Marie Antoinette

I was somewhat surprised by this series. Initially I was expecting something a lot more fanciful, but it worked for me. I will admit that I haven't taken time to find out how historically accurate the drama is, but other reviewers seem to suggest that isn't that fantastical. The early episodes did need a pinch of make believe magic, as the actors were clearly a not the prepubescents they were playing, but by episode 4 it became more plausible. Their young love blossomed. The filming is excellent, as is the editing, the writing, and the acting. As an entertainment, I can't fault it! I sure I'm now going to take some time to explore all of this history in greater detail.

This should not be categorized as Biography but Romance Drama History. It is almost complete fiction. As someone who actually reads history books, I had to suspend all disbelief to enjoy it. And so I did once I accepted its true nature. One must understand that when dealing with history, there are facts. Take this as fiction and enjoy the production design, the cinematography, the costumes, the hair and makeup and most of all Emilia Schüle's joyful and effervescent perfomance!

I also enjoyed the other actors, James Purefoy is brilliant as the "lecherous" Louis XV and Jonas Bloquet as Joseph II is fun to watch. The fact that France had heavy participation in producing this and the state allowed filming at Versailles, says a lot. Not many get that privilege.

If you are looking for historical accuracy you may want to look elsewhere but what Davis has delivered is a wry, intimate depiction of a royal family who, bored of their privilege, find purpose in tearing each other down. It doesn't quite match the production value of the Netflix & co behemoths but the costume and sets more than pull their weight.

Any shortcomings are elevated by a cast full of promise. Led by a fiery performance from Schüle full of charm and sincerity, well supported by her husband who gives a sensitive evolution to the Dauphin turned king. The machiavellian 'spare' and his wife Josephine are highly entertaining in their schemes yet still deliver a sense of pathos, and the Princess Lamballe provides a rare source of compassion in this cold and spiteful court. There are other gems in the ensemble although some characters can feel one-note at points; acceptable in a 2 hour satirical film but less forgivable in an 8-part series.

Cattiness and Gossip are the cornerstones of this Versailles, which whilst fun can become repetitive and feel trivial at points. Ultimately, the main throughline of this series is the romance (or lack of) between the young queen & king and so the potential of civil unrest disturbing these royals and their petty squabbles is an exciting prospect. Fortunately, knowing the fate of this family, the stakes can only be raised considerably in future seasons.

I binge watched this series and it was entertaining enough, the acting was good, the plots against Marie Antoinette were fun. I did feel as though the last episode didn't really need to be made, the series could have ended on episode seven and I would have looked forward to a season two far more. I started watching it thinking it would end with her demise (as in real life) but this series does not go anywhere near as far. If it is real history you're after, then this isn't it and you're better off getting the history books out. So I'm not sure I will be bothering with series two now, it appears that is going to focus more on relationships between MA and different men or women that are close to her which I think will be quite boring. Should have stopped at 7 episodes.

This seems to be a divisive one.

Personally, I loved it... It had a slow start but I appreciated how much atmosphere was built before the series properly gets going. The first episode almost felt like a horror ... tense & claustrophobic ... whereas the rest of the series gradually becomes lighter, funnier & more energetic.

It is beautifully shot, beautifully dressed & beautifully performed. The young cast are fantastic. I hope to see them in many future things. The score is also stunning!

This series has an unusual tone that's difficult to place... It can often seem like a traditional (but very well done) period drama but then surprises you with a modern flourish or wink to the viewer... It's like The Crown with moments of The Great.

I'm not bothered by any creative licenses with the real history... the show doesn't seem to market itself as a literal account, & I'd rather be entertained than educated in this instance!