Misdirection

Brilliant

 

It’s not only that my boyhood was spent in one of the colonies ruled by her.

It’s not merely because I attended a British primary school and sang “God Save The Queen” each morning, nor that I attended a secondary school named for her favorite Prime Minister.

It really has nothing to do with another Royal wedding May 19, though I’m sure I’ll watch the pageantry like many others.

I love many things English, but the reason I want you to watch Victoria on PBS is because of the superb writing.

At it’s heart, it is a love story, and all love stories endure loss.

Unless you have a heart of stone, you’ll be moved, and I’m hoping it shows you another way to tell some of your stories, drawing out all the emotion held within.

Take this scene from Season 2, Episode 2, Part 1: Sins of the Father...

Victoria discovers that her closest advisor, the Prime Minister she most cherished, indeed, loved, is dying.

Lord Melbourne had been a source of jealousy in her marriage at one point, so the writer of this episode allows her to expose the depth of her loss, of her grief, in such a moving way.

She returns from a visit to her dying friend, knowing he is dying and that this will be the last time she sees him, to find that her beloved dog, Dash, has died, of old age, while she was gone.

It’s a brilliant piece of misdirection, because every word spoken, by both Albert and Victoria, as she weeps over the still body of her cherished pet, is directed as much to her grief for her friend and mentor as for her little dog.

Watch:

He was always there. I can’t bear it.” ~ Victoria

Yes you can. He was old. It was his time to go.” ~ Albert

I will miss him so much.” ~ Victoria

A depth of grief that might have felt too much if spoken about Melbourne is allowed to flow, to breathe, in the comfort of Albert’s arms.

Victoria, the best series on TV, airs Sunday nights on your local PBS station.