This new period drama sees Jane Austen’s often overlooked heroine step out from the shadow of her four sisters. The Other Bennet Sister airs on BBC One in the UK with episodes available to stream for FREE on BBC iPlayer right now. It’s also streaming on Binge in Australia, and arrive on BritBox in North America in May. Don't worry if you’re away from home, because you can watch the The Other Bennet Sister from anywhere with a VPN.

Based on the novel of the same name by Janice Hadlow, The Other Bennet Sister follows Mary Bennet (Ella Bruccoleri), the seemingly unremarkable middle child of the Darcy-bothering family at the centre of Pride & Prejudice. Stepping out of the shadow of her siblings, Mary embarks on a journey that takes her from the peaks of the Lake District to the soirées of Regency London all while finding herself entangled in her own epic love story.

The show also features Ruth Jones and Richard E. Grant as Mary’s parents alongside Indira Varma, Richard Coyle, while Laurie Davidson and Dónal Finn appear as potential suitors for the wayward Bennet sister.

Arriving in 10, 30-minute episodes, The Other Bennet Sister is an easily bingeable watch for costume drama fans, offering a fresh take on a story that’s been adapted countless times.

Ready for this reimagining of Austen’s classic? Here's how to watch The Other Bennet Sister from anywhere in the world. We've got all the information you'll need below.

How to watch The Other Bennet Sister online in the UK for free

How to watch The Other Bennet Sister in the US

BritBox will be the North American home of The Other Bennet Sister with episodes streaming from Saturday, May 9.

BritBox costs $8.99 per month in the US with 12 months available for the price of 10 if you opt for an annual pass. New users can also make use of a 7-day free trial.

UK citizens abroad who want to access their usual free stream will need a VPN to watch The Other Bennet Sister. We've got all the details you need for that below.

How to watch The Other Bennet Sister in Australia

Aussies can stream The Other Bennet Sister on Binge. Episodes began streaming on March 16.

A subscription to Binge starts from AU$10 per month, with an annual price of AU$79.

UK viewers Down Under who want to watch via their usual free stream will need a VPN to watch The Other Bennet Sister. We've got all the details right here.

How to watch The Other Bennet Sister from anywhere with a VPN

If you're traveling outside the UK, you can watch The Other Bennet Sister on the BBC iPlayer streaming service by using a VPN – no matter where you are in the world!

Normally a streaming service will know where you are trying to tune in from and block you if you're not in the right country but a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is an app that hides your location. That means you can access your usual sports and entertainment services even while you're traveling abroad.

Our favorite VPN is NordVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

• Download the app at NordVPN
• Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch – in this case, the UK
• Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!

Kit Harington is to star in a new four-part adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic A Tale of Two Cities, to be shown on the BBC.

The four-part series will see the Game of Thrones actor joined by François Civil (Beating Hearts, The Three Musketeers) and Mirren Mack (Miss Austen, Hedda).

A Tale of Two Cities will start filming in October, meaning it's likely to hit our screens in late 2026 or 2027.

Setting up the series, the BBC says: "London, 1782. Tensions run high in the war between France and Britain. A young woman, Lucie Manette (Mirren Mack) has her life upended when she receives a message from Paris — her father, assumed dead for almost 20 years, may be alive.

"The messenger — idealistic French emigré, Charles Darnay (François Civil) — is arrested and charged with treason. Lucie enlists the help of a brilliant but erratic young lawyer, Sydney Carton (Kit Harington), to free Darnay in the hope he will lead her to Paris to track down her father.

"Lucie's collision with Darnay and Carton unleashes a powerful and complex love triangle. Both men fight to be worthy of her love, and Lucie is torn over which one to choose. Yet neither man — physically so alike, spiritually poles apart — can escape the other. Instead, they find themselves bound together in life and death, through triumphs, tragedies, marriage, and murder.”

Kit Harington, Executive Producer, Thriker Films and Daniel West, Executive Producer and screenwriter, said: “We could not be more thrilled to be working with Polly, Sarah, Leo and the team at Federation to bring Dickens’ revolutionary epic to the screen.

"A Tale of Two Cities is the original historical blockbuster — a heartbreaking romance and a brutal revenge mystery, all set against the iconic backdrop of the French Revolution. Our adaptation will be a twisting period thriller; one with a contemporary, volatile love triangle at its heart. We can’t wait to share it with audiences in 2026.'

A Tale Of Two Cities will air on the BBC in the UK and MGM+ in the US.

All Creatures Great and Small star Nicholas Ralph has revealed why there's a big time jump in the new season.

The action in season 6 moves forward to May 1945, nearly four years on from the events of the last series, with the conflict drawing to a close.

Nicholas, who plays James Herriot, tells us they were concerned about "getting bogged down" in the war years.

"It felt like we could get bogged down if we kept going through the war years, so this is the beginning of the next chapter in their lives. All of them have changed. But now it's a return to basics, back to veterinary life."

Co-star Rachel Shenton, who plays Helen, also backed the decision. "I was pleased that was what we were doing. Now there is a feeling of hope, and they can look forward and see that there's a world beyond the hell that everyone has lived through."

The big change for James and Helen is that they now have not one but two children.

Rachel explains: "Yes, they've had little Rosie. James and Helen's relationship matures every season, which is gorgeous, and now they’re a family of four, there’s a lot of navigating life but also fun.”

Nicholas adds, "James and Helen love being in each other's company with their kids. And one of the joys for James is that Jimmy is just over four years old now, so he can come on the vet visits with him, like in the opening episode when a lamb is born."

As for what creatures we will be seeing in the new series, which also sees Samuel West back as Siegfried Farnon and Callum Woodhouse as Tristan, Nicholas says: "Well, the miniature horse had the best hair — like [singer] Rod Stewart in his prime! And we have a story regarding a greyhound track, and one lovely whippet was played by a sweet rescue dog called Danny Boy. And we, of course, have Tricki [the pampered Pekinese belonging to Mrs Pumphrey, portrayed by Patricia Hodge] back, too!”

The new series will see Tristan arrive home from serving in Italy with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, and stalwart housekeeper Mrs Hall (Anna Madeley) has also had some time away.

All Creatures Great and Small season 6 begins on 5 Thursday, September 25 at 9 pm.

MGM+ has announced today (Wednesday, September 10) that we will be getting a second season of its epic romantic saga, Outlander: Blood of my Blood.

The show, which charts the love stories between Clare's parents - played by Julia Moriston (Hermione Corfield) and Henry Beauchamp (Jeremy Irvine), and Jamie's parents - played by Ellen MacKenzie (Harriet Slater) and Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy), has become a huge hit with fans of the original series.

The official synopsis for the show says: "From the battlefields of World War I to the rugged Highlands of 18th-century Scotland, two fated couples must defy the forces that seek to tear them apart, intersecting in surprising and unforeseen ways. Outlander: Blood of my Blood features new cast, characters and stories, welcoming viewers unfamiliar with the Outlander universe, while also providing existing fans with origin stories of fan-favourite characters from early seasons of Outlander, offering new perspectives that will change what they think they know."

It has also been confirmed that production on season two of Outlander: Blood of my Blood has begun in Scotland, on the same stages where the legacy series Outlander has been filmed for the past ten years.

In addition to Corfield, Irvine, Slater and Roy, Outlander: Blood of my Blood also stars Tony Curran (Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat), Rory Alexander (Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser), Séamus McLean Ross (Colum MacKenzie), Sam Retford (Dougal MacKenzie) and Conor MacNeill (Ned Gowan).

As filming for the next prequel series gets underway, we also have Outlander season 8 to look forward to next year. And, with the current first season of Blood of my Blood heading towards a gripping end next month, fans can now be safe in the knowledge that this isn't the end for the Outlander prequel.

New episodes of the Outlander: Blood of my Blood land weekly every Saturday on MGM+, and on Fridays in the US on Starz.

NOTE: This post contains spoilers for Outlander: Blood of my Blood’s sixth episode, "Birthright”.

Giving birth is never a walk in the park on Outlander, and it seems like the vibes are similar in Blood of my Blood as Julia goes into labor in less than ideal conditions in this new episode.

Meanwhile, Henry has an idea that might help him finally find his wife, but his plan goes sideways. Let’s recap what happens in the latest episode of Outlander: Blood of my Blood.

Julia goes into labor

At this point in the story of Blood of my Blood, Julia has been at Castle Leathers for months and her pregnancy is far along enough that she is about to give birth to her son. Indeed, she wakes up one morning to find that her water has broken.

She goes to find Brian, who is still upset with her because he doesn’t understand why she would have slept with Lovat. She tells him she was already with child when she arrived at Leathers and decided to go to bed with his father to make him believe the bairn is his. She adds that the only reason his mother was able to keep him is because Brian is the laird’s son, so she did what was necessary to protect her child.

Tending to Lord Lovat’s fire, Davina Porter hears him whispering Julia’s name in his sleep, which reminds her of a time when it was her he was calling to his bed. A flashback shows Davina didn’t have much of a choice when it came to sleeping with Lord Lovat. He forced her to have sex with him, on several occasions, which led to her pregnancy with Brian.

Mrs. Porter informs the laird that Julia is in labor and he decides he is going to marry her so that the bairn is a legitimate child. Davina protests and Lovat threatens to hit her, but she explains Julia is too far into the process to go to the kirk.

In fact, now that she is in labor, Julia has to go into confinement. For a woman whose last pregnancy was in the 20th century, this is a new, jarring experience. It entails Julia being locked in a room with a bunch of women supposedly there to help her give birth.

The main hall of the castle is used as the birthing chamber and Brian comes to find his mother. She asks if Julia’s baby is his and he explains there is nothing between them. Curious about her own relationship with Lovat, he asks if she and the laird ever loved each other. Of course, Davina doesn’t admit to her son how he was really conceived.

Brian is concerned about his position within the Fraser clan and hopes he can improve his relationship with his father. Later on, he shares a drink with Lord Lovat and alludes to the fact that he’d like a better position as a Fraser, but Lovat doesn’t have much faith in Brian and would rather put all his focus on the bairn who is about to be born.

Victim shaming

A group of women arrive to assist Julia and at first it all seems quite nice, all of them being excited that they will witness the birth of a (supposedly) future king of Scotland. They are here to comfort and guide Julia, and they draw comparisons between her situation and Mrs. Porter's.

Unfortunately, that upsets Davina, who tells the others that they are nothing alike because Julia seduced Lord Lovat and sought his attention, and boy do things take a turn. Suddenly, everyone is against Julia, they start calling her a jezebel and pretty much say they will tend to the baby but if something happens to the mother, she is on her own.

They shame her, tell her to confess her sins, call her a woman of loose morals… The whole experience is rather brutal. They ask who the father of the child is over and over again, Davina thinking Julia is lying. Julia tells Mrs. Porter she doesn’t need to hate her, that she will not take anything from her and begs her to not harden her heart against her.

The thing is that Davina was abused and mistreated by Lord Lovat, but when he got her pregnant, he never considered marrying her. When he assaulted her, Lovat made it sound like Davina brought it all on herself by being a temptress, and Mrs. Porter has carried that trauma all this year, and clearly struggles with Julia’s situation.

Eventually, Julia manages to get through to Mrs. Porter and tells her everything she is doing is to protect her baby. Another flashback shows how when Davina was in labor with Brian, she was also harassed by women who shamed her and threatened her child. Maybe she and Julia aren't that different so, back in the present, Davina then sends everyone away.

Lovat thinks Mrs. Porter is jealous so he bursts into the birthing chamber, followed by Brian and a reverend. He wants the child to be born in wedlock but this really isn’t the right time for Julia who is in the middle of pushing. As Davina screams at him to get out, Lovat strikes her and Brian intervenes, telling his father to go but before Lovat leaves (after the reverend said Julia is in no condition to get married), he tells Brian he will pay for his defiance.

As Julia’s son is about to arrive into this world, the show goes back to the birth of her daughter, Claire. A flashback shows Julia in labor as Henry tries to distract her from the pain. Claire arrives and the two of them are over the moon to meet their baby girl, and it’s much more touching than what is going on in the present.

When Julia's child is born, he doesn’t make a sound at first but Mrs. Porter gets him to let out his first cry before putting him in his mother's arms. Both women are quite emotional over the bairn, and hopefully they will have a better relationship moving forward.

After receiving lashes for defying his father, Brian goes to see Julia. He meets the bairn and they discuss how he doesn’t know when his birthday is. Julia then goes to fetch a cake and puts a candle on it before asking Brian to make a wish and blow it.

Henry loses his mind

Meanwhile, over at Castle Grant, Arch Bug is keeping an eye on Henry and wants to know what he is up to. Henry explains he wants to find local midwives to see if anyone has come across his pregnant wife. Bug is touched by Henry’s predicament, having himself lost a child at birth. He offers to talk to Isaac Grant about it and see if they can have midwives come to the castle to find out if anyone treated Julia.

Later on, midwives start arriving at Castle Grant but none have seen Julia… Until one shows up to tell Henry that she met a Julia Beauchamp who died in labor, and so did her baby. Henry is devastated and refuses to believe her but she convinces him otherwise. The shock triggers Henry to the point that he feels as distressed as he was in the trenches of World War I.

However, of course, the midwife is lying. She was paid by Bug to tell Henry that Julia died, so that Henry would stop his search.

Henry runs outside in tears and hears Julia’s voice. He starts laughing as he fully goes into a nervous breakdown, mixing the present with the past. He runs around yelling the war is over, reliving the day he ran to announce it to Julia. Except it is not Julia he goes to. In his mind, he is in London talking to his wife, but in reality he is in Una Hay’s brothel with Seema, the English sex worker he previously met there.

When he calls her Julia, she doesn’t correct him. Instead, Seema kisses him, and leads him to her bed. They have sex, and it’s quite devastating to see Henry completely lost in his grief. He is convinced he is with Julia, but really isn’t and it’s unclear if he’ll be back to himself the next morning. But if he is, it will be a rude awakening.

Is Henry going to return to his senses? Will Julia find a way out of Leathers? We’ll have to wait for a new episode of Outlander: Blood of my Blood, on Starz and MGM+, to find out.

The Battle of Hastings might be over, but King and Conqueror season 2 could be on its way to our screens!

James Norton and Kitty Kaletsky, co-founders of Rabbit Track Pictures, told What to Watch conversations were already taking place about a potential sequel.

The first series told the story of how Harold, Earl of Wessex, and William, Duke of Normandy, jostled for power before finally facing off for the English throne in 1066.

Harold famously met his maker on the battlefield, while William became King of England, signalling the end of the Anglo-Saxon period.

Yet while that chapter of English history came to an end that day in Hastings, another was just beginning.

"There's runway," explained Norton. "We've got incredible characters in William, Matilda, Edith and the other characters that are left, so we'll see."

Here's everything we know about a possible King and Conqueror season 2...

Will there be a King and Conqueror season 2?

"We'll have to see how the show goes down with audiences," said Norton when we spoke to him in August. "But who knows? There's a thousand years of history, we could just go and go and go..."

One major decision in making a new series could be how well the show has done beyond Britain and Norton says the show has proved very popular globally.

"The show has sold incredibly and it seems there's an appetite globally for this type of history, we've done a lot of Tudors and we've seen a lot of recent history with The Crown, but we've not really gone back to the 11th century much."

King and Conqueror season 2 release date

The second series hasn't been commissioned yet, but we'll be sure to let you know if there's any news on that front!

King and Conqueror season 2 plot

James Norton and Kitty Kaletsky were quite vague on the "conversations" they'd been having, but it seems William's reign from 1066 to 1087 could be one of the potential subjects.

"William goes on to ransack England, which would make a dark second series," he says. "But we wouldn't focus on that necessarily. There's a lot of history there and it's all really interesting."

Norton also wondered if a second series could focus on the women in the story.

"Edith, Gytha and the women, we could make it a gals' story," he continued. "It could be Queen and Conqueress!"

However, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who plays William in King and Conqueror, hinted at a very interesting narrative arc when we spoke to him in exclusively in August.

"A lot of things happen after the Battle of Hastings, that's for sure," he explained. "The way William took England and suppressed the country is so ruthless, but the irony is that the uprising against him came from his own son!"

King and Conqueror season 2 cast

King Harold died at the Battle of Hastings (Spoiler alert!) so we know James Norton won't be appearing in a potential sequel, however there are plenty of characters from King and Conqueror who could return, including...

• Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as King William
• Emily Beecham as Harold's widow, Edith Swan Neck.
• Clémence Poésy as William's wife, Matilda
• Clare Holman as Gytha
• Ingvar Sigurdsson as William's right-hand-man Fitzosbern
• Bo Bragason as King Edward's widow, Queen Gunhild
• Léo Legrand as William's brother, Odo, Bishop of Bayeux
• Oliver Masucci as Matilda's father, Baldwin

James Norton says "conversations are taking place" about King and Conqueror season 2 - even though he won't be appearing in it!

The English actor, who plays King Harold in the sweeping BBC1 saga, was instrumental in the creation of the series, alongside his partner at Rabbit Track Pictures, Kitty Kaletsky.

Harold came to a sticky end in the final episode of the BBC1 drama, yet Norton and Kaletsky said that while his character's story was finished, King and Conqueror could still continue.

"We're working on it!" said Kaletsky when What to Watch asked her and Norton about a potential second series in an exclusive interview recently.

"There are conversations happening at the moment," continued Norton. "There's a thousand years of history, we could just go and go and go... we'll have to see how the show goes down, who knows, but there's runway, we've got incredible characters in William, Matilda, Edith and the characters that are left, so we'll see."

History buffs will know William spent many years putting down rebellions and laid waste to large swathes of England during his reign as King of England; however, Norton says they might look at other aspects of his story.

"William goes on to ransack England, which would make a dark second series," he continues. "But we wouldn't focus on that necessarily. There are definite conversations about possible routes and at the moment that's as far as we can go, but there's a lot of history there and it's all really interesting and it seems like there's an appetite there for this type of show."

Indeed Game of Thrones star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who plays William in King and Conqueror, hinted he would be open to returning to play the monarch in a potential second series.

"A lot of things happen after the Battle of Hastings, that's for sure," says Nikolaj. "How he took England and suppressed the country is so ruthless, but the irony is that the uprising against him came from his own son."

King and Conqueror is available on BBC iPlayer now

NOTE: This post contains spoilers for Outlander: Blood of my Blood’s fifth episode, "Needfire”.

It’s time for the best pagan festival: Beltane (or May Day). It’s the one night of the year where, apparently, all bets are off and everyone can do whatever they want.

Brian and Ellen take advantage of the festivities to get really acquainted with each other while Murtagh finds out a devastating truth and Henry laments he cannot find Julia. Let’s recap what happens in this new episode of Outlander: Blood of my Blood.

Keeping up appearances

Brian and Julia’s plan to attend the Beltane celebration near Inverness together is short-lived as, when they try to sneak out of Castle Leathers, they get caught by Mrs. Porter who says Julia cannot go anywhere. For one, she is carrying Lord Lovat’s child, a news she breaks to Brian, who is upset that Julia lied to him about who the father of her baby is (she didn’t, but she cannot really tell him that in front of Mrs. Porter). But that’s not all, Lord Lovat’s seer, Maisri, is coming to Leathers to do a reading for him on Beltane, and Julia needs to be there.

Too bad for Julia, who could have been reunited with her husband at Beltane. But really, this isn’t surprising: we are only halfway through this first season of Blood of my Blood so the show wasn’t going to make life that easy for the time-traveling couple this early on. That’s not how the Outlander universe rolls.

Meanwhile, Ellen is on the way to the festival with her sister, Jocasta, who is a bit bitter that Ellen is being set up for an ideal marriage. The two of them keep bickering in the back of the carriage and Ned eventually tells them to cut it off.

Later on, we learn that the reason Jocasta is upset with Ellen is because she blames her for having to marry Lord Cameron and being stuck in a loveless marriage. Good thing Murtagh decided to tag along with Brian for the festivities, at least that will give Jocasta some distraction.

Indeed, Murtagh somehow still thinks he has a shot with Ellen and hopes to make a move on her at Beltane. Brian, who hasn’t yet revealed to his cousin that he is in love with the same woman as he is, tries to dissuade him but Murtagh is fully delusional at this point.

When they arrive at the festival, Ned tries to convince Ellen that marrying Malcolm is the best possible match for her and asks her not to do anything reckless. Ellen then meets up with Malcolm and plays her part, pretending that she is looking forward to their union.

A quick ceilidh is organized before the evening festivities and Malcolm invites Ellen to dance. But guess who shows up? Brian. In between steps, he and Ellen make a plan to meet up later and Murtagh notices their little chat, hoping his cousin is putting in a good word for him. Delulu, we said.

Meanwhile, Jocasta spots Murtagh and he makes her quite happy when he asks her to dance, even though he ditches her as soon as the music stops to go talk to Brian.

Afterwards, Ellen is chosen as May Queen and told to pick her king. Of course, Malcolm volunteers, but Murtagh too, the enamored fool. Luckily other men step forward as well and, to avoid Murtagh getting in trouble, Brian also joins. But of course, Elle has to keep up appearances and chooses Malcolm Grant.

Prophecies and warnings

Henry catches up with Ned to tell him Isaac Grant has received Lord Lovat’s letter questioning Ellen’s reputation, so the Grants are concerned and Henry wants to know more.

Ned assures him there is nothing to be worried about and adds that Lovat probably wants to mess up their deal because he hates the MacKenzies. He also explains that Lovat himself is accused of the kidnapping and rape of a noblewoman, which should tell Henry everything he needs to know about the kind of man Simon Fraser is. Ned encourages Henry to talk to whoever he needs to in order to ease Grant’s concerns, but insists he will find Lovat’s accusations have no merrit.

Speaking of the devil, over at Castle Leathers, Lord Lovat holds a divination seance with his seer. Maisri assures him he will soon return to the position he once held. When he asks her about the child Julia is expecting and whether the bairn will be worthy of his legacy, she tells him it is a boy with the purpose to unite clans for centuries to come. Lovat is convinced she is talking about a prophecy saying a Scottish ruler will rise from the Fraser bloodline, so he thinks Julia is carrying a future king.

Later on Mrs. Porter goes to see Lord Lovat and tells him she does not think Julia’s child is his because she is sure that Julia was already pregnant when she arrived at Leathers. However, Lovat does not want to believe her and tells Mrs. Porter she better never speak of this again or he will have her killed.

Back at the festival, Arch Bug warns Murtagh about staying away from Ellen and gives him a beating to get the message into his head.

Later on, Henry drinks his feelings as he is sad that being near Craigh Na Dun did not magically bring Julia back to him. Ned comes to sit with him and tells him of how he lost the love of his life before joining clan MacKenzie and that the pain he felt could have been the end of him. He suggests that Henry decide when he should abandon his search to avoid a similar fate.

It’s the horniest time of the year

After Ellen finally manages to ditch Malcolm Grant to go find Brian, they share a tender kiss witnessed by… Murtagh, who of course feels betrayed by Brian, and decides to go sulk at the bottom of a bottle.

Brian and Ellen go to a castle ruin to spend some time together which turns out to be quite productive: they profess their love to one another and really want to have sex but since Brian doesn’t want to ruin Ellen’s reputation, he and Ellen get handfast before getting the deed done. "Blood of my blood, bone of my bone," it’s all very lovely and giving Outlander a run for its money as this scene will surely enter in the pantheon of fan-favorites.

However with Henry looking into Ellen’s virtue, Murtagh now knowing of Brian and Ellen’s relationship and her losing her virginity to Brian, this will most likely be causing the two of them a lot of problems.

But until any of that happens, Ellen and Brian take advantage of their post-sex glow to talk about themselves and their family. He tells her his father is worse than what is said about him, and explains he went on the Camino de Santiago to find out more about himself and come to terms with his station. He asks her if she regrets choosing him and she says he is the one thing in her entire life she has chosen for herself and would do it again and again.

When the night comes, Ellen gets dressed with the most gorgeous gown for the Beltane celebration and Malcolm comes to see her to give her a small gift. It’s a token of his affection he made after they first met at Leoch when they were children (and it’s the gift he wanted to give her back in episode 1).

Meanwhile, Jocasta finds Murtagh drunk and injured and comes to his help. He tells her he wants to be wanted and they kiss but when he pulls away, Murtagh calls her "Ellen," and that’s just one more knife crammed into poor Jocasta’s heart.

As the Beltane celebration goes on, Brian watches Ellen and Malcolm be at the center of everyone’s attention, and Murtagh watches Brian. As much as Ellen and Brian only have eyes for each other, there is no doubt that this will soon get them into a world of trouble.

Will Murtagh spill the beans about Ellen and Brian’s relationship? Will Henry find out that Ellen’s virtue has indeed been ruined? We’ll have to wait for a new episode of Outlander: Blood of my Blood, on Starz and MGM+, to find out.

NOTE: This post contains spoilers for Outlander: Blood of my Blood’s fourth episode, "A soldier's heart”.

Now that the MacKenzies have new leadership, Ellen hopes to get out of her betrothal to Malcolm Grant while Henry has to collect rent for his laird, and Julia tries to avoid Lord Lovat’s attention.

Can she find a way to escape Castle Leathers by befriending Brian Fraser? Will Henry manage to stay on the good side of the Grants? Let’s recap what happens in this new episode of Blood of my Blood.

Fairies and subterfuge

As Julia continues her work at Castle Leathers, she learns about the local superstitions around the fairy folk from Mrs. Porter, who is a bit on edge as the laird is on his way back from doing business in Edinburgh and a lot of work needs to be done. To ease Mrs. Porter’s concerns, Julia offers to go and make an offering to the fairy folk in the hope they’ll avoid their wrath.

Indeed, the fairy folk play tricks on people who are not careful, like hiding their things, spoiling their milk or stealing their babies. Given that she’s traveled through time and all, Julia is a little more open to the idea of fairies now than she used to be, so might as well be careful.

Later on, Julia writes to Henry about what she had to do to protect their child (sleep with Lord Lovat) and how it was to prevent their child from being taken from her. However, the upcoming return of the laird to the castle worries Julia, as she wants to avoid him getting the idea that they’ll sleep together on the regular now.

So, to avoid attracting Lord Lovat’s attention, Julia rubs nettle over her arms and neck to give herself a rash. When he gets home and sees it, the laird is immediately concerned it’s contagious, but Julia assures him there is a remedy for it that she could get if she were allowed to visit an apothecary. However, Mrs. Porter won’t allow it, saying the rash is a curse from the fairy folk. Wanting none of that in his house, Lovat instructs Julia to do whatever it takes to get rid of the rash, and Brian volunteers to take her to Beauly.

Ellen’s fate isn’t her own

Upon his father’s return, Brian gives Lord Lovat a letter received from the Grants while he was away. The letter isn’t from Isaac Grant himself but from his bladier (Henry), explaining the Grants don’t have enough evidence to go back on their agreement with the MacKenzies.

Brian is relieved to see his father did not succeed in tarnishing Ellen’s reputation, but Lord Lovat doesn’t intend to leave things at that. He insists there must be a stain on her honor explaining why she hasn’t been married yet, and Brian fails to reason with him.

Meanwhile at Castle Leoch, Colum tells Ellen that Malcolm Grant has requested she goes to Beltane with him, a festival that will happen near Inverness. He adds that Ned will accompany her to the celebration and that she must attend it with a smile on her face. Ellen does not intend to marry Malcolm though, and tells her brother to say whatever he needs to say to Isaac Grant to break the agreement they made.

Colum, however, is very much aware of what the Grants are capable of if things do not go their way, and tells his sister the story of another Grant marriage that did not go through, implying that if Ellen does not comply, Isaac Grant could have her killed. Plus, there is another reason she should marry Malcolm: the MacKenzies are broke and the clan is on the precipice of destitution thanks to their late father.

If he marries Malcolm Grant, Ellen could save the MacKenzies from financial ruin, and then be their eyes and ears at Castle Grant. However, Ellen reminds Colum that if he sells her to the Grants, he will be relinquishing her loyalty to them as well. She then storms out, runs into Dougal, gives him another earful, and takes off.

A bladier’s job

At Mistress Hay’s brothel, the owner tells Henry she has found the Englishwoman he was looking for. He is hopeful it is Julia, but things are not that easy for poor Henry. On one hand, he is relieved to see that the woman Mistress Hay brought him is not Julia, because he would have been crushed to see his wife working in a brothel. On the other hand, he’d really like to see his wife again.

Later, Isaac Grant tells Henry he is sending him out to collect rent from the clan’s tenants and explain to them that there is an increase to what they usually pay. Grant also warns Henry not to return with excuses instead of money.

On quarter day, Henry advises the tenants about the rent increase, but soon runs into ones who cannot pay, and one even refuses to pay before starting a fight with Henry, who defends himself a bit too well, his anger bringing him back to the fighting of World War One.

Mr. Bug tells Henry he has to be firm about the rent increase, otherwise when they’ll return to Castle Grant without the money the laird expects and Henry’s head could end up on a pike like his predecessor’s.

A flashback brings us back to 1920s London, as Henry is having a nightmare about what happened in the trenches of the Great War, and a pregnant Julia manages to soothe his PTSD episode by singing to him a song and giving him her necklace to keep close wherever he goes.

The following day, he apologizes for scaring Julia and tells her there is something broken in him. She assures him she fell in love with the man he is now, the man who went through the war, and she asks him to let her and the baby be his guiding light. He tells her that if the child is a girl, they should name her Claire, because it means clear and bright in French, “like their future,” Julia agrees.

Yet another flashback, finding the couple discussing lottery tickets and the value of it giving people hope, informs Henry’s decision back in the present. Indeed, he decides to change the way he is going about collecting the rent and asking for the increase by adding a lottery twist to the entire affair, enticing tenants to pay more than what they can in the hope of winning a year rent-free.

