I caught this, a couple of nights ago, and I thought it was great fun. It is kitsch, fluffy and seemingly unrealistic: just what you need after a hard day. There is the young King, who is basically a nice guy trying to do the right thing (but is a duck out of water really). There is the party hard brother, who is a scream; the pantomine villain older sister, who is determined to usurp little bro; and the gin swilling mother. That's just the family, the staff are even more bonkers, from the maids, to the king's assistant, who is supposedly colluding with a journalist to write a 'tell all book'; but you can tell she is developing one hell of a soft spot for HM. This is just good fluffy fun: you can see where the plot is going, but I didn't care because it was perfect glitzy escapism.
13 Reviews
It's silly, but it's good
damonreynolds25 January 2008
Okay, so a certain amount of belief has to be suspended to enjoy this, but that doesn't mean it's not good TV. There seem to be far too many comparisons to the West Wing. The Palace is basically a tongue-in-cheek dramatisation of a whole bunch of 'what-ifs'. And, if you can get over the initial premise and look a little deeper, there are quite a number of points here about male succession, the spilt between crown and parliament, staff loyalty, the duty of monarchy and so on. This has not just been thrown together - in fact by making all the characters fictional the writers have much greater license to look at and expose some of the more interesting facets of the UK constitution.
The main problem is that it falls between two stools. It's too silly for a Royalist drama, and not quite biting enough for black comedy. It would actually be much better off on Channel 4. ITV doesn't have much of a history of 'faintly subversive' so doesn't know what to do with it, and the critics don't know what to make of it.
The main problem is that it falls between two stools. It's too silly for a Royalist drama, and not quite biting enough for black comedy. It would actually be much better off on Channel 4. ITV doesn't have much of a history of 'faintly subversive' so doesn't know what to do with it, and the critics don't know what to make of it.
Britain's favourite dysfunctional family gets a re - boot....
ianlouisiana5 February 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I don't think anyone could take "The Palace" seriously either as an endorsement or repudiation of Britain's monarchical heritage,but it's certainly jolly good fun and gave everybody a nice break in Lithuania. These aren't the Windsors of course,there's not enough implacable undying animosity and power - crazed egomania on display to even approach our own dear Royal Family,but it's spiffing behind - the -doors stuff that might make one think that there was some inside knowledge obliquely revealed. There's something almost Shakespearian about the plot concerning the sudden death of a king and the manoeuvering of his successors and their various factions in the power vacuum that it causes. But nobody ends up mincemeat - as Cole Porter neatly put it,merely thwarted and retired snarling. None more so that the imperious Miss S.Winkelman,every inch the unregenerate aristo as the oldest child who has the misfortune to be of the wrong gender( a law since removed from the statute books in order to bring the monarchy more in line with the 19th century.) She has the intelligence and beauty to dominate every scene where she appears,and has quite rightly subsequently found her place in Society with a capital "S" by marrying an amiable and unambitious Royal of her own. The other outstanding performance is that of Miss Z.Telfer as the new King's P.A. over whom he exercises the droit de seigneur rather hastily and lives to regret it. "The Palace" isn't great drama but it is great entertainment particularly to those of us who have watched the lives of our Royals lived on the front pages for sixty - odd years with wry amusement and resignation. Life may not always imitate art - but it should perhaps in the case of "The Palace".
A unique series for the Millennium
m-ozfirat22 February 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This series explores the possibility of what the Royal family could be like dominated by a youthful dynasty in the present. It examines the possibility of a clash with the traditional protocol and the modern standards of the Post Millennium and the challenges this can bring to a traditional elite. The Characters are well developed and suited for the series to fit in to this paradigm whilst being genuinely funny and not serious. Their is the Queen Mother played by Jane Asher who is loving but stern to keep the family in order to live up to responsibility. The King who does his duties sincerely but likes to live like a playboy along with his Mischievous little brother and Frivolous little sister. Then their is the astute but scheming older sister who was more suited and had a claim but was unlucky. The staff and cabinet are just as colourful and full of strife in comical situations with their duties. The show should of gone for another 2 seasons as there could of been more potential. The first series was good as it showed a modern minded and energetic monarch settle in with his own character to his role and the political challenges and demands of that role in a changing time alongside historical tradition. Apart form the young Kings personal experiences it could of covered European and Global politics such as America, Arabia and the emerging nations. The changes in Britain today and relatives that were ex-monarchs. It was cancelled due to low ratings. They probably think reality TV is more entertaining and thats what gets higher ratings. Humour has lost its intelligence and the early cancellation of this is an example.
Probably a rather realistic yet entertaining expose of Royalty's 21st century challenges
pjp8802914 January 2019
There is an underlying moral theme of doing the right thing vs doing the wrong (Royal) thing and covering this up to protect the Royal family throughout the series.
The complexities of relationships that a Royal Family holds with the public, politicians, the church, their staff and each other were well portrayed and mostly believable in each episode.
For the most part, the actors casted fit their roles quite well, with a few exceptions. The youngest Royal, Princess Isabel, age 17-18 in the series, played by Nathalie Lunghi, (age 22 in 2008), was made to look like a burnt-out '30-something' year old meth addict. Quite over-done in the makeup and over-acted scenes she had to do.
