This episode portrays the (brief) relationship between Elizabeth and the Kennedys. I've been waiting all season for this episode, because I've been very much looking forward to seeing Michael C. Hall's portrayal of JFK. As it turns out, his role amounts to little more than a cameo, with the real focus being on his wife Jackie, and her tumultuous relationship with Elizabeth. As two of the most famous, powerful, and influential women of the twentieth century, it's interesting to see what their interactions may have been like.
It's clear that some time has passed between the end of the last episode and the beginning of this one, and one major theme that we begin to explore is Elizabeth feeling old. It's no surprise then that she feels threatened by Jackie; the bright, young, and beloved socialite. As the Queen questions her own strengths, the episode's b-plot (socialist leanings in Ghana) comes to a head, and she is forced to deal with a precarious diplomatic situation. Ultimately, her sense of competition with Jackie leads her to an unorthodox but extremely effective solution in the best scene of the episode.
I enjoyed the portrayal of the Kennedys in this episode, but I thought their story-line seemed a little truncated. I feel like it might have been a little more effective had they let it play out over the course of a couple episodes. Jodi Balfour is fantastic as Jackie Kennedy, managing to make her sympathetic despite her main role as a foil for Elizabeth. Michael C. Hall did a good job portraying the darker side of JFK that many adaptions shy away from.
In short, this was a thrilling meet-up of two great minds that was a little hampered by the short amount of time it had to flourish, but nonetheless ranks among the more interesting depictions of the Kennedy family.
It's clear that some time has passed between the end of the last episode and the beginning of this one, and one major theme that we begin to explore is Elizabeth feeling old. It's no surprise then that she feels threatened by Jackie; the bright, young, and beloved socialite. As the Queen questions her own strengths, the episode's b-plot (socialist leanings in Ghana) comes to a head, and she is forced to deal with a precarious diplomatic situation. Ultimately, her sense of competition with Jackie leads her to an unorthodox but extremely effective solution in the best scene of the episode.
I enjoyed the portrayal of the Kennedys in this episode, but I thought their story-line seemed a little truncated. I feel like it might have been a little more effective had they let it play out over the course of a couple episodes. Jodi Balfour is fantastic as Jackie Kennedy, managing to make her sympathetic despite her main role as a foil for Elizabeth. Michael C. Hall did a good job portraying the darker side of JFK that many adaptions shy away from.
In short, this was a thrilling meet-up of two great minds that was a little hampered by the short amount of time it had to flourish, but nonetheless ranks among the more interesting depictions of the Kennedy family.