It works: tenants are eager to participate in the lottery and Henry collects all the money Grant could wish for. However, when Henry and Bug get back to Castle Grant, the laird is a bit annoyed that Henry did not follow his instructions to the letter. Although he is pleased to have more than double the money he asked for, he isn’t fond of the “rent-free” prize. He makes it clear that if Henry crosses him again, the bladier will not remain in his good graces.

When Henry leaves, Bug tells Isaac he suspects something is off about Henry and asks if Grant wants him to kill the new bladier. The laird says “not yet” but asks Bug to watch him more closely.

And because Henry doesn’t really have much else to do, he goes back to the brothel to see not-Jullia. He tells her the lady he is looking for is his wife, and that he has been searching for her for months. He does not want to have sex with not-Julia, but he is lonely and sad and would like to just lie there next to her.

Julia and Ellen meet

Off to Beauly with Julia, Brian asks her about the rash but she prefers to avoid the subject. Instead, she asks him why he is still at Leathers when he is at an age where he could have his own family. Brian explains that being a bastard doesn’t make that easy and that he doesn’t have much to offer. He also explains he did leave the year before but decided to return, mostly for his mom’s haggis, or so he says.

Soon enough, it turns out Brian has not brought Julia to Beauly, but to Castle Leoch. He knows she feigned her illness and needs her help. He wants her to go deliver a message to Ellen, but she tells him she is pregnant and does not want to put her baby in danger. He reassures her she won’t be in harm's way, and says that if she helps him, he will help her escape Leathers.

Julia goes to the castle and asks for Mrs. Fitz, explaining she is a servant from Leathers and that she got lost nearby and went to Leoch for refuge since she knows of Mrs. Fitz from her nephew, Murtagh. She then manages to ditch Mrs. Fitz and go find Ellen, who is at first hesitant to hear her message.

Ellen explains she cannot go meet Brian, as her brothers are keeping her at Leoch until Beltane and her every move are being watched. She tells Julia she is to attend the festival with Malcolm Grant and might even get locked in a 100-year dance with the fairies. That’s a legend about how, on Beltane, fairies lure travelers to a hill for a night of dancing, but when the travelers return home, they discover a 100 years have passed.

That reminds Julia of something: a fairy hill, near Inverness, marked with standing stones, where all one has ever known is gone… Craigh Na Dun! So while Ellen wonders if it’d be best if the fairies did take her, Julia figures she needs to go to Beltane too to get to the last place she saw Henry, the stones.

She manages to convince Ellen to go see Brian, knowing what it’s like to be apart from the one you love. So, the two women sneak out of Leoch, and Ellen gets to see her boo. He asks if she wants to marry Malcolm Grant and she reassures him her feelings have not changed. They swear to find a way out of her betrothal and make plans to meet up again at Beltane. Brian and Julia leave before Dougal shows up to have another argument with his sister, because those two get along like cats and dogs.

The next day, Ellen gives Colum a list of wedding guests and explains she thought about their conversation and his warning, and that she cannot afford to lose him or let the clan fall to ruin. She tells him she will marry Malcolm without resisting and accompany him to Beltane. Obviously, she doesn’t intend to follow through with that wedding but the details of her plan (if she has one already) should emerge in future episodes.

On the way back to Leathers, Julia offers to help Brian get in touch with Ellen at Beltane, because she wants to see if he can find her husband near Inverness. Upon their return at the castle, Lord Lovat summons Julia, happy to see her rash is gone. He wants to fool around with her but Julia says they have to be careful because she is now carrying his child. Mrs. Porter hears the “happy” news and it’s pretty clear from the way she looks at Julia that she knows the bairn isn’t the laird’s.

What will happen at Beltane? Will Brian and Ellen find a way to be together? Tune in next week for a new episode of Outlander: Blood of my Blood, on Starz and MGM+, to find out.

NOTE: This post contains spoilers for Outlander: Blood of my Blood’s third episode, "School of the moon”.

Now that Brian Fraser and Ellen MacKenzie have met, and while Henry and Julia Beauchamp try to find each other in 1714, it is time to turn our attention back to the clan gathering at Castle Leoch.

Who will be chosen as the new laird? Can Ellen get out of the deal her brother made with the Grants? Let’s recap what happens in this new episode of Blood of my Blood.

A woman scorned

This new episode opens on Ellen having a sex dream about Brian, which, to be fair, is completely understandable. The guy would go to the ends of the Earth for her, okay? But back to reality, Ellen is woken up by Mrs. Fitz who soon drops a bomb on her: she is to be betrothed to Malcolm Grant. Needless to say, Ellen is not thrilled and immediately goes to confront her brother, Colum, about this decision.

He has the nerve to tell her she should be thankful because there are worse suitors. But since she isn’t the one who beat up Malcolm Grant, Ellen is furious that she has to pay for Dougal’s mistake and tries to convince Colum she is more valuable to him at Leoch than married off to another clan. He doubts she has much counsel to offer, but Ellen has not said her last word here.

In all fairness, Colum thinks he is doing what’s best for the clan, but it’s to the detriment of his relationship with his sister. Ellen then finds Dougal and tells him how upset she is with him, but he reminds her Colum decided of her fate. He isn’t particularly fond of the idea of an alliance with the Grants either, because he suspects they are after much more than just her hand in marriage.

However, it turns out that Dougal is cooking up his own alliance plans in the background of the gathering. Indeed, he chats with fellow Jacobite Marcus MacRannoch about spreading the word that whoever wants a Stuart king should champion him as the laird. But to sweeten the deal for MacRannoch, Dougal offers Ellen as his wife because apparently both her brothers see her as a pawn in their own games.

Ellen the mastermind

While other clan members try to make their cases to be the new lairds of the MacKenzies, Ellen keeps an eye on the situation. She tells Ned that Dougal offered her hand in marriage, too, and he tells her he has been trying to convince her brothers to yield to one another, but to no avail.

During a flashback, we see Red Jacob send Dougal and Colum on a raid, mainly to test Colum’s ability to be chief. But the raid does not go according to plan and Colum is hurt to the point he cannot walk. Red Jacob is furious they abandoned the raid and later finds out what really went wrong and that, to no one’s surprise, it was Dougal’s fault.

But what Red Jacob takes away from his conversation with Colum is that the men decided to follow Dougal rather than him, and that tells him all he needs to know about his oldest son’s ability to lead. However, Red Jacob is not about to let Dougal get out of this unpunished and gives him a lashing for putting the clan in danger. In the end, Dougal blames Colum, Colum blames Dougal, it’s the same old tune between those two.

As the gathering continues, it is clear people doubt Colum physically has what it takes to be laird due to his health condition, and Dougal relishes in his humiliation. When he gloats to Ellen, she reminds him of the “school of the moon” (the raid in the flashback) and how it showed their father that Dougal wasn’t fit to be laird either.

She tells him that he is so busy fighting with Colum that he doesn’t see that others, who would be the Grants’ puppets, are eying the leadership. All would be lost for the MacKenzies, and that is why both Dougal and Colum need to get it together.

Later on, Ellen asks to see Ned because she has an idea about how to solve the situation. When the clan gathers in the great hall of Castle Leoch the next day, her plan is set into motion: Colum and Dougal both present themselves to be laird of clan MacKenzie, side by side. In fact, their idea (or Ellen’s) is to divide the duties: Colum will be laird, taking care of the day to day. But should a war arise, and a war chieftain be needed, then Dougal will be leading the clan.

The two brothers pledge their loyalty to one another, and the rest of the clan soon follows, especially when Ned explains there is precedent for having a peace laird and war chieftain, putting to rest anyone else getting the idea of trying to take over clan MacKenzie.

After the oath-taking, Ned and Henry meet in a brothel where they discuss the union of Ellen and Malcolm. Ned then introduces Henry to the mistress of the establishment, who can help him find Julia. He describes his wife to her and she agrees to look for the missing Englishwoman.

A terrible solution

Speaking of Julia, things are not fine at Castle Leathers. Mrs. Porter has noticed Julia has not had her period since she arrived, and therefore figured out she is pregnant. Julia does her best to deny it, but Mrs. Porter is not new to this. She gives Julia a concoction that can help her “restore her blood”, meaning ending her pregnancy.

Mrs. Porter argues Julia will be even more mistreated if the laird finds out she is with child, and that he will get rid of the bairn himself if she refuses to do so. Julia does point out that Mrs. Porter did not get rid of Brian, but the difference is Brian was the laird’s son.

Later on, as she writes a letter to Henry explaining her situation, Julia admits she will not be able to hide her pregnancy much longer. Therefore, she is forced to make a difficult choice that she hopes her husband will forgive: sleeping with Lord Lovat, in hopes to later convince him that the baby is his, which would save the bairn as it saved Brian.

Meanwhile, Brian and Murtagh return to Leathers after Murtagh was disappointed to hear that Ellen has been promised to another. He told Brian, who was as upset as him although he did not let it show.

Of course, Murtagh doesn’t know (yet) that Brian has also fallen in love with Ellen, so when Brian reports to his father about the gathering and explains Colum has promised Ellen to the Grants in order to appease them after Dougal’s attack on Malcolm, Murtagh doesn’t fully understand what Brian is trying to achieve.

Brian wants to ignite in his father a desire to stop the wedding, because an alliance between the MacKenzies and Grants would not be good for Lord Lovat. And it works! But a bit too well. Because in order to prevent this alliance, Lovat decides to write to Isaac Grant to tarnish Ellen’s reputation, raising the question of why she hasn’t been married yet.

Will Lovat’s letter work and convince Isaac Grant that Ellen is not worthy of his son? Tune in next week for a new episode of Outlander: Blood of my Blood, on Starz and MGM+, to find out.

NOTE: This post contains spoilers for Outlander: Blood of my Blood series premiere, "Providence.”

Droughtlander is ending a little sooner than Outlander fans might have expected this year as it is time for the beloved series to expand its universe with a spin-off.

Outlander: Blood of my Blood is a prequel series introducing viewers to the love stories between Jamie and Claire’s parents, Brian and Ellen, in the 18th century, and Henry and Julia in the 20th century.

How do these couples meet? Let’s recap the show’s first episode.

A cherished daughter

Blood of my Blood opens with the death of Red Jacob MacKenzie, or more specifically, with his body being prepared for his upcoming funeral. Red Jacob was the head of Clan MacKenzie, and the father of Ellen, Colum, Dougal, Jocasta and Janet.

As his eldest daughter, Ellen, gets dressed in her chambers at Castle Leoch with the help of her maid Mrs. Fitz, she worries about the future of the clan now that her father is gone. Indeed, although her brothers Dougal and Colum are in line to be his successor, it is a clan gathering that will decide who becomes the new laird.

Deep down though, Ellen wishes she could be laird. A flashback shows her discussing her duty to marry with her father and, as he gives her a MacKenzie brooch and plaid, Red Jacob promises she will not have to marry if she does not want to.

Back in the present, Mrs. Fitz suggests it might however be time for Ellen to reconsider her position on marriage, but the latter will not talk about it on this tragic day. The funeral follows and in the great hall of Castle Leoch, the MacKenzie siblings pay their respects to their father.

As Red Jacob is taken to his final resting place, Janet and Jocasta discuss how his passing is taking a bigger toll on Ellen than on the rest of them, because she loved their father more than most and their bond was so strong that he took her advice on many matters.

Another flashback shows Red Jacob and Ellen playing chess, and he explains he taught her the game to teach her the skills needed to be a laird, even if as a woman Ellen can never be the head of clan MacKenzie. Although he explains that had he had a son as his first born, Red Jacob would have named him James, he adds that he never was disappointed to have had Ellen.

The bastard son of Lord Lovat

Over at Castle Leathers, a young Murtagh Fitzgibbons is trying to convince Brian Fraser, the bastard son of Simon Fraser, to accompany him at the MacKenzie gathering. He argues that perhaps Brian could meet a lassie there, but the lad isn’t convinced.

Simon Fraser is happy about Red Jacob’s death, as he considers him to be part of the reason why he lost his title and land. As Brian tells his father he holds on to his grudges a wee bit much, Lord Lovat reminds him of his place before asking Murtagh to gather information for him at the MacKenzie gathering, as he wants to know what the clan members' position is regarding the new laird.

After Lord Lovat orders Brian to go with Murtagh at the gathering, a servant walks in with food, and attentive fans will notice this woman is none other than Julia Beauchamp, Claire’s mother. Following the housekeeper, Mrs. Porter, in the kitchen, Julia is reminded not to linger in Lord Lovat’s presence but viewers will have to wait to find out how on earth she got into this household in the first place.

Brotherly competition

If there is one thing that Outlander fans know about Dougal MacKenzie, it is that the man loves to fight, so it is fitting for Blood of my Blood to truly introduce the character as he chases and beats down raiders with his men.

After the fight, he tells Ned Gowan how he suspects the thieves were sent by Simon Fraser, since he considers him an enemy of clan MacKenzie as much as his father did. But maybe it was the Grants ? No one really knows because, as Ned points out, there are plenty of people who want to take advantage of Red Jacob’s passing.

Colum inquires if Ned has heard anything about which way the clan is leaning regarding who to choose as laird between him and Dougal, but Ned reminds the two eager men that being Red Jacob’s son does not guarantee them leadership. Tensions are high between the two brothers, who both want to be laird but have very different views on the kind of leader the clan needs.

While preparations for the gathering are underway at Castle Leoch, Ellen tells Colum that whatever way the clan leans, he has her support to be the next laird. Meanwhile, Dougal finds a lassie to have sex with in a cellar while young Angus and Rupert (characters Outlander fans know well) play peeping Toms.

When the deed is done, Colum asks his brother to yield and let him be the laird. Dougal, however, is not particularly inclined to comply. He insists the clan will need a chieftain if there is a war, and given Colum cannot go into battle because of the condition his legs suffer from, he sees himself as the one who will lead the clan to glory.

Enters Clan Grant

Isaac Grant arrives at Leoch and is welcomed by Dougal, Colum and Ned Gowan. He pays his respect and introduces his son Malcolm and their bladier, Henry Grant. Again, attentive fans will realize that the latter is actually none other than Henry Beauchamp, Claire’s father… but more on that later.

Malcolm greets Ellen and it is obvious he has a crush on the lady. Ned greets Henry and notices he is English. Asking what happened to Henry’s predecessor, Ned is told he apparently left in haste for the American colonies. Henry explains he then met Malcolm Grant in Inverness, and his skills impressed him so much that he offered Henry a position within the Grant clan.

Reporting to the MacKenzie brothers, Ned tells them he doubts the raid was the Grant’s doing, and Colum insists they need the Grants’ support if either he or Dougal is to be laird. Dougal, however, despises the Grants and pretty much tells him “over my dead body.” Dougal, ever the great diplomat.

The bridge between two families

When Murtagh and Brian arrive at Leoch, Murtagh’s aunt (Mrs. Fitz) reprimands him for bringing Brian to the gathering. If anyone spots a Fraser, there will be trouble. She then notices how Murtagh is making eyes at Lady Ellen, and tells him to forget it, he has zero chance with her.

Soon after, Brian attracts attention to himself by being too good at axe throwing, and starts being followed by men who suspect he isn’t part of the clan. He has to hide in the middle of horses and chickens, where he encounters Ellen MacKenzie, although neither of them know who the other is.

The two only need to lay eyes on each other to fall head over heels for one another, but as Brian has men after him, he needs to rush out. Before going though, he asks Ellen to meet with him the next day at a bridge on the edge of the estate, and she agrees.

The following day, while a traditional boar hunt goes underway, Malcolm Grant insists on accompanying Ellen back to the castle. He is smitten but she is on her way to meet Brian, and just wants to get rid of the guy, so he doesn’t get to give her the little gift he carved for her. Soon after, Malcolm sees Ellen walk away from the castle, and understands she did not care to be around him, so he decides to leave.

Ellen rides to the bridge she and Brian agreed to meet at and when she arrives, she tells him she does not intend to stay as it’s unusual for a lady to meet a strange man without a chaperone. She is only here to say farewell, but Brian asks her to stay and that they use the bridge as their chaperone, each of them remaining on one side.

Brian then asks Ellen’s name but his smile fades upon hearing she is a MacKenzie. He explains he is the bastard son of Simon Fraser, and they both know how unfortunate that is since their families hate each other. But Ellen has not been able to keep Brian away from her thoughts since they met, and she has occupied all of his.

Chaperones be damned, they walk across the bridge and meet in the middle, their hands touching. They wonder how they can be together given the tensions between their families. Where do they go from here? Because it’s already too late, they are madly in love.

Successful after the boar hunt, Murtagh washes blood off his hands as Jocasta MacKenzie strikes up a conversation with him. Seeing how he looks at her sister, she tells him Ellen has many suitors, and that she is forever walking in her shadow. Murtagh says he’s never met a MacKenzie who dwells in any shadow, and doesn’t realize how much his words mean to Jocasta.

Back at the castle, Dougal and Colum wonder where the heck Ellen has been all day and when Mrs. Fitz says she was last seen with Malcolm Grant, Dougal jumps to conclusions. He is ready to go save his sister’s honor, despite Colum calling for him to wait and think on the matter. But Dougal has never been one to use his head to solve a problem, so he goes off to use his blade instead.

Colum’s betrayal

As Dougal goes after Malcolm Grant, Colum asks Ned if they would have cause to demand reparations if young Master Grant indeed took Ellen, and Ned doesn’t particularly like where this train of thoughts is going.

Catching up with Grant’s carriage, Dougal assaults Malcolm and beats him up. Henry fights off Dougal’s men and manages to stop him from harming Malcolm any further. After pointing out that Ellen obviously isn’t there, the Grants tell Dougal this matter will not be forgotten easily.

When Ellen finally returns to the castle, Mrs. Fitz is relieved to see her and explains what happened between Dougal and Malcolm Grant. Ellen rushes to speak with her brothers, asking them what happened.

Dougal says they fought in her name for her honor and Colum corrects that Dougal did, as a “reckless fool”. Ellen tells Colum she doesn’t owe them any explanation regarding where she was, but he reminds her that soon enough, when one of them is laird, she will owe them everything.

Once Ellen is gone, Colum explains to Ned and Dougal that they must make amends with the Grants without delay. Aggravated by that, Dougal leaves, and Colum tells Ned that if they give Ellen as a wife to Malcolm Grant, their problem will be solved. When Ned reminds him that Red Jacob promised Ellen she would never have to marry for the sake of the clan, Colum says his father’s word died with him.

Returning to her bedchamber, Ellen reminisces about a time when she asked Red Jacob who he wanted to choose as laird. He said it was a problem for another day as he did not intend to die anytime soon, but he added that her wit and tenacity were a blessing to him, and that she had more of him in her than both her brothers put together. If only she’d been a man…

The return of the stones

Before this first episode ends, Blood of my Blood takes us back to the future, to show Henry and Julia Beauchamp having sex and a picnic in the Scottish countryside. They are here on holiday and as they drive around the Highlands, Julia marvels at how their daughter Claire would like this place while Henry wonders how she is doing in the care of his brother.

They then discuss how they hope their little lass will get used to no longer being an only child, because, surprise Outlander fans!, they are expecting another. Suddenly, a stag crosses the road, sending their car into a river. The couple manages to survive the accident, but their car is gone so they have to find their way back on foot.

When Henry stops to remove a stone from his shoe, Julia walks ahead to get the way of the land. Soon after, she screams and Henry runs after her, stumbling upon the standing stones of Craigh Na Dun, and hearing the familiar buzzing of bees that Outlander fans know to associate with time travel.

Will Henry follow Julia and travel through the stones? Find out more in the second episode of Outlander: Blood of my Blood, now available on Starz and MGM+.

NOTE: This post contains spoilers for Outlander: Blood of my Blood second episode, "S.W.A.K. (Sealed with a Kiss)”.

After introducing viewers to Brian Fraser and Ellen MacKenzie, the couple who will become parents to none other than James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser, Outlander: Blood of my Blood switches its focus to Claire’s parents, Henry and Julia Beauchamp.

When did they meet? What brought them together? How did they end up in 1714 Scotland? Let’s recap what happens in the show’s second episode.

The second episode of Blood of my Blood opens with Henry Beauchamp fighting in the trenches of Passchendaele in 1917, arguing with his senior officer because he refuses to leave men behind. Against orders, he runs into the battlefield to rescue a fellow soldier, even if the wounds of the man are so grave there is nothing to be done to save him.

In between waves of fighting, Henry writes an open letter to the Times talking about the desperation of war. His letter lands between the hands of Julia Moritson, a very smart woman who works in a censorship office in London, reading correspondence from soldiers on the frontlines and removing any sensitive information before letters are forwarded to families.

Julia is deeply touched by Henry’s words and decides to keep the letter before writing him back. The couple proceeds to exchange numerous letters and to fall in love through their words. Julia provides a glimmer of hope in the darkness of war for Henry, and they talk about visiting Scotland together someday. Soon enough they are sealing their letters with kisses.

When the two finally meet in London during Henry’s leave, they immediately recognize each other. Their lives are now entwined and it does not take long for them to exchange a real kiss, and more.

Their love story moves fast, with a proposal, marriage and a child quickly following their initial meeting. But the harrowing experiences Henry had on the front are not about to be forgotten anytime soon and nightmares plague his sleep. Henry suffers from PTSD, then called “soldier’s heart,” but Julia helps him through his traumatic episodes.

Through the stones

The episode then returns to 1714, as Julia wakes up at the standing stones of Craigh Na Dun. She doesn’t realize she has travelled through time and goes looking for Henry, but he is not there (yet). A cart passes by so Julia takes the opportunity to ask for help. Unfortunately, the people she meets decide to kidnap her instead. They take her to Castle Leathers, where she is sold as a maid servant to Lord Lovat.

At Castle Leathers, Julia meets Davina Porter, the housekeeper (and Brian Fraser’s mother) and Lord Lovat, who seems to see Julia as more than just a servant. After Mrs. Porter tells Julia what year she is in, she indeed tells her that their master can on occasion be rather “attentive”... if you catch her drift.

So, Julia starts working for Lovat, scrubbing floors and doing laundry while also looking for information that might help her get the heck out of this castle. Lord Lovat finds her in his bedchamber and makes it rather clear what his intentions are. Therefore, Julia knows she better leave sooner rather than later.

She attempts an escape in the middle of the night, but Brian catches up with her. Back in the castle, Lovat orders Julia to be beaten but Brian takes the blame for her escape attempt and accepts the punishment in her place. Taking lashes to the back to protect a maid servant? Reminds us of another Fraser…

The new bladier of clan Grant

When Henry travels through time as well, he lands in 1714 a little while after his wife, too late to see what happened to her. He looks for her, following the direction of Inverness. He arrives at a pub, quite confused about what has happened to himself and Julia. He sees papers on a noticeboard, and notices a date, starting to piece things together.

He also meets Malcolm Grant, who buys him a drink before Henry assists the young man with a clan matter, leading Malcolm to decide to take him to meet his father. At Bowmont House, Henry is hired by Isaac Grant to be the clan’s new bladier after he points out his current advisor was misrepresenting the laird. Henry would prefer continuing his search for Julia but Grant says he can use his work for the clan, and the protection it offers, to look for his wife.

Arch Bug, who works for the Grants, warns Henry he isn’t sure he likes him much and shows him what happened to his predecessor, whose head is now on a pike.

Days later, at the MacKenzie clan gathering, Ned Gowan suggests that Ellen be promised to Malcolm Grant to make up for Dougal’s mistake in attacking Malcolm. Henry isn’t convinced that will do for the Grants, but Ned has another card up his sleeve: he offers his assistance in Henry’s search for Julia if the bladier accepts to bring his offer to the laird of clan Grant.

As time goes by, while Henry hopes to find for Julia and she tries to survive the hardship of being employed at Castle Leathers, the couple writes letters they cannot send, promising to find their way back to each other, and sealing them with a kiss.

Will Henry and Julia manage to reunite soon or will this drag on until the end of the season? Find out more in the next episode of Outlander: Blood of my Blood, available weekly on Starz and MGM+.

Two of the most notable rising Hollywood stars are set to star in a period romance that’s earning some awards buzz, as Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor star in the 2025 new movie The History of Sound.

That buzz was generated at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where The History of Sound had its world premiere. Plus, the movie is being backed by Mubi, the distributor that has found some recent success with movies like The Substance, Aftersun and Drive My Car.

For all the info on The History of Sound, read on below.

The History of Sound release date

The History of Sound premieres exclusively in movie theaters on September 12 in the US. At this time, we’re not able to confirm a UK release date.

The History of Sound cast

Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor headline The History of Sound. Both actors have been on the rise in recent years; Mescal with performances in Gladiator 2, All of Us Strangers, Aftersun and Normal People, and O’Connor in Challengers, The Crown and Emma.

Also starring in The History of Sound are Oscar winner Chris Cooper (Adaptation, Everything’s Going to Be Great), Molly Price (Elsbeth, Babygirl), Alison Bartlett (Materialists, Sesame Street), Michael Schantz (Power Book III: Raising Kanan, City on a Hill), Samuel H. Levine (Turning, She Came to Me), Peter Mark Kendall (Watson, Kaleidoscope), Raphael Sbarge (Friendship, Once Upon a Time), Hadley Robinson (Mountainhead, Anyone But You), Emma Canning (Say Nothing, Masters of the Air) and Alessandro Bedetti (Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, Those About to Die).

The History of Sound plot

From a screenplay by Ben Shattuck, here is the official synopsis for The History of Sound:

“Two young music students, Lionel and David, attending the Boston Conservatory in 1917, bond over their shared love of folk music. They reconnect a few years later, embarking on a song collecting trip in the backwaters of Maine.”

The History of Sound trailer

Watch The History of Sound trailer right here:

The History of Sound reviews

After premiering at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, The History of Sound has thus far (as of August 8) received a “Fresh” rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

The History of Sound director

Oliver Hermanus is the director of The History of Sound. Though he may not be a household name, Hermanus has directed a number of well-received movies in his career thus far, including earning a BAFTA nomination for Outstanding British Film of the Year for 2022’s Living. He also directed three episodes of the TV series Mary & George.

Here is a look at his complete feature directing credits:

• Shirley Adams (2009)
• Beauty (2011)
• The Endless River (2015)
• Moffie (2019)
• Living (2022)

The History of Sound behind the scenes

The producers of The History of Sound are Lisa Ciuffetti, Hermanus, Andrew Kortschak, Sara Murphy, Thérèsa Ryan and Zhang Xin. Mescal is an executive producer on the movie.

I’ve found my next TV show in Apple TV Plus’ and Jason Momoa’s Chief of War. The period action epic that tells the story of the unification of Hawai’i in the late 18th/19th century premiered its first two episodes on Apple TV Plus on Friday, August 1, and I quickly saw what other critics did as they gave the show a 90% “Certified Fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Co-created, co-written and starring Momoa (who also directed some episodes), the series quickly reminded me of a recent mega-hit TV series, Shogun. Its scale is epic, and the level of detail and authenticity brought to the series is felt in every frame. But what really makes this series work is Momoa’s commitment, most visible on screen.

Momoa has been a fun personality to follow since his breakout role as Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones, yet even as he’s starred in a number of big movies like Aquaman/Justice League, Fast X, Dune and A Minecraft Movie, his performances outside of Game of Thrones weren’t all that interesting to me (in fairness, I heard good things about See, but missed that in its initial run). But in Chief of War, Momoa grabs the spotlight early in what I think is the perfect role for him and one that had me thinking of a classic Arnold Schwarzenegger role.

In Chief of War, Momoa plays Ka’iana, a war chief for the Kingdom of Maui who is trying to escape his past. In the first two episodes, he is recruited back to fight, but soon learns a terrible truth that forces him and his family to run and escape a grave danger.

Unsurprisingly, Momoa’s Ka’iana is a striking presence physically (and you see that physicality head to toe in the series), equally matched by the intensity the actor gives the character. And while I don’t think anyone would confuse Ka’iana for a great conversationalist, he’s more than just the strong, silent type. He’s smart, with a keen military mind, and yet compassionate, clearly impacted by the past deeds he has done in battle.

It’s a role that is similar in many ways to that of Khal Drogo, but I also see similarities with Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

Schwarzenegger’s T-800 is described as a cold-blooded killing machine in the original movie, and his physical presence backs that up. But when he returns in the sequel, the T-800 has been reprogrammed to help the good guys. He’s still the intimidating and formidable machine with a primary purpose, but his metal exoskeleton is softened as he protects and learns from the young John Connor (Edward Furlong). Terminator 2: Judgment Day is easily Schwarzenegger’s top performance for me.

Similarly, Momoa’s Ka’iana is a perfectly sculpted weapon of war; we see how much in a few battle scenes early on in the series. However, because we also see him with his family and in interactions with others, even though he never seems to let his guard down, there is a kindness to him that makes us want to root for him. It’s a fascinating duality that Momoa hasn’t had in many of his roles.

The closest was probably Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones, but you’d be hard pressed to describe Drogo as having compassion; he only warms to Daenerys (Emilia Clark) when she shows courage to stand up to him. His other most notable roles are more one-dimensional — Aquaman is a surfer bro learning to be a ruler, while his Fast X villain is entertaining but not overly deep.

One other thing that Momoa deserves a lot of credit for is how effective he is in performing while speaking in another language. In Game of Thrones, it was the fictional Dothraki, and in Chief of War, it is native Hawaiian. In each case, it feels like speaking in a non-English language gives Momoa some extra energy and an ability to channel the character’s emotions better. Even if we didn’t have the subtitles, Momoa’s performance as Ka’iana is solid for those of us who don’t speak the language.

Though I’m only a few episodes in, I already think Chief of War’s Ka’iana is one of the best Jason Momoa performances to date. I can’t wait to see the journey of his character and how the rest of the story plays out.

