This review contains spoilers
When I first heard of “My Lady Jane,” it was being marketed to me as something akin to “Bridgerton.” Personally, I was uninterested. Aesthetically pleasing romance had been done before and was alright, but I wanted something more.
But I couldn’t escape it. Short-form edits were taking over my socials and algorithms, and the more it appeared, the more I detested it. I didn’t watch “My Lady Jane” until a friend of mine was utterly adamant about it. After that I had no choice.
“My Lady Jane” is a fantastical retelling of the “Nine Days’ Queen,” Lady Jane Gray Dudley, from 16th century England who ruled England and Ireland for — you guessed it — all of nine days. Except in this version, there are Ethians and Verities. Ordinary humans are Verity and Ethians are humans that can turn into animals. Ethians can’t control if they are animals or not but can (usually) control when they change.
The royalty is supposedly “pureblood” Verity. This creates some tensions, and some people’s existence becomes a problem and creates upsetting consequences. And that is just the tip of the enraging iceberg.
As I began watching, I quickly became consumed with the show and some overwhelming emotions. Luckily, this show induced the right kind of anger in me. I wasn’t angry at poor writing or lack of development. I was angry because that is what I was supposed to feel.
I was angry that the entitled, psychopathic Princess Mary was getting away with her hatred-fueled abominable plans. I was angry that Verities in power were putting their need to be in power above human beings. I was angry that the “elite” could get away with bullying and murdering the poor and Ethians. I was angry that even privileged women in positions of power had little to no agency and were immediately cornered when trying to incite change. I was angry at the deep-seated beliefs of the characters that being Ethian is wrong, shameful and should be criminalized.
But most of all, I was angry at how real it all felt. This show is a historical retelling that is bursting with fantasy, so to see a scathing example of internalized homophobia and a rigged political system woven into a deeply entertaining show was simultaneously a breath of fresh air and a kick in the teeth.
As angry as I was, I devoured the first season. It has everything I enjoy — vivid Elizabethan fantasy; complicated family dynamics; interwoven plot lines of personal growth; witty, nuanced women; a sassy narrator; and a completely female punk rock soundtrack. And I had no idea I could hate Dominic Cooper.
I desperately wanted more of this show, but when I went looking for more, I found that the show had been canceled. The show’s ending doesn’t necessarily end on a cliffhanger because it ties up the immediate actions happening. But the overarching plot lines have been left flying in the wind.
It was definitely left open for another season that would hold the developments we wanted to see: justice for our favorite characters, redemption arcs, seeing the glorious fruit of the seeds that were planted in the first season. Season one has only set the stage, and I want to see the thralling and satisfying act two.
This show was not meant to be called complete, and someone put the kibosh on appeasing us with a second season. I have my theories on why it was canceled. I am not a connoisseur of queer media, but it is not a new phenomenon for even vaguely queer shows to get canceled such as “First Kill,” “The Wilds,” “Vampire Academy,” “Fate: The Winx Saga,” “One of Us is Lying” or “Teenage Bounty Hunters.” And those are just from the last couple years, the list is endless. I think the real reasons for its cancellation is the politicized social commentary, having queer representation and it being released during an election year.
Its apparent reason for cancelation is due to low viewership. If no one saw this show, it was their own fault. That is completely untrue though. My feed was not flooded with fan edits for no reason. This show received overwhelmingly positive reviews from fans on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes.
Not to mention, probably the biggest reason being its horrendously misguided marketing. As I mentioned earlier, I heard about this show as something akin to “Bridgerton.” A kick-butt female protagonist falls in love; the end. And yes, there are appealing, chemistry-heavy, romance plot lines, but there is literally so much more to this show.
As much as I enjoyed “Bridgerton,” every single plot felt like it revolved around getting married off or not wanting to be married off. And that isn’t always my cup of tea. With “My Lady Jane” the aesthetic felt so different, so being marketed to the “Bridgerton” demographic felt like the marketers didn’t give this show the opportunity to spread its own wings.
“My Lady Jane” has the romantic chemistry reminiscent of season two of “Bridgerton,” but besides that, it is packed with social commentary, humor and lively world-building that entirely sets it apart from “Bridgerton” and could have opened it up to a whole new audience. If you go watch “My Lady Jane,” I am sure you will join me and the rest of the angry mob begging for this show’s renewal.
