Today's Entertainment

2 • February 11 - 17, 2018 • Brainerd Dispatch By Kat Mulligan TV Media T he British Monarchy is often ex- plored through the cinematic lens, with the lives of numerous kings and queens regularly adapted for film and television. While the regal males of history may have a longer list of fictional representation, the lengthy legacies of Britain's queens have ar- guably provided far more captivating and immersive narratives. In August 2016, British television powerhouse ITV continued this tradi- tion, giving the life of one of the kingdom's most beloved monarchs a stunning series treatment. Thankful- ly, those of us in North America have also had the opportunity to fall for this majestic, spirited queen, as the story of "Victoria" continues to un- fold Sunday, Feb. 11, on PBS. A part of "Masterpiece," "Victo- ria" is a dramatic television series adaptation of the queen's life, fol- lowing Alexandrina Victoria (Jenna Coleman, "Doctor Who") as she learns of the death of the king and her subsequent ascension to the throne at age 18. Still young, naive and not fully prepared, Victoria is de- termined to define her own reign and avoid the external influence of her mother's adviser, or others bent on persuading her. Early assistance from the dashing Lord Melbourne (Rufus Sewell, "The Illusionist," 2006) prepares her for both the court and the parliament, though it isn't long before concerns shift — though not her own — to the need for her to be wed and assisted by a husband. Enter Prince Albert of Saxe- Coburg and Gotha (Tom Hughes, "Cemetery Junction," 2010), the choice of Victoria's uncle who initial- ly seems an undesirable choice. Their first meeting is lukewarm, but as time passes, Albert is able to intro- duce Victoria to the world beyond the throne, providing an education on the poverty and trials of her sub- jects and encouraging her to be the kind of monarch who will finally be a voice for the people. With a new- found sense of maturity and resolve, Queen Victoria now finds herself a match and a king. Season 2 of "Victoria" begins a month after the birth of her first child, and as Victoria discovers all that has been kept from her while she has been in recov- ery from childbirth. Eager to regain control, she takes the necessary steps to reassert power while reintroducing herself to the British people. As the season progresses, each passing moment seems to emphasize the growing weight of royal and motherly responsi- bilities, as Victoria juggles family and political matters. In a "Masterpiece" PBS featurette leading up to the premiere of season 2, Coleman discussed these develop- ments. For the still relatively fresh Queen, the "honeymoon period is now over," and Victoria's life is now comprised of "balancing mother- hood, marriage, work, job [and] baby." A month away from her regal duties finds Victoria battling with "a bit of jealousy and ... quite a bit of in- security" with regard to Albert's as- sertion of leadership in her absence. Their relationship continues to be tested and often strained, as both Victoria and Albert delve into parent- hood and continually attempt to re- negotiate their roles as both spouses and monarchs. Historically accurate, visually elaborate productions of Great Brit- ain's regal history seem to endlessly captivate audiences. Creator and writer Daisy Goodwin's "Victoria" now joins the ranks of works by Mi- chael Hirst ("Elizabeth," 1998) and, more recently, Peter Morgan ("The Crown"). This is by no means the first depiction of Queen Victoria on the small or large screen, however. The Queen's first foray onto the big screen came through Rose Tapley's portrayal in the silent short "The Vic- toria Cross," which dates back to 1912. Small-screen depictions began much later, with the first of these oc- curring in 1951 in an episode of the American series "Robert Montgom- ery Presents" called "Victoria Regi- na," in which the queen is played by Helen Hayes. The most successful film and tele- vision adaptations of royalty achieve greatness largely due to their care- fully crafted narratives, which oh so elegantly dance over the boundary between fact and fiction. Goodwin addresses this dance in a Master- piece Studio podcast episode, along with "Fact or Fiction: Inside Episode" posts on PBS's website. These posts examine pivotal moments from the noted episode, with Goodwin either emphasizing the historical signifi- cance or justifying the fictitious in- dulgences portrayed. What Goodwin wisely notes while discussing season 2 on the podcast is the challenge of navigat- ing and maintaining this balance, so that the result is a "show that is ... compulsively watchable, entertain- ing, funny ... that you will learn something from ... [that] will also make you feel emotionally in- volved." Subtle flourishes of fiction or factual exaggerations often make for a far more entertaining se- ries, but, in order to have lasting resonance, a story grounded in truth can amplify the legacy of an already formidable historical figure. Despite the western devotion to democracy, there is still a romantic allure attached to the reign of mon- archy. Public fascination with royal- ty ebbs and flows, but the moment a royal wedding, birth or death is announced, it's rare to find some- one unaware of it by day's end. Cer- tainly, PBS had this in mind as it de- cided to bring the reign of Queen Victoria into North American homes, where it continues to re- ceive a warm reception. Defining an age: Fact flirts with fiction in 'Victoria' on PBS Cover Story this week Rufus Sewell as seen in "Victoria" Conan Today is Martin Luther King Day. Just to break it down for you young people, a long time ago there used to be something called "racism." North Korea and South Korea are considering having a joint women's ice hockey team for the Olympics. Of course when a North Korean player enters the penalty box, they're never seen again. The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon I saw that the clothing company Topshop is selling pants that say "Fake News." I think we already have "Fake News" pants — they're called "Spanx." Patriots star Rob Gronkowski taped a new PSA where he warns about the dangers of eating Tide detergent pods. Which backfired when 10 seconds into the ad he ate a Tide detergent pod. The Late Show With Stephen Colbert There has been a whole lot of talk about Donald Trump's fitness for office lately. He took a physical last Friday, and today we got the results from his doctor, Ronny Jackson. Right off the bat, the doctor broke big news: "The heart exam was normal." So, despite all evidence, Donald Trump does have a heart. The Late Show With James Corden After his doctor earlier this week said that he would recommend Trump exercise more, the president said yesterday that he gets "more exercise than people think." Does he? I am not sure backpedaling on campaign promises counts as exercise. Jimmy Kimmel Live Trump's doctor spoke to members of the press for about an hour, sharing the results of the president's first physical since taking office. The doctor said the exam went "exceptionally well." Which means he was able to get him to stop eating fried chicken long enough to take his blood pressure. Late Night With Seth Meyers A new report is claiming that within 10 years, scientists may have developed a way to translate the thoughts of pets into human language. But until then, it's safe to assume cats are thinking, "I wouldn't care if you died." Today is National Winnie the Pooh day. Which is why I'm not wearing any pants. Late Laughs COMPLETE AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR ALL MAKES, ALL MODELS 501 W Washington St., Brainerd, MN | 218-828-1823 | www.heartlandtireservice.com

• Cover