My Lady Jane

My Lady Jane
Genre
  • Historical
  • Fantasy
  • Romance
Created byGemma Burgess
Based on
My Lady Jane
by
Directed byJamie Babbit
Stefan Schwartz
Starring Robyn Betteridge
Music byRael Jones
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes8
Production
Executive producers
ProducerPaula McBreen
CinematographyMaja Zamojda
Production companies
Original release
NetworkAmazon Prime Video
Release27 June 2024 (2024-06-27)

My Lady Jane is a British historical fantasy television series made for Amazon Prime Video starring Emily Bader, Edward Bluemel and Jordan Peters. Produced by MacDonald & Parkes the television series is adapted by Gemma Burgess from a novel by Cynthia Hand that provided a historical reimagining of the life of Lady Jane Grey.[1]

Synopsis[edit]

In the 16th century, Lady Jane Grey is coerced by her family to marry Lord Guildford Dudley. Jane, as cousin to Edward VI, is in line to the throne. The England of My Lady Jane is plagued by Ethians, humans who can take animal form. The ordinary humans, known as Verity, drive the Ethians out of society.

Cast[edit]

Episodes[edit]

Season 1 (2024)[edit]

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
11"Who'll Be The Next In Line?"Jamie BabbitGemma BurgessJune 27, 2024 (2024-06-27)
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 Susanna attempt to flee Jane's forced marriage to Guildford, but are captured. Susanna escapes, revealing herself to be an Ethian. Edward 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 the Affliction, but instead is being slowly poisoned. At the marriage ceremony, Jane feigns illness.
22"Wild Thing"Jamie BabbitGemma BurgessJune 27, 2024 (2024-06-27)
Jane completes the marriage ceremony with Guildford. She learns that Guildford is an Ethian, but is unable to control his changes and so is a man by night and a horse by day. He begs her to discover a cure. 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.
33"With A Girl Like You"Jamie BabbitShepard Boucher & Gemma Burgess & Meredith GlynnJune 27, 2024 (2024-06-27)
Edward disappears, and it is assumed that he threw himself from a high window in despair at his illness. Seymour sends soldiers to kill Jane and Guildford who have travelled into the woods to rescue Susanna whom Jane believes is being held hostage by other Ethians. Jane learns that Susanna's kidnapping was a ploy to get money for the Ethians. She and Guildford escape the murder attempt. Jane is named queen.
44"Bluebird Is Dead"Jamie BabbitCathy LewJune 27, 2024 (2024-06-27)
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. It is revealed that Edward is not dead.
55"I'm Gonna Change the World"Stefan SchwartzBisanne MasoudJune 27, 2024 (2024-06-27)
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 Guilford 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 Guilford. Bess tries to flee with Petunia but is captured by Seymour. Margaret reveals to Edward that he is an Ethian, just as she is. Jane tells Guilford that his Ethianism cannot be cured.
66"I Feel Free"Stefan SchwartzAlyssa LernerJune 27, 2024 (2024-06-27)
Mary, facing arrest, has fled. Guildford runs away with an Ethian who promises him a cure. An assassin attempts to murder Jane who is saved by Archer, representative of the Ethians. Edward, unable to switch to an Ethian form, realizes Margaret is insane when she tells him of her plan to exterminate all Verities and escapes with the help of Fitz, an Ethian. Archer and Norfolk wager the fate of Division Laws on a bowling match; Archer wins. Guildford is attacked by his Ethian companion but escapes. Jane abolishes the Division Laws. Mary, Norfolk, and Seymour take over the palace and arrest Jane.
77"Another Girl, Another Planet"Stefan SchwartzGemma Burgess & Meredith GlynnJune 27, 2024 (2024-06-27)
Guildford sneaks in to see 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, Mary brings in the groom Rupert who has been tortured to reveal that Guildford is Ethian and then Guildford (in horse form) himself. Jane is condemned to death for marrying an Ethian.
88"God Save The Queen"Jamie BabbitGemma Burgess & Meredith GlynnJune 27, 2024 (2024-06-27)
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 the execution, flying Ethians attack the executioner and guards. Jane, freed by Susanna, rushes through the crowd to untie Guildford before the 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 so Jane can ride free on Guildford's back.

Production[edit]

The 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.[2] Eight episodes were ordered for season one of the series.[3] In November 2022 Anna Chancellor, Rob Brydon, Dominic Cooper and Jim Broadbent were announced to have supporting roles as aristocrats.[4]

Filming took place in the UK in 2022 ahead of a projected late 2023 release.[5] One filming location was reported to be Great Chalfield Manor near Bath, England.[6] Filming was also reported in and around Dover Castle in Kent, as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex.[7]

Release[edit]

The 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[edit]

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds a 91% "Certified Fresh" score, based on 22 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."[8] On Metacritic, the series holds a weighted average score of 70/100 based on ten critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[9]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Historically, Jane's father was executed after Jane.

References[edit]

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ Massoto, Erick (3 November 2022). "Dominic Cooper Joins Emily Bader in Comedic Historical Reimagining 'My Lady Jane'". Collider.
  4. ^ "Rob Brydon joins Amazon Prime's My Lady Jane". Chortle. 3 November 2022.
  5. ^ Singh, Anita (27 December 2022). "Amazon rewrites Lady Jane Grey story as feminist comedy because she 'deserves a different ending'". The Telegraph.
  6. ^ Currie, Hannah (3 November 2022). "Amazon Prime series My Lady Jane rumoured to have been filming at Great Chalfield Manor". Wiltshire Live.
  7. ^ Graves, Kieran (17 November 2022). "Filming for Amazon Prime 'supernatural period' drama series confirmed after crews descend on Dover". Kent Live.
  8. ^ "My Lady Jane: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  9. ^ "My Lady Jane". Metacritic. Retrieved 29 June 2024.

External links[edit]