Move over, The Boys? Prime Video's new hit show is getting rave reviews
Period drama mixed with magical realism? Sign us up
Prime Video has a big new show that would be number one were it not for the sheer juggernaut power of The Boys, and it has proved quite a hit with the critics too.
My Lady Jane is a YA show very loosely based on the story of a real monarch who was queen of England for just nine days in 1553, before being executed aged just 17.
On the face of it, this is a classic period drama, but it’s not long before My Lady Jane reveals itself to be something quite different. There’s a supernatural vein running through the show, and a whole lot more swearing and fighting than you’d see in a classic period drama.
The critics are loving it, and the show has a top-tier 92% freshness rating at Rotten Tomatoes at the time of writing.
Where did it come from? My Lady Jane is based on a YA novel of the same name by a trio of authors, published in 2016. It’s part of a series that irreverently rewrites the history of a bunch of famous women, including Mary Shelley, Calamity Jane and Jane Eyre.
There could be more adaptations in store too, as My Lady Jane has proved a critical and audience hit.
My Lady Jane reviews
The Guardian’s 4/5 review says, “in short, it’s escapist fun, bordering on nonsense – and perfect summer viewing."
Variety says, “this masterful retelling, which is bursting with delightful expletives, iconic one-liners and a whole array of death plots and schemes, unveils an alternative universe where women (and some men) have the agency to gain control of their lives.”
The Evening Standard’s 4/5 review says, “If sarcasm and revisionist history isn’t your thing, then My Lady Jane might be best avoided. For everybody else, strap in: it’s worth the ride.”
IGN is a little less keen, but its 7/10 review is still positive: “My Lady Jane doesn’t bring much that’s new to the increasingly crowded field of cheekily anachronistic period pieces like Bridgerton, Dickinson, and The Great. But it executes on the premise very well.”
One of the few negative reviews comes from The Times, which calls the show "history gone mad" and gives it a 2/5 score. But that descriptor makes it sound kinda fun to us.
According to Flixpatrol, My Lady Jane is the number two Prime Video show globally at the time of writing, and is clawing at The Boys season 4’s heels in both the US and UK.
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