The same with several of the minor actors who played kitchen and wait and cleaning staff. Their scenes were so overacted they made themselves look like blubbering idiots who would NEVER be hired to work in a position requiring discipline, decorum and discretion such as working for a Royal Family. Very UN-Believable portrayals.
I blame this full on the Director, not the actors. They were just doing their jobs, as directed.
Overall, This was an 'easy to binge watch' 8 sessions series to escape from my little life's realities for a day and I learned a bit more about how and why things are done the way they are in the United Kingdom from medieval times throughout today.
The complexities of relationships that a Royal Family holds with the public, politicians, the church, their staff and each other were well portrayed and mostly believable in each episode.
For the most part, the actors casted fit their roles quite well, with a few exceptions. The youngest Royal, Princess Isabel, age 17-18 in the series, played by Nathalie Lunghi, (age 22 in 2008), was made to look like a burnt-out '30-something' year old meth addict. Quite over-done in the makeup and over-acted scenes she had to do.
The same with several of the minor actors who played kitchen and wait and cleaning staff. Their scenes were so overacted they made themselves look like blubbering idiots who would NEVER be hired to work in a position requiring discipline, decorum and discretion such as working for a Royal Family. Very UN-Believable portrayals.
I blame this full on the Director, not the actors. They were just doing their jobs, as directed.
Overall, This was an 'easy to binge watch' 8 sessions series to escape from my little life's realities for a day and I learned a bit more about how and why things are done the way they are in the United Kingdom from medieval times throughout today.
Britain's "West Wing"
ciancaitlin14 January 2008
Warning: Spoilers
From the pre-title sequence to the opening titles themselves, one's first impression of "The Palace" is that it is a series modelled on "The West Wing".
Like the aforementioned US political drama, "The Palace" follows the day-to-day lives of a fictional head of state and his staff, but while The West Wing gives almost equal status to each member of its ensemble cast, The Palace is focused, primarily on the show's main character, King Richard and the exploits of his close family.
The first episode has clearly set the benchmark for the rest of the series; a series which promises to afford us all a glimpse at an alternative monarchy, which in the case of "The Palace" is personified by a young, charismatic and lad-about-town King, who has been thrust into the glare of the world's press, without warning.
ITV1 certainly has the pedigree to produce a series of this calibre, if its recent success with "The Queen" (2006) is anything to judge by and while the series does not allude to portraying real events, certainly promises to be as equally gripping.
Like the aforementioned US political drama, "The Palace" follows the day-to-day lives of a fictional head of state and his staff, but while The West Wing gives almost equal status to each member of its ensemble cast, The Palace is focused, primarily on the show's main character, King Richard and the exploits of his close family.
The first episode has clearly set the benchmark for the rest of the series; a series which promises to afford us all a glimpse at an alternative monarchy, which in the case of "The Palace" is personified by a young, charismatic and lad-about-town King, who has been thrust into the glare of the world's press, without warning.
ITV1 certainly has the pedigree to produce a series of this calibre, if its recent success with "The Queen" (2006) is anything to judge by and while the series does not allude to portraying real events, certainly promises to be as equally gripping.
Buckingham Palace 90210
jackfertig13 May 2012
"The Palace" looks like one of those American post-adolescent dramas where beautiful young 20-somethings are scheming and screwing at every opportunity. Even the role of the queen, recently widowed, seems to have been written for Joan Collins.
Cheap, tawdry, and ridiculous though it is it makes amusing fluff, a pleasant diversion. If you want to laugh at young actors struggling a little too hard to look like they're taking themselves seriously and roll your eyes at the absurdity this could be a lot of fun. In fact, one has to wonder how much the creative staff for this silliness just saw the whole thing as a spoof. If anyone meant this show to be taken seriously it's an epic fail, but as a take-off on American dramas, it's really quite funny.
Cheap, tawdry, and ridiculous though it is it makes amusing fluff, a pleasant diversion. If you want to laugh at young actors struggling a little too hard to look like they're taking themselves seriously and roll your eyes at the absurdity this could be a lot of fun. In fact, one has to wonder how much the creative staff for this silliness just saw the whole thing as a spoof. If anyone meant this show to be taken seriously it's an epic fail, but as a take-off on American dramas, it's really quite funny.
Great drama!
paula_coolblu7 March 2008
A really enjoyable piece of British drama. Something you would expect from the BBC but this is produced by ITV. A great look at the fictional monarchy that this world has created. Mixing in real footage with the fictional story you can quite easy believe the characters are living in Buckingham Palace. Can't fault the acting, writing or the cinematography, all brilliant! Rupert Evans especially performs wonderfully as King Richard with the character development of the young man being slightly reckless with his life and then being thrust into the responsibility of being King. Rupert Evans takes the character in his stride and the audience grows along with him. Thoroughly enjoyable, entertaining and heartfelt. Can't wait for Series 2!