Chief of War premieres new episodes Fridays exclusively on Apple TV Plus (subscription required).

Sam Claflin takes on the iconic role of Edmond Dantès in a new adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' classic novel The Count of Monte Cristo, coming to U&Drama and streaming service U in the UK.

In the story, Edmond's jealous rivals plot to get him unwittingly arrested for treason against the French king, a crime which sees him sentenced to spend the rest of his life in jail. After being left to rot in the castle dungeons, Edmond befriends fellow prisoner Abbé Faria (Jeremy Irons), who tells Edmond of a stash of treasure hidden on the island of Monte Cristo.

The two of them hatch a plot to escape from prison, but the Abbé sadly doesn't live long enough to realise this dream. His death does, however, create an opportunity for Edmond to finally break free, after which he uses the treasure to reinvent himself as the mysterious Count of Monte Cristo. Under a new identity, he goes in search of his old enemies in order to secretly take revenge on everyone responsible for ruining his life.

We caught up with Sam to find out more about his take on this iconic role and why he didn't listen to the director about reading the book!

Sam Claflin interview for The Count of Monte Cristo

• The Count of Monte Cristo launches in the UK on Saturday August 2 at 9pm on U&Drama. The full series will be available to stream on U from August 2.

Netflix has released a first look picture (below) and fresh casting for its new adaptation of the Jane Austen classic Pride and Prejudice as filming begins in England.

But the big question is, can it possibly compare to the BBC’s iconic version starring Colin Firth as Mr Darcy? It was previously announced that Slow Horses star Jack Lowden has the daunting task of taking on Firth’s role. Now, Netflix has revealed further casting with Rufus Sewell as Mr Bennet.

The Bennet sisterhood will feature Freya Mavor as Jane Bennet alongside Heartstopper alumnus Rhea Norwood, as Lydia and newcomers Hollie Avery and Hopey Parish in their debut roles of Kitty and Mary. Louis Partridge will take on Mr Darcy’s nemesis, Mr Wickham with Jamie Demetriou turning his hand to the pompous Mr Collins and Fiona Shaw as the fearsome Lady Catherine de Bourg.

Previously announced key cast includes Olivia Colman as Mrs Bennet and Emma Corrin as Elizabeth Bennet.

Speaking earlier in the year about the new series, Dolly Alderton (Writer and Executive Producer) said: "Once in a generation, a group of people get to retell this wonderful story and I feel very lucky that I get to be a part of it.

"Jane Austen’s 'Pride and Prejudice' is the blueprint for romantic comedy – it has been a joy to delve back into its pages to find both familiar and fresh ways of bringing this beloved book to life. With Euros Lyn directing our stellar cast, I am so excited to reintroduce these hilarious and complicated characters to those who count 'Pride and Prejudice' as their favourite book, and those who are yet to meet their Lizzie and Mr Darcy."

Netflix has promised a faithful adaptation, but will it be enough to please fans of the Colin Firth version? Indeed, the 1995 drama, which also starred Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet, was so good that it made our top 100 shows of all time.

The six-part limited series is likely to drop on Netflix in 2026.

After making one of our top 10 movies of 2024, the team behind Sing Sing is back with a 2025 new movie that is already generating plenty of buzz in Train Dreams.

One of the best-reviewed movies from the 2025 Sundance Film Festival (a lineup that also included Sorry, Baby, Together, Twinless and more), Train Dreams was acquired by Netflix. But as the streaming service has plans to make this one of their Oscar contenders this year, Train Dreams is going to be getting a release in movie theaters before it comes to streaming.

We’ve got all the details you need to know about that and more right here.

Train Dreams release date

Train Dreams is going to get a limited run in US movie theaters starting November 7. It’s unclear at this time how many theaters the movie will be made available in.

That exclusive run will last for two weeks, as Train Dreams then premieres on Netflix on November 21, where anyone with a Netflix subscription will be able to watch the movie.

Train Dreams cast

Joel Edgerton leads Train Dreams as the character Robert Grainier. This is actually Edgerton’s first movie since 2023’s The Boys in the Boat, though he did star in the Apple TV Plus series Dark Matter in 2024.

Starring opposite Edgerton as Robert’s wife Gladys in the movie is Felicity Jones, who is coming off an Oscar nomination for The Brutalist, her second career Oscar nomination (the other being for The Theory of Everything).

Also starring in Train Dreams are Kerry Condon (F1, The Banshees of Inisherin), William H. Macy (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Shameless), Nathaniel Arcand (Sinners), Alfred Hsing (The Book of Boba Fett) and Will Patton (Outer Range), who serves as the narrator.

Train Dreams plot

Based on the novella of the same name by Denis Johnson, and adapted into a script by Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar, here is the description of Train Dreams from Netflix:

“Train Dreams is the moving portrait of Robert Grainier, whose life unfolds during an era of unprecedented change in early 20th-century America. Orphaned at a young age, Robert grows into adulthood among the towering forests of the Pacific Northwest, where he helps expand the nation’s railroad empire alongside men as unforgettable as the landscapes they inhabit. After a tender courtship, he marries Gladys and they build a home together, though his work often takes him far from her and their young daughter. When his life takes an unexpected turn, Robert finds beauty, brutality, and newfound meaning for the forests and trees he has felled.

“An ode to a vanishing way of life, an ever-evolving world, and to the extraordinary possibilities that exist within even the most simple of existences, Train Dreams captures a time and place that are now long gone, and the people who built a bridge to a future they could only dream of.”

Train Dreams trailer

Netflix has released a teaser trailer for Train Dreams. Watch it directly below:

Train Dreams reviews

After premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, Train Dreams has amassed a number of reviews, leading to a strong “Fresh” score of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes as of July 25.

Train Dreams director

Clint Bentley, in addition to co-writing the script, directs Train Dreams. This is Bentley’s second feature as a director. He previously directed the 2021 movie Jockey.

Train Dreams behind the scenes

While Netflix is the distributor of Train Dreams, the movie was a production by Black Bear and Kamala Films. Producers for the movie are Marissa McMahon, Teddy Schwarzman, William Janowitz, Ashley Schlaifer and Michael Heimler.

Get ready to return to the ring with Stephen Graham, because A Thousand Blows season 2 will soon be with us!

The first series, set in the boxing dens and criminal underworld of the East End during the 1880s, was a hit with critics and viewers alike, so we can't wait to continue the story.

The six-parter told the story of boxers Sugar Goodson (Graham) and Hezekiah Moscow (Malachi Kirby), and the show's creator, Steven Knight, says we can "expect the unexpected" in the second season.

Yet it also followed the leader of the infamous all-female gang, The Forty Elephants, Mary Carr (Erin Doherty), as she hatched a plot to pull off one of history's greatest heists.

Here's everything we know about A Thousand Blows season 2...

A Thousand Blows season 2 release date

The first series only came out a few months ago, but with filming already complete on the second season we can expect it to hit our screens very soon, with studio bosses hinting at an autumn 2025 release date.

It will be available on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus in the UK.

"We do have the second series in the can," Steven Knight told The Daily Express earlier this year. "We all want to keep this story going and I think we will and just take it towards the 21st century.”

A Thousand Blows season 2 plot

Knight is keeping plot details under wraps for the time being, but his comments about "taking the story towards the 21st century" make us wonder if a time-jump could be on the cards.

"I can't give a lot away," he told reporters back in February. "But it's more of the same, expect the unexpected but the stakes are higher."

Given the climactic ending to the first season of A Thousand Blows, we're certainly expecting sparks to fly when the second one kicks off, especially with Hezekiah and Mary Carr parting ways following the events surrounding the death of his best friend Alec.

Mary was planning to go to America with Hezekiah, but it looks like that plan has evaporated, although she faces a battle to hold on to the leadership of The Forty Elephants following the Chinese debacle.

Meanwhile, Henry "Sugar" Goodson has much to consider, but will he go through with his plan to sign his pub, The Blue Coat Boy, over to his brother, Treacle?

A Thousand Blows cast

The three leads are all set to return, with Stephen Graham (Adolescence) reprising his role as Henry "Sugar" Goodson, Erin Doherty (The Crown) playing Mary Carr and Malachi Kirby (Small Axe) back once again as Hezekiah Moscow.

James Nelson-Joyce (This City Is Ours) is set to return as Sugar's younger brother, Edward "Treacle" Goodson, while Hannah Walters (Boiling Point) and Darci Shaw will once again play members of The Forty Elephants, Eliza Moody and Alice Diamond.

We're also hoping Susan Lynch (Save Me) will be back as Mary's mother, Jane Carr.

However, two of our old favorites who won't be back are Francis Lovehall, after his character Alec was murdered, and Jason Tobin, after Lao Lam fled to Liverpool.

A Thousand Blows season 2 trailer

There's no official trailer for this one yet, but we'll be sure to post it here as soon as it drops.

We travel back in time to the 19th century in Washington Black, which releases on Wednesday, July 23, and we'll help you figure out how to watch this anticipated series.

Washington Black follows an 11-year old boy living on a Barbados sugar plantation, who's forced to run away. He has to travel the world using his scientific mind to survive, on an adventure which helps him better understand how he understands his family and freedom.

It's based on a popular novel by Esi Edugyan and the cast includes Sterling K. Brown, Ernest Kingsley Jr., Rupert Graves, Iola Evans and Edward Bluemel.

Here's how to watch Washington Black wherever you are.

How to watch Washington Black in the US

If you live in the US, you'll be able to watch Washington Black by using the streaming service Hulu.

The series will hit the streamer on Wednesday, July 23, and all eight episodes of Washington Black will become available to watch at the same time.

A subscription to Hulu costs $9.99 per month. That's for ad-enabled streaming but ad-free will set you back $17.99 monthly.

You can also get access to Hulu via the Disney Bundle, a discounted dual subscription which also includes Disney Plus, and via the cord-cutting service Hulu with Live TV on certain tiers.

How to watch Washington Black in the UK

TV fans living in the UK will be able to watch Washington Black via Disney Plus.

As in the US, all eight episodes of Washington Black will stream from the same day: Wednesday, July 23.

You can watch Disney Plus shows for as little as £4.99, though that's for the ad-enabled plan and you'll have to pay £7.99 for ad-free streaming. Those prices are both per month.

How to watch Washington Black in Australia

Unlike in many other regions, we don't have a release date for Washington Black in Australia.

We'd have expected it to come to Disney Plus, but the streamer's list for new releases in Australia doesn't include it.

We'll have to wait to see where it eventually ends up, but it's possible it'll still come to Disney's streamer, just later.

Eden, the 2025 new movie starring Ana de Armas, Jude Law and more, does not look like the dream island vacation that most of us envision. Instead, it looks a little more like a grown-up Lord of the Flies.

Based on a true story, Oscar winner Ron Howard directs and co-writes Eden, which joins a lineup of late summer movies that offer plenty of intrigue — among them Highest 2 Lowest, Honey Don’t, Splitsville and The Roses.

Interested in checking out Eden? Here’s everything you need to know about the movie.

Eden release date

Eden is releasing exclusively in US movie theaters on August 22; at this time, it’s unclear when the movie will premiere in the UK.

Eden cast

The aforementioned de Armas (most recently seen in Ballerina) and Law (last seen in the Star Wars TV series Skeleton Crew) are just two of the big names in the Eden cast.

Also starring in the movie are Vanessa Kirby, who is part of one of 2025’s biggest movies The Fantastic Four: First Steps; Sydney Sweeney, who has another movie, Americana, releasing a week ahead of Eden; and Daniel Brühl, the German actor starring in his most notable movie since All Quiet on the Western Front.

Some others in the cast, according to IMDb, are Jonathan Tittel (Crooks), Felix Kammerer (All Quiet on the Western Front), Toby Wallace (The Bikeriders) and Richard Roxburgh (Elvis).

Eden plot

Howard co-wrote the Eden script with Noah Pink. Here is the official synopsis:

“The shocking true story of a group of outsiders who settle on a remote island only to discover their greatest threat isn’t the brutal climate or deadly wildlife, but each other.”

Eden trailer

Watch the official trailer for Eden right here:

Eden reviews

Eden had its first screening back at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, with a number of critics penning some reviews. Based on that, see where Eden’s Rotten Tomatoes score currently sits.

Ron Howard movies

Howard started as a notable child actor (and occasionally still acts, like in his memorable cameo in The Studio season 1), but he has become more known as a director. He's won a Best Director Oscar for the Best Picture winner A Beautiful Mind. But he’s had a long directing career, as you can see from his list of feature credits:

• Grand Theft Auto (1977)
• Night Shift (1982)
• Splash (1984)
• Cocoon (1985)
• Gung Ho (1986)
• Willow (1988)
• Parenthood (1989)
• Backdraft (1991)
• Far and Away (1992)
• The Paper (1994)
• Apollo 13 (1995)
• Ransom (1996)
• Edtv (1999)
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
• A Beautiful Mind (2001)
• The Missing (2003)
• Cinderella Man (2005)
• The Da Vinci Code (2006)
• Frost/Nixon (2008)
• Angels & Demons (2009)
• The Dilemma (2011)
• Rush (2013)
• Made in America (2013)
• In the Heart of the Sea (2015)
• The Beatles: Eight Days a Week — The Touring Years (2016)
• Inferno (2016)
• Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
• Pavarotti (2019)
• Rebuilding Paradise (2020)
• Hillbilly Elegy (2020)
• We Feed People (2022)
• Thirteen Lives (2022)
• Jim Henson: Idea Man (2024)

Eden behind the scenes

AGC Studios, Forte Corp Pictures and Howard’s Imagine Entertainment are the primary production companies on Eden. Vertical is handling US distribution for the movie.

Producers on Eden include Howard, Brian Grazer, William M. Connor, Stuart Ford, Karen Lunder and Patrick Newall.

The movie takes place in the Galapagos Islands, but production was actually done in Queensland, Australia.

Fans of fashion, frocks and the swinging sixties are in for a treat as glossy Australian drama Ladies in Black makes a stylish entrance in boxset format on streaming channel U.

The six-parter focuses on five very different women working at Sydney’s prestigious (fictional) Goodes Department Store who find themselves at the cutting edge of social change in 1961.

With a cast that includes Miranda Otto, Debi Mazar and Jessica de Gouw, custom-made sets and costumes, and a catalogue of storylines, covering everything from sexism to self-discovery, this is an easy-fit fashion show bursting at the seams with thrills, frills and dramatic flair.

Here, star Jessica de Gouw gives What To Watch readers a front row view of what’s in store…

Ladies in Black release date

All six episodes of Ladies in Black season 1 are available to stream on U from Saturday, 12 July 2025.

Ladies in Black season 1 trailer

Ladies in Black who’s who

The key characters are Magda Szombathelyi (Debi Mazar, Goodfellas, Kaos), Virginia Ambrose (Miranda Otto, Lord of the Rings, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Fay Janosi (Jessica de Gouw, The Survivors, The Couple Next Door), Lisa Miles (Clare Hughes, Ten Pound Poms) and Angela Mansour (Azizi Donnelly, The Student).

As we’re introduced to them in the opening episode Model Gowns manager, Magda, is preparing to leave Goodes to open an avant-garde fashion boutique, while buttoned-up newcomer Mrs Virginia Ambrose is poised to take over the coveted senior position.

Senior assistant Fay is a head-over-heels newlywed, university student Lisa has her sights on a career in journalism, and secretive Angela raises eyebrows with her constant browsing at the high-end emporium.

Yet behind the glamour and shop gossip, Mrs Ambrose is hiding a secret past, Magda’s husband drops a marriage-ending bombshell, Lisa’s dreams collide with cold-hard sexism, Angela’s deceit catches up with her, and Fay’s past comes back to haunt her…

Magda Szombathelyi (Debi Mazar)

Ladies in Black begins with Polish-born Magda preparing to open her own boutique when her husband Stefan makes a risky business investment with Fay’s husband Rudi, forcing the forward-thinking fashionista to return to Goodes in a lower position where she clashes with Mrs Ambrose.

“Now in her 50s, Magda’s dream has always been to have her own shop but as a woman she can’t have her own bank account or sign her own lease for the boutique,” explains Debi. “We meet her at a really big time of change, and she has the vision of celebrating women and altering the way that people see fashion in Australia. Goodes is well respected but it’s held back in time so there’s a power struggle between Magda and Mrs Ambrose that gets peeled away like an onion as the show ticks on.”

Mrs Virginia Ambrose (Miranda Otto)

Formerly of Harrods, Mrs Ambrose is a champion of traditional service values and is at odds with modernity in general and Magda specifically. Putting her best foot forward she’s determined to leave her mark on Goodes, yet there’s much more to Virginia than meets the eye…

“Mrs Ambrose, as she likes to be called, arrives from London ready to put her stamp on Goodes from an angle of class, discretion and taste. As a character you think she’s one particular thing, but then you discover there’s a lot more to Virginia and she’s quite mysterious,” teases Miranda.

“It has been excellent to work with Gracie again; not only because I think she’s fantastic - and obviously she's my sister - but also because of the shorthand of working with someone that you've worked with before. We first worked together on The Clearing and she's done an awesome job with Ladies in Black.”

Fay Janosi (Jessica de Gouw)

The newlywed reconsiders starting a family after her Hungarian husband racks up huge debts to launch his business…

“It’s Sydney in 1961 and Fay is caught between two generations of women as she starts out on her life as a newly married woman. Mrs Ambrose and Magda experienced their youth while men were away at war, were quashed back into domestic life when they came back, and have come to expect a ceiling in terms of equality. Then there’s the new guard, Lisa and Angela, who are ready to break free of those shackles,” explains Jessica.

“Fay’s a bit lost, struggling with the domestic expectations of being a wife and feels like she’s failing in every respect. She’s performing in the role of housewife but you discover that she’s come from a fabulous life as a dancer and was a kept woman.”

Lisa Miles (Clare Hughes)

Booksmart student Lisa works part time at Goodes and has her sights set on becoming a journalist until family tragedy, financial insecurity and a naive knack for finding trouble derail her plans…

“Lisa is 18 and she is working at Goodes on the weekends while studying at Sydney University and desperately trying to get her articles published in the student newspaper. She also has a lot going on at home, is working out who she is, and discovering boys, sex and drinking, which is all very new to her,” says Clare. “Lisa is a dreamer and sometimes doesn't read the room very well, but once she sets her mind on something she’ll gun for it. She sets her sights on editor Richard White and decides that he’s the one for her…”

Angela Mansour (Azizi Donnelly)

Fashion has been in Angela’s family for generations and copying Goode's designs is her father’s stock in trade. Pretending to be part of an established Australian retail family she cons her way into working in ladieswear with ulterior motives…

“Angela is a passionate and fiery 22-year-old Lebanese girl born in Australia, who moves between the world of Goodes and the world of her family, as she goes after her dreams to become a young Lebanese fashion designer, which hasn’t really been done before,” says Azizi. “She and Lisa are ambitious young women from completely different backgrounds but who have a really beautiful friendship - it’s one of the pivotal love stories in the show and really cool to see how it starts and where it ends.”

Dorothy Miles (Sacha Horler)

Life seems straightforward to Lisa’s mum - one husband, one daughter, one home to keep presentable - until her husband Ed’s sudden death changes everything she’s ever known or expected. Dorothy has never had a job, a bank account, paid a bill, driven a car or made a life decision on her own. But, there is more to her than even she could have believed - as her daughter discovers when her mum embarks on a fresh start with her arms wide open to everything life has to offer.

Elias Khalil (Julian Maroun)

The creative head of visual marketing happily flashes his flamboyant flair in the elaborate windows and displays of Goodes. Yet, at home among his Lebanese community, he pretends to be an uninspiring clerk in the city. At work the window dresser goes by the nickname Elsie and is poised to become a player in the fashion politics of Goodes… Will he choose wisely?

Stefan Szombathelyi (Russell Dykstra)

Ever reliable and believed incapable of surprising anyone, especially his wife Magda. That is until he breaks the news that he foolishly lent Rudi the money that was meant to fund his wife's boutique. Oh, and that he also married young before the war, and, oh yeah, he has a secret son called George who has just turned up and needs a place to stay!

Rudi Janosi (Thom Green)

Rudi’s very much in love with his Australian wife Fay and keen to start a family, so he focuses all his attention and energy on growing his transport business in order to provide the aspirational Australian life he’s dreaming of. However, his ambitions cause trouble for his marriage and that of his close friends the Szombathelyis. Will he realise what matters most before it’s too late?

George Szombathelyi (Carlos Sanson Jr)

Having grown up believing that Stefan abandoned him, George’s childhood is coloured by being dragged from country to country and step-father to step-father by his mother. The talented musician has now landed in Australia with nowhere else to go, causing waves for his father and Magda, while turning Angela’s head.

Richard White (Tom Wilson)

The editor of Sydney’s student newspaper the Honi Soit, Richard enjoys his powerful status on campus and is a moth to the flame for many of the female students. When Lisa sets her sights on him, will she get burned?

Dawud Mansour (Hazem Shammas)

Angela’s father has built a solid family business creating high-quality knock-offs of designer clothes. Yet he’s torn between his daughter and her dreams of designing her own apparel, his son Farouk, who helps run the family business, and the whirlwind return of his absentee wife who has been living in Lebanon.

Mr Ryder (Huw Higginson)

The watchful General Manager’s conservative approach to business comes under fire when Goodes begins being outshone by its rivals. Unprepared for the Sixties and the rebellious new world of ladies fashion, will he get on board before the store becomes a sinking ship?

Kevin Mackenzie (Todd McKenney)

Goodes’ sleazy, predatory Chief Buyer is the sworn enemy of anyone attempting to move the shop forward and gravitates towards Mrs Ambrose with the intention of overthrowing Magda.

Adam Conroy (Ngali Shaw)

Adam dreams of moving from the loading dock into menswear, but as an indigenous man he is up against tradition, racism and discrimination when it comes to a customer facing role at Goodes. Until help comes from an unexpected quarter… But is the price of promotion too high to pay?

Cheri St Clair (Kate Box)

Having returned from London to take over the distinguished Australian fashion magazine, Lilian, Cheri knows that change is coming and is determined to jog Australia into the Sixties. She also holds the key to unlocking a chief Goodes employee’s secret past… will she reveal what she knows?

Is Ladies in Black based on a true story?

No, it’s based on the 1993 novel The Women in Black by Madeleine St. John and the 2018 film Ladies in Black. However, this six-part series, which is set 1961, picking up six months after the movie version, does contain historical details.

Producer Greer Simpkin says: “The Goodes Department store, where the Ladies in Black series is set is in many ways a microcosm of early 60s Australia. Through Goodes, we take a fun yet nuanced look in the rear vision mirror at a time when Australia - and the world - was changing rapidly, where there was great optimism and hope, but where there were still many obstacles in place for women, immigrants and Indigenous Australians. Our series has female friendship at its core but it is also a celebration of multiculturalism and the profound impact of post war immigration on the culture of Australia.”

Director Gracie Otto says: “The story is still relevant for audiences today. People of my mother’s generation can remember those times and for women of my generation and younger, it’s interesting to imagine how few rights women had and to put yourself in that world which is really not so long ago. It's a great history lesson but it’s also an amazing, fun world with great characters.”

Throughout the programme there are some differences to the original story and subsequent film, with a host of new characters being introduced, including Angela, the daughter of Lebanese immigrants, Englishwoman Mrs Virginia Ambrose, store buyer Kevin McKenzie and window dresser Elias Khalil.

“I’d read the book and seen the film, and was told this would be quite a different version; punchy, fresh and a little bit spicy,” Jessica de Gouw tells WTW during our Zoom interview with the star, who tells us she is currently filming a new miniseries called Reckless in Perth. “Our director Gracie Otto [Miranda Otto’s sister] comes from documentaries and is well known in Australia for her incredibly moving film Otto on Otto, a love letter to her [actor] father, Barry, who has late stage Alzheimer’s. I’d worked with her before and knew she has a fire in her belly that she’d bring to the show as she’s done a bunch of television, including the fabulous new version of Heartbreak High.”

Ladies in Black filming locations, sets and costumes

Although set in Sydney, the series was filmed at multiple locations and heritage buildings in Adelaide. The interior of Goodes is a 360-degree custom-made set, brimming with period detail, as director Gracie and DOP Simon Ozolins wanted a space where they could point the camera in every direction and use every available part of the set.

“Gracie wanted to get a feeling of the activity and sense of community in Goodes, so you could walk right through the main set onto ladies cocktail [dresses], the shoe department, and then ladies gowns - I did a lot of laps!” de Gouw tells us. “I also did more background acting on this than probably in anything I've worked in since I was 16 - there are a lot of shots of me hanging things on racks!”

Costume Designer Marion Boyce (Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, The Newsreader, Run Rabbit Run) is an avid collector of vintage clothes, hats and accessories, including couture pieces from the 50s and 60s and Ladies in Black saw her delve into that collection. Some of her pieces have never been seen before in any of Marion’s previous on-screen work, such as a beautiful French hat by Jean Patou that Marion bought when she was a teenager.

“The clothes are great!” smiles Jessica. “In early episodes Fay wears a dowdy, shapeless uniform, but then she finds some spice with a fabulous, strong, structured uniform, as she evolves. “John Logue, our hair and makeup designer, and I had a lot of conversations about her being a redhead, because Debi and I could possibly look similar, as we’ve got the same length brown hair and are both very pale. We thought about how to strike a difference between our characters visually and the idea of a wig came in. It speaks to her difference from the other ladies and her risque past working at the Trocadero.”

Is there a Ladies in Black season 2?

At the time of publishing, there is no confirmation of Ladies in Black season 2, but if anything changes, we’ll add an update here.

Speaking to WTW Jessica said: “I haven’t heard, but if it finds an audience and connects, who knows! We loved working together so I’m sure everyone would jump at it. It's like Mad Men, but with women!”

Ladies in Black season 1 episode guide

Contains spoilers

Episode 1

Beautiful Dream

Sydney, 1961. The beautiful dreams of the women who work at Goodes are upended. Magda, Fay and Lisa face big life decisions when women’s roles in society, work and family are changing as rapidly as 60s fashion.

Episode 2

Design Thief

Angela Mansour must cover for divided loyalties after scamming her way into Goodes. Mrs Ambrose campaigns for ladieswear supremacy while Magda, Lisa and Fay must deal with the fall-out from unexpected events and revelations.

Episode 3

Bikini Wars

A catalogue photoshoot brings tensions to the boil between Magda and Mrs Ambrose and precipitates a crisis in Fay’s marriage. Lisa and Angela’s escapades with borrowed bikinis lead to both disappointment and new hope.

Episode 4

Spring Carnival

Spring racing carnival draws fresh battle lines between Magda and Ambrose over youth fashion. Lisa and Angela’s friendship is tested by a shocking revelation. Fay is misled into making a catastrophic mistake.

Episode 5

Men in Briefs

Magda’s attempt to capitalise on her success with a celebrity wedding dress leads to a risky experiment with men’s bikini briefs. Lisa, Angela, George and Richard are caught in the fallout. Fay confronts marital disaster.

Episode 6

New Season

A family wedding. A broken vow. A scandalous newspaper article. The ladies in black realise their need to work together as they confront threats at home and at work that could damage each of them irrevocably.

Marie Antoinette has been one of the most enjoyable period dramas of recent years.

Series 1 saw Marie (Emilia Schüle) and Louis (Louis Cunningham ) marry before becoming the King and Queen of France.

While the recent Marie Antoinette season 2 saw Marie suffering personal tragedy while also being wrongly accused of stealing a priceless necklace.

Will there be a Marie Antoinette season 3?

As yet, the makers have not confirmed a third season, although it's thought Marie Antoinette was originally envisaged as a three-series story.

So, where might the plot go? (spoilers ahead if you've not seen the end of season 2).

The makers did appear to hedge their bets with the end of season 2. It gave an ending of sorts to the story with Marie and Louis's power collapsing.

However, there's plenty more true historical events for the show to put on screen. Series 2 ended at the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789 with the Storming of the Bastille. Louis wasn’t executed until January 1793, while Marie was executed in October 1793.

If anything, season 3, if it happens, should be the most dramatic and the best as we see Marie and Louis desperately struggle for survival.

Among the events series 3 will likely depict is the royal family’s attempt to flee Paris. They reached the small town of Varennes, where they were stopped and arrested. The desperate act by Louis helped turn the tide of public opinion against him and ultimately led to his execution, as he was seen as an enemy of the revolution.

Season 3 would also surely explore Marie's role in the War of the First Coalition, a string of wars that saw other European countries try to take advantage of the chaos in France.

It's not hard to imagine season 3 ending with Marie's trial and execution. She was taken to the guillotine in the Place de la Révolution, the present Place de la Concorde, and executed aged 37 on October 16, 1793.

It will be a hugely emotional end for fans. The makers have portrayed both Marie and Louis in a largely positive light. Historians, though, continue to debate as to how much their fate was their own fault.

Cast

We'd expect all the key cast to be back for series 3, including Jack Archer as Louis’s brother Provence, and Oscar Lesage as the dastardly Duke of Orléans. We should also get a string of new characters who play crucial parts in the French Revolution.

Grantchester season 11 is on the way, but sadly, the makers have confirmed that it's the last ever series.

Robson Green returns as Geordie with Rishi Nair as Alphy for the final season.

Daisy Coulam, writer, series creator, and executive producer, said: "At its heart, Grantchester is a show about the power of friendship and love. We’ve been so lucky over the last 11 series to experience that on and off screen.

"For over a decade now — cast and crew (many who’ve been there since the beginning) have met each Summer to film. And it’s been an absolute joy. Thank you to James Runcie for entrusting us with his characters. Thank you to the lovely people of real Grantchester. Thank you to everyone who’s been a part of the show in any way — big or small. I’ll miss you terribly."

