TV Review: Queen Charlotte IS About To Light The World On Fire!
Watching Queen Charlotte was GLORIOUS. I cannot believe how magnificent and romantic this show is, and I LOVE Bridgerton. Truly it superseded my expectations by delivering one of the kindest, sweetest tales on love and mental health awareness I have seen on screen via a spectacular cast. Shonda Rhimes, wherever you are….. you must pay for my therapy!
Let us begin by the obsession the world will have with India Amarteifio and Corey Mylchreest, of which I hope translates to a slew of well-deserved, big leading roles. Amarteifio is radiant as Queen Charlotte. She emanates strength, nobility, and tenderness, all at once. You cheer for her in every episode as if you are her Greek Choir, and you want to make sure she lives the life worthy of the goddess she is, which by the fabulous Golda Rosheuvel as Older Queen Charlotte, we know she does. In perspective, it is rare to meet a character that exemplifies virtue and regality that is likable, central protagonist. This is CHARLOTTE¨S SHOW, and she never gets annoying or so existentially lost and horrible that we, as a viewer, want to slap her into a reality check. Instead, she is a great, powerful human being learning to love someone who may be king, but is not always so powerful over himself.
Mylchreest as George is going to get such a huge, stalking fandom out of this show. I can already see the fancy cam edits about to swarm TikTok. If there is one thing women love, it is a hot, sweet man who is powerful and ¨lost.¨ Yet, there is a tragedy to King George that makes him supersede the cracks of being beautifully ¨unwell.¨ So often, when we discuss mental illness we take away a person’s humanity to either sanctify them and make them the ultimate victim of society or brutalize them to convert them into the absolute savage we should beat. We have no balance or openness to the fact that your mind, heart, body, and soul are separate entities that all build your presence. If one fails or falters, it does not mean the others cease to exist or desire care and control over themselves. George may have a mental illness, but he is also a farmer who loves science, wishes to be a better king and husband, and loves deeply those that have chosen to give him their heart. He is a human being, and we love to see it!
Mental illness is not a personality trait. While it is not the easiest thing to handle, it is not one’s defining point, and that feels like the magnificent theme of Queen Charlotte in every character. Arsema Thomas thrives as Young Agatha Danbury whose widowhood and blackness are NOT deterrents to her desires as a social and spiritual being, even though many around her think it should be. Meanwhile, Ruth Gemmel´s Lady Violet and Michelle Fairley´s Princess Agatha, have been through spectrums of both abuse and marital bliss, but cannot quell the fact that they have dreams beyond both, even if, again, society believes they should not. Then, there is my beloved Brimsley (Sam Clemmett) who will stand by his queen through all, but will never cease to enjoy the invigorating love of Reynolds (Freddie Dennis), even if, again, society believes he should not. In essence, Queen Charlotte is a show about how even the most powerful feel defined and confined to a social power beyond them that may give them luxury but also challenges how they feel free.
