Albert (Tom) and Victoria's (Jenna) chemistry was out of this world. Personally it felt real and it didn't feel like they were acting anymore. It felt as though the screen had disappeared and I had entered their world of love.

If this were a kind of fairy tale presentation, it would be a nice story. But much of this series banks on the impression that these events took place. Most of them did not. Now granted, historical fiction is always suspect, to a degree. But it would seem that the characters her were portrayed inaccurately. This series is best when it deals with the difficult issues of the time--like the Irish Potato Famine. Also, when Peele is trying to walk a tightrope in the Parliament. This episode is a Christmas story, a story about presents. A little black child is rescued from certain death and promised to the Queen. She lives with a kind family until it is time to give her up. Victoria welcomes her and is ready to adopt her. This leads to great concern, particularly from Albert. Albert gets into the Christmas spirit, bringing German customs into the castle, including trees hanging from the ceiling. There are issues with race, certainly. While the visuals are breathtaking, it seems that the producers have decided that anything goes. This could be a better series with a bit of effort.

Spoilers. Observations. Opinions. Victoria darns socks. She and hubby are lost after thrift tinaway outing. Her benefactors invite them in from the wildnerness plumb in the middle of bum nowhere. The royals are anonymous and pretend to be just regular folks. They have come to Scotland to get away from assassins and other rabble. Just look what happened to the late king and queen of France. Victoria and Albert are visiting a Duke in Scotland, but their host provides boring poetical entertainment. The royals want to bolt, or most certainly vomit (the verb). On the way home back to England, they elude their entourage and run away. They wanted to run away so much. I figured they would fusspoesf in some trees and work on making that next baby. In their rescuers' home, however, maybe that is just what they did, heh-heh. They couldn't keep their hands off each other, anyway, lol.They act all virginal in front of their benefactors, however. The woman teaches Ms. Vicki how to darn socks. Voila! Victoria learned some lovely housewifely skills. She is so proud of her majestic self. Vicki and Albert had been totally lost, clueless and out of their royal element. Hey ham no GPS. They had no helicopters overhead looking for them. They had no cell phones or texting or email. What to do? What to do? What to do?The farmers fed them the first night. By daylight, the fuke's Soldiers had tracked the royals to the cottage, because old dukey boy didn't want the embarrassment of telling England he had lost the queen of Scots and her baby papa. All was well. Meanwhile, we saw the bromance of her two young guys in waiting, hangers-on, or whatever their titles are. These were full kisses on the lips this time. The plot thickens. Stay tuned got Albert trying to breed like rabbits with other women. He may even come down with s raging case of dyphilis, that deadly disease. Maybe his bro Ernst had that right now. I am a degreed historian from the university. I am also an actress, singer, dancer, stage makeup artist and fashion designer. I am a film critic and movie reviewer. I have around 408 reviews on IMDb since 2002.

A superb cast and depiction of Victorian England. Rufus Sewell is particularly brilliant. The series is based upon AN Wilson's masterpiece biography of Victoria. Rufus Sewell's portrayal of Lord Melbourne is one of the finest character performances I have witnessed in years. The series segues magnificently between the lavish opulence of the palatial residences and the grimy claustrophobic confines of the peasant slums.