But we do have one more series to enjoy! Here's everything we know...

Grantchester season 11 release date

Oddly for a British series, it's likely to air in the US first on PBS on Masterpiece, most probably in the summer of 2026. Filming is about to start in the UK, so that seems a likely timeframe.

It will then air on ITV1 and ITVX. UK fans haven't even had Grantchester season 10 yet! Check out our best ITV dramas guide for more series to enjoy.

Grantchester season 11 plot

The makers tease: "It's the heady Summer of ’63, and Alphy is learning more about his past. He comes to realize that there is a whole other life he could have led, making him question who he is and what he believes in. He’s also continuing to get to know Meg, the Bishop’s daughter…

"Geordie, for once, is positively brimming with bonhomie! He’s learned to weather the storms of life and is enjoying a time of relative peace. Cathy’s happy now that CeCe’s Fashion Boutique is a success, and the kids are old enough to look after themselves! But then, out of the blue, the Chief Superintendent comes to Geordie with a beguiling offer. It could be a chance for Geordie to finally be in charge, but it could also mean an end of his crime solving days. And his crime solving partnership with Alphy…

"During a quiet period at the halfway house, Leonard finds himself with time on his hands, and a chance to take stock of his own life and whether he’s doing enough with it. When one of Daniel’s neighbours becomes ill, Leonard is drawn into helping care for the neighbour’s son Raymond – and discovers a paternal side to himself he never knew he had.

"In Series 11 everyone will question the paths they are on, and some huge decisions will be made. This season will look at family, forgiveness, identity, and faith – big changes are coming to Grantchester… ".

Grantchester season 11 cast

Robson Green is back as Geordie with Rishi Nair as Alphy. Plus Al Weaver returns as Leonard Finch, Tessa Peake-Jones as Mrs. C, Kacey Ainsworth as Cathy Keating, Oliver Dimsdale as Daniel Marlowe, Nick Brimble as Jack Chapman, Bradley Hall as DC Larry Peters and Melissa Johns as Miss Scott.

Behind the scenes

The final series will be executive produced for Kudos (part of Banijay UK) by Emma Kingsman-Lloyd (SAS Rogue Heroes, Deadwater Fell), writer and series creator Daisy Coulam (Deadwater Fell, Humans) Robson Green and Rishi Nair. The Executive Producers for MASTERPIECE are Susanne Simpson and Rebecca Eaton at GBH Boston.

Grantchester will end after its 11th series, ITV has announced.

Grantchester, which first aired in 2014, has been one of the broadcaster's biggest shows, making a huge star of James Norton, who played the original vicar, Sidney Chambers, alongside Robson Green's Geordie Keating for the first four seasons.

Tom Brittney followed as Will Davenport until series nine, with Rishi Nair joining as Alphy Kottaram in series nine.

In the upcoming series, Robson returns as Geordie with Rishi Nair as Alphy, Al Weaver as Leonard Finch, Tessa Peake-Jones as Mrs. C, Kacey Ainsworth as Cathy Keating, Oliver Dimsdale as Daniel Marlowe, Nick Brimble as Jack Chapman, Bradley Hall as DC Larry Peters and Melissa Johns as Miss Scott.

Star Robson Green said: "From the very beginning, I have had the incredible fortune to be part of this extraordinary team of talented, passionate, and dedicated individuals who have become more than colleagues. They have become family. I have made friendships forged through shared laughter, challenges, and triumphs.

"The bonds we've formed extend far beyond the camera lens, and I know that they will endure long after the final scene within the Grantchester world has been filmed.

"Thank you to everyone who has been part of this incredible journey. Emma Kingsman Lloyd and Daisy Coulam....from that very first day you gave me the extraordinary opportunity to be part of this experience. It has been an honour to share in the magic of Grantchester, and I am forever grateful for the memories, the friendships, and the love that this journey has given me. I hope I made you proud.”

Daisy Coulam, writer, series creator and executive producer, added: "At its heart, Grantchester is a show about the power of friendship and love. We’ve been so lucky over the last 11 series to experience that on and off screen. For over a decade now — cast and crew (many who’ve been there since the beginning) have met each Summer to film. And it’s been an absolute joy. Thank you to James Runcie for entrusting us with his characters. Thank you to the lovely people of real Grantchester. Thank you to everyone who’s been a part of the show in any way — big or small. I’ll miss you terribly.”

Teasing the plot of the final series, ITV says: "It’s the heady Summer of ’63, and Alphy is learning more about his past. He comes to realize that there is a whole other life he could have led, making him question who he is and what he believes in. He’s also continuing to get to know Meg, the Bishop’s daughter…

"Geordie, for once, is positively brimming with bonhomie! He’s learned to weather the storms of life and is enjoying a time of relative peace. Cathy’s happy now that CeCe’s Fashion Boutique is a success, and the kids are old enough to look after themselves! But then, out of the blue, the Chief Superintendent comes to Geordie with a beguiling offer. It could be a chance for Geordie to finally be in charge, but it could also mean an end of his crime solving days. And his crime solving partnership with Alphy…

"During a quiet period at the halfway house, Leonard finds himself with time on his hands, and a chance to take stock of his own life and whether he's doing enough with it. When one of Daniel’s neighbours becomes ill, Leonard is drawn into helping care for the neighbour’s son Raymond — and discovers a paternal side to himself he never knew he had."

It's not been revealed yet when the final series will air. Filming begins this month.

The Forsytes is a very famous fictional family saga which has been adapted for television a few times before, most notably for the BBC in 1967.

Now there's a new adaptation of John Galsworthy’s Nobel Prize-winning novel series The Forsyte Saga on its way in 2025 and it has a stellar cast including Francesca Annis, Jack Davenport, Millie Gibson, Eleanor Tomlinson, Danny Griffin and Stephen Moyer.

Written by Poldark’s Debbie Horsfield, it follows four generations of an upper-class family of stockbrokers set against the backdrop of a fast-changing late-Victorian world. The drama also stars Susan Hampshire, OBE, who was in the 1967 series The Forsyte Saga, this time playing Lady Carteret.

The Forsytes season 2 has already been commissioned, so there's confidence that season 1 will be a global.

Here’s everything you need to know about the period drama The Forsytes season 1…

The Forsytes release date

The Forsytes will launch on 5 (formerly called Channel 5) in the UK on Monday, October 20 at 9pm.

In the US, The Forsytes season 1 is scheduled to premiere as a Masterpiece series on PBS in 2026. Again, we will update with the show's US premiere when we hear.

The Forsytes plot

The Forsytes follows the fictional Forsyte family, which encompasses four generations of upper-class stockbrokers. The older generation are sticklers for tradition and status, prizing duty and reputation above all else, while the younger family members feel constrained by the weight of family expectations.

The question of who will take over the family firm puts Soames Forsyte (Joshua Orpin) and his cousin Jolyon (Danny Griffin) in conflict with one another, just as their lives are turned upside down by two remarkable women. Each family member must decide whether it’s better to follow their heart or their head.

The Forsytes cast and characters

Here's our brief guide to the cast and characters in The Forsytes...

* Francesca Annis (Home Fires, Cranford, Macbeth, Showtrial) is matriarch Ann Forsyte.

* Stephen Moyer (True Blood) is her eldest son Jolyon Snr, head of the family firm, Forsyte and Co.

* Danny Griffin (The Gentlemen) is his bohemian son Jolyon Jnr.

* Tuppence Middleton (Downton Abbey: A New Era) is Jolyon Jnr’s wife, Francis.

* Eleanor Tomlinson (Poldark) is dressmaker Louisa Byrne, Jolyon Jnr’s first love.

* Jack Davenport (This Life, The Morning Show) is Ann’s competitive younger son, James.

* Joshua Orpin (Titans) is James’ ambitious son, Soames.

* Millie Gibson (Doctor Who) is Irene Heron, a dancer Soames falls in love with.

* Tom Durant-Pritchard (Baby Reindeer) is Monty Dartie, James’ son in law.

* Josette Simon (Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy) is wealthy heiress Mrs. Ellen Parker Barrington.

* Jamie Flatters (Avatar: The Way Of Water) is architect Philip Bosinney.

* Owen Igiehon (Disclaimer) is lawyer Isaac Cole.

* Susan Hampshire (The Forsyte Saga form 1967) is Lady Carteret.

Is there a trailer?

There's no trailer for The Forsytes just yet, but we'll post here when it arrives.

Behind the scenes and more on The Forsytes.

The Forsytes is produced by Mammoth in association with and distributed by ITV Studios and is written by Debbie Horsfield (Poldark). This deal was brokered by Jemma Harvey, SVP Global Content & Scripted Coproductions, ITV Studios and Nan Whittingham, VP Production and Commissioning Operations, 5. PBS Distribution handle North American rights.

Paul Testar, Commissioning Editor, Drama, 5 says: “We are excited to give The Forsytes its UK home on 5. This lavish new adaptation is a great addition to our rich portfolio of period dramas. With a stellar cast, stunning production, and rich ensemble of characters, it has all the components our audience loves.”

Damien Timmer, Chief Creative Officer and Founder, Mammoth Screen, adds: “It’s been a joy working with Debbie Horsfield and our magnificent cast on series 1 of The Forsytes for MASTERPIECE on PBS, and we’re thrilled UK viewers are going to be able to watch it on 5, which has become such a destination for drama audiences. Let the saga commence!”

Susanne Simpson, Head of Scripted Content and Executive Producer at MASTERPIECE says: “We can’t wait to bring The Forsytes to our MASTERPIECE viewers in the US, and we’re thrilled that the series has a UK home at 5. With brilliant actors and an amazing crew, Mammoth Screen has created a sumptuous reimagining of a classic that will delight audiences around the world.”

The Forsyte Saga — all about the novels 

The novel series The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy won him the Nobel Prize in 1932 and consisted of three novels and two short stories. It followed the Forsyte family from the late 19th century into the early 20th century.

The saga mainly focussed on Soames Forsyte and his possessive nature and complicated relationship with his wife, the beautiful and independent Irene.

Previous TV adaptations of The Forsyte Saga

The first novel in the saga The Man of Property was adapted into the 1949 film That Forsyte Woman, starring Errol Flynn and Greer Garson.

In 1967, the BBC made its hit series The Forsyte Saga and the subsequent trilogy A Modern Comedy, starring Susan Hampshire, who also stars in the 2025 adaptation, plus Kenneth More, Nyree Dawn Porter, Eric Porter, Nicholas Pennell and Joseph O'Connor. The series moved from BBC2 to BBC1.

In 2002, ITV made the series The Forsyte Saga and The Forsyte Saga: To Let, both starring Damian Lewis, Gina McKee and Rupert Graves. This version is currently available to watch on Netflix.

A Call the Midwife movie is on the way, bringing all our Nonnatus House favourites to a cinema near you!

The new movie is set to pick up in the 1970s - where Call the Midwife season 15 (which is coming to our TV screens in early 2026) - will come to an end. However, series creator and showrunner Heidi Thomas has revealed that our much-loved nuns and midwives might be taking a holiday from Poplar...

Heidi said: "As the classic Call the Midwife series moves further into the 1970s, it also seems the perfect time for our much-loved regulars to take a short break from Poplar and test themselves in an unfamiliar landscape. The rise in hospital births and changes in the NHS have clipped their wings, and this is their chance to take flight and work out what really matters.

"Whilst the location of the film remains top-secret, I can say it is going to look absolutely fantastic on the big screen!”

Eva Yates, Director of BBC Film, added: “Call the Midwife has always brilliantly explored the issues and experiences of women across history and it is with great excitement that we are joining Pippa and Heidi in expanding the Midwife universe to bring these wonderful characters onto the big screen.”

Here is everything we know about the Call the Midwife movie...

Call the Midwife movie release date

It is a little too early for an official release date for the Call the Midwife movie; however, as it focuses on our current favourites from Poplar, filming will likely start after Call the Midwife season 15 has wrapped up production in the coming months.

As soon as we get more information on when the film will be released, we will update this guide.

Call the Midwife movie plot

Details of the movie location, plot and cinematic adventures of the midwives of Nonnatus House are being kept tightly under wraps, with the official BBC statement stating: "Further details about the film with BBC Film will be released later this year." As soon as anything is announced, we will update this guide.

One thing we do know is that, like the show itself, the movie will be written and produced by Heidi Thomas, the series creator who has helmed the stories of the midwives from the beginning.

Call the Midwife movie cast

We are yet to get a confirmed cast list from the BBC, however, it is thought that lots of our Nonnatus House favourites will be part of the movie.

This could include Helen George as Trixie Aylward, Jenny Agutter as Sister Julienne, Linda Bassett as Nurse Phyllis Crane, Rebecca Gethings as Sister Veronica, Georgie Glen as Miss Higgins, Judy Parfitt as Sister Monica Joan, Renee Bailey as Joyce Highland, and Natalie Quarry as Rosalind Clifford.

Molly Vevers joined the cast in Call the Midwife season 14 as Sister Catherine and could be part of the movie.

Stephen McGann could be part of the movie as Doctor Turner, along with Laura Main as his wife Shelagh Turner, and Max Macmillan as their son, Timothy Turner. Alice Brown could also be in the film as Angela Turner, April Rae Hoang as May Turner and Edward Shaw as Teddy Turner.

Other returning characters could be Cliff Parisi as Fred Buckle, Annabelle Apsion as Violet Buckle, Daniel Laurie as Reggie Jackson, and Zephryn Taitte as Cyril Robinson.

As soon as we get a cofrimed cast list we will add it to this guide.

Is there a trailer for the Call the Midwife movie ?

No, sadly it is too early for a trailer for the Call the Midwife movie, but as soon as one is released, we will add it to this guide.

Behind the scenes and more on the Call the Midwife movie

Commissioned by Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, Call the Midwife is made by All3Media’s Neal Street for the BBC in co-production with PBS.

The series is created, written and executive produced by Heidi Thomas, executive produced by Pippa Harris, for Neal Street, and Ann Tricklebank who also serves as producer. Gaynor Holmes is the executive producer for the BBC.

The first series of Call the Midwife was originally inspired by Jennifer Worth’s books of the same name. BBC Studios distribute Call the Midwife globally and have sold the series to over 260 territories worldwide and counting.

The Call the Midwife world is expanding as the much-loved series takes us further into the past with an exciting spin-off show, set in London during World War Two.

The prequel to the beloved franchise was announced in May 2025 alongside the exciting news that we would also be getting a Call the Midwife movie as well as two Christmas specials in December 2025.

Not only that, we will also be seeing Call the Midwife season 15 arrive early next year as a new series traditionally follows the festive specials in January in the UK and March in the US.

The official statement from the BBC reads: "In an exciting new development, the world of Nonnatus House will also be expanding. A prequel TV series set in Poplar during World War Two will be made for the BBC in 2026. In addition, Neal Street, in development with BBC Film, are producing a Call the Midwife film. This will be set overseas in 1972 and feature iconic characters from the existing TV show."

Here is everything we know about the Call the Midwife prequel...

Call the Midwife prequel release date

It is too early to know when the Call the Midwife prequel might arrive, but we do know it is some time away, as filming has not yet started.

With Call the Midwife season 15 pencilled in for January 2026, the prequel is likely to air at some point later that year.

One thing we do know is that it is likely to air on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer in the UK and over on PBS in the US.

As soon as we get any more information, we will update this guide.

Call the Midwife prequel plot

While it is also a little too early to know exact plot details for the spin-off, we do know that it will be set in Poplar during the Blitz.

The new series will add more backstory to the already rich history of the nuns and midwives at Nonnatus House, giving us a chance to see what happened in Poplar before we met the characters in season 1.

Series creator Heidi Thomas said: "The Blitz years in the East End were extraordinary - filled with loss, togetherness, courage and joy. The bombs fell, the babies kept on coming, and the Sisters kept on going."

In a press statement, the director of BBC Drama, Lindsay Salt, added: "Call the Midwife has been a jewel in the BBC's crown for well over a decade, and this feels like the perfect time to further expand on the glorious, perfectly realised world that Heidi, Pippa, Annie and the team have created for the show's millions of passionate and dedicated viewers.

"Whether you've been watching from the very start or joined us for one of the more recent series, this is an incredibly exciting time to be a Call the Midwife fan."

Call the Midwife prequel cast

While the cast for the new series is being kept tightly under wraps for now, Heidi Thomas said: "There will be so much in the prequel for our wonderful, loyal fans, including the appearance of some familiar (if much younger!) faces."

It is unlikely that we will see fan favourites such as Trixie Aylward (Helen George) in the series due to when the series will be set, but other beloved characters could have pivotal roles in the spin-off, like Sister Monica Joan and Sister Julienne. Could we be seeing these much-loved characters as young nuns, doing their midwifery training during the war?

There is also hope that young versions of fan favourites Phyllis Crane and Millicent Higgins could appear in the new series, with Blitz stories of their own.

As soon as more information is released about the cast, we will update this guide.

Is there a trailer for the Call the Midwife prequel?

Not yet, it is far too early for a trailer, sadly. But, as soon as one is released we will add it to this guide.

Behind the scenes and more on the Call the Midwife prequel

Call the Midwife season 14 averaged 7.8million viewers, making it one of the UK’s biggest drama series across all channels and streamers. The first episode of the Call the Midwife Christmas specials 2024 was the 2024 festive period’s most-watched drama episode, with 8.9 million viewers.

Commissioned by Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, Call the Midwife is made by All3Media’s Neal Street for the BBC in co-production with PBS.

The series is created, written and executive produced by Heidi Thomas, executive produced by Pippa Harris, for Neal Street, and Ann Tricklebank who also serves as producer. Gaynor Holmes is the executive producer for the BBC.

The first series of Call the Midwife was originally inspired by Jennifer Worth’s books of the same name. BBC Studios distributes Call the Midwife globally and has sold the series to over 260 territories worldwide and counting.

The BBC has responded to shock reports that Call the Midwife is coming to an end, and it's good news for fans of the much-loved period drama.

Viewers had been left worried about the future of their favourite show after a source reportedly told The Daily Star: "After years of drama and countless births, Call The Midwife is coming to an end. The team has decided it’s time to draw the show to a close and bow out. This is the last we’ll see of these much-loved characters. Storylines will tie up a lot of loose ends."

However, the BBC has been quick to reassure fans, releasing a statement confirming that the show isn't going anywhere.

It was announced this morning, Thursday, June 26: "The BBC would like to reassure fans that Call The Midwife will remain at the heart of the BBC for years to come. As previously announced, there are two Christmas specials, a new series, a film and prequel series, before a sixteenth series in due course. Call the Midwife isn’t going anywhere.”

As fans will already know, filming for Call the Midwife season 15 is well underway, and as part of the new series, we will also be treated to two Christmas specials later this year.

It was announced back in May that the world of Call the Midwife would be expanding with an official statement revealing we would be getting a spin-off set during the Blitz, plus a new movie.

The BBC said at the time: "In an exciting new development, the world of Nonnatus House will also be expanding. A prequel TV series set in Poplar during World War Two will be made for the BBC in 2026.

"In addition, Neal Street, in development with BBC Film, are producing a Call the Midwife film. This will be set overseas in 1972 and feature iconic characters from the existing TV show."

Details of this year's festive special were also announced, revealing that the show would be going beyond Poplar and overseas: "A two-part Christmas Special, set in Hong Kong and Poplar, will be followed by eight new hour-long episodes set in the East End, coming to BBC iPlayer and BBC One from January 2026.

"When senior members of the Nonnatus House staff head to Hong Kong on a mercy mission, the younger midwives are left to cope alone. As the Christmas action shifts between the sun-drenched Far East and a snowy East End, Sister Julienne suddenly finds herself excited about the Order’s future. After years of battling change, she decides to embrace it, work with it, and see what love can do.

"This change of energy reverberates throughout series 15. The new series kicks off in 1971 with several of the ladies embracing Women’s Lib and burning their bras outside Nonnatus House. As the year unfolds, we see the team handle cases including premature birth, placenta previa, kidney cancer, tuberculosis and slavery."

All episodes of Call the Midwife seasons 1-14 are available on BBC iPlayer and the new season of the show will land at Christmas 2025.

The winners of the 2022 Oscars only held one real surprise. It came in the unassuming shape of CODA, which fought off the combined might of Jane Campion's The Power Of The Dog and Spielberg's West Side Story to win Best Picture.

But one title was noticeable by its absence among the nominations, unusually uniting critics and audiences in sheer disbelief. Rebecca Hall’s directorial debut, Passing, had been tipped for several nods and was seen as a likely winner in at least one category. Yet it was shut out. But the much-snubbed film is ready and waiting for the appreciation it deserves on Netflix right now.

Based on Nella Larsen's novel of the same name, it's an agonising 1920s story of the pursuit of what seems to be happiness and the pain of racism. Irene (Tessa Thompson) is married to a doctor and lives a comfortable life in Harlem, but, although she's African American, she can "pass" as white. Shopping in all the best stores and taking tea in top hotels are realities for her, and one afternoon, while sheltering from the summer heat, she meets somebody from her past.

She and Clare (Ruth Negga) were at school together and, with her blonde hair and expertly applied makeup, her old friend is equally accepted by white society — but she's taken it one step further. Unlike her friend, whose husband is also African American, Clare is married to a wealthy white man who is completely unaware of her background and brutally vocal about his hatred for black people.

As the two women renew their friendship, the stark contrast in their circumstances causes tensions and, ultimately, threatens both their lives.

Shot in elegant, sensual black and white, Hall’s film had a multitude of strengths, including a meticulous attention to period detail, all of which resulted in nominations from a number of awards bodies and a 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes. It was the acting that really captured hearts and minds, with Thompson constantly torn between the truth of her life and the truth of her friend’s. Negga, already an Oscar nominee for Loving in 2017, was an exquisite combination of delicacy and sheer guts in a performance that earned her SAG, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. It was no surprise that she was regarded as a shoo-in for an Oscar nod. That she didn't is still baffling to the point of criminal.

• Best movies on Netflix

With a tiny frame and delicate features that belie the power of both her acting and characters, Negga was an established name in the theatre before moving to the big and small screen, and she's since displayed an enviable range encompassing comedy to dark drama and everything in between. Most recently, she starred in one of Apple TV Plus's biggest hits of last year, playing Jake Gyllenhaal's loyal but conflicted wife in Presumed Innocent, based on the 1990 thriller of the same name.

What the streamer had originally been described as a "limited series" proved so popular that its return was announced before season one's finale had aired.

The show had massive appeal, earning it 79% on Rotten Tomatoes. With an impressive cast that included Peter Sarsgaard, Renate Reinsve and Bill Camp alongside Negga and Gyllenhaal, it wasn't a straight-down-the-line adaptation of the original Harrison Ford starrer. New characters were brought in, Negga was given a more complex storyline as the wife, Gyllenhaal’s lawyer was not only in the dock but also defended himself, and the ending was a curveball that nobody saw coming.

But once the second season had been confirmed, it was clear that something different was on the way. Sarsgaard made it clear he was "not interested in sequels" and news followed that Gyllenhaal would only be returning as an executive producer, so everything pointed to an anthology format, as well as a new lead. Step forward Rachel Brosnahan (soon to be seen as the new Superman's Lois Lane), who will also executive produce, although there’s no word at the moment on the rest of the cast.

Presumed Innocent’s first season was based on the book of the same name by Scott Turow but, with no clear blueprint in his body of work as to how a second season would pan out, its next outing will be based upon another book entirely. Jo Murray’s legal thriller, Dissection Of A Murder, is set for publication in the spring of next year and is reportedly the basis for season two. It centres on lawyer Leila Reynolds, who is defending in her first murder case while her own husband is the prosecutor but, with a release date for the book around nine months away, fans of the first season may have a long wait ahead.

And it could be a nervous one. Replacing Gyllenhaal and moving to an anthology format is risky. We only have to look at True Detective to see how it can nearly sabotage a show and, even though it’s redeemed itself with seasons three and four, it was touch and go for a while. But the casting of Brosnahan, with her impressive track record on the big and small screen, is cause for early optimism. The omens, so far, are good …..

Passing is on Netflix in the US and the UK. All episodes of Presumed Innocent are available on Apple TV Plus in the US and the UK.

In the Godfather of Harlem season 4 finale, "Unity Day," Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker) and Joe Colombo (Michael Raymond-James) are at war, with both feeling they must kill the other in order to survive. Unfortunately for them, neither one is successful in their assassination attempts. However, Colombo learns the hard way that he has more deadly enemies than Bumpy, as he’s shot at the infamous unity rally by none other than Delia’s (Roslyn Ruff) son Jerome (Elijah Wright).

As all of this is going on, Bumpy has to come to terms with the fact that one of his most trusted lieutenants has betrayed him — Nat Pettigrew (Elvis Nolasco). When it became obvious that Nat was feeding Colombo information on Bumpy, Nat only narrowly escapes death at the hands of his former allies.

So, did a man named Jerome actually shoot Joe Colombo? And was the real Bumpy Johnson betrayed by Nat Pettigrew? Here’s what happened in Godfather of Harlem season 4 episode 10.

Who shot Joe Colombo?

The fiction
Bumpy, Mayme (Ilfenesh Hadera), Elise (Antoinette Crowe-Legacy) and Margaret (Demi Singleton) are all having breakfast at the diner. Mayme shows her family a photo in the newspaper of her with James Baldwin (Michael Benjamin Washington) and Truman Capote (Steven Boyer) at the previous masquerade party.

At a nearby table, Frank Lucas (Rome Flynn) and Chance (Erik LaRay Harvey) are keeping watch over the Johnson family, when Frank asks about a cop eating at the counter. Chance notes that police officers often come there because they get to eat for free. However, Frank looks at the cop with more scrutiny, pointing out he’s not a cop just before the imposter starts shooting. Although Bumpy, his family and his crew are unharmed, Delia is shot in the crossfire. The attempted assassin turns out ot be one of Colombo’s henchmen.

After getting Bumpy to agree to let Elise take Margaret to the Black Panthers’ Harlem headquarters to keep the teenager safe, Margaret winds up developing a friendship of sorts with Jerome. She assures his mom will be okay, as she had a life-saving surgery. He tells Margaret that when his brother was shot and murdered, there was nothing he could do about it. However, after overhearing Colombo was responsible for his mother almost dying, Jerome vows to kill him. Jerome is undeterred by the fact that Colombo is a leader of one of the Five Families.

Later, Margaret and Jerome talk again, this time, he subtly asks her for help in getting access to the Black Panthers’ gun closet. On the day of Colombo’s Unity Rally, Margaret steals the key to the closet from Elise’s jacket and hands it over to Jerome.

By the time the Black Panthers realize a gun is missing and Jerome is gone, Jerome is already blending in with the big crowd at the Unity Rally. Although the Black Panthers show up at the rally to stop Jerome, they ultimately prove unsuccessful. Shortly after taking the stage in front of a crowd full of people and on national television, Jerome shoots Colombo. Somehow, Jerome is able to flee the scene with the Black Panthers, who later spot him.

The fact
As reported by the New York Daily News, on June 28, 1971, the day of the second Italian Unity Day Rally in Columbus Circle in New York, Jerome A. Johnson shot Joe Colombo three times. In the aftermath, Colombo was left paralyzed and unable to communicate. He passed away seven years later of cardiac arrest.

In terms of Johnson’s motive, that seems to be a bit unclear. However, as described in an episode of Mafia's Greatest Hits, there is a strong running theory that Joe Gallo, a disenchanted member of the Colombo crime family, was behind the killing.

While Gallo was in prison, he allegedly recruited some Black mobsters/affiliates to work with him. Upon being released, Gallo met with Colombo, demanding more respect and money from the family organization. Colombo instead only offered him $1,000 for a welcome-home dinner.

After that meeting, tensions between the mobsters reportedly escalated. Then, as the story goes, Gallo hired Johnson to eliminate Colombo.

Did Nat Pettigrew betray Bumpy Johnson?

The fiction
After Colombo’s hitman botched the murder attempt of Bumpy, the henchman reports back to Colombo, and Nat is present to hear it all. Nat is stunned that the henchman would be so reckless as to shoot at Bumpy in broad daylight in front of his family. Colombo is clearly not pleased by the failed murder plot, and he turns to Nat to do the job. However, Nat doubts he’d be able to get close to Bumpy now that he’s officially betrayed him, and Bumpy likely suspects him.

Nat was right about Bumpy suspecting him. At his headquarters, Bumpy learns that Nat called in sick, and Bumpy immediately believes Nat is the one who's been disloyal. Chance would rather not buy that, but Bumpy recalls that Nat once stole from him to pay gambling debts, and the seed of betrayal has been in Nat’s heart ever since.

Later during the unity rally, before Jerome shoots Colombo, Chance is on a nearby roof, readying to take a shot at Colombo himself. Looking through the gun’s scope, he spots Nat but tells himself he’ll get him later. However, later never came as Jerome shoots Colombo, and Nat escapes in the crowd during the chaos.

The fact
From our research, both Mayme Johnson and the documentary, The Story of the Real Godfather of Harlem (BUMPY JOHNSON), make it sound as if Nat Pettigrew was both a loyal friend and lieutenant of Bumpy Johnson. We found no proof of Nat betraying Bumpy by going to Joe Colomobo or any other member of the Italian-American mafia behind Bumpy’s back.

All episodes of Godfather of Harlem season 4 are available to stream on MGM Plus.

Bridgerton star Bessie Carter leads the case of new drama Outrageous as novelist Nancy Mitford — the eldest of six real-life sisters who made headlines in 1930s Britain through their involvement in multiple high-profile romantic and political scandals.