Lacking class
paul2001sw-14 March 2008
'The Palace' is a series that takes place in a fictionalised royal family not so unlike our own; a young king thrown unexpectedly to the throne and who resembles George VI; his sister is a ringer for Princess Margaret, and there are a batch of partying young royals to boot. An ensemble cast also features many of the palace staff, and the tone of the program is somewhere between 'Drop the Dead Donkey' and 'House of Cards', as it follows the ambitions and intrigue surrounding this substantial collection of characters. It's all believable stuff, yet somehow not very interesting: the comedy element is obvious and just not that funny, while the more serious side of the drama fails to engage, the royal family has already lost so much of its mystique that it's hard to feel anything real is at stake in the political games. Stepehen Frears' film 'The Queen', another obvious template, was such fun because of the way it imaginatively interpreted real events and people; but in 'The Palace', none of the made-up royals have sufficient depth to flesh out the plot beyond a skeleton outline. In the end, it's neither subversive or revealing, and fails to contain anything that might not have been predicted; neither true sitcom not true satire, 'The Palace' aims high but ultimately, appears to have nothing of substance to say.
Good British Drama
calvind9836211 April 2012
I've read all of the other seven reviews of this series. Most of the reviewers stated that they were living in Britain and the ones that didn't all seemed to know something about the channel that aired the show. There is also several comparisons to a show from here called 'The West Wing'. Also, all of the reviews were written from January through March of 2008 which is, it seems, when the series was first aired on the ITV channel.
I have never seen 'The West Wing' and I have no idea what ITV or channel 4 is all about and that's fine because none of that has any bearing on 'The Palace'.
This show stands on its own as a good, high quality series centered around a fictional royal family and the internal strive and back-biting that begins to take place after the death of the king, which starts the series and everything gets rolling from there.
This is a enjoyable little eight episode series and I wish it had gone on longer; I don't think that one can say anything better about serial entertainment; can you?
I have never seen 'The West Wing' and I have no idea what ITV or channel 4 is all about and that's fine because none of that has any bearing on 'The Palace'.
This show stands on its own as a good, high quality series centered around a fictional royal family and the internal strive and back-biting that begins to take place after the death of the king, which starts the series and everything gets rolling from there.
This is a enjoyable little eight episode series and I wish it had gone on longer; I don't think that one can say anything better about serial entertainment; can you?
If you like quality television AVOID
Jack Doyle22 January 2008
I don't know where to begin with how bad this show is, ITV has always struggled to compete in the drama stakes against the established quality of the BBC and the indie hipness of Channel 4, the unloved middle child with only the rare gem in the past decade. The palace however is a new low, From the poor acting and directing to the abysmal dialogue and plotting. ITV has never been well acquainted with reality in its Drama, (aside for when Paul Greengrass feels charitable towards the channel) the Bill is as about as far removed from actually policing in the UK as possible, But the Palace takes this to new depths, as it tries to depict the King actually having real power in what is largely a well paid ceremonial role. They have been many comparisons made to the West Wing, and while it is true they are both political dramas, its like Comparing Paul W.S Anderson to Steven Spielberg there both directors, And as with that comparison they really is nothing to compare one is superbly acted directed and brilliantly written by Aaron Sorkin.
If i was forced to watch this again i would seriously consider chewing through my own wrists to escape into what ever life is after this. If your desperate for British Political Drama buy House of cards on DVD, and if you like good Drama avoid the Palace like the Plague.
If i was forced to watch this again i would seriously consider chewing through my own wrists to escape into what ever life is after this. If your desperate for British Political Drama buy House of cards on DVD, and if you like good Drama avoid the Palace like the Plague.
Waiting for season 2
bj0000221 March 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I personally think it was a gripping drama. It was realistic enough for me and I really found myself hoping for the Richard/Abi storyline to develop. It is very hard to come up with new ideas, everything always gets called "a new ... " or that is copying another idea. I found The Palace a good show, that i watched every Monday, and I for one, hope there is a second series!! Anybody who thinks it is rubbish, probably isn't the sort of person who enjoys romantic dramas, and well, i think it is their fault for watching it! The Palace is exactly what is says on the tin...and it was done well! Who cares if some of it was similar to the West Wing...it was done with the British twist and that can only be good. As can ITV finally coming up with interesting dramas to rival the BBC (mistressess etc)
Shot on BETA? Dates. Cringeworthy
wbhjhwrh6 November 2022
This couldn't be further that the mark. Cheap two star fantasy based on writers and royalists that seem to know skerries more than the low brown writers. Note to prosecution re4 actors, writers. This thumb is a disaster. Stopped twenty mins when I realized that it was the Royals Mets Corrie. Please. Don't do it. Spare yourself. Producers should be ashamed. I hope the actors go onto big and better nor getting experience without showreels. Got a better one? Good. Keep it. Don't keep this drivel there. Sorry to the writers, producers and staff. But this was one of those 'well we'd better'.
No. No. You shouldn't have. I'm sure you are all talented so let's put this down to bar decisions - which I'm sure we are all capable or - lesson.. don't do this again.
No. No. You shouldn't have. I'm sure you are all talented so let's put this down to bar decisions - which I'm sure we are all capable or - lesson.. don't do this again.
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