Warning! Spoilers ahead for My Lady Jane season 1!
Summary
- Amazon's My Lady Jane should be green-lit for season 2 due to its runaway success and potential for expansion upon the source material.
- Jane and Guildford's love story faces challenges in a fantastical Tudor England setting.
- Characters like Edward, Fitz, Susannah, Archer, and Jane's family play crucial roles in the unfolding plot and political intrigue of My Lady Jane.
In the short time since My Lady Jane premiered on Amazon Prime Video, it's become a runaway hit, meaning Amazon shouldn't wait to green-light the series for season 2. The show is based on the book series by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows, and though there are two other novels, neither revolves around Jane Grey. However, if My Lady Jane continues on its path of success, there's no reason why the series couldn't expand upon the source material and go on for many years. Emily Bader stars as the titular Lady Jane, whose story isn't over yet.
Their romance is only one part of an exciting story that follows a fantastical revisionist history of the period of uncertainty in Tudor England following the death of King Henry VIII.
Bader is ed by Edward Blumel, who plays Guildford Dudley, Jane's love interest. Their romance is only one part of an exciting story that follows a fantastical revisionist history of the period of uncertainty in Tudor England following the death of King Henry VIII. As one of the best period romance TV shows of the 2020s, My Lady Jane could be a contender in the streaming race to unseat Bridgerton as the definitive period drama of the past few years. However, to do so, many questions from season 1 must be answered with a new installment of the show.
My Lady Jane's 8 Best Jane & Guildford Moments, Ranked
My Lady Jane features an amazing romance between Jane & Guildford, and while the pair might start at odds, their love story breaks barriers.
8 Edward Needs To Reclaim The Throne
His story is just beginning now that he's found love and his health.
Jane encourages Edwards to rally and retake the throne, but it remains to be seen if this is truly what he wants.
Mary and Lord Seymour's plot to murder and overthrow King Edward, Jane's cousin, was a shocking development in the first half of My Lady Jane season 1. Thankfully, it didn't work, but it seemed that Edward was gone for good for a few episodes. Though his supposed death caused an uproar and lots of anarchy within the government, being outside the castle was his first taste of freedom in his whole life. At first, Edward's only goal is to return to the castle and then to rescue Jane when he learns of her imprisonment.
Jane encourages Edwards to rally and retake the throne, but it remains to be seen if this is truly what he wants. Being able to move about the world and see it for himself has changed Edward, and he, too, has been moved to the cause of Ethians. If he becomes king again, it's certain that Edward would be a more just ruler and help Jane make the world a better place, but he must also think about his own happiness. His budding relationship with Fitz will likely impact his decisions in season 2.
7 Jane & Guildford Must Return To Overthrow Mary
The tyrant Mary ended the season on the throne but without Jane's head.
In real life, Lady Jane Grey lasted only a few days as Queen, and her execution was not thwarted by a group of Ethians who allowed her to escape with her one true love. Fortunately, in My Lady Jane, this does happen, but Jane doesn't get her crown back. Mary might have lost the battle at the execution, but she still has an army and a strong claim to the throne. While neither Jane nor Mary are the winners in history, as a fictional series, My Lady Jane can do whatever it wants with the outcome of the story.
This means it's anyone's guess as to who will ultimately be the reigning monarch of the show. Regardless, there's only one satisfying conclusion to the battle waging between Jane and Mary, and that's for Jane to kick her off the throne and lock her up for good. Mary is a fun villain and easy to hate after attempting to execute both Jane and Guildford and her deep hatred for and prejudice against Ethians. While Jane would never stoop to the levels that Mary does, My Lady Jane must include their final showdown.
6 Edward & Fitz Deserve More Time Together
Having clear and positive LGBTQ+ representation onscreen is something all period series should include.
Thankfully, My Lady Jane changed Edward's story from the book by making his character gay instead of having romantic feelings for Jane. While cousins marrying each other was very common in Tudor England, this doesn't make these types of storylines any less uncomfortable to read or watch today. Additionally, by allowing Edward to explore his LGBTQ+ identity, the show gets to introduce Fitz. He and Edward have incredible chemistry from the start, and the development of their relationship is one of the strongest romantic plotlines outside of Jane and Guildford.
Unfortunately, it was only in the latter half of the season that the audience got to see Fitz and Edward together, and that wasn't enough time.
When setting a TV show in the past, the series must inherently grapple with the social differences between history and the present day. My Lady Jane circumvents this by having the show occur in an alternate reality, allowing for greater diversity in all areas on screen. Unfortunately, it was only in the latter half of the season that the audience got to see Fitz and Edward together, and that wasn't enough time. They deserve as rich and explosive a storyline as Jane and Guildford, and season 2 can provide them with this.
5 Susannah & Archer Continue To Fight For The Ethians
Even though they end up saving Jane in the end, their primary goal remains the same.
Not only are Susannah and Archer some of the most interesting characters in My Lady Jane, but they have one of the most compelling arcs outside of a romance plot. My Lady Jane distinguishes itself from other period romance dramas by adding an element of fantasy, the existence of Ethians. It's a great example of a magic system in speculative fiction because the conflict between Ethians and Verities is representative of the historical tensions between Protestants and Catholics, which were at a high due to Henry VIII's break from the Roman Catholic Church.