In the series, Nancy introduces us to her spirited siblings: steely Diana (Crime's Joanna Vanderham), sensible Pamela (The Serpent Queen's Isobel Jesper Jones), fanatical Unity (The Jetty's Shannon Watson), socially-conscious Jessica (Casualty's Zoe Brough) and romantic Deborah (A Good Girl's Guide To Murder's Orla Hill), who are about to enter a period of their lives in which everything will change — not necessarily for the better.

We caught up with Bessie to find out more about the show...

Bessie Carter interview for Outrageous

• Outrageous launches in the UK on U&Drama at 9pm on Thursday June 19. All episodes will be available to stream on U from Thursday June 19. For US viewers, the first two episodes of Outrageous launch on Wednesday June 18 at 8PM ET on BritBox.

The Buccaneers season 2 has finally landed on Apple TV Plus, meaning fans can at long last find out what happens next in the girl-power period drama.

The show, which follows a fun-loving group of Americans who came to England in the 1870s to be married off to aristocracy, saw The Buccaneers season 1 ending on a cliffhanger when main character Nan St. George (Kristine Frøseth) sacrificed her passionate romance with Guy Thwarte (Matthew Broome) and choose to marry Theo, Duke of Tintagel (Guy Remmers).

Fans will remember that Nan made the selfless move in order to save her sister Jinny (Imogen Waterhouse) from an abusive marriage to Lord Seadown (Barney Fishwick). However, season 2 will see that Nan's heart still belongs to Guy, and she can't stop thinking about him.

The new series picks up directly where season 1 left off. In the first season, the 'Buccaneers' exploded into the tightly corseted London, setting hearts racing and kicking off an Anglo-American culture clash.

However, the young women are no longer the invaders becasue England is now their home and Nan is the Duchess of Tintagel - making her the most influential woman in the country.

Meanwhile, Conchita (Alisha Boe) is Lady Brightlingsea, heroine to a wave of young American heiresses, and Jinny (Imogen Waterhouse) is on every front page, wanted for the kidnapping of her unborn child.

However, since arriving in England, the girls have been forced to grow up and now have to fight to be heard as they wrestle with romance, lust, jealousy, births and deaths.

We also know that season 2 will see a nineteen-year-old secret explode when Nan's ‘Aunt’, Nell Wolfe (Gossip Girl’s Leighton Meester), who is actually her birth mother, arrives on the scene. An oblivious Nan has no idea that she was given up by Nell as a newborn to be raised by Nell’s older sister, Patti St George (Christina Hendricks).

Speaking about the turmoil her character is facing, Frøseth told us, "It’s a complex mess. Nan was forced to grow up quickly and needed to find her grounding within herself, so with that came a lot of courage and boldness. It could’ve turned into a massive mental breakdown, but instead, she turns inward and keeps finding more strength."

The Buccaneers season 2 landed worldwide on Apple TV+ on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 and the eight-episode season will release weekly, concluding on August 6, 2025.

In Godfather of Harlem season 4 episode 9, "Black and White," Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker) desperately tries to figure out what’s next now that Joe Colombo (Michael Raymond-James) has taken the St. Clair. Not wanting to get back in the drug business to provide for his family, but also not wanting to lose what he has left, Bumpy decides to align himself with an old enemy — Joe Bonanno (Chazz Palminteri).

Bonanno still isn’t happy with Bumpy over their last encounter, but he loathes Colombo even more and would rather not see Colombo continue to get more powerful in Harlem. After Bumpy acquires the unlikely ally, he shockingly loses a lieutenant and best friend in Nat Pettigrew (Elvis Nolasco), who ultimately betrays him for Colombo.

Elsewhere, Mayme (Ilfenesh Hadera) becomes the belle of the ball at Truman Capote’s (Steven Boyer) annual soiree, when she does the impossible. She strikes a truce between Capote and James Baldwin (Michael Benjamin Washington).

So, did Joe Bonanno really dislike Joe Colombo? And were Truman Capote and James Baldwin at odds in real life? Here’s what happened in Godfather of Harlem season 4 episode 9.

Did Joe Bonanno dislike Joe Colombo?

The fiction
Running out of options, Bumpy meets Bonanno at a park bench, as Frank Lucas (Rome Flynn), Chance (Erik LaRay Harvey) and Nat look on. Bumpy explains to Bonanno that Colombo is making a play for Harlem. Bonanno asks if he has proof, and Bumpy says he stole the St. Clair. Furthermore, without Bumpy around in Harlem, Colombo has no guardrails. Bumpy asks for Bonanno’s help in stopping Colombo, claiming that while the other families may not like Bonanno, they fear him.

Later, Bonanno and Bumpy meet with The Commission, sans Colombo. Bonanno blasts Colombo for being on TV with The Italian-American Civil Rights League and accuses him of trying to control all of Harlem. Additionally, Bonanno thinks the overall publicity Colombo is attracting will be bad for business. Unfortunately for Bumpy and Bonanno, The Commission doesn’t appear apt to make a move against Colombo.

By episode’s end, Bumpy meets Bonanno again and they discuss Bumpy taking Colombo out. Bumpy isn’t thrilled by the idea of killing a mob boss and says that he needs someone else to have his back if the hit goes sideways. Bonano asks who, and that’s when Stella (Lucy Fry) arrives.

The fact
As the story goes, back in 1962, mob boss Joe Profaci died, creating a bit of chaos for the crime family. Joe Magliocco ultimately stepped into Profaci’s role as the boss of the family, but as instability with the crew lingered, Tommy Lucchese and Carlo Gambino, bosses of two of the other Five Families, came together and formed an alliance of sorts. Not to be “alone” in The Commission, Bonanno aligned with the newly cemented Magliocco, and the two allegedly devised a plot to murder Lucchese and Gambino.

Then, as The New York Times reports, Magliocco’s underling at the time, Colombo, was assigned the task of carrying out the killing. However, Colombo decided to betray his boss and Bonanno and tell Lucchese and Gambino of the ordered hit. The plot was ultimately spoiled, and Colombo became head of the Profaci family, which eventually became known as the Colombo Family.

Having said all of that, it sounds as if there was certainly reason for there to be bad blood between Colombo and Bonanno.

Did Truman Capote and James Baldwin not like each other?

The fiction
Mayme is in the company of her new art society socialites as they talk with Capote about his upcoming masquerade gala. She eventually interjects and suggests amending the guest list to include more Black artists, as Sammie Davis Jr. and Ralph Ellison are the only two invited. Capote happens to agree with her and extends her an invitation.

Later, Mayme tells Baldwin about the invitation, and he says he once had a friendship with Capote until it soured as Baldwin started becoming more popular. Baldwin also recalls Capote calling his work “boring and crude,” and believes Capote is just jealous. Mayme then gets the idea to take Baldwin as her plus one to make peace between the two gentlemen. Mayme meets with Capote at the diner and pitches James being her plus one, but he flatly turns her down, requesting she bring Bumpy Johnson instead.

At the gala, Mayme arrives with James in a mask anyway. James unveils his face, and Capote is outraged. However, cooler heads prevail, and Mayme forces them to call a truce and shake hands in front of the press.

The fact
For starters, it does appear that Baldwin and Capote had some interactions with each other, even if it was limited. One story in The New York Times recounts that Baldwin and his friend Thomas Maltais met at a bar called Le Montana with Capote, and Capote dished out “high-pitched but serious advice.”

With that being said, we didn’t find concrete proof to suggest the two were huge rivals. But, in a letter to American literary scholar Newton Arvin, Capote wrote of Baldwin:

“I loathe Jimmy’s fiction: it is crudely written and of a balls-aching boredom. I do sometimes think his essays are at least intelligent, although they almost invariably end on a fakely hopeful, hymn-singing note.”

Godfather of Harlem season 4 continues to air on Sundays on MGM Plus.

Godfather of Harlem season 4 is nearing its end, and the new episodes have proven to be nothing short of riveting. Even as Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker) has tried to navigate his newfound legitimate career, he’s been met with old foes and out-of-the-blue rivals at nearly every turn. Thankfully for him, he’s found support in his loving family and “loyalty” in his two most trusted lieutenants, Nat Pettigrew (Elvis Nolasco) and Del Chance (Eric LaRay Harvey).

Recently, What to Watch got to catch up with Nolasco and Harvey, and ask them their take on the new episodes of Godfather of Harlem. Not only did they share their thoughts on their characters' evolution in four seasons and their opinions on the new additions of Rome Flynn’s Frank Lucas and Michael Benjamin Washington’s James Baldwin; but, Nolasco and Harvey also talked about their hopes for a possible season 5 (as of publication, no announcement has been made the renewal status of the series).

Let's take a look at just some of the things Nolasco and Harvey told our team.

Where do you each draw inspiration to portray Nat Pettigrew and Del Chance, respectively?

Harvey: My character, he was one of the remaining members of the gang that was still alive when we started filming. I’m not sure if he’s still alive today. I think he is, but I’m not quite sure. But yeah, he was based off of one of the true-life gang members of the gang back then. So, we’ve had to take some fictional licenses with his character to make it more dramatic, but he, Del Chance, is based off a real character.

Nolasco: Same here, Nat/Nathaniel Pettigrew was also a real person, part of Ellsworth Bumpy Johnson’s crew. Of course, some license has been taken creatively by Chris Brancato and the team, and they’ve made a few changes here. The inspiration for me really just comes from one being a New Yorker, born and raised in New York, spending a lot of time in Harlem and just knowing what that vibrancy is for Harlem. Yes, it has changed throughout times, you know we talk a lot about gentrification. But, I was fortunate to still be growing up in Harlem and being able to see still some of that flavor, some of that resonance, from the 1960s, from the 1970s. So a lot of my inspiration comes from just being there in Harlem. And yeah, that’s inspiration enough for me.

What would you say is the biggest shifts in your characters from season 1 to season 4?

Nolasco: From season 1 to season 2 to season 3 and now season 4, I’ve seen the characters, especially Nat Pettigrew, sort of grow. And you see more and get to know more of his backstory throughout the seasons. And of course, season 4 is coming out with a huge bang for Nat Pettigrew, and not just Nat, but a lot of the different characters from the show.

Harvey: As far as changes in character, it’s dependent on the year [chuckling]. We’re a gang that changes with the times.

How was having Frank Lucas and James Baldwin in the mix this season?

Nolasco: Again, it’s just going back to the conversation of the changes of times. It made perfect sense for Frank Lucas to come in now, in season 4, being that we’re now moving out of 66 and kind of going into 67, and then moving into soon Woodstock...

And here’s this character now, Frank Lucas, played by Rome Flynn. And how was that? That was like adding a new spice to some marinated chicken [laughing]. It just heightens everything else up for everyone on board.

Harvey: Here we have this new introduction of someone who sort of comes in and brings a little chink in the armor, so to speak, in Frank Lucas. And I think Rome is starting out and he’s doing a beautiful job so far. And I’m so glad they brought James Baldwin’s character into the storyline, because he was one of the premier voices and intellects of our times. I mean, James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time, my man. You know he spoke reason to what was going on. And after the death of Malcolm, we need some explanation about what’s going on in the community. James Baldwin’s character and Michael the actor, they’re doing a great job in helping us navigate this sort of emotional time.

What are you both looking for in a season 5 if renewed?

Nolasco: The series really does a wonderful job mashing together the underworld with the Civil Rights Movement. So moving into the 70s, we’re probably going to see a different movement taking effect. I would like to be able to continue to see, and I think the viewers will also agree, that when it comes to the underworld and when it comes to politics and when it comes to how things are moving around, that corruption is not just looked upon from one lens.

So I think that moving forward, I think the audience is still going to want to see that weaving of the underworld, and the Civil Rights Movement and the politics. And are they different, or do they have a lot more commonalities than we’d like to think?

Harvey: First, we have to get renewed. So I’m not even thinking about season 5 until, [laughing] there’s an answer that there will be a season 5. Once that answer is established, then I think I’m going to leave it up to the creative team to decide to see where season 5 goes.

Godfather of Harlem season 4 continues to air on Sundays on MGM Plus.

In Godfather of Harlem season 4 episode 8, "If We Must Die," Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker) again runs into a problem with the St. Clair when New York City developer Fred Straub (Ian Lithgow) sues Bumpy for ownership. As the kingpin looks for a way out of this jam that doesn’t cost him everything, he turns to his forced partner, Joe Colombo (Michael Raymond-James). Sadly, Joe's no help, and in the end, it's Joe who actually steals Bumpy’s club away from him, seemingly leaving Bumpy with nothing but debt.

Elsewhere, Delia’s (Roslyn Ruff) youngest son, Jerome (Elijah Wright), is content with going to the Vietnam War after receiving his draft notice. Having already lost a child, Delia is willing to go to extreme lengths to protect him from the dangers of war. She even asks Stella (Lucy Fry) for her assistance. But in the end, it’s Muhammad Ali (Deric Augustine) and the Black Panthers who step in to save the day. Ali shares why he refused to go fight in Vietnam, and the Black Panthers encourage Jerome to fight for another cause instead.

So, did Muhammad Ali oppose the war, and what happened when he refused to go? Plus, what was the Black Panther Party’s stance on the issue? Here’s what happened in Godfather of Harlem season 4 episode 8.

Did Muhammad Ali oppose the Vietnam War?

The fiction
Jerome meets up with his mother and tells Delia he’s determined to answer his call of duty to the draft and go to the Vietnam War. She’s staunchly opposed to the idea and suggests he flee to Canada instead. However, Jerome is not willing to go north.

Later, Delia meets with Mayme (Ilfenesh Hadera) and Elise (Antoinette Crowe-Legacy) to discuss her problems with Jerome. Delia claims Jerome wants to go to Vietnam because his dad served in the military. Elise recommends that Jerome talk to Bumpy, but Mayme states she has a better idea.

Delia brings her son to the local diner, and they find themselves sitting at a table with a lot of food. Jerome questions the portion, and that’s when Mayme and Muhammad Ali arrive.

Speaking one-on-one at the table, Ali tells Jerome about the courage it took for him to refuse to go fight in Vietnam when he was drafted. The boxer claims he lost millions of dollars, was suspended in the boxing world and was facing jail time. Ali said his conscious wouldn’t let him fight the Viet Cong as the Vietnamese hadn’t hurled racist remarks his way, but if he thought the war would bring freedom to Black Americans, he would have willingly suited up and fought.

The fact
According to The Atlantic, on March 9, 1966, Muhammad Ali’s draft status was changed to make him eligible to fight in the Vietnam War. However, he was vehemently against fighting. Then, as described by the History Channel, on April 28, 1967, Ali refused to be inducted into the military, stating, “I ain’t go no quarrel with those Vietcong.”

Later that year, on June 20, Ali was convicted of draft evasion, sentenced to five years in prison and fined $10,000. Additionally, he was banned from boxing for three years. He thankfully was able to avoid prison upon appealing the case, and the Supreme Court ultimately overturned his conviction. You can take a look at Ali express his sentiments on the war in his own words in this video (FYI, Ali uses some strong language in the clip).

Did the Black Panther Party oppose the Vietnam War?

The fiction
While Jerome respected the advice of Ali, he remained determined to follow through with fighting overseas. Desperate to keep her son out of this war, Delia goes to the Genovese headquarters to speak to Stella and ask for her help.

Delia pleads with Stella to have her men kidnap Jerome and take him to Canada. Stella may miss having her son in New York, but she’ll at least know he’s alive if he’s in Canada. Unfortunately, Pino (Erik Palladino) shuts down the idea.

Stella then accompanies Delia to the Black Panthers’ Harlem headquarters to speak with Elise. The three women work out a plan where the Black Panthers will kidnap Jerome, and Stella will help set things up in Canada.

In a subsequent scene, the Black Panthers abduct Jerome while he’s working at a bodega and throw him into the trunk of a car. Before making the trek across the border, they stop at the cemetery by his father’s grave so Jerome can say goodbye to Delia one last time before he leaves.

Jerome can’t believe his mom has orchestrated all of this, and threatens to return. Things take a turn when Jerome says he just wants to do something better with his life. Elise pitches him on joining the Black Panthers. His mom questions the idea, thinking the Black Panthers can be just as dangerous. However, Jerome claims he won’t join the military if he can join the Black Panthers. Delia gives her approval, and he burns his draft card.

The fact
Overall, the Black Panther Party was against the Vietnam War. As detailed by PBS, the Black Panther Party’s Ten-Point Platform states:

“We want all Black men to be exempt from military service. We believe that Black people should not be forced to fight in the military service to defend a racist government that does not protect us. We will not fight and kill other people of color in the world who, like Black people, are being victimized by the White racist government of America."

Godfather of Harlem season 4 continues to air on Sundays on MGM Plus.

Following its exclusive debut in UK cinemas, Universal has now fully released the trailer for Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, and it reveals a heartbreaking moment that fans knew would be coming but didn't want to think about.

The first trailer for the final ever movie in the Downton Abbey franchise was released today, Monday, June 2, and quickly brings us up to speed with all our series favourites.

While the trailer doesn't give too much away for fans, we do know we will be catching up with the Crawley family in 1930 as they head to the races.

The clip also reminds fans this really is the last time we will be taking a trip to Downton, with the caption revealing: "The place we'll always remember, the family we'll never forget. Everything has led to this. It's almost time to bid farewell."

Although all our Downton favourites will be back in their roles for the final time, one notable absence will, of course, be the late and great Dame Maggie Smith as we see a painting of Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, hanging pride of place on the wall of Downton Abbey.

Lady Mary can then be seen standing and looking at the picture with a sad look on her face, reminding everyone of the gaping hole Maggie has left both behind the camera and on screen as the sharp-tongued-but-brilliant Countess of Grantham.

In the trailer, we see our beloved cast of characters navigate how to lead Downton Abbey into the future, they must embrace change and welcome a new chapter.

And while this is going to be an emotional watch for fans, if the clip is anything to go by, it looks like the series will most definitely be going out with a bang.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is released in cinemas on 12 September.

In Godfather of Harlem season 4 episode 7, "The Pawn Goes First," things jump ahead three months, and Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker) is opening his new club, The St. Clair, for business. During the grand opening, Frank Lucas (Rome Flynn ) steals the show wearing a chinchilla fur coat, a fashion piece that eventually brought on the wrong kind of attention. Additionally, while Frank is allowed to roam the floors of Bumpy’s establishment, the two men still aren’t friends or even allies. However, Frank works to change that through the course of the episode.

Elsewhere, Joe Colombo (Michael Raymond-James) has a big problem with the feds thanks to ADA Pike (Hudson Oz) and the federal government. Feeling pressure to bust Colombo, Pike starts harassing the kingpin. However, that proves to be a mistake when Colombo doesn’t just cower into the shadows, but instead starts the Italian-American Civil Rights League.

So what’s the deal with Frank Lucas and the fur coat? Also, did Colombo start an organization to protect his rights and those of Italian Americans? Here’s what happened in Godfather of Harlem season 4 episode 7.

Did Frank Lucas wear a fur coat?

The fiction
It’s the night of the grand opening of the St. Clair, and there is a line out the door. Frank Lucas pulls up with his girlfriend in what looks to be a brand-new car. Hopping out, he’s dressed in a long fur coat and attracts the eyes of quite a few people. He and his girlfriend walk into the club without problems, and he alone goes into a back room that appears to be for VIPs. Colombo spots him and resentfully tells his associate that Frank looks like a clown in the getup, and the associate suspects the coat signals Frank has been moving drugs for someone.

Frank eventually speaks to Bumpy, complimenting the kingpin on the success of the club. Bumpy extends his congratulations on rising up the ranks, but warns Frank not to try selling drugs out of his establishment.

Leaving, Frank puts his girlfriend in the car, but before he gets in, he’s approached by a friend. The two men talk briefly, and when Frank turns to get in his vehicle, it explodes. Frank is left devastated.

Later, when Frank goes to Stella (Lucy Fry) and Pino (Erik Palladino) to inquire what they know about the hit, she has no answers for him about a suspect. However, she speculates that someone from the Five Families didn’t like the fact that Frank was selling product for her out in Philly. Pino chimes in that Frank made himself a target because he’s been strutting around like a “fuzzy peacock.” Stella severs her business tie with Frank until they all get some answers.

The fact
If you’ve ever seen Denzel Washington’s American Gangster (one of the top 25 best Black movies of the last 25 years), then you probably recall that Washington’s Frank Lucas wore a chinchilla fur coat that put him on the radar of law enforcement. As shared in the New York Post, the real Frank did attribute his downfall and ultimate arrest to a $100,000 fur coat he decided to wear to a Muhammad Ali/Joe Frazier fight at Madison Square Garden in March 1971.

That being said, we were unable to find anything to suggest that Frank wearing an eccentric fur coat led to him drawing attention from the Italian American Mafia to the point that an attempt was made on his life. Furthermore, because we previously didn’t find any information to prove that St. Clair existed, Frank was unable to wear it to the grand opening of such club.

Did Joe Colombo start the Italian-American Civil Rights League?

The fiction
Joe Colombo is walking with his henchman to his headquarters in the junkyard, and Colombo expresses how confused he is that Frank survived a car bomb. As they turn the corner, Colombo sees the feds confiscating his things and frisking his workers. ADA Pike tells Colombo that his business is in violation of several ordinances, including unsafe working conditions, illegal dumping of scrap metal and selling stolen car parts. Colombo says this is made up, and the feds have been harassing him for months. Pike warns Colombo that he’s going down for the murder of Bumpy’s concrete guy and the deceased labor union captain.

In the aftermath, Colombo is fuming, and he has his men retaliate. One of Colombo’s men picks up Pike’s daughter from school and drops her off at home. When Pike’s wife recounts the story of their daughter being brought home thanks to an associate of Colombo, Pike has local officers later pull Colombo and his men over and beat them up.

Having had enough harassment, and after griping about discrimination to Bumpy and claiming Italian Americans had it harder than Black Americans, Colombo stood on the streets of New York in front of the press, announcing the Italian-American Civil Rights League. Stella and Pino listen to the announcement on the radio, perplexed by his move. However, the move is enough for Pike’s superior to tell Pike to back off Colombo.

The fact
According to The New York Times, Colombo did start the Italian-American Civil Rights League, and in the literature for the league, he was credited as a founder. The league originated in March 1970, as a protest against Colombo’s son being arrested, but represented an overarching sentiment that many felt was the misrepresentation of Italian-Americans and their mistreatment. The league also wanted to stop vocabulary in the mainstream that perpetuated “stereotypes that equate Italian‐Americans with gangsterism.”

For more on Colombo and how he came up with the organization, we recommend taking a look at this episode of National Geographic’s Inside the American Mob.

Godfather of Harlem season 4 continues to air on Sundays on MGM Plus.

Between iconic films like Dances with Wolves and mega-hit TV series like Yellowstone, Kevin Costner has become synonymous with the American West. And beginning tonight, the legendary actor will explore the epic history of the nation's land in a new docuseries for the History Channel.

Premiering with the first two episodes on Monday, May 26 beginning at 9pm Eastern Time on the History Channel—a third episode will air on Tuesday, May 27, with subsequent episodes airing on Mondays at 9 pm ET—Kevin Costner's The West will delve "into the desperate struggle for the land itself –and how it still shapes the America we know today," per the official series description. Costner is narrating the eight-part series and serves as an executive producer.

"The West has fired the imaginations of Americans since the end of the Revolutionary War, when settlers first began their relentless push beyond the Appalachians," reads the official synopsis. "In their quest for new lands and better lives—or just hoping to strike it rich—many became legends: the explorers of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, migrant families in covered wagons beating the trail to Oregon, feared outlaws and the lawmen that hunted them down, abolitionists who fought slavery on this new frontier, cowboys and ranchers who sought to claim their piece of the American dream through hard work."

"But the pioneers who staked their claims to the West also sparked fierce conflicts with native nations, and The Miami, Blackfeet, Comanche and Lakota brought together powerful alliances to defend their ancestral lands," the description continues. "While the West offers a chance to explore, to build, to strike it rich or start anew, there is a powerful truth at the heart of all these dreams: this land has the unique power both to promise bounty…and bring bloodshed."

The premiere episode, entitled "Fallen Timbers," will detail the conflict between Chief Little Turtle of the Miami—who led the Indian Nations of the Northwest Confederacy to a major victory over the fledgling U.S. Army—and troops under General “Mad” Anthony Wayne, leading to a final battle that will see the Confederacy defeated, and open a new era of westward expansion.

To tune into tonight's premiere of Kevin Costner's The West, you're going to need access to the History Channel. History is included in most cable packages but if you don't have a cable plan, you can use a live TV streaming service to tune into the channel. Your options include Philo TV, Sling TV, Fubo, Hulu with Live TV, DirecTV Stream and YouTube TV—find prices for all of them below.

In Godfather of Harlem season 4 episode 6, "The Visit," Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker) is furious with Joe Colombo (Michael Raymond-James) for kidnapping Chance (Erik LaRay Harvey) and is desperate to get his lieutenant back. Unfortunately, things become complicated when Bumpy gets into a shouting match with Frank Lucas (Rome Flynn) over Colombo’s stipulations for Chance’s return, and Bumpy collapses.

As Bumpy lay in a hospital bed fighting for his life, Chance remained tied up with Colombo, fighting for his. When Frank gets Chance alone, Chance offers Frank a fresh new perspective on Bumpy that leaves him to ponder his actions. However, Chance’s words do little to discourage Frank from attempting to follow through with an order from Colombo to kill Bumpy.

So was Chance really kidnapped? Did Bumpy Johnson really have a heart attack? Here’s what we found out as we looked into what was fact and fiction from Godfather of Harlem season 4 episode 6.

Was Chance kidnapped?

The fiction
In the previous episode of Godfather of Harlem, Colombo had his men and Frank Lucas kidnap Chance. As season 4 episode 6 picks up, Frank beats up Chance, taunting him about how he's returning the favor for Chance beating him up previously. An agitated Frank wants to kill Chance, but Colombo walks in and stops Frank. Colombo sends Frank to Bumpy Johnson’s headquarters to negotiate a deal.

A cocky Frank strolls into Bumpy’s headquarters and shares that if Bumpy wants Chance back, he’ll cut Colombo in all of his businesses. Bumpy becomes outraged and wants Nat (Elvis Nolasco) to kill Frank instead, which wipes the condescending smirk off of Frank’s face. Nat can’t bring himself to do it, though, as he can’t risk Chance’s life. Bumpy is ready to blow his top when he suffers a medical emergency, allowing Frank to slip out in the chaos. But was the real Chance kidnapped?

The fact
Through our research and a conversation with Chance potrayer Harvey, we learned that Chance was indeed a real person. As suggested by Mayme Johnson, Bumpy’s late wife, Bumpy’s inner circle appeared to be comprised of Junie Byrd, Nat Pettigrew, Sonny Chance and Finley Hoskin. However, we weren’t able to find anything to suggest that Chance was kidnapped by a rival of Bumpy Johnson, let alone Joe Colombo. So for now, we can’t say this plotline in the series is factual.

Did Bumpy Johnson have a heart attack?

The fiction
The health emergency we previously alluded to was a heart attack. As Bumpy was yelling at Nat to kill Frank, threatening to do it himself, Bumpy hurled over in pain. Frank managed to escape as Nat concerned himself with calling a doctor for Bumpy.

In the hospital, Bumpy wakes up panicked, wanting to save Chance. Bumpy is adamant he has to leave, but the doctor tells him he had a small heart attack. Bumpy becomes highly agitated, so the doctor gives him a sedative.

Later in the episode, Bumpy is paid a visit in the hospital by Frank. The young up-and-coming criminal tries to kill Bumpy on behalf of Colombo, but Bumpy gets the jump on Frank. Thanks to Bumpy’s previous hallucinations of Malcolm X (Jason Alan Carvell), Bumpy spares Frank his life and sends him back to Colombo so the two kingpins can strike a deal.

The fact
According to the documentary, The Story of the Real Godfather of Harlem (which you can watch for free online), Bumpy suffered from heart problems, which started in early 1967. Now, looking at The New York Post, Bumpy eventually died of a heart attack at the age of 62 in 1968. The publication reports, "In 1968, he [Bumpy Johnson] died of a heart attack. Johnson was eating a breakfast of fried chicken and eggs at Wells Restaurant in Harlem when cholesterol accomplished what his adversaries could not.”

Godfather of Harlem season 4 continues to air on Sundays on MGM Plus.

Marie Antoinette season 2 marks the return of the thrilling BBC historical drama telling the tale of the Queen and her life in the court of Versailles.

Focusing on the real-life events of the time, Marie Antoinette depicts the eponymous Queen as she navigates her life by the side of King Louis XVI.

In season 1, she moved from Austria to France as a young girl, meeting Louis for the first time. She birthed his children and, most importantly, a son and heir to the throne. And they took the throne themselves as King and Queen of France. But, there's plenty more of their historical tale left to tell in season 2.

Here's a recap of everything that happened in Marie Antoinette season 2 episode 8.

The final episode opens on Marie waking up in her room, covered in snow. She walks through the apartments and finds her children and Louis frozen to death. She startles awake in her own bed. Then, Breteuil and Mr Necker tell Marie of a riot started by a rumour for wage cuts. Some of the rioters say they’re being paid by Orleans. They have the pictures he printed of Marie at Saint-Cloud in their pockets. She says they should arrest him, but Mr Necker says it’s a bad idea and would make France even angrier. She dismisses them as she gets ready for the Estates General.

Louis practises his speech, but he struggles. He heads out together with the Queen in their full regalia. It cuts to the Queen explaining to her children that bishops and priests are the First Estate, knights and nobles are the Second Estate, and everyone else is the Third Estate. She adds that the Third Estate will hopefully help them to convince the other two to vote in their favour. The King and Queen are called out to speak to the Estates General. While the crowd claps for the King, they’re quieter for the Queen.

