Critics are impressed by one of the raunchiest royal dramas to date: about a 17th-century countess who molded her son to seduce King James I.
Sky’s Mary & George, which aired this week, is inspired by the scandalous true story of Mary Villiers (Julianne Moore), who taught her beautiful and charismatic son, George (Nicholas Galitzine), to become King James VI of Scotland and I of England. seduce (Tony Curran) and become his all-powerful lover.
Through extravagant scheming, the couple rose from humble beginnings to become the wealthiest, most prominent and influential players the English court had ever seen, and the king’s most trusted advisors.
Fans have praised the raunchy bonk-buster for its mix of “costume, plotting and sex,” while critics called it “ridiculous fun” and a “royal romp of sex and scheming.”
The show also looks at early 18th century England, and its place on the world stage, threatened by a Spanish invasion and rioters taking to the streets to denounce the king.
Critics are in awe of one of the raunchiest royal dramas yet – about a 17th century countess who molds her son to seduce King James I (pictured by Nicholas Galitzine and Tony Curran in the show)
Sky’s Mary & George, which aired this week, is inspired by the scandalous true story of Mary Villiers (Julianne Moore), who taught her beautiful and charismatic son, George (Nicholas Galitzine), to become King James VI of Scotland and I of England. seduce (Tony Curran) and become his all-powerful
The show also looks at early 18th century England, and its place on the world stage, threatened by a Spanish invasion and rioters taking to the streets to denounce the king.
Willing to stop at nothing and armed with her ruthless political steel, Mary married her way up the ranks, bribed politicians, colluded with criminals and clawed her way into the heart of the establishment, making it her own.
And the daring historical psychodrama about a treacherous mother and son who plotted, seduced and murdered to conquer the court of England and the king’s bedside became an instant hit.
The guard praised it as “magnificent” and drew attention to: “plum poisonings, lesbian affairs, murders, orgies – and a family so monstrous they make the Borgias look like the Waltons”
In a five-star review, they added: ‘Moore is brilliant – cold, smart and always bubbly – and seems to be having the time of her life.’
The times gave the show four stars and compared the film to 2018’s The Favorite, which featured “colorful swearing, moments of off-center humor and go-go romps”.
“The more sexually fluid the better,” the reviewer wrote.
‘Here, the candlelit links are explicitly ‘bums-out’ (and everything else ‘off’), while looking like a work of art. In episode three, a generously gay menage-a-six (or ‘concert of the flesh’) seems as if a previously censored Caravaggio painting had come to life’.
The daring historical psychodrama about a treacherous mother and son who plotted, seduced and murdered to conquer the court of England and the king’s bed, became an instant hit.
Critics are impressed with Galitzine’s performance and appearance
The series is written by DC Moore (Killing Eve, Temple), inspired by the non-fiction book The King’s Assassin by Benjamin Woolley.
The bawdy, lavish 17th century costume drama Mary & George (Sky Atlantic) follows the boy as he rises to claim a dukedom
Mary & George is produced by Hera Pictures in association with Sky Studios and will air on Sky Atlantic and NOW on March 5.
Mary is described as a “mother from hell and social climber extraordinaire.”
Society bible Tatler also compared the show to the Favourite.
“Based on episode one, it’s a perfect gender-swapped version of that particular story. As an exploration of the use of sexuality as power within the realms of the British nobility, Mary & George is quick and deliciously dry,” they wrote.
In the meantime, The Irish Times called it ‘dimly lit, misanthropic and hung with exposed flesh’.
‘There is no arguing about the quantity: there is a bottomless supply of bonking and backstabbing’.
The Telegraph said George, played by Nicholas Galitzine, looked like he had ‘stepped straight off a catwalk’
Mary is described as a ‘mother from hell and an extraordinary social climber’
Tony Curran as King James VI of Scotland and I of England, center
“You’re not looking at his acting, you’re just staring at his cheekbones.” They wrote.
The Daily Mail wrote: ‘This bawdy, exuberant, 17th-century costume drama Mary & George (Sky Atlantic) follows the boy as he rises to claim a dukedom, as second sons sometimes do. Serials from this era follow two patterns: the literary or the salacious, Wolf Hall or The Tudors.
“This definitely falls into the latter camp and if you like raunchy, salacious and sweary history, it’s a lot of fun.”
Mary & George is produced by Hera Pictures in association with Sky Studios and is now streaming on Sky Atlantic and NOW.
The series is written by DC Moore (Killing Eve, Temple), inspired by the non-fiction book The King’s Assassin by Benjamin Woolley.