The Lady is based upon a true story, but feels like it’s all made up. Then again, they say truth is stranger then fiction.
Jane Andrews (Mia McKenna-Bruce – How To Have Sex) is the prime suspect in the murder of a man, found by DCI Jim Dickie (Philip Glenister – Bergerac (2025)) on September 18th 2000, as the drama opens. However, she’s nowhere to be seen. Did she do it, AND write the alleged confession notes? Well, no spoilers, obviously.
She’s had a tough run in life, since even in her first job in a clothes store, everyone puts her down, but given she’s obsessed with the Royal Family, in due course, she’ll get a job for Nonce Andrew’s ex, Fergie. Ooh, eck… 2026 has something to say!
But then, 2026 won’t have happened yet, given that this drama shows us the crime in 2000, then darts around the years back as far as when Jane loved seeing Charles and Diana’s wedding in 1981. I still remember that day, but i’ve never been able to stand the supposed ‘Royal Family’. However, since she gets the seal of approval, it’s off to work at the Palace for the disgraced Duchess, portrayed brilliantly by Natalie Dormer (The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance).
There’s also some late ’80s and early ’90s tunes of the era along the way, although one is Haddaway’s What Is Love, which was released on January 18th 1993, while the drama states “1992” onscreen. It’s difficult to know whether that was done accidentally, or on purpose so that geeks like me would mention it 😀
However, for as enjoyable hokum as The Lady is, in seeing Jane chat with the toe-sucker from time to time, I do wonder how much of this is true, even if the billing states it’s a “fact-based drama“.
There’s also quite a bit of muffled dialogue, which doesn’t help when the previews don’t have subtitles, but it obviously will have those on ITVX, so a rewatch may be in order 🙂
Mia McKenna-Bruce is also definitely on the rise. She was the best thing in Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials on Netflix, shown recently.
Thanks to our friends at ITV for the screener prior to release.
The Lady begins tonight on ITV at 9pm, and then will be available to stream on ITVX.
It’s not yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD, but when it is, it will be listed on the New DVD, Blu-ray, 3D and 4K releases UK page.
Director: Lee Haven Jones
Producers: Florence Haddon-Cave
Writer: Debbie O’Malley
Music: Chris Roe
Cast:
Jane Andrews: Mia McKenna-Bruce
DCI Jim Dickie: Philip Glenister
Sarah Ferguson: Natalie Dormer
Charles: Mark Stanley
Leo: Joseph Ollman
Alistair: Tom Milligan
DS Smart: Stephanie Street
June Andrews: Claire Skinner
Thomas Cressman: Ed Speleers
Aleksandra: Ophelia Lovibond
Francesca: Laura Aikman
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.