However, imbuing this real issue with magic and exciting abilities allows My Lady Jane to have fun with historical events and opens the door for the series to take further anachronistic liberties. Looking toward season 2, it would make sense for Jane and Guildford to officially forces with Susannah, Archer, and the rest of the Ethians and rally in the forest before returning as a united front. Additionally, Susannah and Archer should play larger roles in the next installment, as they are the leaders of the Ethian movement.
4 Jane Must Help To End Division Laws
Her duty as Queen was to put a stop to this discrimination, and this hasn't changed.
When Susannah confronts Jane about how she needs to step up and be an ally, Jane realizes she needs to use her power.
season 1 leaves many mysteries, and the most pressing political question is what will happen to the Ethians now that Mary has taken the crown. Even though Jane is no longer on the throne and likely plans to help Edward retake it, she has become further imioned in her fight for Ethian equality. This took time, as Jane lived in privilege her whole life, shielded from the realities of how poorly Ethians are treated. When Susannah confronts Jane about how she needs to step up and be an ally, Jane realizes she needs to use her power.
Additionally, once Jane gets over the initial betrayal of being lied to, she encourages Guildford to embrace being an Ethian and loves that part of him. There were also some exciting hints dropped at the very end of season 1, like the fact that Bess might be an Ethian. Though My Lady Jane is historically inaccurate on purpose, Elizabeth did end up taking the throne and reigning as Queen for many years. If Jane and Bess forces and Edward decides to abdicate, this could potentially put an Ethian in power, changing everything.
3 Katherine & Margaret's Futures Are Uncertain
Now that Katherine is married and Margaret knows Mary is evil, where will they go from here?
Though Jane is the oldest and often bears the full brunt of s' schemes and ire, when Jane ascends to the throne and no longer has to listen to s, more attention falls on Katherine and Margaret. While s might not always go about it in the right way, she does have good intentions, very deeply down, to ensure her family's safety and future. However, Katherine and Margaret begin to realize that they don't want to be trapped in palace life, especially when seeing what happened to Jane because of it.
When ordered by Mary to marry Lord Seymour, Katherine refuses. She runs away to marry his son instead. By marrying someone else, Katherine is in open defiance of Mary. It might ultimately make her happy, but it will also have consequences next season. When it comes to Margaret, she's a little more difficult to pin down. She's a unique child with a penchant for trouble and is highly intelligent. In season 2, it would be amazing to see Margaret use her influence with Mary to take her down from the inside and be an even better character.
2 Guildford Should Enjoy His New Freedom & Being An Ethian
After years of believing he's cursed, Guildford deserves to revel in his freedom.
One of the biggest plot points before Jane is crowned Queen is her quest to help Guildford find a cure for Ethianism because he's unable to control his transformations. As the story progresses, Jane quickly realizes there is no cure because being Ethian is natural and a part of Guildford to be embraced and loved. Unfortunately, Guildford has a difficult time believing that because he feels responsible for his mother's death, which occurred during his first change into a horse. However, this anger and guilt is slowly diffused as he finds love and comes to with who he is.
Guildford's block on transformation is broken when Jane rescues him during the execution scene in the season finale, and they both it they love each other.
Guildford's block on transformation is broken when Jane rescues him during the execution scene in the season finale, and they both it they love each other. However, the seeds for this breakthrough are sown when his father and brother come to rescue him and finally relieve his anguish over playing a role in his mother's death. When Jane and Guildford escape, it's been years since Guildford had full agency and control over himself, and his life as an Ethian and as Jane's husband are only getting started.
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My Lady Jane was an incredible historical fantasy that left many viewers craving a similar series that blended fact and fiction with a humorous tone.
1 Jane Needs To Reunite With Her Family
A recurring theme is how far Jane will go for the people she loves.
Though her mother vexes her and her sisters have their quirks, there's nothing more important to Jane than family. Unseating Mary and ensuring a secure future for Ethians isn't the only reason Jane is determined to go back just after she and Guildford escaped. Jane's dedication to her family is shown throughout the season. She marries Guildford without knowing who she is to protect Katherine, and during her imprisonment, she refuses to escape because she knows that Mary would hurt her family in retaliation.
Though My Lady Jane primarily focuses on the heroism of Jane, every female character in the series has their moment to shine, including Jane's whole family. When Jane returns, she'll see that her loved ones can take care of themselves, and they'll be able to forces against anyone who opposes them. Additionally, now that Guildford's father and brother have turned over a new leaf and Ethians and the couple, there are many allies that Jane will be celebrated by once she's back.
My Lady Jane
- Release Date
- 2024 - 2024-00-00
- Showrunner
- Gemma Burgess, Meredith Glynn
- Directors
- Jamie Babbit, Stefan Schwartz
WHERE TO WATCH
My Lady Jane is a Prime Video original series created by Gemma Burgess. The story is a "what if" style story of English royal history where King Henry VIII's son Edward, Lady Jane Grey, and her husband Guildford all survive their real-life deaths. In the retelling of history, Jane Grey takes center stage, becoming queen and immediately finding herself facing nefarious villains.
- Seasons
- 1
- Creator(s)
- Gemma Burgess
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