Mary & George ⁞⁞ Series Spotlight

Based upon the book "The King's Assassin" by Benjamin Woolley, the dramatic miniseries Mary & George presents a dramatized account of the lives of Mary Villiers, the Countess of Buckingham, and her second son George Villiers (Nicholas Galitzine), who would grow into notoriety in England due to his relationship with King James I (Tony Curran). The series explored Mary's efforts to advance her family's standing in the court after the death of her husband, George's father. Observing her son's beauty, Mary (Julianne Moore) proceeded with a quick new marriage, securing funds to send George off to France for training in courtly life, opening him up to a new world of tactics when it came to charisma and appeal to the upper-class. During his absence, Mary discovered the visiting King James I shared a secret relationship with the Earl of Somerset (Laurie Davidson). This led her to place George on the path to becoming the King's new favored consort upon his return to England. George & Mary contended with jealousy and scheming from the Earl, as his favor with the King grew, leading to an official role in the King's court. But mother and son would not always be on the same page, as the introduction of the wealthy Katherine (Mirren Mack), led to some distraction from the King as George indulged in a side romance with her as well. With the King's age advancing and George gaining more power, Mary refused to give up her own control of her son, causing her to deepen her own connection to the King. In the end, George would achieve his desired power, only to fall victim to the blade after an ill-fated encounter during the war with Spain. The series did not shy away from depictions of sexual fluidity among the main male characters. Khalil Ben Gharbia and Dylan Brady also appeared in guest roles, playing men that were sexually involved with George. The series also included lesbian content as Mary engaged in a clandestine relationship with Sandie (Niamh Algar), who would become her consort as well as her accomplice. The miniseries aired on Sky in the UK and STARZ in the U.S.