If the name doesn’t ring a bell for you, Julian Fellowes You have to write it down in your good series buff brain. He is one of those great characters from international series, like Shonda Rhimes, like Ryan Murphy, only he is ‘specialized’ in historical series and films from a very specific period: the 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States and England (despite being born in Egypt).
Fellowes, with experience as a screenwriter that includes titles such as ‘Gosford Park’ (for which he received the Oscar for Best Screenplay), ‘Queen Victoria’ or ‘The Tourist’, He has recently stood out producing and writing two great fictions: ‘Downton Abbey’, that you can see in full on Prime Video and HBO Max, and on ‘The Golden Age’, the great HBO Max series of which the third season is beginning to be filmed.
So If you have already devoured ‘Downton Abbey’, ‘The Golden Age’ and of course you are a fan of another classic period series like ‘The Bridgertons’, We want to show you another series by Julian Fellowes not as well known but just as good that you can watch on Movistar Plus+ and that it is an addictive short series of 6 episodes which is perfect for an Easter marathon or to watch in full on a weekend.
Is about ‘Belgravia’, released in April 2020 – it is logical that it went quite unnoticed in the most difficult days of the pandemic, despite its quality -, which It has as its background a theme that always works well in modern drama: the ‘rules’ of British society and class differences. Belgravia is the name of one of the most affluent districts of London, even today.
‘Belgravia’: What is it about?
In ‘Belgravia’, the young Sophia (Emily Reid), daughter of the Trenchards, one of London’s new wealthy families, has caught the attention of Edmund Bellasis (Jeremy Neumark Jones), son and heir of one of the richest families. The invitation to a ball organized by the Duchess of Richmond on the evening of June 15, 1815 will change history.
While the ball is being held and those present are oblivious to the reality outside, Napoleon invades the capital of Belgium. The next morning, many of the young people who were dancing now face a very different reality: a battle lies ahead. And during this conflict, one of the most terrible things that could happen will happen: the duchess’s nephew dies and leaves behind a series of scandals and consequences for his family.
The action continues twenty-five years later, when the ambitious Trenchards settle in the newly developed area of Belgravia. Meanwhile, the secrets of what happened at that ball threaten to come out and when the new rich get together with the most deeply-rooted aristocracy, it is better that the secrets of the past stay right there, in the past.
‘Belgravia’: trailer for the 6-episode miniseries that you can watch on Movistar Plus+
‘Belgravia’: Is it worth watching?
Absolutely yes.Belgravia’ adapts a book written by Julian Fellowes himself that is highly entertaining, and the series is as meticulous as his projects usually are. Director John Alexander has taken care to take us to Belgium before the battle of Waterloo and the Belgravia neighborhood, in London in the 1840s.
The story itself takes a while to develop, but by the end of the first episode we see that ‘Belgravia’ has more to offer than war memories. Like ‘Downton Abbey’, Fellowes explores how class differences in British high society give rise to secrets because, despite being aristocrats, they have human desires of a ‘normal’ person.
In the case of Bellasis and Sophia, their love would normally be considered quite mundane, but as This member of the aristocracy is ‘friends’ with the daughter of a merchant and a school teacher is considered scandalous, no matter how rich the Trenchards were.
Tamsin Greig, who plays Sophia’s mother, is the standout actress, as Anne not only has to carry the weight of her daughter’s death, but also the secret she took to the grave. You can see the pain mixed with good memories on his face when he talks to the countess about his children and their relationship.
Add Belgravia
The rest of the performances are top notch, of course. But to deepen the relationship between Anne and Sophia, Fellowes turns the male characters into luxurious secondary characters.. But it does not matter; As the six episodes go by, it keeps the viewer’s attention as the secrets of the protagonist families are revealed.
Don’t miss it, because the continuation of the series has just been released in the United States, with seven episodes this time, titled ‘Belgravia: The Next Chapter’ and, by the way, you already have it available on Movistar+ in Spain.
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