A Very Royal Scandal

Watched all three, back to back on the day it dropped on amazon. Amazing fantastic brilliant was my opinion of this excellent beautifully constructed drama. Ruth wilson as Emily Matis, and Michael sheen as Andrew were as they always are fantastic in there roles as was all the supporting roles with for me a special nod for the actor who played the Queens Private secretary. I personally also thought it was better than the BBC version they did a little while ago although that was also very good. So I highly recommended this amazon three part drama. Please don't think because you watched the original interview, that's it . Because it's far more than that.

The first thing I need to complain about is the cinematography. For some reason the film is presented in a letterbox format, so we have black bars above and below the picture. The other thing, certainly in the first episode, is that many of the scenes are made in darkness. Maybe it's intentional, but it really makes it hard to see what's going on. Not well lit.

So far as the acting is concerned, as usual, Michael Sheen inhabits the character of Andrew very well. Not a nice man, we're led to believe.

Emily Maitlis, played by Ruth Wilson, is also believable, though we don't really get an in-depth understanding of her character. She also has adopted a weird kind of accent, a cross between Miranda Hart and Maggie Thatcher.

Hmmm. Time, I think, for the team behind this Scandal series to move on. It's clear now that they're never going to equal, much less top, the brilliance of A Very English Scandal, in which Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw turned the Jeremy Thorpe story into a riotous and riveting frolic. The sequel - A Very British Scandal - was an undercooked and ultimately unsatisfying account of the sordid saga of the Duchess of Argyll. But there was every reason to expect a return to form with this account of the bottomless sleazefest that engulfed the Duke of York. Unfortunately, A Very Royal Scandal is even more timid and turgid than the Argyll affair. I can't help wondering if those involved just can't bring themselves to really go for it when the subject is royalty. It's interesting, by way of example, that both the Queen and Prince Charles are afforded a degree of dignity and immunity, in that they remain off screen throughout, their decisions and dictates delivered by envoys and fixers. Yet they are really as much a part of the story as the Duke of York, and they are engaged in an epic battle to save the monarchy from ruin. And if you can invent scenes and dialogue for Andy, Fergie, Bea and Eugenie, then why not Liz and Charles too? Letting them off the hook is the main reason this Royal Scandal looks continually lame. It is also poorly served by the casting. Michael Sheen gives what is in many ways a well judged and finely wrought performance as Andrew, but he still doesn't quite pull off the arrogance and the obliviousness. And Ruth Wilson is undone by an ill-judged and annoying vocal impression of Emily Maitliss, that somehow comes off as more like Fenella Fielding in Carry On Screaming. Claire Rushbrook is also a poor choice as Fergie, which even the director seems to acknowledge by shooting her mostly from behind, or in profile, or in soft focus at the edge of frame. There's enough schadenfreude.to keep it mildly interesting, but it never fully takes flight. Except maybe at the very end, when Randy Andy, shamed and banished, wonders what he's supposed to do now. Sir Edward Young, played by Alex Jennings, tells him: "live with the consequences of your actions". The preceding three hours could have done with a bit more of the same blunt honesty.

I've viewed the first (of 3) episodes and really enjoyed it. It's a 'grown up' production, beautifully filmed and with a pace and editorial that engages you from the start. The acting is superb, particularly Michael Sheen as Price Andrew. It's a substantial piece of work covering the before, during and after the interview and I very much look forward to watching the 2 remaining episodes. It's fun too!

PS - the reviewer ExiledRoyal notes that as the production is shot in letter box format, the top and bottom black bars are frustrating. The reviewer might like to adjust the settings on their television so that the set can adjust to the format. I get a full screen with no image miss and no black bars.

I like Ruth Wilson as an actress, but I think Gillian Anderson's portrayal as Emily Matliss just pipped her, I think they should/could have put this into 2 episodes, I found myself drifting in the third although maybe then they would have cut the best line in the drama "I would have offered you tea but we've had to let the the staff go" this line delivered by "Fergie" played brilliantly by Claire Rushbrook, to the equally excellent Alex Jennings playing the Queens deliverer of bad news ,Sir Edward Young,this line probably sums up the weird world that they live in. Make it yourself you entitled so and so,shout all us commoners!

Was he guilty ? Maybe, Was he innocent ? Maybe Was/is he an idiot? No maybe's about this one .