Fresh off a banner year for Nicholas Galitzine (Red, White & Royal Blue, Bottoms) and Oscar-winner Julianne Moore (May December, Sharper), tantalizingly soapy STARZ series Mary & George arrives with plenty of fanfare. Set in 1612 and inspired by a non-fiction book, its tale of seduction, deceit, social climbing, and murder will satiate even the most discerning of palates. Period piece dramas are honestly a hit or miss for me normally. A very fine line exists between being too stuffy and dry with the material, and I have no doubt that Mary & George probably takes many historical liberties in pursuit of its frequently campy tone. When a show is this binge-worthy, who really cares? Showcasing beautiful costumes, captivating performances, bisexual representation, and an excessive amount of orgies, Mary & George will be the trashy new favorite of a generation.
Charting the scandalous social climbing of an infamous mother/son duo, Mary & George has a tone not dissimilar to snarky favorites Quills or Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. Mary Villiers (Moore) lives as an upper-class noblewoman based merely on some falsified papers. In actuality, she does not carry the noble blood she claims to have flowing through her veins. She put stock in the family legacy fully into her second son, flirtatious and unquestionably gorgeous George (Galitzine), named after his abusive wretch of a father. Mary’s obsession with sending George away to France in order to both learn the language and become a proper gentlemen fuels much of her motivations in the first couple episodes. Just as the story sets itself up, George begins to develop past his initial lovesick obsession for one of the maids. Taken under the wing of Jean, George comes to realize his lustful feelings towards men and women may both be of equal standing. Yes, even in 1600s France, “bodies are just bodies.”
When George eventually returns from France, he has become a more confident person entirely. Despite constant threats of ending his own life pre-France, this nu-George appears to have a fresh lease on life. Mary suggests installing George as a cup-bearer for King James I (Tony Curran, CW’s The Flash, Deadwood: The Movie), desperate for her family to climb the ranks of social status. Winning over James’s favor may prove especially difficult given the sassiness of his lover, the Earl of Somerset (Laurie Davidson). Though James travels with a constant horde of devoted boy toys, Somerset holds the key to his heart. For any hope of infiltrating the ranks, George and Mary are forced to scheme their way into the upper crust of high society, no matter who must topple in the process.
Moore and Galitzine share nearly equal screentime, with each half of the narrative leaning upon the other. Their scenes together as mother and son feel authentic, and drive forward the action. Separately, the momentum propels each character to rather interesting extremes. Mary will stop at nothing to ensure George’s rooting in the life of King James, even if it comes at the cost of a marriage or personal relationships. George hunts for the safest way to entice King James into his company, as Somerset compares George’s mere presence to “unwanted morning stiffness.” Suffice to say, the duo are faced with quite the uphill battle on their rise to the top. Both leads impress, slipping into the roles of Mary and George seamlessly.
Having been given the entirety of the seven-episode miniseries for review, plenty of scantily-clad eye candy and R-rated hijinks are in store, so the anti-sex-scenes movement should avoid at all costs. For everyone else, an exceptionally entertaining tale of one of history’s most scandalous stories remains at the core. Many surprising twists and turns are in store, and the most explosive hour initially screened was definitely the show’s third episode. Rabid fans who cannot get enough of Nicholas Galitzine, or rightfully angry cinema lovers still baffled by the Academy’s recent decision to snub Julianne Moore of her next Oscar nomination, rest assured. Mary & George reinforces the notion that casting the right folks will make anything watchable, no matter the subject or context. Come for the star power, stay for the soapy atmosphere and gossipy drama.
Get properly acquainted with Mary & George, making its bold entrance into high society on Friday, April 5th at midnight on the STARZ app. New episodes will be available to stream weekly on Fridays at midnight, and linearly the series will debut at 9pm on STARZ.
