3.0 out of 5 star rating
As a seasoned critic with a penchant for British dramas, I must say that A Very Royal Scandal has certainly piqued my interest. Joanna Scanlan’s portrayal of Amanda Thirsk is nothing short of captivating, offering a deeper insight into the character’s motivations and relationship with Andrew.
Who else has déjà vu?
It seems as if it was only recently in the year that we discussed a fresh production reenacting the 2019 Newsnight interview between Emily Maitlis and Prince Andrew, boasting an impressive ensemble of actors. In fact, that conversation took place not long ago.
A Very Royal Scandal finds itself in an unfortunate predicament, given that it follows closely on the heels of “Scoop”, the Netflix movie inspired by Sam McAlister’s book, with Gillian Anderson portraying Maitlis and Rufus Sewell playing Andrew.
As an enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that this upcoming venture unfolds as a captivating three-part saga, nestled within a broader anthology focusing on intriguing scandals. Notably, it joins the ranks of engrossing series like A Very English Scandal and A Very British Scandal.
The series is based on Maitlis’s personal book “Airhead,” and since she wrote the book herself, she serves as one of the show’s executive producers. It features actors Ruth Wilson and Michael Sheen in leading roles.
The question at hand is, indeed, whether it stands on its own merit, serving equally well as a dramatic work and a historical examination of the given era.
Yet, owing to Scoop’s triumph earlier in the year, another intriguing query has surfaced, one that perhaps the team involved would rather not be the main focus – is there a comparison between the two?
In comparison, A Very Royal Scandal emerges as a more compelling narrative, offering a deeper exploration of the story. Although Scoop delivered a commendable performance and kept viewers engaged, it lacked depth – a portrayal that didn’t delve into the characters or scrutinize the events it depicted.
The overall impact of Scoop’s investigation seemed to underscore the strength of journalism – a reasonable conclusion, but not necessarily remarkable or groundbreaking. A significant portion of the film’s appeal stemmed from its stunningly accurate depictions of real-life people, images, and videos, most notably the interview scene itself.
In contrast to A Very Royal Scandal, this production, due to its lengthy duration, places greater emphasis on delving into the personal lives of its main characters, Maitlis and Andrew, as well as exploring the boundaries of journalism and the far-reaching effects of a televised, one-hour discussion.
It tells its story across three episodes, and three distinct chapters. The first focuses on the build-up to the interview, much as Scoop did. It feels fairly familiar.
The second focuses primarily on the interview itself and the surrounding days. Again, not dissimilar to the Netflix film.
In a unique twist, this series diverges from the norm by tracing the lives of its main characters beyond the interview, spanning days, weeks, months, and even years that follow.
In comparison to the others, this third installment stands out as the most impactful. This is due to two reasons: firstly, it explores uncharted territory; secondly, the conversation within it is intricate and thought-provoking.
After the interview, instead of only highlighting the positive aspects, Wilson’s Maitlis and Sheen’s Andrew are given a balanced examination – both their strengths and weaknesses are scrutinized. This approach doesn’t involve a mere celebration or a one-sided vilification.
Instead, each member of the pair grapples individually with understanding the events that transpired and dealing with their emotions related to them.
Indeed, consistently across the series, even amidst humorously critical moments, there’s a subtle jab at Andrew Sheen’s arrogance. The characters in this portrayal are emotionally raw and their stories delve into personal matters rather than just professional or political aspects, which was notably absent in Netflix’s adaptation.
The actors deliver an expectedly outstanding performance. Sheen skillfully portrays Prince Andrew in a manner that elicits laughter when necessary, stirs anger when required, and presents as a pitiful character, all while subtly suggesting the complexity of his motivations without explicitly revealing truths or falsehoods.
In the movie “Scoop,” Sewell delivered a remarkable performance that truly breathed life into his role. However, by extending the runtime, they gave Sheen and the scriptwriters a chance to explore deeper into the character’s mental state and his connections with others.
In the role of Maitlis, Wilson’s performance is nothing short of extraordinary and transformative. Adapting to the unique voice might require some time, but Wilson manages to capture it remarkably well. However, the performance goes beyond mere imitation, offering much more than just an impression.
In contrast to Anderson’s portrayal where it seemed like Maitlis was artificially raising her voice for reasons that were not apparent, Wilson’s interpretation delves much deeper into the character of Maitlis, exploring her personal desires, apprehensions, uncertainties, and vulnerabilities.
The show skillfully delves into the lives of the supporting characters around the main pair, giving ample opportunity to understand them better as individuals.
A prime example is Joanna Scanlan’s portrayal of Amanda Thirsk compared to Keeley Hawes in Scoop. Though both performances were strong, Scanlan’s interpretation offers a more vivid depiction of the character’s personal motivations and her connection with Andrew, especially evident in their numerous shared scenes.
The show devotes a considerable amount of screen time to the characters portrayed by Honor Swinton Byrne as Beatrice and Sofia Oxenham as Eugenie, who are Andrew’s daughters.
Fortunately, these characters serve a purpose beyond merely reflecting their father’s emotions. Although they provide additional context, they are distinct individuals with their own unique experiences and responses that are not only acknowledged but delved into as well.
One person who may come away from watching the series feeling a bit short-changed in Sam McAlister – while she was positioned as a, if not the central factor in securing the interview in Scoop, here she is relegated to a side character with the occasional quippy line.
This observation underscores the personal nature of storytelling, remembering events, and creating narratives. In this case, Maitlis, Éanna Hardwicke’s Stewart MacLean, and Lydia Leonard’s Esme Wren seem to play crucial roles in obtaining the interview.
“The main issue with ‘Where A Very Royal Scandal’ lies in its timing – whether it’s appropriate to dramatize this story a) so quickly, b) multiple times within a year, and c) at all.
Without a doubt, it represented a significant turning point in the monarchy’s history as well as their connection with the British people, a point that Jeremy Brock effectively argues in this piece.
Yet, during a recent screening and Q&A session for the series, Maitlis herself emphasized that this tale is still incomplete and open-ended. There are lingering queries regarding the specifics under investigation in the Newsnight interview, as well as uncertainty about the exact nature and magnitude of the fallout.
Similarly to other dramatizations inspired by contemporary happenings, like “The Crown,” one might ponder the exact intent behind this reenactment, given that many viewers have such vivid recollections of the incidents portrayed.
It’s clear that this happens most notably in the second episode, as parts of the actual interview are reenacted.
From one perspective, it’s undeniably important for the play to follow this approach. However, from another, it seems quite similar to the controversial ending of Bohemian Rhapsody, where an extended scene was dedicated to a Live Aid recreation – a performance that can be found in its entirety on YouTube today. It’s hard to grasp the advantage of watching an extensive reenactment when the original footage is readily available.
In terms of entertainment, character development, and thematic analysis, A Very Royal Scandal generally succeeds. Yet, its impact may be slightly reduced due to it following in the footsteps of another show, which might not be entirely fair.
I’ve chosen not to settle for simple solutions, even when the absence of immediate answers can be exasperating. This portrayal, as far as I’m concerned, is undoubtedly the most compelling dramatic rendition we could hope for on-screen, given the recent occurrence of these events.
If another reassessment occurs in 10 years and a new version is produced (which seems likely), we can always return to the discussion then.
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2024-09-18 21:34