Louis steps forward and begins to speak eloquently and confidently to the crowd. The Queen struggles with the judging eyes. But, after the King delivers his speech the crowd stands and cheers for them. In London, Jeanne is hiding coins inside of her book as Nicolas returns. He brings her a gift, a dress. She wants to know where he’s hidden the diamonds, but he says he’s spent them. They kiss, but she asks again as she doesn’t believe him.

At Palais-Royal, Mademoiselle Tussaud is making a model of Orleans' head. Felicite comes in and asks about him hoarding grain, which he all but admits. He tells her to be calm as they’re close to achieving their goal. At Versailles, Marie sits with her son and looks through complaints from the people that Louis has requested. Louis brings the Dauphin a feather. He’s still to hear from the Estates General and they discuss Jeanne’s memoirs that are selling everywhere.

In London, Jeanne and Nicolas lay in bed together. She suggests they go to America, but Nicolas says it’s too far, especially if he wants to see the boys, referring to their lost twins. She argues, but he wants to stay where they are and just be happy. Meanwhile, the King and Queen have fallen asleep next to the Dauphin’s bedside, but as Marie wakes up she realises that her son has passed away. The doctor arrives and they say they must take the body immediately. As the Queen screams, Louis picks him up and carries him away. Provence arrives and walks beside him.

The next day, Louis says they won’t have a state funeral because of the economy. He leaves to go hunting, but Yolande is waiting outside. Marie comes out and then shuts the door in her face while Louis leaves her behind. As she sleeps, Marie dreams of her son. Again, the official portrait is taken down from the wall. Out hunting, Louis finds another feather. Breteuil asks the Queen about Louis’s health and she explains the Dauphin has set him back.

The Third Estate arrives to speak to Louis. They want to know how they should vote, but he explains he is in mourning. The Queen enters and demands that the Third Estate leave. Target, leading the Third Estate, says that they won’t vote until the King decides and every day that passes makes the situation worse. Elsewhere, Provence rubs a pain in his side. Josephine offers to make Provence a powder. They watch in the gardens as Louis tells Normandy that he’s the new Dauphin. Provence says he hasn’t been to the doctor about his stomach because it’s just indigestion.

As Jeanne wakes up one evening, she notices the missing diamonds shining from atop the chandelier in the middle of the room. At Versailles, Mr Necker tells Louis that the Third Estate have taken matters into their own hands. They’ve broken away from the Estates General and declared themselves a National Assembly, a sole legislative body. They want to limit royal power and are working on a constitution. As Louis tells his family, Mr Necker suggests it might be wise to give them a constitution after all. Provence argues that Louis should impose the Crown's rights upon them instead.

Marie steps forward and suggests a compromise and as Provence argues, he can’t stop coughing. He steps out with Josephine and they run into Madame de Rohan and Malherbe demanding to see the King. They’re angry about the National Assembly and want to make sure the Crown and Parliament don’t lose their authority. Provence says they are the reason for the problem in the first place, by turning against Louis at every turn. As Madame de Rohan tries to barge past, Provence stands against her and demands they all leave, shouting in her face.

Marie goes to visit Josephine. She hands her letters from Marguerite and goes to see Provence. He’s unwell. She speaks of Orleans, but says she’s also concerned about Mr Necker, accusing him of courting popularity and the army and for trying to persuade the King to give up his power. Provence thinks there could be a coup and says that Necker needs to go. But she says since Paris supports him, if they got rid of him, they might turn more people against them. He tells her to order reinforcements from the borderlands.

Marie Antoinette season 2 ending explained

Provence again asks for Josephine to fix his powders and she obliges. Provence says the doctor has told him something is eating at his innards. He says it’s terminal. In London, Jeanne is wearing the gown Nicolas bought her. He leaves for the pub. She pulls out an embarcation coupon for the US that she’s bought for herself to go to New York and packs up all the diamonds. But, Nicolas comes back. As she goes to leave, guards show up looking for her. She goes to the window and as a horse cart passes by below with hay, she tries to drop into it, but instead misses and kills herself. The guards arrest Nicolas. A boy runs past and steals the diamonds.

At Versailles, the Queen tells Lamballe that Jeanne died falling from a window. She says her husband pushed her. Louis enters and says he thinks Necker is encouraging the rebels. He says he’s sent Necker into exile and is having him escorted back to Geneva. Josephine heads to Palais-Royal. Marguerite is there. She says they need to get Josephine out of there before she’s recognised as the discontent is now across France, not just Paris.

Louis and Marie discuss Necker’s exile and Marie says she’s worried about Paris’s reaction, but Louis says he had Necker taken at night so no-one will know. In the palace grounds, rioters suddenly emerge and attack the guards, heading to take Normandy but the Queen gets there in time to grab him. She hands him to Louis and tells him to run. They speak indoors and Marie asks Louis what he wants to do. He tells her to take the kids to Saint-Cloud. Provence says they have to stay while Victoire says it would show fear if they left. Provence says if they’re to serve France, they need to do it where they are. Louis agrees to stay. Lamballe says she’ll make sure the household is secure and Marie sends Breteuil to get Orleans.

When Provence returns to his room, Marguerite is there and Josephine’s bags are packed. She says the National Assembly says she can’t be exiled. Provence says he can’t be left because he’s dying. Josephine dismisses him and says she’s moving Marguerite back into her rooms. Then, she reveals that she’s been feeding him rat poison for six months, that’s why he’s ill. She says she wants to keep him alive to be tortured by her happiness and he replies that he doesn’t want to be shut out again and that they’re stronger together. She agrees that's why she didn't actually kill him.

Orleans arrives to see the Queen. She tells him to calm the mob in Paris. He says the mob are acting this way because they’re starving. But she says they’re only starving because he’s hoarding grain. Orleans argues it’s not his fault since France created a deficit and hid it, as well as angering the Parliament in court with Cardinal Rohan. He says what she should’ve done is reunited their families with agreeing to the marriage of her daughter to his son.

She tells him to speak to the Third Estate and stop the National Assembly. But he says it’s too late. She holds his face in her hands and pleads for his son. He says he wants his son to inherit his throne and as he goes to leave, she calls him a coward. In her room, Marie and Louis lie in their son’s bed. They talk about when they were first married and Marie says she’s bad luck and he argues it’s him that’s the bad luck.

Outside Versailles, people are burning effigies of the King and Queen. A carriage passes with Orleans inside. As he returns to Palais-Royal, the rebels break out Orleans’ Tussaud model and hold it on a stick, carrying it through the streets and chanting, “Long live the Duke of Orleans”. He goes to Felicite and they celebrate.

The crowd chant to head to the Bastille to release Louis’ political prisoners. Outside, they’re tearing up a man on the streets. Felicite says Orleans should come to the Bastille with them, but he says he wants to be the King, not a martyr. If they wanted radical change, they wouldn’t have chosen him, a prince of the blood. She calls him arrogant but he says she chose him too.

At Versailles, Victoire and Provence watch as the people of Versailles leave, including Yolande. As she passes Lamballe, Yolande says that she should tell the Queen to leave, too. Lamballe and Bretueil approach and tell the King and Queen of the mob invading the Bastille. A revolution has begun. Crowds gather outside the gates of Versailles demanding they come out and start firing guns. As the guards rush to the gates, they open.

All episodes of Marie Antoinette, seasons 1 and 2, are available on BBC iPlayer.

Marie Antoinette season 2 marks the return of the thrilling BBC historical drama telling the tale of the Queen and her life in the court of Versailles.

Focusing on the real-life events of the time, Marie Antoinette depicts the eponymous Queen as she navigates her life by the side of King Louis XVI.

In season 1, she moved from Austria to France as a young girl, meeting Louis for the first time. She birthed his children and, most importantly, a son and heir to the throne. And they took the throne themselves as King and Queen of France. But, there's plenty more of their historical tale left to tell in season 2.

Here's a recap of everything that happened in Marie Antoinette season 2 episode 7.

The penultimate episode begins with the official portrait being painted. The artist adds in the Crown’s new baby daughter, Sophie, as the Dauphin enters in a wheelchair. Louis is trying to get the Queen to go outside as she’s not left her room in months. She’s worried for her safety. Yolande comes to take the baby to the nursery, but the Queen dismisses her. Louis argues that he asked Yolande to keep the secret about the Dauphin’s health. She says she’s angry with both of them.

Felicite comes to visit Jeanne in prison. She offers to help her with the infection in her wound from being branded. Jeanne asks what she wants and Felicite reveals the presses they have to discredit the Crown at Palais-Royal. She says if Jeanne writes her story, they’ll print it. She says in return, she’ll help her escape prison. She asks her to lie in her writing.

At Versailles, Breteuil brings a blackmail letter from England to the Queen who is in bed with Fersen. It’s from Nicolas la Motte and he says he has the Queen’s private letters, the ones she wrote in lemon juice to Fersen while he was away. Breteuil offers to go to London to negotiate, but she forbids him. Fersen tells the Queen that she can’t dismiss it because of the wider implications it will have on her other son’s legitimacy and parentage. He offers to go to London and deal with it. The Queen promises when he returns, she’ll be herself again.

Vergennes and Calonne are unwell. But Calonne tells Louis that he’s managed to draft the tax reforms for the Notables. Louis is worried they’ll go against him like Parliament did, but Calonne says they’ve been chosen carefully. They cheers, but realise that Vergennes has died sitting at the table.

Louis summons the Notables alone to discuss the new taxation plans, but the crowd are upset. Provence and Orleans talk afterwards and Provence is worried that the church and nobility will hate them both as well if the taxes get passed. Josephine says someone should assassinate Louis. She’s drunk and upset that Marguerite has stopped sending letters. Malherbe comes to see them from Parliament and Provence dismisses Orleans. He wants to know if the tax reforms are getting approved. Provence assures him he won’t let Louis do it.

Elsewhere, Lamballe strokes Marie’s hair as she lies on the floor. Marie admits she should’ve listened to her. She asks Lamballe if she knew about the Dauphin, but she says she didn’t. Though, she says, she has kept something from her. She tells her about how she saw Yolande notice Marie had collapsed in the hallway and how she left her there because she was trying to get Calonne approved as financial controller. But, that Lamballe saved her. At the prison, Jeanne begins to write her story.

Louis returns in front of the Notables. A man stands and says they’re broadly in favour of the taxation. But Provence stands, quoting Mr Necker’s report, wrongly stating how much profit the Crown makes to serve the country. He asks instead why the Crown requires more money. To this, the Notables want to see the accounts. Afterwards, Calonne is furious that they’ve covered up the deficit for nothing.

Provence enters and says he didn’t expect anyone to ask to see the accounts. Louis tells him that there is no surplus and that Necker was wrong. He tells Provence of the debts, six billion livres worth. Then, Louis goes to tell the Queen. She’s furious at his lies about their financial state. That evening, Orleans has arranged a meeting with Malherbe. Madame de Rohan arrives. They discuss the tax reforms, but Madame de Rohan says the rich pay in blood shed during war on the battlefield, but then questions the fact she knows Orleans abandoned his post.

Yolande continues to try and win Marie back. She goes to dismiss Lamballe, but Marie asks for her to stay. Then, she tells her she knows about the evening of the miscarriage. Yolande calls Lamballe a liar. Yolande begs Marie not to abandon her, but Marie says she can stay in court, but Marie is not looking after her anymore.

As Provence tries to convince the Notables that they don’t need to see the financial reports, Calonne enters and starts throwing papers sharing all the secret loans that Necker took out to hide the war expenditure and all of France's debt. Louis walks in and he's furious. He calls Calonne a traitor and throws him to the floor. He starts grabbing the papers from the Notables and Provence stops him, telling him he looks mad. Marie goes to find him and he’s curled up under the staircase. She says they must leave together.

That evening, Calonne leaves Versailles. He tells Louis if he’s made to leave, their work will be for nothing, but Louis stares blankly and Calonne departs. At the prison, Felicite brings Jeanne clothes and tells her a carriage will be waiting outside for her. She says she bribed the guards and she’ll kill another. Jeanne escapes.

Provence tries to see the King, but Marie says he can’t. He insists, saying that France is angry. He barges in to find Louis lying on the floor across a map. Marie comes in and tells Provence to leave. She holds Louis and he tells her he can’t rule. She meets with Breteuil and tells him she needs to know about everything going on, so that she can rule while Louis isn’t well. He tells her they need money, around 500 million. She asks to speak to Malherbe. Before he leaves, he tells Marie that Jeanne has escaped from prison.

Josephine writes a letter to Marguerite. Provence comes to tell her Louis has gone mad, but she doesn’t care anymore. Elsewhere, Malherbe arrives to speak to the Queen. She asks for 500 million livres from the Parliament and in return, she’ll drop the tax reforms. He says they’ll debate it. While the King and Queen wait as the men debate, Louis loses his patience and demands they give him the money. Orleans says to demand from Parliament is illegal. But Louis says he wants it, so he should get it. To this, they deny the loan.

The King calls them all traitors and leaves. To this, Orleans says that Parliament needs the power and that the Crown must be held accountable for its actions or they’ll rule with tyranny. On return to Palais-Royal, Orleans’s followers carry him through the streets. Here, he’s met by Breteuil and the King’s guards to deliver a letter. He’s been banished from Versailles again.

At Versailles, Josephine is angry at Marie for Marguerite’s banishment and Marie informs her that Provence and Adelaide were the real reason she was banished. She tells her to pick her side carefully. Josephine storms to their rooms and finds the letters Provence has been hiding from Marguerite.

The next day, Mr Necker returns and the Queen offers him the position of financial controller. The Queen tells him the people of France still love him, but not the King. Necker says he doesn’t want it, but she says it's a demand that he gets France out of the mess he left it in. Elsewhere, Jeanne arrives to see Nicolas and he’s in a trashed office with a beaten-up face. He tells her Fersen has been.

At Versailles, Lamballe is in the nursery with the children. She goes to check on the baby and looks shocked. She calls for the nurse to move the Dauphin and the nurse also looks at the baby and gasps. The official portrait artist paints over the baby, removing her from the picture and the King and Queen mourn. When Fersen returns there’s a hailstorm. With Marie, he says at home the father would build the coffin and she reveals the doctor said the baby slipped away in her sleep.

Breteuil interrupts to tell her the situation in the country has gotten worse. The peasants are starving and it’s only increased by the hailstorm wiping out their crops. They are heading to Paris for food. Marie wants to send more aid. Breteuil thinks that Orleans is storing grain for himself. He hasn’t taken the news to Louis. That evening at Palais-Royal, Orleans wonders why he doesn’t hear from Saint Georges anymore. There’s peasants begging for food, but Orleans sees it as an opportunity for political capital. He thinks the public will turn their allegiance to him, if he feeds them. Saint Georges doesn't like what he hears and leaves. Orleans calls to the room and says to tell the peasants to come to his kitchen for bread.

Mr Necker tells the Queen that he can’t do anything about the deficit. He says he lied because the King wanted him to. Marie demands the truth. He says the King must enact his tax reform immediately and the only way to do that is to call an Estates General. He explains it’s an old institution made up of clergy, nobility and commoners. They haven’t gathered for over 100 years. Mr Necker says she must convince the King to summon them.

Before she does so, she meets with Fersen to tell him that Louis needs her. She says she can’t have a private life when she’s so busy with France and the King. Fersen is angry and leaves. Meanwhile, Felicite delivers a book of Jeanne’s printed story to Orleans. She speaks out against the Crown. At Versailles, Marie sits down at Louis’s desk and begins to work.

All episodes of Marie Antoinette, seasons 1 and 2, are available on BBC iPlayer.

Marie Antoinette season 2 marks the return of the thrilling BBC historical drama telling the tale of the Queen and her life in the court of Versailles.

Focusing on the real-life events of the time, Marie Antoinette depicts the eponymous Queen as she navigates her life by the side of King Louis XVI.

In season 1, she moved from Austria to France as a young girl, meeting Louis for the first time. She birthed his children and, most importantly, a son and heir to the throne. And they took the throne themselves as King and Queen of France. But, there's plenty more of their historical tale left to tell in season 2.

Here's a recap of everything that happened in Marie Antoinette season 2 episode 6.

The episode begins with Madame de Rohan arriving at the start of the public trial for Cardinal Rohan. The public are chanting for and against the King and Queen. Madame is greeted by Orleans, but is upset that the trial is being used as propaganda for his radical ideas. She says if Orleans doesn’t get Cardinal Rohan freed, she’ll have him called a traitor. Felicite tells Orleans that he should tell the Madame that they can’t prove his innocence without witnesses. Marie, now heavily pregnant, arrives and watches the trial from a private viewing box. The Crown versus Cardinal Rohan begins and Rohan is brought forward.

The prosecution states that the Queen’s special guard who stole the necklace was in fact working for the Cardinal. They call Cogliostro a co-conspirator. The defence stands and Target begins to question Cardinal Rohan. Rohan states that he was manipulated by a woman and names the thief as the Queen. He says that because he was out of favour, he donated to the charity run by Jeanne, Countess de Valois, actually Le Motte. He explains how he was writing letters to the Queen, but they became intimate friends.

He speaks of meeting the Queen in the gardens at midnight, where she gave him a rose that he kept. He holds it out, and the gallery gasps. Orleans notices the prosecution looking up at where the Queen is secretly sitting to watch. Cardinal Rohan accuses the Crown of being flawed. Yolande suggests Marie returns to Versailles as she doesn’t look well. She refuses and sends Yolande back instead to look after the children.

During a break from the trial, the prosecution privately asks the Queen where she was on the night of the garden meet, but she strictly denies ever meeting him there. Breteuil asks the Queen how they can argue against Rohan’s lies without also lying. She thinks they need to find the person who was pretending to be her. But by doing so, it would reveal Cardinal Rohan was actually a fool, not a thief. The Queen asks Breteuil to investigate outside official channels.

At Versailles, Calonne shows Louis that they are running out of money. But Parliament won’t approve another loan because they’re concerned Louis's prosecution of nobility is a power move. He says that there’s also the rumour about the land tax reforms. Louis asks Calonne if he told anyone about their plans because only him, Louis and Vergennes knew. Provence enters and Louis accuses him of going through his desk, but he denies it. He brings a notice from the Palais-Royal looking to separate church and state.

At the trial, Jeanne is brought in to speak. Prosecutor Fleury asks her about her relationship with Cardinal Rohan. She says her innocence was exploited. She describes her poor childhood and that when she met Cardinal Rohan he asked her to collect donations for his charity. She denies knowing about the necklace. But now that she knows the charity was a lie and that Cardinal Rohan had large debts, she thinks that he stole the necklace alongside Cagliostro. Marie is relieved.

Afterwards, at the Bastille, Cardinal Rohan is angry that he wasn’t allowed to tell the truth. Now the Queen is angry at him and Jeanne will be freed. Madame de Rohan wants more witnesses, especially the Queen’s special guard. Orleans says they can’t find the guard, but they think they’ve found the woman who was pretending to be the Queen. She fled, but they’re tracking her down. Orleans says they need a new strategy and Felicite smirks.

Fersen and Marie speak together and Fersen asks if the Cardinal is innocent. She says he can’t be because they accused him publicly. Louis enters. He says he heard the trial went well, but she’s unhappy she has been accused. He says he’ll come to the trial with her tomorrow. Elsewhere, Provence is rejoicing that Louis is starting to look paranoid. He tells Josephine they don’t want the Crown to be charged, but Josephine argues if Cardinal Rohan is charged, the people will sympathise with Marie. He says they want to damage her. Josephine suggests persuading Jeanne to help them. She says she’s tired of plotting, but Provence says if she wants Marguerite back they need to go to Bastille to see Jeanne. They send Beaumarchais to the Bastille on their behalf.

Beaumarchais meets with Jeanne and tells her that she’s putting on a performance because she must have someone powerful on her side. He suggests if it’s the Queen, she is not to be trusted. Instead, he suggests that Parliament might be happy to hear anything damaging targeting towards the Queen. She says the Cardinal must have sent him. He says he didn't, but that his friends are happy for both the Cardinal and the Queen to go down together. He muses whether the Queen can be trusted to save Jeanne.

The trial resumes. Jeanne La Motte is brought to speak. She insists she’s the Countess de Valois. She says Cardinal Rohan told her to use the name. Target questions Jeanne over letters she forged previously and says he knows that she’s spent lots of money since the necklace was stolen. He accuses her of being a fantasist and a criminal.

In response, she insists the Cardinal is obsessed with the Queen, sexually. The gallery gasps. She says he would tell her about visiting the Petit Trianon to see the Queen. She then says that the Queen buys diamonds behind the King’s back and watching, Louis becomes angry. As Beaumarchais watches on, Jeanne brings up the Queen learning Swedish and that Cardinal Rohan called the King a cuckold. Both the Queen and the King are angry.

Louis says he’s leaving and that he can’t listen to her insult them publicly. Marie says Yolande will go with him. She expresses that she now knows Jeanne has her own agenda. When she asks Breteuil about whether he's discovered anything about the meeting in the garden, he says the woman who impersonated her is missing. He has spies looking for her. He says they’ll have to make sure she doesn’t appear in court if she tricked Rohan.

At Palais-Royal, they rejoice over how the trial is going. Orleans is unhappy because Cardinal Rohan is losing in court, but they’re pleased the Queen is going down with him. Saint-Georges and Felicite ask Orleans to join them in their celebrations. Felicite tells Orleans they’re not trying to humiliate the Queen, but he says he knows that. He’s trying to drive a wedge between Parliament and the Crown.

Felicite says she can help, but first she wants Orleans to promise that if he becomes King, she wants women to have equal rights to men. She says she has what he needs to win the trial and asks him to follow her. Taking him down to the basement, she reveals Villette, the missing special guard and Jeanne’s friend. Villette insists he won’t damage Jeanne’s reputation, but Felicite invites him to the Bastille to see that Jeanne isn’t actually dead.

Marie goes to visit Louis. She says that at least they can rely on Parliament to vote in their favour, but Louis says he’s not sure that’s the case. He explains how they know about the land tax and that Parliament are worried about France's finances. He reveals they are in debt. He says that they might defy him and vote that Cardinal Rohan is innocent. He apologises for not telling her, but says that if Parliament votes against him in the trial, it will show France he’s not in control. They realise that the trial now means their reign is in question.

At the trial, they bring in the woman that impersonates the Queen in Palais-Royal and as her for the meetings in the garden. Breteuil apologises for failing her. She introduces herself as Mademoiselle Nicole d’Oliva. She says she was paid to meet Cardinal Rohan and that she is also paid to act like the Queen in bed at night. Prosecutor Fleury says the defence have paid a prostitute to back up their story. To this, Target says he’s bringing a man back from the dead.

At Bastille, Jeanne speaks to Villette through the walls. She says that she was unconscious, but she didn’t die, but that Nicolas betrayed them both. She says for their freedom, they just have to blame Cardinal Rohan and stick to the same story, hers. Villette is brought into trial and admits to being the Queen’s guard and forging letters. When asked on whose orders, he says Jeanne La Motte. Target proves it with a draft of one of the forged letters. The crowd applauds and Orleans and Felicite smile at each other. The Queen gets up to leave, realising that Cardinal Rohan will be found innocent of theft.

At Versailles, Fleury tells Louis that Rohan will be found innocent. But Vergennes says they’re working behind the scenes to convince the Parliament to vote he’s guilty. Marie says they could propose a new charge, punishing them for accusing the Queen of theft. Louis says instead they should charge them all. Vergennes says it could end in public execution, but Marie says that’s better than losing France.

Target calls Cagliostro forward to speak, despite his wrongful arrest. He says he’s there purely for his reputation. Marie sits forward and realises that Cagliostro is who she saw at Versailles that night when he returned. He looks up at the Queen’s private box and Marie asks Yolande if Cagliostro was there to attend Dauphin. She denies it. To this, the Queen leaves and says she needs to go somewhere.

The trial comes to its final speeches with Target saying that Jeanne and Villette are guilty of the theft of the necklace and Cardinal Rohan and Cagliostro are innocent. A member of Parliament is handed a note and stands to say there’s been a development. The Crown wants a second, more serious charge raised. Against all of them for tarnishing the Queen’s name.

Target is asked for his opinion. He says that it’s common knowledge that the Queen has lovers, spends money, and does so behind the King’s back. Target thinks that they shouldn’t be hanged for what they’ve said about the Queen. The blame should be in Versailles and the Queen’s own actions. Meanwhile, the Queen goes to sit with her son.

In front of the Rohans, Provence pays Beaumarchais money for his job well done. But he asks Josephine what they should do about the second charge. She reassures him that they just need to damage the Queen. Malherbe takes him to one side and says Parliament is split. But they’re worried that if the Crown loses, that Orleans will gain even more popularity. They want Provence to step into Louis’s shoes.

Parliament stands to deliver their charges. They find Cardinal Rohan and Cagliostro innocent. Jeanne La Motte is found guilty of theft. On the second count, a capital charge of damaging the Queen’s name, they find all the defendants not guilty. The crowd celebrates. Cardinal Rohan steps out of court with Madame and Target. Jeanne is sentenced to a beating and branding and sent to a women’s prison for life.

That evening, she is brought in front of a crowd for her punishment. As she screams, Orleans and Target arrive in Palais-Royal to rapturous applause. He shouts for victory. Fersen arrives and slaps Orleans round the face before he’s dragged away by his men. Provence approaches and says the people have no say in who rules them. Orleans says: “Let the best man win”.

Meanwhile, Felicite goes to speak to Cogliostro. He thanks her for his freedom and she returns the Freemason’s ring. He says there’s no secret in their brotherhood, but that it’s just men working together. She says she wants to make them see that women deserve a seat at the table.

At Versailles, Louis signs a letter to banish Cardinal Rohan. Vergennes says that the loss means that they can’t rely on the Parliament to help them with land tax or any further loans. Calonne says he should call an Assembly of Notables for the reforms. Marie enters and demands Vergennes and Calonne leave. She asks Louis how much time the Dauphin, her son, has left. He finally tells her, no more than two years. She’s upset at his lies and though he apologises and says he’s trying to protect her, but she keeps hitting him. As he asks her how they’ll survive, she leaves.

All episodes of Marie Antoinette, seasons 1 and 2, are available on BBC iPlayer.

Marie Antoinette season 2 marks the return of the thrilling BBC historical drama telling the tale of the Queen and her life in the court of Versailles.

Focusing on the real-life events of the time, Marie Antoinette depicts the eponymous Queen as she navigates her life by the side of King Louis XVI.

In season 1, she moved from Austria to France as a young girl, meeting Louis for the first time. She birthed his children and, most importantly, a son and heir to the throne. And they took the throne themselves as King and Queen of France. But, there's plenty more of their historical tale left to tell in season 2.

Here's a recap of everything that happened in Marie Antoinette season 2 episode 5.

The episode begins on Vergennes arriving at Cardinal Rohan’s sermon with guards. They arrest him on suspicion of theft. Province and Josephine revel in the King’s public display. With Louis and Marie, Cardinal Rohan insists he knows nothing of the jewels. He insists he’d only bought some before for a woman and the charity. The Queen asks who has the necklace and he says it’s with her special guard. To which she says, she doesn’t have a special guard. Cardinal Rohan then speaks of the letters, to which Marie says she never wrote to him. Louis brings in the jeweller, Boehmer.

Boehmer explains how the guard was working for the Cardinal and he was there, too. But the Cardinal says he was making the purchase for his dear friend. He looks at the Queen with hope, but she denies everything. Louis sends Cardinal Rohan to the Bastille. The Queen asks after the charity Cardinal Rohan was donating to and he reveals it was for the Poor Fallen Women.

Elsewhere, Jeanne is breaking into Cardinal Rohan’s desk. She’s interrupted by the guards coming to conduct their own search. Just in time, Jeanne finds the letters from the Queen and takes them, leaving through the window. In a conversation with the prosecutor, he confirms that Cardinal Rohan stole the necklace, but Vergennes says they can’t find it to prove it. They say they’ll deal with the punishment discreetly and compensate the jeweller. Louis says it has to be discreet because the rumours of the Queen buying the necklace behind his back are already circulating.

The Queen says there would be a public trial if it was anyone else. Vergennes argues that Cardinal Rohan is a member of the most powerful family in France and they can’t harass him in public. The Queen pushes Vergennes because she knows the Rohan’s helped him get his position. The prosecutor thinks the Parliament will be displeased with a public trial, but Louis insists they will vote with the King and the Crown. Again, Vergennes is apprehensive. The prosecutor advises Louis to think on it before he acts.

At the Bastille, Vergennes goes to visit Cardinal Rohan. He asks him if he stole the necklace and the Cardinal says he didn’t. He explains that the Queen was writing to him. Vergennes says she’s denying everything. To this, Cardinal Rohan says the letters are in his apartment, but Vergennes says they can’t be found. He informs him of the chance of a public trial. Cardinal Rohan tells him that the Queen instructed him to buy the necklace without telling the King. Vergennes tells him to contact his family.

Felicite is speaking with Cogliostro in Palais-Royal. She says while Orleans is spreading his own ideas, Felicite needs a secret network of her own. She wants the Freemasons. Before they can discuss further, Orleans comes in and dismisses Cogliostro. He’s upset with her, but she says he needs to focus on the bigger picture instead of fixating on the Queen.

At Versailles, Calonne is suggesting a land tax on everyone as well as a program of economic stimulation to abolish internal customs barriers. Both of which Louis is happy with. He’s worried about the land tax being controversial and upsetting France. Calonne says they need to fix the deficit now, but Louis is concerned that if he angers the people of France, they will vote against him in a public trial.

Vergennes again tries to deter Louis from putting Cardinal Rohan on a public trial. But Louis says that he will do anything to defend the Queen and her reputation, which is their joint reputation. He dismisses him and Provence arrives. Provence explains how he’s had to deter upset people after Louis’s public display of scrutiny against Cardinal Rohan. He questions his stable mind and Louis informs him he has a plan.

