; in exchange, George will try to arrange prospects between Prince Charles and the Spanish infanta, to secure peace. Kit murders Sir Francis' greatest ally, Wearstrap. Katherine gives birth to a daughter. Sir Francis is found guilty of treason, stripped of all titles and banished. Believing Mary was at the heart of his betrayal, he has Sandie murdered with George's permission.
7"War"Florian CossenD.C. Moore & Laura Grace5 March 2024 (2024-03-05)
When Mary tracks down Sir Francis in order to avenge Sandie, he reveals George gave his blessing to the killing. In Spain, Prince Charles is presented before the infanta and George philanders. Following setbacks, George ultimately fails to bribe Spain's Chief Negotiator in securing further marriage talks and, humiliated, vows revenge. On doctor's orders, King James travels to the countryside to rest. Mary strategically joins him, appealing to his loneliness. George and Prince Charles return from Spain. Though the king is initially disappointed and dismissive of them both, George brings him to the forest and they make love. Once again a united front, George influences King James to allow him to address Parliament in order to toughen up on Spanish relations. There, with Sir Edward's support, he encourages full-blown war. King James, who is committed to peace, is shocked to hear of George's betrayal from Mary and sets fire to the forest. When George arrives, the king deems their love affair an old fool's lust, strips George of his titles, and sentences George to hang for treason to both George and Mary's shock. He then collapses, and George and Mary return him to the countryside estate, where George smothers him to death so he may not relay his orders to Prince Charles. In the next few years, Charles is crowned and Katherine gives birth to a son. In 1628, while at war with France, George is stabbed to death by a former soldier embittered by his disregard for human life and peace.

Production[edit]

The seven-part limited series is created by D. C. Moore, and Oliver Hermanus serves as lead director. Moore and Hermanus serve as executive producers alongside Liza Marshall for Hera Pictures and Sam Hoyle for Sky Studios.

In October 2022, it was announced Julianne Moore would lead Mary & George as Mary Villiers, Countess of Buckingham.[2] Nicholas Galitzine joined the cast in January 2023 as Mary's son George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham.[3] Additional castings were announced in March 2023.[4]

Principal photography was underway in England as of January 2023, slated to begin in London.[5] It was reported Knole in Kent would be shut in late January and early February for filming.[6] From 22 to 26 May 2023, shooting was based at Ham House in Richmond, which doubled as a London palace. Cast and crew were spotted at Old Hunstanton Beach in Norfolk in early June.[7]

Release[edit]

The series was presented at the MIPCOM in Cannes. NBCUniversal Global Distribution is handling international distribution on behalf of Sky. The series will premiere on Sky Atlantic in the United Kingdom. Sky will also air the series in Ireland, Germany and Italy. Starz will release the series in the United States and Canada. AMC Networks was previously set to air the series in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and India but ultimately dropped it.[3][8] Foxtel picked up the series for broadcast/streaming in Australia, available from 6 March 2024.[citation needed]

In May 2023, first look still images of Mary & George were published in Vogue magazine.[9] At the Edinburgh Television Festival that August, Meghan Lyvers, Director of Original Drama at Sky Studios, stated Mary & George was expected to be released "in the coming year".[10]

The initial trailer was released on 16 November 2023.

On 1 February 2024, the official trailer was released and it was announced that Mary & George would premiere on 5 March 2024 on Sky Atlantic.[11]

Reception[edit]

On Rotten Tomatoes, 95% of 43 reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.2/10. The website's critics' consensus states: "Bawdy, irreverent, and ruled by Julianne Moore in top form, Mary & George is a regal treat for fans of frothy court intrigue."[12] This was seconded by The Guardian's Joel Golby, who gave the miniseries a full five stars, describing it as "a wickedly lewd delight" that is "fresh and new and interesting".[13] On Metacritic, the series holds a weighted average score of 73 out of 100 based on 22 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[14]

Anita Singh in The Daily Telegraph, on the other hand, gave it only three stars out of five, saying Mary & George "takes the facts and runs riot with them" in "a stylish drama, but with little substance".[15] Ed Power in The Irish Times was more scathing, describing it as "an art-house renaissance romp with the safety-catch off", and "dimly lit, misanthropic and wallpapered in bared flesh".[16] The historian Mark Turnbull, writing for the magazine of the Historical Writers' Association, concurred in complaining of the "inaccuracies, exaggerations, and highly significant bouts of pure fiction" in a series claiming to be based on fact.[17]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Shows A-Z – Mary & George on Starz". The Futon Critic. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  2. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (17 October 2022). "Julianne Moore To Lead Sky & AMC Period Drama 'Mary & George' About Mary Villiers, Son George & Royal Court Intrigue In Jacobean England — Mipcom Cannes". Deadline. Archived from the original on 5 March 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  3. ^ a b Wiseman, Andreas (13 January 2023). "Nicholas Galitzine Joins Julianne Moore In Sky & AMC Series 'Mary & George' About Royal Court Intrigue In King James I's England; Filming Underway". Deadline. Archived from the original on 23 January 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  4. ^ "Further casting announced for Mary & George starring Julianne Moore and Nicholas Galitzine". Sky Group (Press release). 28 March 2023. Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Filming in London: January 2023". Film London. 11 January 2023. Archived from the original on 3 March 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  6. ^ Jee, Alex (20 January 2023). "Knole House, Sevenoaks, to shut for filming of Sky period drama believed to be Mary and George starring Julianne Moore". Kent Online. Archived from the original on 29 January 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  7. ^ Piercy, Grace (9 June 2023). "Julianne Moore period drama Mary and George filming in Norfolk". Eastern Daily Press. Archived from the original on 11 June 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  8. ^ White, Peter (16 November 2023). "Julianne Moore Series 'Mary & George' Moves From AMC To Starz – Watch The New Teaser". Deadline. Archived from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  9. ^ Maitland, Hayley (16 May 2023). "Mary & George Brings to Life a Torrid Jacobean-Era Love Affair". Vogue. Archived from the original on 17 May 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  10. ^ "Sky unveils new content at Edinburgh TV Festival". Advanced Television. 24 August 2023. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  11. ^ "Julianne Moore and Nicholas Galitzine Have a Gay Time in Mary & George". 1 February 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  12. ^ "Mary & George: Limited Series". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  13. ^ Golby, Joel (29 February 2024). "Mary & George: epic drama and ruff sex – this is everything you want in a period romp". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  14. ^ "Mary & George". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  15. ^ Singh, Anita (29 February 2024). "Mary & George, review: sex-filled period drama is a historical romp in every sense". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  16. ^ Power, Ed (5 March 2024). "Mary & George review: Starry cast can't save this debauched tale of bonking and back-stabbing royals". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  17. ^ Turnbull, Mark (12 March 2024). "Review: Mary & George". Historia. Historical Writers’ Association. Retrieved 29 March 2024.

External links[edit]

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