Entertainment NOW

2 • July 31 - August 6, 2022 Entertainment Now By Sarah Passingham TV Media O ne of the most tumultu- ous chapters in the his- tory of the British mon- archy has been blessed with the period drama treatment, reanimating the final Tudor queen's ascension to the throne. "Becoming Elizabeth" airs its Season 1 finale Sunday, July 31, on Starz, highlighting the teenage and young adult life of Elizabeth I, portrayed by "Genius" actress Ali- cia von Rittberg. It is no secret that the ever- changing politics of the court greatly impact the opinions of the head of any monarchy or leader- ship, and this is precisely from where "Becoming Elizabeth" builds its gripping intrigue. The series begins moments after Elizabeth and her brother Edward, played by young "War of the Worlds" actor Oliver Zetterström, receive news of the death of their father, the notorious Henry VIII. Next in the line for the throne, 9-year-old Edward is made King of England in 1547 and serves un- til his death in 1553. He is quickly sidled by his power-hungry uncle, Edward Seymour, portrayed by "Dickensian" star John Heffernan, also known in title as the Duke of Somerset. The boy king's legacy, meanwhile, remains largely tied to his involvement in the English Reformation. King Edward is remembered for furthering the bloody splinter- ing of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic faith under the Pope to Protestant Christian- ity, a tradition carried on from his father's ambitions to be the ultimate authority over England. Following Edward is the nine-day reign of his named successor, Lady Jane Grey (Bella Ramsey, "Game of Thrones"), unseated by Mary I (portrayed by Romola Garai, "Atonement," 2007), a Catholic who earned the moniker "Bloody Mary" through her crusade to reverse Edward's Protestant reforms. This is "Becoming Elizabeth," however, and young Elizabeth craves power and influence of her own. As viewers get to know her in the series, Elizabeth's desires are stunted by the limitations of her status and her naïveté. After her half-brother is crowned King, Elizabeth is sent to live with her stepmother, King Henry VIII's widow Catherine Parr, portrayed by "The Last Post" actress Jessica Raine, at her home in Chelsea, but she quickly and unknowingly becomes a pawn in Catherine's game with her lover, Thomas Seymour, played by "Downton Abbey" actor Tom Cul- len. Typical of the tangled web of British nobility, Thomas is Edward Seymour's brother and they are both brothers to Jane Seymour, the third wife of Henry VIII. (Still following?) Planning to keep Elizabeth close while they get what they want, Catherine and Thomas seek a speedy, King-approved marriage while Thomas begins a flirtatious repartee with Elizabeth as a mask for his other ambitions. What begins as manipulation becomes a very real affair be- tween Thomas and Elizabeth, becoming still more complicated when Catherine dies during labor in 1548 and leaves him begging his brother, ever in the King's ear, for permission to marry Elizabeth. This permission is denied. The picture "Becoming Elizabeth" paints of the even- tual queen may seem at odds with the public legacy of the "Virgin Queen," but the title contemporaneously — and now contextually — refers to her lifelong unmarried status and portrayals in the art of the time as god-like. Carrying the weight of having been Anne Boleyn's daughter and having once been determined an il- legitimate child of Henry VIII, Elizabeth had to forge her own legacy. Cover Story John Heffernan and Tom Cullen in "Becoming Elizabeth" Her royal highness: The last Tudor rises in 'Becoming Elizabeth' Ready Rental 3 x 4 Hayley Siefert 3 x 2 Letters & Numbers Sudoku Fill in the grid so that every row,every column, and every 4x4 box contains the digits 1 through 9 AND the letters A-F. Solution on page 12. Advertise Your Business In Call Advertising at 217-477-5105

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