Marie and Yolande are sitting together when Marie’s stomach starts to gurgle. She tells Yolande it’s nothing, just stress about Cardinal Rohan. But, she’s feeling sick and Yolande asks if she might be pregnant. She expresses she doesn’t want to do it again and Yolande asks whose baby it is. Marie says she’s been taking precautions with Louis, but not with Fersen.

Breteuil comes in and tells Marie that the Countess de Valois, Jeanne, has been telling the court that the Queen is the patron of the Poor Fallen Women. And that she has been taking donations in return for promises of her favour. Lamballe comes in and admits she believed it and felt she was her true friend, but has realised her mistake. The Queen orders Breteuil to find Jeanne and arrest her. As Lamballe tries to explain, Marie doesn't want to know.

Provence breaks into Louis’s desk and reads papers. Meanwhile, Josephine writes a letter to Marguerite. Provence comes to her and tells her he's just read about a land tax that Louis is planning for all social classes. They discuss telling a member of Parliament. They write to Malherbe, the prosecutor for Cardinal Rohan, informing him of all the details.

Back at the Queen’s room, Yolande says that Lamballe probably fell in love with Jeanne. But, the Queen defends her saying she’s lonely, which is Yolande’s fault since she used to love Lamballe and now loves her instead. Yolande brings her a concoction to drink that should help her to lose the baby and tells her to drink it and go for a ride. So, they do.

Jeanne burns the letters to Cardinal Rohan, but as she’s leaving the King’s guard arrives to arrest her. Instead, she breaks out of the window. As she tries to escape, the guards chase her. She steals a horse and rides off, but the guards block her way and take her in. Elsewhere, Lamballe tells Victoire they’ve arrested Jeanne. Victoire’s upset at the deceit and explains that she was trying to get forgiveness by knitting for the babies. She admits she could’ve been a fallen woman herself and that she had a baby when she was 14. She explains that a married man liked her, but as the King’s daughter, she had to get rid of her baby and Adelaide helped her.

The Queen is with her children and tries to help her son, telling her daughter the disease will get worse before it gets better. But, when Yolande goes to see Louis, he says all the doctors have agreed that there is no hope for his son. She suggests they should try something different and Louis agrees.

At Versailles, they’re discussing what to do with Cardinal Rohan. Madame de Rohan arrives alongside all of the Rohans to see the Crown. She wants to know why the Cardinal has been arrested and insists he’s released now. The Queen says that Cardinal Rohan has been damaging their family name and that he’s now dragging the Queen into it, too. Madame de Rohan says if they don’t release him, they will have to suffer the consequences. Instead, Louis says they’re putting him on public trial and that he’ll save her a seat. To this, they leave.

At Palais-Royal, Cagliostro continues to put on displays. Orleans discusses with his allies about Cardinal Rohan’s situation. Felicite says it has nothing to do with Rohan, it’s to do with the King and now they can act. She says they should send the Rohan’s their condolences and keep printing. For the rest, Felicite will enact a plan. She goes to Cagliostro for help and asks him to use his network to help Cardinal Rohan. But, he refuses.

In the Bastille, Jeanne admits to the prosecutor Fleury that she did take money from the courtiers, but she didn’t know the charity was fake and when she found out. Cardinal Rohan was going to say she was behind the whole plan. She denies any responsibility for the theft of the necklace, promising she had nothing to do with it. She says instead that Cagliostro is involved and that Cardinal Rohan is lying. Marie arrives to speak with her. She tells Jeanne they’re putting the Cardinal on trial and that if she testifies against him, they’ll consider reducing her sentence. Jeanne says she’s worried for her own safety if she did so, so Marie goes to leave. Stopping her, Jeanne asks for a new hat to make a good impression in court.

As Fleury and Marie leave, Marie asks him if he believes Jeanne. He says he does. He says instead they need to issue another arrest warrant for Cagliostro. Meanwhile, Yolande brings Cagliostro to the Dauphin to help heal him. He wants to speak with the King and Queen, but she says he can’t. But, Louis watches from the shadows as Cagliostro works. As he’s leaving, the Queen passes him in the hallway.

At Palais-Royal, Felicite hands out prints of a newspaper they’ve made with the headline to support Cardinal Rohan. Malherbe is also there, reading out his mysterious missive informing him of the King’s plans for land tax. Suddenly, the guards arrive to arrest Cagliostro. Orleans tries to stand in, but Felicite tells her to let them take him and they can use his arrest to help their cause.

The next day, Fersen is unhappy that the Queen didn’t tell him about the baby. He says he wants to be involved in their life, but she says he will never be the child’s father. Elsewhere, Orleans hosts the Rohans. He says they want the same thing and Felicite says they could help them and ensure the Queen’s demise. They want Madame de Rohan to meet Mr Target, the sharpest lawyer in France, that Orleans is willing to share with her to defend Cardinal Rohan. They cheers to being new friends.

Target meets with Cardinal Rohan in the Bastille. He says he needs the Cardinal to accept that he’s deluded and that the charity, Poor Fallen Women, does not exist. He says he’ll help him in his trial, but Cardinal Rohan must do exactly as he says. He accepts. Cardinal Rohan says if Jeanne faked the charity, then she also faked the letters. Meanwhile, Felicite goes to visit Cogliostro and he says he has information that could help Rohan and him. He speaks of the special guard, Armand. He says she needs to find him. She says he’s helpful for her in the Bastille because she can paint the King as a tyrant. He hands her his Freemason ring and says she can use the network.

Provence comes to see Josephine and shows her a letter he’s received. Malherbe wants to meet with him. Louis shares drawings that the children have done of Yolande, but he appears sad. She tells him he should tell Marie about the Dauphin. But he won’t because he doesn’t want to ruin her life. Provence arrives. Louis dismisses Yolande and asks Provence why he’s there. He tells him there’s a lunar eclipse that evening. He reminisces about how they used to watch the stars as kids and Louis says he’ll go outside later to look. When he returns to Josephine, Provence says it worked and that Louis will be there. He says now, they must make Provence a King.

Marie and Yolande discuss that the tonic still hasn’t worked. Marie is scared of having another baby. Meanwhile, Louis heads outside to watch the lunar eclipse. As he does, Provence meets with Malherbe to discuss the land tax. They discuss how there’s talk of voting against the King in the upcoming trial. As they walk, they come upon Louis walking around looking up at the sky. Provence explains to Malherbe that the King’s mental state has been getting worse, casting doubt in his mind. Malherbe thinks the King is unfit to rule, but Provence says the Crown would move to the Queen until the Dauphin is old enough. But Malherbe says it depends on whether the Queen’s reputation also survives the trial.

Lamballe comes to see the Queen. She’s looking at Dauphin’s first socks and the Queen says she’s worried about him. Although Louis says he’s going to be fine, she’s still worried. She apologises to Lamballe for being deceived by Jeanne. To this, Lamballe says Marie shouldn’t use Jeanne at the trial because she’s very clever and a great liar. She tries to tell her that Jeanne is dangerous, but the Queen doesn’t want to hear it. Marie tells Lamballe instead that she doesn’t want her at the trial. Lamballe wishes her good luck and leaves. Elsewhere, men drag Villette’s body into a coffin and a man wearing a Freemason ring nails the lid on top.

All episodes of Marie Antoinette, seasons 1 and 2, are available on BBC iPlayer.

In Godfather of Harlem season 4 episode 5, “Concrete Jungle,” Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker), Joe Colombo (Michael Raymond-James) and Stella Gigante (Lucy Fry) find themselves in a tinderbox thanks to Frank Lucas (Rome Flynn).

Not wanting to use Joe’s concrete workers for the new construction, Bumpy tried to slyly use Stella’s people instead, using Frank as a go-between. However, Frank backstabbed Bumpy and Stella and spilled the beans to Joe, resulting in Bumpy’s lieutenant Del (Erik LaRay Harvey) being kidnapped.

Perhaps preoccupied with all that, Bumpy didn’t realize just how deep Elise (Antoinette Crowe-Legacy) was getting with the Harlem chapter of the Black Panthers. He knew she was a member, but with Afeni Shakur (Devin Kessler) now out of prison, the organization wanted to do something big to make their presence known in New York City. After someone suggests bombing a police station as a symbolic gesture, Elise surprisingly helps put the plan into motion.

However, did the real Afeni and the real Black Panthers ever carry out such a mission? Here’s what we found out as we looked into what was fact and fiction from Godfather of Harlem season 4 episode 5.

Did Afeni Shakur and the Black Panthers conspire to bomb a police station?

The fiction
Following her visit with Omar (Maurice Jones) in prison, in which he demanded she not return to visit him, Elise meets with Bumpy. Their conversation quickly turns to her involvement with the Black Panther Party. While he agrees with the organization's mission, he doesn’t want her a part of it. He wants her safe, bringing up that he already almost lost her once to the needle. She hugs him, but replies that this fight is bigger than them. Clearly unwilling to quit the Black Panthers right now, Bumpy tells her if she’s content with being a member of the group, she can’t come to his home out of concern for Margaret.

Elise then heads to the Harlem headquarters for the Black Panther Party, where she asks Sadiq (Kyle Vincent Terry) if she could crash there for a while. After he says it’s no problem, they join the other Black Panthers as they discuss what to do next. One member raises the point that while the school programs they do are good, they should do something big to get noticed. Afeni Shakur doesn’t want to do too much to go on the offensive, nervous they’ll draw more of a crackdown presence from police and alienate allies. However, the other member in question is determined to do something symbolic.

Sadiq chimes in that he knows a guy with some explosives, enough to turn the local police precinct into a symbolic parking lot. Afeni is staunchly against the idea, but Elise is shockingly on board with it, believing it will show white oppressive forces they are serious. Afeni suggests putting this plan to a vote, and it’s implied that the majority of the group votes to take an extremely radical and explosive approach.

Later, Sadiq is with a few fellow members discussing more of their plot. When they question the logistics of getting explosives, Elise suggests going to her dad’s chemical plant instead, where she knows there’s dynamite. By the end of the episode, that’s exactly where she and Sadiq go to get the explosives.

The fact
According to Time, on April 2, 1969, 19 men and two women belonging to the Black Panther Party in New York were arrested after New York City law enforcement conducted a series of raids. Known as the “New York 21” or the “21 Panthers,” these Panthers were charged with “conspiracy to shoot police officers and bomb police stations, railroad tracks, Manhattan department stores and the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx.” Among the defendants was Afeni Shakur.

As reported by Blavity, the arrests occurred after the FBI Director at the time, J. Edgar Hoover, labeled the Black Panther Party a grave threat to national security and wanted to dismantle it. To do that, law enforcement agencies ran a series of counterintelligence missions to undermine and discredit the organization, and the arrests of the 21 Panthers were part of this overarching goal.

When it came to the trial of 13 of the 21 defendants, it was revealed in court that the prosecution’s case was largely built on the testimony of three undercover agents, whom law enforcement had planted in the civil rights group. These agents testified, “that they had witnessed members of the Panthers train and plot based on an extensive plan to bomb targets in New York City, including police stations and even the Bronx Botanical Gardens.”

However, given that the prosecution presented little evidence other than the agents’ testimony, after an eight-month-long trial, the defendants were found not guilty on all charges. On an interesting note, Afeni was one of those found not guilty, and at the time of the verdict, she was eight months pregnant with rapper Tupac Shakur.

Godfather of Harlem season 4 continues to air on Sundays on MGM Plus.

Marie Antoinette season 2 marks the return of the thrilling BBC historical drama telling the tale of the Queen and her life in the court of Versailles.

Focusing on the real-life events of the time, Marie Antoinette depicts the eponymous Queen as she navigates her life by the side of King Louis XVI.

In season 1, she moved from Austria to France as a young girl, meeting Louis for the first time. She birthed his children and, most importantly, a son and heir to the throne. And they took the throne themselves as King and Queen of France. But, there's plenty more of their historical tale left to tell in season 2.

Here's a recap of everything that happened in Marie Antoinette season 2 episode 4.

The episode begins in a dark woods. Cardinal Rohan believes he is meeting with the Queen and as she appears in front of him, she is hooded and her face is covered. She hands him a rose. To this, he visits the jeweller just in time to stop him breaking the diamond necklace and tells him he’s found a buyer.

Marie writes one of her secret letters to Fersen to tell him about the birth of her baby. In court, Louis and Marie gather round to see her official portrait, but the crowd are displeased with it, calling it an inappropriate picture with Marie in her underwear. Louis angrily demands that it’s taken down. Instead, he pulls her away and says they're going back to Versailles.

Orleans and Provence toast to the Queen’s mistake. They reveal in Orleans printing of the pictures of the Queen going to Saint-Cloud. Back at Versailles, Louis and Vergennes discuss upping security. Vergennes also informs him that the delegation from Parliament is there to discuss the new loan. As he leaves, Louis opens a book to read about tuberculosis of the spine.

Breteuil informs Marie that her portrait has been removed from public view. She arrives in front of the Household Committee to discuss it. They express their disgust at her posing in her underwear. They commission a replacement from a different artist and tell her they’ll have ideas. She says she’ll bring her own ideas and leaves. She then shares a meal with Louis who is angry at her for ruining their reputation. They discuss Orleans’ actions in Palais-Royal. He warns her it’s dangerous to be hated.

A group of men arrive to meet with Louis to discuss France’s finances and ask after the loans. Calonne assures them it is all part of the plan. He asks Parliament to approve his loan. At Jeanne’s, she continues dictating her letters from the Queen to Cardinal Rohan. She discusses further the plans to buy the necklace. That evening, Jeanne and her husband, Nicolas, celebrate with Villette. He tries to move towards her, but she pulls away. Nicolas sends Villette off to the bar and warns Jeanne that at some point, Villette will see her for who she really is.

Marie and Yolande arrive at Palais-Royal and she finally sees the pictures with “The vicious Queen clears off” written underneath. Covering her face, she goes to watch someone performing as her in their underwear, feeding her baby and singing a song about being promiscuous. She watches as the revellers laugh and applaud. Orleans notices the Queen in the crowd as she leaves.

Back at her bedroom, Marie breaks down in tears and curls up on her floor. Yolande kneels by her side and Marie asks if Louis confides in her and tells her he’s ashamed of her. She says never. She tells her not to worry what people think, but Marie is upset. Elsewhere, Cardinal Rohan reads his latest letter informing him of the next step in the purchase and Jeanne as the Queen tells him not to speak of it in public. If it happens, she tells him she will deny all knowledge of it.

Louis plays with his children and Yolande arrives. She sends the children away for their baths and Yolande mentions that Louis is going travelling to Cherbourg. He invites her to go with him. Marie enters and Louis informs her of the invitation. Yolande says that Marie can have some time to herself to make the changes she wants to make. She goes to pack.

Marie apologises to Louis and says she understands why he shouted at her. She says when Louis returns, she will have returned her image to the correct standing as the Queen of France. At Provence’s apartments, his wife Josephine is moving Marguerite in. He asks what about him and her, but she says they’ve never been a couple. Elsewhere, Cardinal Rohan signs as the purchaser of the jewels and tells the jeweller that the Queen is the real buyer. He says the Queen isn’t telling anyone because she would be put in an uncomfortable position with the people of France.

Louis and Yolande leave on their trip. They share a carriage and Louis speaks of his time as a child, about how he spent a lot of time inside. Back at Versailles, Josephine and Marguerite play in the gardens. They kiss publicly and chase each other around. Provence is watching and Adelaide approaches. She says his wife isn’t even trying to have children with him and he says that Marguerite has to go.

Again, Jeanne dictates another letter to Cardinal Rohan. She tells Villette to burn all the evidence of the drafts they wrote. But he pulls one out of the bin and looks at it with deep thought. Meanwhile, Fersen arrives at Versailles. He comes to see Marie and her baby. As he tries to hold her she tells him she went to the Palais-Royal and that they speak of her adultery. She says she has to make changes. Fersen realises that that means him. He says he’ll tell his father to find him a wife and leaves.

On their trip, Louis tries some local pate from the farmers. He thanks them and Louis realises they like him more than the Queen. Yolande says they usually aim their hate at the royal mistress, but since he doesn’t have one, they target the Queen instead. At Versailles, the Queen prepares for her new portrait and instructs the hairdresser to cut her hair as it’s falling out at the back.

That evening, Villette arrives to claim the necklace. When he goes to retrieve it, the jeweller says it will travel with his own guards. Cardinal Rohan refuses. He sends Villette away, but tells him to return with the first payment of 400,000 as soon as he gets back. Villette hands Cardinal Rohan a sealed letter. As Villette leaves though, Jeanne’s husband, Nicolas, steps out and beats him up, stealing the necklace.

When Villette returns to Jeanne, Nicolas is there and Jeanne says that he told her Villette bottled it and ran off. Villette says he attacked him, but Nicolas denies it. Jeanne demands that Nicolas leaves, but instead he strangles her. As Villette tries to stop him, he pushes him away and stabs Jeanne. With a dying breath, she tells Villette to run and he does. Once gone, Nicolas starts laughing and Jeanne picks herself up off the floor. They admire the diamond necklace that she's now wearing.

Marie shows off her new look at Versailles. The people are still displeased and she realises that it doesn’t matter what she does, she will always be wrong. At Jeanne’s apartment, Nicolas asks what to do with some leftover letter paper and Jeanne tells him to throw it into the fire. When it burns, he reads the Queen’s secret letters to Fersen. He folds it up and pockets it without her knowing.

He then chops the diamond necklace and tells her they need to go to the port, but Jeanne says she’s not running. She says there’s no evidence and that Cardinal Rohan would never admit he made a mistake because he will be too embarrassed. Nicolas wants them to go to London together, but Jeanne says she belongs at Versailles. He gives her a contact in Paris to sell her share of the jewels to and he leaves.

That evening, Lamballe finds Marie sitting alone on her floor. Lamballe says she’s knitting for the Poor Fallen Women, but Marie is upset. She’s worried her hair is ugly and Lamballe reassures her that she’d never be ugly. Marie is grateful for her friend. The next morning, Marie brings her three children for her official portrait. On Louis’s trip, he gets to see the sea for the first time. He surveys the harbour they’re building. Seeing it convinces him to extend the taxes to the clergy and nobility. Before they head back to Versailles, Louis stops on the beach and runs into the sea. Yolande watches him and smiles.

When he comes out, Yolande tells Louis there’s something they can do to help Marie’s unpopularity. She offers to be his mistress. She says he doesn’t even have to touch her, but she could take Marie’s blame. He says he needs to be a good King, so he won’t take a mistress.

At Versailles, Lamballe is playing a game and breaks a vase. Jeanne notices and walks in with a new gown and lots of shopping. She hands Lamballe a gift, a necklace. In response, she offers to find Jeanne an apartment near hers in Versailles. She's pleased, but says she has some business to attend to first.

Elsewhere, Cardinal Rohan is waiting for the Queen’s guard to bring the jeweller’s payment. He's growing fretful. Cogliostro is performing some work and the jeweller arrives, though he's not allowed in, but he threatens to go to the Queen himself tomorrow if he’s not paid.

The Queen has gathered the Household Committee, she tells them she only answers to Louis and God. She shows her new official portrait. They’re very pleased. Louis arrives back at Versailles and Adelaide and Provence hand him a document uncovering a spy, Marguerite. He thanks him and says he’ll take a look. He goes to see Marie and she shows him the portraits. But, as she tries to tell him about Fersen, he says he knows but she doesn’t need to say. He wants her to have happiness. He shares with her the gifts from his travels.

Cardinal Rohan is hiding from the jeweller and goes into the confessional. Jeanne steps in and speaks with him and the Cardinal admits he has been robbed by the Queen’s guard. She tells him he can’t tell the Queen. Instead, he should pay the jeweller the money. But, he says he can’t pay as he’s spent everything he has and is destitute. Jeanne is surprised to hear that and he says instead he’ll hire a spy to find the guard and necklace and when he finds the thief, he’ll have them hanged.

Breteuil meets with Fersen and congratulates him on his father finding him a wife. But whispers to him and hands him a note telling him: “Do not be seen”. Elsewhere, Josephine returns to find Marguerite is gone. She goes to Louis with the letter accusing her of spying, but he won’t tell her who told him. Josephine tells him he’s made a new enemy in her. That evening, the Queen lies with Fersen in bed and they speak of Louis’s blessing.

Provence tells Josephine that Louis is the reason for Marguerite leaving. Instead, they make a plot to spread rumours about him to get Provence control of the Throne. She says if they can do that, Provence can bring Marguerite back and he gives her his word. Meanwhile, Cogliostro and Cardinal Rohan look over the Queen’s letters and Cogliostro says they’re forgeries. At the same time, the jeweller arrives to speak to the Queen about the diamond necklace and insists he must see her.

All episodes of Marie Antoinette, seasons 1 and 2, are available on BBC iPlayer.

Marie Antoinette season 2 marks the return of the thrilling BBC historical drama telling the tale of the Queen and her life in the court of Versailles.

Focusing on the real-life events of the time, Marie Antoinette depicts the eponymous Queen as she navigates her life by the side of King Louis XVI.

In season 1, she moved from Austria to France as a young girl, meeting Louis for the first time. She birthed his children and, most importantly, a son and heir to the throne. And they took the throne themselves as King and Queen of France. But, there's plenty more of their historical tale left to tell in season 2.

Here's a recap of everything that happened in Marie Antoinette season 2 episode 3.

The episode opens on Chartres at his father’s bedside. While Felicite says they should send for Cagliostro, Chartres says he doesn’t want any healing. They’re waiting as the clock ticks for his father to pass and finally, he does. Chartres goes to his body and declares Duc d’Orleans is dead, he is now Duc d'Orleans. He says he’ll go to Versailles now to be acknowledged by the King. He can’t get the ring from his father’s finger, so he cuts the finger off instead.

With Jeanne and Villette, he’s trying to make the perfect seal to copy Marie Antoinette’s, so they can forge documents from the Queen. He can’t get it right, so he sends Jeanne to Versailles to keep Cardinal Rohan happy while he continues to work on it.

Marie speaks with Breteuil, confirming her fears that she owns nothing. He encourages her to buy her own house, suggesting some possibilities, including Saint-Cloud. Though he says the price is six million. Meanwhile, Lamballe walks through Versailles before finding some flowers on the floor with the note, “With thanks from the Poor Fallen Women”. She notices they’re everywhere.

Jeanne herself hands a bunch of roses to Cardinal Rohan who is upset that the Queen isn't happier with him. He suggests he should give a bigger donation. He says he’ll keep giving until the Queen forgives him. Lambelle talks to Victoire and Adelaide about the fact that everyone has roses from their donations. She says she’s going to prove that Jeanne isn’t who she says she is.

Meanwhile, Marie picks a new artist for her official portrait. She instructs Mrs Vigee-Lebrun will paint her next. Yolande notes that Marie is pregnant again with how much sugar she’s been eating. But, she hasn’t told Louis. Yolande asks whether it’s because she doesn’t know the father, and she says she isn’t sure. She says she must convince Louis it’s his. Elsewhere, Calonne tells Louis they need to borrow 24 million to avoid fiscal collapse. He says they’ll have to borrow from a bank as the Parliament has already lent them money that they used to pay off the interest of the old loan.

Marie comes to visit Louis. She explains she needs to protect herself from Provence should anything happen to the King. She asks for Saint-Cloud, but when he hears it’s six million, he's hesitant. She says she needs it to be settled quickly as she cups her stomach. Realising she's pregnant, he’s unsure that it's his, but she says it only takes one time. Louis queries why she needs a home now when she has a palace and that maybe she fears her future for another reason. He says instead she must ask Calonne if she wants the money. Elsewhere, Jeanne and Villette write letters pretending to be the Queen. They thank Cardinal Rohan for his donation.

At Versailles, Chartres arrives to meet with the King. Marie argues about his return, but Vergennes and Louis argue it’s wise to keep him in favour and dismiss Marie. As Chartres arrives, Louis asks to heal their rift as cousins and welcomes him back to Versailles. Meanwhile, Marie heads to Calonne to ask for Saint-Cloud. Breteuil first hands her something to read that he feel will help her case.

Provence speaks to Chartres who is distracted by Marie’s arrival. He tells him that they forgave him because they know he’s a liability, but he can’t stop watching Marie. He tries to approach her but she shuts him down. With Calonne, he refuses Saint-Cloud and so, Marie says that she knows that Vaudreuil’s debt is three million livres and that Yolande can’t afford it. So, she reveals she knows he’s been robbing the treasury. She demands Saint-Cloud and he agrees.

Afterwards, Calonne is angry at Yolande. He tells her now that the Queen knows about the debts, she’ll have to find another way to pay them off. Louis arrives and Calonne says they can buy Saint-Cloud for Marie, but Vergennes says a married woman cannot own property. He says that she could give it to her brother or her daughter, not her son. He says if Louis dies, Marie’s allies will protect her. But he asks, “What allies?”

Jeanne arrives to see Cardinal Rohan. Count Cagliostro is there. They sit down for dinner, but they’re interrupted by a message from the Queen with Villette dressed as a guard. Alone, Cagliostro recalls two boys, maybe twins, who want to give Jeanne a message that she was a good mother. Jeanne is angry and says she wasn’t a good mother. Cagliostro says he’s protecting Cardinal Rohan, but he can also share that Lamballe asked him if she was a fraud. He says he gave her the benefit of the doubt and she wants to thank him. She threatens him as a fraud and he returns the sentiment.

Arriving home, Villette hands the Cardinal’s reply to the Queen’s letter to Jeanne. Villette expresses his worry that Cagliostro will know what they’re doing. Jeanne says their problem right now is Lamballe. At Versailles, a doctor has come to see the Dauphin. Louis asks him how he is and he says the disease is progressing and he has lost several centimetres in height with the curvature increasing. When he asks how long, the doctor says two, maybe three years. But, he says their daughter has no signs of the disease. If they have more children, they may make a healthy heir. Louis informs him not to tell the Queen.

Afterwards, Yolande comes to get Dauphin from Louis at the fountain. He tells her about his son's disease and that he’ll eventually die. He explains that his older brother also had it. Yolande offers to help Dauphin with the pain, but again he tells her she cannot tell the Queen. She asks about the baby, but he’s not happy. Instead, he asks after Fersen and wants her to find out if his lineage is healthy.

Lamballe goes to see Jeanne. She wants to know why she’s been invited and she says because of her suspicions. She admits she is a fraud and Lamballe says she knew her charity doesn’t exist. Jeanne says it does exist, the reason she’s a fraud is because she lied about being close to the Queen. She expresses that she longed to be close with her and when she speaks of it, Lamballe cries as it resonates with her too. She says she had a friend like Jeanne had described, but they’re not close anymore. They bond over their likeness.

The doctor checks over Marie, but as she asks after Dauphin, he lies. She asks after his spine and height, but the doctor says it will improve. Arriving back at Versailles, Adelaide asks Lamballe what she found out and she says she’s going to ask a genealogist. She bumps into Yolande leaving the genealogist's office. She takes Fersen’s lineage to Louis to look at, they discuss it's strong, and he asks her to keep this between them. He asks whether she’s heard from her husband, but she moves closer to Louis and says she wants to be of service at Versailles. To which, he tells her she’s valued and they get close enough to kiss, but he stops himself. Instead asking her to leave.

Meanwhile, the Discount Bank agrees to give a loan to France. Calonne tells the court. Elsewhere, Marie meets with the artist who is to paint her official portrait. She’s flattered but says she’s supposed to pick an artist from the Academy, but Marie says she wrote to them to add her. Though she jokes, she finally says she wants a portrait that shows her for who she is. Louis arrives and the artist leaves. He tells her she can buy Saint-Cloud. She thanks him and they hug.

The ladies of the court are knitting for Poor Fallen Women and Lamballe comes in, confirming to Adelaide that Jeanne is from King Henry II’s lineage and that she belongs in Versailles. That evening, Cardinal Rohan reads another letter from the Queen. She explains that he can only contact her via the guard she has sent and that they will have to be discreet.

At Palais-Royal, Beaumarchais has been released from the Bastille. They toast and Felicite accuses Chartres of spending too much time at Versailles. He says he doesn’t want change, he just wants to be there. She’s upset and tells him not to forget where his true loyalties lie. Chartres asks Beaumarchais if the Queen and Fersen were together and he confirms it.

Marie and her daughter arrive at Saint-Cloud. As she walks through the empty rooms, she thinks her daughter is playing hide and seek, but as she can’t find her she begins to panic. Until she hears her playing downstairs with a little boy. When she asks who he is, Chartres replies it’s his son. He tells her he used to spend a lot of time here when he was little.

He apologises for dishonouring her and wants to be friends again. She says she will never forgive him. As she walks away, he calls after her that Louis is going to kick her out for having a baby with someone else. He says he can prove it. She slaps him round the face. He says he will persuade France of her baby’s illegitimacy. What he wants is a marriage between his son and Madam Royale, despite her only being eight. She refuses and tells him to leave.

Back at Versailles, Yolande reassures Marie that she shouldn’t tell Louis and that Chartres can’t do anything. At Palais-Royal, Chartres wants a million copies of a sheet printed, but it’s not clear for what. Marie meets with the artist for her portrait. As she poses, the letters between Cardinal Rohan and Jeanne, acting as the Queen, are narrated. He flirts with her.

It cuts to Marie lying in bed holding her newborn baby. Louis comes in to hold him and instructs the guards to ring the bells and tell France he has a new son. Elsewhere, Cardinal Rohan brings Jeanne a bracelet to thank her for his connection with the Queen. He mentions that the jeweller wants to break up the diamond necklace and sell it in pieces. The next day, she narrates to Villette to Cardinal Rohan that the Queen wants the necklace. She says she wants to buy it in secret, so will need his help.

