More Power, More Problems. Review: The White Queen – “The Price of Power”

Season 1, Episode 2

Air Date: Saturday, August 17, 9pm ET/PT on STARZ

Rating: ★★★★★

Rebecca Ferguson Elizabeth Woodville, the “White Queen” and consort to Edward IV

The premiere of STARZ’s The White Queen introduced us to King Edward IV (Max Irons) and Lady Elizabeth Woodville-Grey (Rebecca Ferguson) as they fall in love during the height of England’s infamous War of the Roses—an ongoing battle for the crown between the House of York and Lancaster. In what initially plays out like a fairy tale, the high born King Edward IV (a York) defies noble traditions and marries Elizabeth (a Lancaster) much to the ire of his right hand man, “The Kingmaker,” Earl of Warwick (James Frain). Elizabeth even goes tête-à-tête with her monster in-law Duchess Cecily (Caroline Goodall) in defending herself as Edward’s choice. Luckily, she’s got mama Jacquetta (Janet McTeer) in her corner, a woman whose experience in royal affairs proves invaluable.

This week, the romantic tone shifts to a more somber atmosphere as power plays takes center stage. If the premiere episode were a fairytale, then “The Price of Power” is certainly a reality check as it flashes forward to the year of Elizabeth’s coronation as queen consort. The scene is a pinnacle moment in the episode with beautiful detail to wardrobe and style. Ferguson shines as she sits upon the throne with a regal air about her. Yet for every happy moment, there is always a downer. In this case, it’s Warwick.

The Guy Code

Once upon a time, Edward and Warwick took over the country with their alliance. Now, Edward is oblivious to Warwick’s concerns, and seeing him deflate upon Elizabeth’s arrival to court is almost sad. She’s clearly the Yoko to their Team York. No longer riding shotgun as Edward’s most influential partner, Warwick does not hide his contempt for the new queen. In an awkward scene, he escorts Elizabeth to a feast in her honor. As they enter the banquet hall, Elizabeth on his arm, the scowl on Warwick’s face is so apparent it gives Grumpy Cat a run for her money. But that doesn’t keep a conniving character like Warwick down. No, this just makes him work harder. In an attempt to re-direct Edward’s attention, Warwick later suggests they use the celebration for political gain by schmoozing with their French guests. The ploy proves unsuccessful and Edward tells him to save it for another day.

It also doesn’t help matters when Edward’s attempt to create a strong defense for his new wife requires stripping people of titles and land and then giving it to his in-laws. Yeah, this doesn’t bode well for everyone.

The York Men (L-R) David Oakes (George), Max Irons (King Edward IV), and Aneurin Barnard (Richard)

Baby Mama Drama

A kingdom is as good as its heir. In this case, Elizabeth’s first pregnancy with Edward’s child is crucial for the line of succession. When Elizabeth births a girl instead of a boy, Edward reassures her they will have more children in the future. Warwick practically jumps for joy at the news since this leaves Edward vulnerable. Meanwhile, Lady Margaret Beaufort (Amanda Hale), the mother of Henry Tudor, prays to God for a sign after her eight-year-old son loses his title. She is easily one of the more understated but influential characters on the series. James Kent does an excellent job directing this episode, and playing the fine line between Margaret’s obsession with her son’s legacy and her religious fanaticism. In one of the more dramatic scenes in “The Price of Power,” Margaret tells Henry about her futuristic visions: “God has said you will be King, and you must hold that to your heart.” Told through the perspective of Henry, the camera holds a close-up of Margaret’s face wet with tears as she stands before her son. It creates a haunting scene not only because Hale captivates you with her hypnotic gaze, but because most people know what the name Tudor signifies in history.

Vengeance Is Mine

Towards the episode’s halfway mark, we jump three years into the future. This is where the storyline becomes problematic. One of The White Queen’s strengths is the power play between Warwick and Edward. With the fast pace of “The Price of Power,” there is no opportunity to understand the complexity of Warwick’s relationship with Edward. Also, there are so few scenes with Edward interacting with his brothers, George (David Oakes) and Richard (Aneurin Barnard), it’s difficult to feel the animosity among them, if it exists at all, for conflict. Edward speaks so fondly of his brothers; it would have been nice to understand those bonds better before reaching the dramatic end as Warwick sets brother against brother.

James Frain as Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick (“the Kingmaker”)

As it turns out, there’s no love lost between them as Warwick begins playing kingmaker with George. Warwick goes against Edward’s wishes and marries his daughter, Isabel Neville (Eleanor Tomlinson), to George so she can provide an heir once they gain the throne. All of this leads to tragedy when Warwick ambushes Edward and takes him captive. Later, Elizabeth receives devastating news about her family.

In the aftermath, Elizabeth reaches her breaking point in one of the best scenes in the episode when she speaks to her mother: “I tried to do things differently. I tried to do what Edward asked and make them all my friends. But now I want them dead.” But did she really try? She influences Edward to dismiss Warwick in an effort to protect her family. It’s a noble cause, but it’s easy for her to play the blame game now there are consequences. With the help of a little blood magic from Jacquetta, Elizabeth takes her revenge and the episode fades out with her cursing George and the Earl of Warwick.

For What It’s Worth

Overall, “The Price of Power” has its high and low points. The pace moves too quickly in the end, even though it has some of the best scenes. The context and continuity suffers since it doesn’t allow viewers to gain the scope of Elizabeth and Edward’s influence between her coronation and Warwick’s uprising later. Questions like: How did Elizabeth handle royal court? What was her transition like when assuming the duties as queen? Furthermore, what are the York men truly like? The events in the later half could have been held off for another episode. Yet, it is what it is, and the heart of the episode clearly shows the risks of playing outside the rules of nobility during those times. However, the strengths of the show definitely include the cast members. Irons and Ferguson are remarkable as Edward and Elizabeth. The bottom line is simple: if viewers are to believe within any scope of reason a King of England would break tradition for love, there has to be something special. Irons and Ferguson have a unique spark and playfulness in their scenes. You can’t deny the onscreen chemistry these two share, unless you’ve been cut off from society half your life without any human interaction. This also goes for the entire cast. Frain, as the ambiguous Earl of Warwick, does a fine job of emoting so much in a single glance, even when he has few lines. Frain, Irons, and Ferguson bring their best whenever they share scenes.

There is also the matter of writing on The White Queen. Emma Frost, who so far has written both episodes, delivers very strong scenes for the cast while keeping true to the source material by Philippa Gregory. The dialogue is spot on especially with Elizabeth and Margaret.

In the end, this episode leaves a lot to anticipate for next week. How will Elizabeth survive while Edward is away? By what means will Warwick and George claim the throne? Either way, things can only heat up in this battle royale of sorts for the throne. It’s no wonder George R. R. Martin found inspiration with this period of history.

Tune in to The White Queen, Saturdays at 9pm ET/PT only on STARZ

Follow the series on its official site http://www. starz. com/originals/thewhitequeen

Follow The White Queen on Twitter: @WQueen_Starz, as well as the cast and writers: @carogoodall, @emmafrostlondon, @freyamavor__,@fayemarsay @aneurinbarnard, @david_oakes, @therestis_ @elinor_crawley, @julietaubrey1