Episode cast overview, first billed only: | |||
George Blagden | ... | Louis XIV | |
Alexander Vlahos | ... | Monsieur Philippe d'Orléans | |
Tygh Runyan | ... | Fabien Marchal | |
Stuart Bowman | ... | Bontemps | |
Amira Casar | ... | Béatrice | |
Evan Williams | ... | Chevalier | |
Noémie Schmidt | ... | Henriette | |
Anna Brewster | ... | Montespan | |
Sarah Winter | ... | Louise de La Vallière | |
Lizzie Brocheré | ... | Claudine | |
Dominique Blanc | ... | Anne of Austria | |
Anatole Taubman | ... | Montcourt | |
Steve Cumyn | ... | Colbert | |
Elisa Lasowski | ... | Marie-Thérèse | |
Maddison Jaizani | ... | Sophie |
The Queen gave birth to the first royal baby and it triggers some rumors. Besides, Louis XIV's counselors advice him to go to war in order to impose his power. Furthermore, Louis XIV's brother Philippe dreams of glory and wants to be on the field of the future battles. Written by Frantogian
After a frenetic and racy first episode things settle down for the second episode. In fact their is a severe lack of nudity in this episode apart from King Louis still servicing his gay brother's wife because he will not.
Of course the episode started with the reveal that the baby was born black and the king really did not believe the rather implausible medical reason given by the physician. I think the list of suspects for who the real father can be will be a short one.
The highlight was his brother Phillipe who arrived at court wearing a dress and accompanied by another man. He gouged someone's eye out for sneering at him. Apparently Phillipe did sometimes wear a dress so that bit is not historically inaccurate.
Louis still knows that there is intrigue and an aristocrat was publicly humiliated and stripped of his lands for colluding with the Spanish.
A more subdued episode but I think actor George Blagden just feels ill at ease in the title role, he is just too bland compared with the actor Alexander Vlahos who plays his brother.