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Elizabeth I: Battle for the Throne . s01e03.
(Channel 5); docudrama.


Wobbling a bit between drama and schoolbook history, Channel 5’s Elizabeth I: Battle for the Throne, the first of three episodes on Queen Bess’s life and times, was actually pretty good.
The dialogue was, to put it kindly, at times a touch inauthentic – what other verdict can one pass on lines such as “Know your place, man!” or “the Spanish fleet has to be thrashed”? Yet the history, courtly and intimate as it was, was quite clearly explained, and the cast, dominated by Lily Cole, made the very best of it. I liked especially the increasingly political young Elizabeth’s smart line of spin whenever some non-committal, and life-saving, bit of hedging was required: “When the time comes, I will do as God directs me to.” Perhaps the imperious Theresa May could give that one an outing next time she goes on Marr.
The photography was suitably dark, dark as the story itself. Yes, Elizabeth had a series of near-lethal scraps on her hands for her throne. She really was very lucky to escape execution for treason against her half-sister Queen Mary, and the future Virgin Queen’s skin was saved by the resistance of a single nobleman to the Privy Council’s right honourable love of torture.