The Queen Is Dead
Episode 6 of Mary & George begins months later. The riots are still ongoing due to Sir Walter Raleigh’s beheading. Queen Anne is dead and only Mary, Sandie and Charles visit her. Mary has no influence over George as he kicks her out and starts befriending Charles who is angry that James is busy playing instead of burying Anne.
There is no money and George emotionally manipulates James into opening Parliament and raising taxes for the funeral. James is nostalgic about his early days with Anne and his love with her to George who uses it to remind the King that he loves him too.
Francis Bacon is George’s ally and Mary sends Sandie to snoop on him. Francis hates her as she is a reminder of the mockery of nobility and purity. Sandie feels them closing in on her and urges Mary to flee who refuses. On one such stakeout, Francis lures Sandie and has her arrested for the murder of David Graham. Mary goes as far as to beg Edward Coke to release her.
However, Edward blames Mary for making his daughter a loose woman and vows to stop all corruption as he targets George and Kit who have become equally rich from all the bribes they have taken. Edward resigns from the Privy Council and focuses on the Parliament to push for a war against Spain.
Unhappy, the Spanish envoy, Diego tries to get Francis and George to stop Edward. He suggests a marriage between the Spanish Princess and Charles but Francis is against it. Meanwhile, Edward gets a warrant for Kit and George and they go into hiding. A pregnant Katherine tries to seduce Edward but he does not stray as he announces George a fugitive.
Kit and a begrudging George go back to Mary who gloats. She pushes George to kneel, apologise and get Sandie a pardon from James. He gives in and they come up with a plan. George gets Diego on his side by convincing Charles to marry the Spanish Princess. In exchange, Diego provides letters of Francis’ corruption. To make sure that Francis cannot seek revenge, Mary has Kit murder David’s servant, the only other witness of her peasant lineage.
With a much bigger fish in his hands, Edward lets go of the Villiers, and has Francis exiled. Francis pays George a visit who is now father to a baby girl. He is impressed by his plan and doesn’t hold him against it. He still believes that George is good for the throne but worries that Mary may stray him down the wrong path. He warns him and asks for one last favour – a minor act of vengeance on her to which George agrees.
Sandie and another prisoner are set free and are on their way to town in a cart. The other girl, Cassie reveals she has a message for Sandie in exchange for her freedom. She stabs her with a hidden knife and Sandie bleeds to death at the end of Mary & George Episode 6.
The Episode Review
Mary & George Episode 6 may be the weakest of the lot as it slows down, way more than necessary to build the conflict for the finale. Sandie, who may possibly be the most filler character in this whole show finally gets her time to shine but her whole act feels pointless as we never get time to connect with her. She is simply the sidekick who has to pay the price for Mary’s ambition.
But this episode does show us just how important Mary is to the whole game. While we may not like how she treats George, without her, everyone is fumbling to stay afloat. She may have made her mistakes, but she is quick on her feet and always has a plan for even the most impossible of scenarios.
Previous Episode |
Next Episode |
Read our season 1 review of Mary & George here! |
-
Episode Rating