As she awaits Villette’s return with the Cardinal’s reply, another man enters her apartments. She asks him for his diamond contacts in Antwerp. He explains he lost his wife to pirates in Belize, but then asks Jeanne why she pretended she was dead while he was grieving their children. She covers his mouth. Villette returns and asks who the man is, she introduces him as Nicolas La Motte, her husband. He hands her the Cardinal’s reply, which says he’ll buy the necklace but first he wants to discuss details with the Queen in person.

At Palais-Royal, a drawing has been posted everywhere of the Queen leaving Louis behind with six million livres in a sack and off to Saint-Cloud. Chartres is instructing them to keep posting them. He tells Felicite that doing so will destroy the Queen.

Cogliostro speaks to Felicite, but says he can’t help. She asks after his Illuminati signs and while he continues to walk away, she offers to pay him and that makes him stop. Marie and Yolande travel to Saint-Cloud by carriage. But, when they arrive there are two carriages on fire outside. They immediately turn back to Versailles and she says it's Chartres that has done this, now known as Orleans.

All episodes of Marie Antoinette, seasons 1 and 2, are available on BBC iPlayer.

Marie Antoinette season 2 marks the return of the thrilling BBC historical drama telling the tale of the Queen and her life in the court of Versailles.

Focusing on the real-life events of the time, Marie Antoinette depicts the eponymous Queen as she navigates her life by the side of King Louis XVI.

In season 1, she moved from Austria to France as a young girl, meeting Louis for the first time. She birthed his children and, most importantly, a son and heir to the throne. And they took the throne themselves as King and Queen of France. But, there's plenty more of their historical tale left to tell in season 2.

Here's a recap of everything that happened in Marie Antoinette season 2 episode 2.

The episode begins at Jeanne’s apartment. She has bought herself a gown from the donations to Poor Fallen Women. She speaks to Villette about how Marie is staying in her own rooms since the loss of her child and so she can continue to pretend to be the Queen’s new friend. She explains that her plan is to find someone foolish enough to want to buy the world’s most expensive necklace for the Queen, and that’s how she’ll get it.

At Versailles, the ladies are getting Marie ready and Lamballe reassures Marie and gives her a gift, a perfume bottle. Marie speaks of the thief to Breteuil and continues her search for her stolen letters to Fersen. But, there’s no leads. Jeanne arrives at Versailles and Josephine is drunk. Adelaide says Josephine should find a hobby. Lamballe approaches and asks if she knows the Countess de Valois (Jeanne) and asks if she’s friends with the Queen. Josephine drunkenly tells her to get over her crush on Marie.

Beaumarchais is looking for payment for the arms he secured in America and asks Louis for it. He tells him to take it up with Calonne. He then pitches his The Marriage of Figaro play. He pleads with Marie to have it be performed and Marie then asks Louis to accept it. To this, he agrees to look at the script. Beaumarchais promises it won’t attack the social classes and Louis says he’d have to throw him in the Bastille if it did.

Marie sees Fersen across the Versailles gardens and finds an excuse to leave. Louis then spots his arrival. As Marie leaves, Jeanne bumps into her and steals Lamballe’s gift, the perfume bottle. Back at her rooms, Yolande asks what Fersen said and Marie says they didn’t speak. She says she needs to avoid him.

That evening, Yolande asks Calonne for the money to repay the debts, but he says there isn’t enough. He can give her 300,000 for now. She says Saint-James has asked for four. Vergennes comes to get Calonne for the King. Louis is angry that more bills are appearing and Calonne explains he’s investing to show France’s strengths. If they made cuts, it would show weakness. He suggests they increase the loans further and Louis asks to see the plan.

Marie approaches Saint-Georges as he arrives at Versailles. She asks how he is doing at the Palais-Royal but he says he’s well. She says he can return from Chartres whenever he wants. Josephine approaches, drunk still, and says she’s been cast in Figaro, as has Marie. Yolande confronts Lamballe and tells her she can’t be in the play and divides her again from the Queen.

At rehearsals, Saint-Georges is Figaro and Marie plays Suzanne, his soon-to-be wife. Cast as Count Almaviva, who in the play is intent on deflowering Suzanne before she weds, is Fersen. Marie, realising his role, steps outside to get some air. That evening, Louis asks Calonne what happens if he can’t extend the loans. He suggests that he should raise the taxes for clergy and nobility, but Louis says he can’t. Calonne argues that taxation should be fair. Still, he refuses because he knows many of France will be angry.

Back at the Palais-Royal, Beaumarchais reveals he cast Fersen opposite the Queen. Chartres argues the Queen deserves to be played with, though Saint-Georges isn’t happy. A man hands out invitation cards to join Count Cagliostro every night at nine. They discuss how Cardinal Rohan has become Cagliostro's patron to launch him in Paris. He’s described as a cultist, alchemist and healer. Felicite suggests to Chartres that he should invite him to the Palais-Royal.

Elsewhere, Jeanne watches as Yolande continues to leave Lamballe out. She also observes Cardinal Rohan being rejected from a conversation with the Queen. Meanwhile, at another rehearsal for the play, Fersen is instructed to seduce Marie in his role. Their acting is staggered and awkward. Beaumarchais steps in to help and encourages them to become more emotional together. Again, Marie steps out to get some air though this time Fersen follows her.

In the gardens, Fersen says he’ll withdraw from the play. She’s angry that he’d forgotten about her, but he says he never did and that he couldn’t write any letters to her while he was gone because it was dangerous. He says he never forgot her, but she says she’s the mother of the future King. He notes that she’s changed, but he declares he loves her even more for it. Hearing this, she can’t help herself and they begin to act out their scene in the play by a tree out of view. They kiss and begin to undress, but Josephine sees them.

Returning to her room, Josephine is greeted by a woman. She introduces herself as Marguerite de Gourbillon, hired by Beaumarchais to help her learn her lines for the play. Josephine is defensive, but Marguerite says she’s clearly unhappy with Provence and while she has a husband too, she doesn’t let it ruin her life. She tells her there’s freedom, if she wants it, as she stands incredibly close to her.

That evening, Cardinal Rohan has brought Cagliostro to the Palais-Royal to host an event. Jeanne and Villette are there and she reveals they’re there to speak to Rohan as he’d be the perfect mark for attempting to convince someone to buy the diamond necklace for the Queen. Cagliostro, meanwhile, says a “man of the cloth” will meet a woman and he looks directly at Jeanne.

Afterwards, Felicite speaks with Cagliostro. He speaks of Chartres as her patron, but she explains he’s actually her protege, teaching him about France and the change it needs. Chartres and Provence watch on as they talk. Before Cagliostro can leave, Chartres beckons him over to show them a magic trick. He explains he doesn’t do tricks, but he has a message. He says: “The Dauphin will not inherit the throne of France”. That France will seek a new King, a prince of the blood present in the room. Then he leaves, but both Provence and Chartres consider this message.

Back at Versailles, Provence walks in on Josephine practicing her lines with Marguerite. He tells Marguerite to leave, but Josephine doesn’t want her to. They argue and he leaves instead. When he’s gone, Josephine and Marguerite kiss. At the next rehearsal, Fersen and Marie are connecting better and it cuts to them making love again in the gardens. She kisses him in front of Yolande and Josephine kisses Marguerite in front of them all, but Provence sees from the shadows.

Provence then goes to see Louis and tells him of the play and Fersen’s role. He tells him to stop the play. In Marie’s rooms that night, she is lying in bed with Fersen. They talk of his time away and she asks for him to stay there and she’d find him a position. He says he doesn’t want to want things from her, but if he gets stationed a couple of hours away he will come and visit.

Meanwhile, Villette and Jeanne talk about their plans. He says they could move to a farm right now and not put themselves in danger. But she says they need to be rich. At the palace, Villette, undercover, sits in confessional with Cardinal Rohan and admits he tried to seduce Jeanne, the Countess di Valois. He says she is a descendant of King Henry II, but he wanted to seduce her to get her influence over the Queen since they’re good friends. He explains that the Countess got Calonne his job, to which Cardinal Rohan is intrigued.

Yolande is handing out invitations to the court to come and watch The Marriage of Figaro. Lamballe approaches her and asks why she’s never heard of her and accuses her of raising money for charity when she doesn’t actually know the Queen. She says she isn’t a thief, but the Queen is kind to her. Lamballe notices Jeanne is wearing the present she gave the Queen and says that the Queen had given it to her as a gift instead. Cardinal Rohan approaches Jeanne. He wants to speak to her privately.

That evening, Louis comes to say goodnight to his son and Yolande is there. He admits to her that he feels like he’s too busy to see his own children and wife. Louis asks after Fersen and Yolande reassures him. The play is about to begin and Josephine jokes to Marie that she saw her and Fersen kissing. She says she won’t tell anyone, since she’s enjoying her own privacy there too. Saint-Georges overhears, but he says he wouldn’t tell, but that she should trust those close to her.

Marie pulls Fersen to speak privately. She admits that Josephine knows about them and as they talk, Louis walks in with a bouquet of flowers. Catching them, he tells her the performance is cancelled and that she must remember who she is. To this, he walks out. Marie apologies to Beaumarchais and says she couldn’t go through with the play because she has been too ill. He offers to rearrange, but realises the King won’t allow it. He’s upset, but leaves.

Yolande asks Marie what Louis saw and advises her to go to Louis and show him he hasn’t lost her. So, she goes to his room. She tells him it will never happen again. He asks after Beaumarchais and she suggests that Louis grants him a public performance in Paris with professional actors. He asks her to stay with him and they make love on his desk.

Cardinal Rohan goes to meet with Jeanne. She’s in new apartments. The Cardinal brings a sizeable donation for her. He suggests that she might sin the same way as the women she supports. Acting offended, she asks him to leave and accuses him of trying to seduce her, but he says he wasn’t. Instead, they share a dislike for the Queen.

While he tries to stay, she says he can’t as she’s meeting other benefactors. Before he goes, he wants to know if the Queen will hear about his donation and she says she will, but that he can’t mention it to her. He should receive a note of thanks as repayment. Villette emerges and asks about the donation which Jeanne says will pay for more rent and more ink for Villette to forge documents as the Queen.

At the public performance of The Marriage of Figaro in Paris, the King and Queen arrive. Fersen also sits on the balcony and Chartres is watching. The play begins and they laugh and enjoy. Marie watches Fersen and remembers their trysts in the gardens. But then, a speech begins mocking the King that wasn’t in the script that Beaumarchais shared. Louis instructs his guards to arrest Beaumarchais and they take him from the theatre. The crowd boo as Chartres and Felicitie smile.

Marie tries to speak with Louis back at Versailles, but he won’t involve her. Provence arrives and says an angry mob are outside the Bastille chanting for Beaumarchais. Louis shouts and leaves them both behind. He races off on his horse. Meanwhile, Felicite and Chartres listen to the chanting at Palais-Royal and she instructs him that he should replace Louis as best he can to fulfil Cagliostro’s prophecy.

At Versailles, Provence imagines the same for himself. Then, Louis’s horse returns on its own. Vergennes takes Marie to Louis's office to find Provence is preparing papers to take control. Marie watches out the window as Louis limps back with a sprained ankle. She stands down Provence who was keen to issue a statement taking Louis’s position.

Marie leaves as the doctor arrives. Summoning Breteuil by her side, she says that he was right that Provence would destroy her and her children. That she’d be left with nothing, as it all belongs to France. To hold her position, she says she’ll need to have “real power” and that they should prepare for a fight.

All episodes of Marie Antoinette, seasons 1 and 2, are available on BBC iPlayer.

Marie Antoinette season 2 marks the return of the thrilling BBC historical drama telling the tale of the Queen and her life in the court of Versailles.

Focusing on the real-life events of the time, Marie Antoinette depicts the eponymous Queen as she navigates her life by the side of King Louis XVI.

In season 1, she moved from Austria to France as a young girl, meeting Louis for the first time. She birthed his children and, most importantly, a son and heir to the throne. And they took the throne themselves as King and Queen of France. But, there's plenty more of their historical tale left to tell in season 2.

Here's a recap of everything that happened in Marie Antoinette season 2 episode 1.

The episode opens 10 years after Marie Antoinette took the throne alongside Louis. Her son was born in season 1 and the words on screen express: “She has won the hearts of the ordinary French people”. Now though, she must face powerful enemies as she will enter a battle for her reputation. It is Paris, 1783.

Marie Antoinette holds her son closely in the back of a carriage with Lamballe and Yolande. The people of Paris are building snow statues to praise Louis and Marie's aid efforts. Marie notices a man lying on the steps, unwell and cold. As she approaches him, she’s told they have nothing else to give out, but more people appear begging for help. Overwhelmed, they clamber back into the carriage and depart.

Later, Cardinal Rohan is holding a church sermon, praying for warmer weather and more food. Marie quips that none of them are starving at the palace. An unknown woman arrives as the Cardinal continues his sermon. The Cardinal is seen pushing his finger into the women’s mouths as they approach for bread and wine. The woman, with her hood up, bumps into the other women as they return to their seats, robbing them. Marie is upset by the Cardinal’s actions and speaks to Louis about it.

Afterwards, the court are asking her and Louis questions of politics. Marie answers and then they're told Lafayette is waiting to meet. Louis goes to leave, but before he does, Marie asks him for more money for the aid effort, especially now the war is over. He says she can spend what she needs. They speak pleasantly about her being pregnant again and he sends his wishes to his children before he leaves.

Then, her children arrive, but she bids them away as people of the court overwhelm her with demanding requests. She hurries away with Yolande. Afterwards, the woman from the church is eating the sweets she stole and looking at what other wares she managed to grab. She notices men moving a chest up the stairs of the palace. In a private room, a man opens it and pulls out some dazzling jewellery. Marie arrives to meet with the man, introduced as Mr Boehmer, the court jeweller, and he shows off a diamond necklace. She says she can’t spend two million on a necklace. But she allows Yolande to pick something out for herself.

Again, Marie and Yolande push through people with their demands and Cardinal Rohan joins the crowd. He pushes his foot in the door as they try to close it. Yolande refuses and he insults her, then Marie turns up at the door and shuts it in his face. Marie sits with her children and asks to see the jewellery Yolande picked for herself, a ring. Marie says she’s rewarding her for being a great Governess to her children. Yolande takes the children for a nap, but before she goes Marie asks her to stay with her that night, but she can’t as she has to see Vaudreuil and Jules.

Marie sits down to work at her desk. She opens a letter from Austria, looking for help. Then, she opens a secret pocket in her desk drawer to read a letter only readable under a candle burning below it, a letter to Fersen. She screws it up and throws it in the fire. Meanwhile, Lafayette meets with Louis. He says he’s returned from America and George Washington and that they want a donation to help France’s reputation. Louis tells him France doesn’t need help with reputation.

Louis’ brother, Provence, offers to be his economics advisor as the markets are concerned. He says he wants to serve the crown, but Louis says Provence just wants to get to the royal money so he can pay off his own debts. Back in his room, Louis moans to Vergennes that everyone’s trying to get money from him. He asks Vergennes if his brother was telling the truth about the concerned markets and he admits that they’re worried he hasn’t picked a financial controller. To which he says: “Who can we trust with a secret that could destroy France?”

That night, Provence goes to see his cousin Philippe, the Duke of Chartres, who was banished from Versailles. Felicite greets Provence, though she doesn’t look from her book and leaves the room. Provence tells Chartres that Louis isn’t making decisions. But Chartres says he’s made one decision, to refuse to expand the arcades. He says he’s doing it to support his children, though Provence says they all have different mothers and asks after his real wife. Provence quips that he is one of the richest men in France, but Chartres wants his reputation back.

Then, the thief arrives home, walking past a man leaving. She calls for Villette, telling him to put his clothes on and help her out of her cape. Villette tells her he got bread in exchange for his services to the baker. He asks her if she got anything, but he’s not impressed with what she shows him. They burn books to stay warm.

Back at the palace, Marie uses lemon juice to write a letter and imagines Count Axel Fersen, her love that Louis sent away, as she writes it. She imagines him coming into her room and making love to her. But, it’s just a dream. She’s awoken with gifts from an admirer, Cardinal Rohan. She’s angry and goes to complain to Louis. He says he’s busy trying to run France, but she asks him to change it by making some new promotions, increasing pensions, to show the entitled families that they don’t always get what they want. Louis starts to name people he feels worthy of a good pension, like the head of his stable or the children’s governess, Yolande. Marie smiles.

Back in her room, Yolande is with Vaudreil, Jules and Calonne. A man brings in a scroll to Jules which says he’s been made a Duke. Yolande hurries to Marie and Louis and is greeted as she calls her the Duchess of Polignac. She thanks them. Louis says they’re giving her rank for her loyal service, not just birth. They wish to upset the court.

Elsewhere, the thief has returned to Versailles and is caught stealing candles by Adelaide and Victoire. When asked to identify herself, she says she’s Countess Jeanne de Valois. They say they don’t recognise her. She says she’s collecting money for poor fallen women. Interrupted, someone comes shouting after Adelaide and Victoire and pulls them away, saying the Queen has done something they need to see. They go and watch the new Duchess Yolande walking the halls alongside the Queen and Louis. Lamballe watches on and says one day the Queen will see Polignac for who she really is. Cardinal Rohan is also angered by her decision and while he says he won’t bow to the Duchess, he does.

As the King rides his horse along with his guards, he comes across the Duke of Chartres alone in the woods. Louis tells his guards to leave him and let him look at what he’s lost. Meanwhile, the Duchess returns to her chambers to find Vaudreuil bloodied. He had a contract stuffed in his mouth from the moneylender, Saint James. If Vaudreuil dies, the debts would go to Jules. Jules suggests asking the Queen for the three million that is owed.

She says she can't, but that Jules should take Vaudreuil back to Saint-Domingue when no one’s watching that evening. Jules doesn’t want to go, but she says they can come back once she’s paid the debt. Calonne suggests she could be the King’s mistress since Madame du Barry is no longer and Yolande says that the King is looking for a financial controller. That Calonne could steal from the public purse to pay off the debts. She says she’ll get him in.

That night, Yolande goes to see Louis. He’s putting his son to bed, but before he goes she makes her bid for a financial controller. He’s not happy with the political conversation and leaves. Meanwhile, Marie speaks to Lamballe and thanks her for not being jealous about the Duchess, but tells her she did it for Yolande's loyalty.

At the party, Yolande is upset to hear Vaudreuil and Jules have already left without saying goodbye. She goes to speak to Marie and Marie is upset about the party, with people making love on the floor and the Cardinal present. She says she’s leaving and wants Yolande to leave with her, but she won't. She tells her instead to write a letter in lemon juice and that she earned her new title. Marie calls her ungrateful and goes back to her room.

Back at the thief, now known as Jeanne’s home, she tells Villette that she saw the court jeweller with his big case the other day at Versailles. He says the diamond necklace doesn’t exist, but Jeanne thinks it does. She says she’ll break into the Queen’s private apartments to look around and steal. She tells him they’re leaving at dawn.

The next day, Yolande tries to apologise to Marie. She explains about Vaudreuil and Jules leaving to escape the debt and that she was upset. Though Marie threatens to dismiss her, she says she couldn’t let her go and they hold each other. Yolande says she can’t be everything to Marie, but that she’d heard news that Fersen is on his way back from war.

At the palace, Villette walks in and collapses on the floor, frothing at the mouth. Jeanne, dressed as a maid, calls the guards over to help him and as they do, she sneaks instead into the Queen’s private chambers. She steals a perfume. Then, Marie returns. Jeanne breaks into her desk and finds the secret drawer with letters, as well as a letter showing off the diamond necklace. Before Marie can catch her, she disappears, but Marie finds her desk open and her secret compartment emptied. The window is open, but Jeanne is gone.

She reunites with Villette and shows the drawing of the necklace. Before they can leave, Victoire calls at her. She tells her she won’t get anything for the fallen women and suggests she finds help and that she should write to the Queen to ask for aid before giving her a donation herself.

Back at her room, the Queen is explaining that her letters to Axel Fersen have been taken. She's asked if Yolande knows about the letters, but she says no. She calls for Yolande to come and see her. That night, the Duke of Chartres is holding a party at the Palais Royale. Provence arrives and asks why Lafayette and Saint-Georges are there. They come over to talk politics and he warns Chartres of the company he’s keeping. He leaves and they tell him they’re going to get Louis to accept a performance of Figaro.

Meanwhile, Yolande is trying to orchestrate a meeting between Louis and Calonne to make him financial controller. Elsewhere, Marie receives a note that Yolande is not available to come to her. She’s angry and goes to find her. But, she’s suffering in pain from her pregnancy and falls to the ground, unattended. She’s bleeding and tries to crawl for help, but can’t.

Yolande leads Louis to Calonne and they meet. As they speak, Yolande notices through a crack in the door that Marie is lying on the floor. She ignores her. Lamballe begins to watch the conversation secretly down the hall. Yolande closes the door on Marie as Calonne and Louis speak. Louis is impressed and asks him to walk with her. As they leave, Lamballe comes to the door and opens it again, finding Marie on the floor. She runs to her and calls for help.

At Louis’s room, Calonne continues to pitch his financial ideas. Vergennes says choosing him would be unpopular given his social standings with the Polignacs. At this, a guard enters and tells him to come to the Queen who is lying in bed, bleeding and unwell. They lost their little girl. Lamballe approaches Yolande and tells her that she saw her shut the door on Marie. Yolande says she’s mistaken and if she tells Marie, she can see who she believes. Lamballe says she’ll tell her one day when the time is right.

Louis invites Calonne back and confirms his appointment as financial controller. He asks Vergennes to take Calonne to his office and provide him with the information. He says to thank Yolande. As he’s shown to the finance room, Vergennes reveals that they 110 million livres of debt and that there is no surplus. All they do is borrow, pay off debts and grow interest. That only Mr Neckar who made the debt, Vergennes, the King and now Calonne knows. Louis believes Calonne can find a way out.

Back with Jeanne, Villette suggests they use Victoire’s donation to move to the country, but Jeanne wants to get the necklace. She says it’ll be in Boehmer’s vault, but Villette says the only person who can afford it is the Queen and she doesn’t want it. Jeanne's idea is to tell the jeweller the Queen wants to buy it. Villette doesn’t understand, but Jeanne hurries off for ink to forge documents.

Back at the palace, Marie asks why Yolande didn’t come to her when she was bleeding. She says she wasn’t fetched, but Marie argues she should’ve been there regardless. She reveals her secret letters were stolen and Yolande is shocked at the accusation. She exclaims that she wouldn’t do such a thing and says at least the baby wasn’t a boy, but Marie says a girl would’ve been her friend and she needs as many of those as she can get. Yolande says Fersen will be back soon.

All episodes of Marie Antoinette season 1 and 2 are available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

At the heart of Marie Antoinette season 2 is con artist Jeanne La Motte, who plots to steal the world's most expensive diamond necklace.

The real-life incident, named The Affair of the Diamond Necklace, sees ruthless Jean (played by Skins and Industry star Freya Mavor), plan to steal the jewells — estimated to be worth £13 million in today's money — and blame the theft on the queen (Emilia Schüle), who is famed for her extravagant lifestyle.

It helped to destroy Marie's reputation and played a part in her eventual execution. Here, Freya Mavor talks about Jean, including her motives and how she felt about joining such a big period drama. Plus we find out what happened to the real Jean...

What can you tell us about  your character Jeanne La Motte? 

Freya Mavor: "Jeanne is very much someone who is outside of Versailles who is scheming how to make her way inside that circle and to be able to have control and influence there. She is a total fantasist. She’s come from an intensely brutal, poor and traumatic background which has made her incredibly decisive and ruthless.

"She will perform, lie and manipulate to get herself where she wants to be. The absolute audacity and her being a woman at that time and doing what she did with literally no remorse or care about what anyone thought is quite astonishing."

• I think Marie Antoinette is the best period drama on TV

Is there anything you admire about her? 

Freya: "It's just the smarts she had to actually construct that whole plan and play everyone like a chess board. I’d like the viewers to feel quite impressed by the smarts of the woman."

How did you feel about joining the series?

Freya: "It was a bit intimidating coming into something that was already very established but it was nice because it already felt like a big family and everyone very quickly put me at ease. Coming in with this intrigue and playing this character who is such a wildcard was deeply thrilling."

What happened to the real Jeanne La Motte?

Jeanne was eventually caught and put on trial. She was found guilty, but a lot of the public still sympathised with her and blamed Marie. She was whipped, branded and sent to the Bastille.

She then was sent to a different prison, which she amazingly managed to escape from dressed as a man and fled to England, where she wrote her memoirs. These also blamed Marie for the diamond necklace theft.

Unfortunately, Jeanne tragically died aged just 35 after jumping out of a window to escape debt collectors. She is buried in Lambeth, London.

Marie Antoinette season 2 is available to watch on BBC iPlayer now. In the US it's available via PBS. Check out our best BBC dramas guide for more shows to enjoy.

Emilia Schüle's portrayal of Marie Antoinette has turned history on its head — and excitingly, Marie Antoinette season 2 has just dropped on BBC iPlayer as a box set.

I have to admit that back in 2022, when I first heard that France's last ever queen was going to be the subject of a glossy new period drama, I was slightly underwhelmed.

After all, we all know the story — spoilt, selfish royal of "let them eat cake" fame gets her much deserved comeuppance thanks to the French Revolution — so I wasn't keen to waste my time on a series when I already knew how it would end and it seemed unlikely that I'd feel any empathy for any of the lead characters. But I'm happy to admit I was wrong.

The period drama — if you've not seen it yet, the first series is also available now on BBC iPlayer — hasn't been particularly well received by critics, scoring just 60 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, but its viewers disagreed, giving it a popcornmeter rating of 83 per cent. And, quite frankly, I’m with them.

The show was written by Deborah Davis, creator of The Favourite, which saw Olivia Colman scoop an Oscar for her role as Queen Anne. And Marie Antoinette has exactly the right dose of Davis’ acerbic wit and trademark dark humour.

It’s a sumptuous costume drama, focusing on real-life events in the same vein as Mary & George, which starred Julianne Moore and Nicholas Galitzine and boasts a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but for me it has more bite and is far more entertaining.

Starring Emilia Schüle as the eponymous queen, the drama introduces us to her as a wide-eyed, 14-year-old innocent who is devastated at the thought of leaving Austria to move to France, where she must marry her equally terrified spouse, the 15-year-old heir to the French throne, Louis-Auguste (played by Louis Cunningham).

There, Marie Antoinette is thrust into the vipers’ nest that is the Palace of Versailles, where everyone from the king’s daughters, Adelaide (Crystal Shepherd-Cross) and Victoire (Caroline Piette), to the mistress of the house, Madame de Noailles (Laura Benson) and the king’s mistress, Madame du Barry (Gaia Weiss) are unwaveringly cruel to her.

Even the King’s brother Provence (Jack Archer) clearly hates his sibling and hopes to usurp him and his young bride as heir.

Emilia Schüle forces you to have empathy for Marie

It's here that Emilia Schüle comes into her own, and as we watch Marie Antoinette struggle with the baffling rules of court, those around her who are planning her downfall and the loss of her independence as she lives life under a microscope, her portrayal of the young queen as a sensitive yet feisty woman, determined to do whatever it takes to make her life at Versailles bearable, gets under the skin.

In fact, it seems she has achieved the impossible and forced us to have some empathy for a woman who is one of the most maligned characters in history.

As she tears up the rulebook in her battle to protect herself and those she loves, both from her enemies and a wholly patriarchal society, you can’t help but root for her. Somehow, Schüle has managed to transform a woman derided as "Madame Deficit" for allegedly causing France’s spiralling debt crisis with her frivolous attitude to money, into a relatable feminist icon. And that’s no mean feat.

More back-stabbing among the nobility than Bridgerton!

Schüle’s performance is by no means the only good thing about Marie Antoinette. Louis Cunningham adeptly sees King Louis XVI go from a reclusive and slightly odd teen to a grown man with a sense of vulnerability and a touching affection for his wife. And as for the villains, and there are many, there’s a whole host of delightfully awful characters to choose from, from Oscar Lesage’s Chartres, to the Queen’s self-serving "favourite" Yolande (Liah O’Prey).

If you love the drama and back-stabbing among the nobility in Bridgerton (and who doesn’t?) then Marie Antoinette takes devilry to a whole other level. Amidst the fabulous costumes and wigs and the beautifully shot opulent surroundings of Versailles itself, there are steamy affairs, faked pregnancies, treachery, lies and more lies. And what makes it even more gripping is the fact that it’s all based on truth.

The 'diamond necklace affair'

In season two, we’re introduced to the "diamond necklace affair", a scandal that is so outrageous and far-fetched that it couldn’t possible by real. Except it was. Skins' Freya Mavor joins the show as the ruthless and manipulative con woman Jeanne de Valois.

She's determined to make her fortune in the courts of Versailles and will do anything to do so. So, Jeanne conjures up a plot to steal the world’s most expensive diamond necklace and blame it on the luxury-loving Marie Antoinette. And Mavor plays the ballsy Jeanne with the perfect blend of smooth-talking silk and inner steel.

As things progress, and the French public begins to turn on the monarchy, you know exactly what is heading Marie Antoinette’s way and yet you can’t help but hope for a different outcome for the royal couple. I surprised myself by how invested I had become which is clearly the sign of a good drama. So if, like me, you love history but don’t want it served dry, then I’d urge you to give Marie Antoinette a try. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

Marie Antoinette season 2 will begin on Thursday, May 8, on BBC Two at 9.00 pm. It's already available on BBC iPlayer as a box set along with the first series. It's available via PBS in the US.