The TV Series Versailles, Second Season, And Allowing Characters To Find SOME Happiness
Spoiler Alert – This post will talk about the TV series Versailles and it WILL contain spoilers. If you haven’t yet watched this historical drama TV series, especially the first season of it, you might wish to skip this post.
I’ve now completed the second season of Versailles and I now know one reason this show didn’t gain a sufficient audience.
The writers don’t allow ANY of the characters to find happiness, especially romantic happiness.
Yes, the main characters are based on real people. And these real people didn’t find romantic happiness. Or much happiness of any kind.
But there are secondary characters the writers clearly didn’t base on real people. And they weren’t allowed to find happiness of any kind either.
And with a cast of thousands, that’s…a lot. Everyone is miserable. Everyone is in constant drama.
There’s no backbone of contentment or joy or happiness.
In a Romance Novel Series, this role would be filled by the happily bonded couple (or more) of one of the previous stories in the series. Or a set of long time happy and now super content parents. Or the grandmother who is always in her kitchen baking cookies when the hero needs someone to talk with. Or the best friend who always makes the heroine laugh when she’s feeling sad.
These characters are relatively drama free and they are a respite for the readers/viewers from the darkness, from the conflict. They show us where we want the main characters to end up, our wish for them.
All drama all the time with all characters is tiring. And that type of story doesn’t appeal to many people.
Give your readers a sanctuary.
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The TV Series Versailles And A Cast Of Thousands
Spoiler Alert – This post will talk about the TV series Versailles and it WILL contain spoilers. If you haven’t yet watched this historical drama TV series, especially the first season of it, you might wish to skip this post.
I’ve recently been enjoying Versailles, a historical drama TV series inspired by some of Louis XIV’s life. I’ve completed the first season.
And stars, I’m emotionally invested.
This is despite the showing having a HUGE cast and the similarity of how the characters look (all white, all in that period’s clothing, having that period’s hairstyles, etc.).
I believe this is because of how uniquely every character acts and thinks and how consistent they are regarding this.
Louis XIV and the Duke Of Orleans are brothers, for example.
But we know that Louis XIV will always make decisions based on what he believes will result in the greatness of himself and of France. He is also always aware that people want to harm and kill him. He’s paranoid about betrayal and he has good reason to be so.
The Duke Of Orleans has been betrayed also. But his default is trust. Because he has been raised to trust in the monarchy and in the King’s (in this case, his brother’s) decisions. This results in him trusting a loved one who, time and time again, betrays that trust.
These two very different approaches to life impacts their behaviors and their thinking.
Louis XIV acts quickly and decisively. He doesn’t ‘talk.’ He commands.
The Duke Of Orleans will defer to others. He is unlikely to act without support or consensus. He listens more than he talks.
And because he knows he has support, he isn’t overly worried about being assassinated. He ‘trusts’ other will keep him safe.
That’s great character building.
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A Little Chaos And Strong Heroines
I watched A Little Chaos last night, a film about a female landscape artist who wins the honor of designing a part of Versailles (Kate Winslet stars in it. Alan Rickman both directed and appears in it). I loved it. I don’t understand why I haven’t heard more about this movie.
Or maybe I do.
Because the lead character is female. She’s strong, stocky, wildly intelligent and super independent. There’s a love story. Yes. But her hero makes her even stronger. She’s a brilliant engineer and a savvy leader. Strong men choose to follow her.
I suspect that makes (mostly male) critics and award voters uncomfortable. Thank goodness I write romance. Romance readers EXPECT strong heroines. They EXPECT love interests to make these heroines stronger. They EXPECT heroines to find their own solutions and not wait for someone else to save them.
They expect a heroine like Sabine De Barra, Kate Winslet’s character. Sabine has a gripping back story (she’s a widow and is dealing with her grief, something all of us have struggled with). She has numerous goals and an unique view on the world. She isn’t perfect, far from it, yet she’s sympathetic (The director, Alan Rickman, sets this up beautifully with showing Sabine’s friendship with another woman right at the beginning. This woman clearly loves Sabine and that makes me love her also.).
She’s a character I could happily write a series about.
Aside: One of my favorite parts of the movies is when the ladies at court are talking about the deaths they’ve experienced. I found it interesting that Sabine doesn’t cry yet I felt the emotion even more strongly than if she did break down. It reminded me that I don’t need tears to convey a character’s sorrow.
Another note: There is debate about whether or not Sabine is a real historical character. That there is even a discussion around this tells me the film is historically accurate enough to make me happy. It COULD have happened.
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Crash And Burn
Crash was manufactured to be one of the best warriors in the universe. The cyborg has spent many human lifespans fighting the enemy. But, unlike his battle-loving brethren, he doesn’t enjoy killing. When he escapes the Humanoid Alliance, he vows to never end another life.
Then he meets Safyre, an infuriating human female, and he considers breaking his vow.
Safyre will do anything to save her friend, the being she loves like a sister. She’ll ravish a huge hunky cyborg, kiss his best friend, and invoke scorching hot desires the male never realized he could feel. Dark soulful eyes, a quick wit, and a tempestuous passion won’t divert her from her mission.
Love, and a planet-destroying weapon, however, might stop her permanently.
Pre-order Now:
On Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Crash-Burn-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B019EBKIF2
On Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crash-Burn-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook-x/dp/B019EBKIF2/
On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-crashandburn-1950244-147.html
On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crash-and-burn-cynthia-sax/1123141101
On Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/crash-and-burn-13
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