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T2 WHATS UP! July 31 - August 6, 2022 TV FEATURE BY SARAH PASSINGHAM TV Media O ne of the most tumul- tuous chapters in the history of the British monarchy has been blessed with the period drama treatment, reanimating the final Tudor queen's ascension to the throne. "Becoming Elizabeth" airs its Season 1 finale Sunday, July 31, on Starz, highlighting the teenage and young adult life of Elizabeth I, portrayed by "Ge- nius" actress Alicia von Rittberg. It is no secret that the ever- changing politics of the court greatly impact the opinions of the head of any monarchy or leadership, and this is precisely from where "Becoming Eliza- beth" builds its gripping in- trigue. The series begins mo- ments after Elizabeth and her brother Edward, played by young "War of the Worlds" actor Oliver Zetterström, receive news of the death of their father, the notorious Henry VIII. Next in the line for the throne, 9-year-old Edward is made King of England in 1547 and serves until his death in 1553. He is quickly sidled by his power- hungry uncle, Edward Seymour, portrayed by "Dickensian" star John Heffernan, also known in title as the Duke of Somerset. The boy king's legacy, mean- while, remains largely tied to his involvement in the English Ref- ormation. King Edward is remembered for furthering the bloody splin- tering of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic faith under the Pope to Protestant Christianity, a tradition carried on from his father's ambitions to be the ultimate authority over England. Following Edward is the nine-day reign of his named successor, Lady Jane Grey (Bella Ramsey, "Game of Thrones"), unseated by Mary I (portrayed by Romola Garai, "Atonement," 2007), a Catholic who earned the moniker "Bloody Mary" through her crusade to reverse Edward's Protestant reforms. This is "Becoming Elizabeth," however, and young Elizabeth craves power and influence of her own. As viewers get to know her in the series, Elizabeth's de- sires are stunted by the limita- tions of her status and her na- ïveté. After her half-brother is crowned King, Elizabeth is sent to live with her stepmother, King Henry VIII's widow Catherine Parr, portrayed by "The Last Post" actress Jessica Raine, at her home in Chelsea, but she quickly and unknowingly be- comes a pawn in Catherine's game with her lover, Thomas Seymour, played by "Downton Abbey" actor Tom Cullen. Typi- cal of the tangled web of British nobility, Thomas is Edward Sey- mour's brother and they are both brothers to Jane Seymour, the third wife of Henry VIII. (Still following?) Planning to keep Elizabeth close while they get what they want, Catherine and Thomas seek a speedy, King-approved marriage while Thomas begins a flirtatious repartee with Eliz- abeth as a mask for his other ambitions. What begins as ma- nipulation becomes a very real affair between Thomas and Elizabeth, becoming still more complicated when Catherine dies during labor in 1548 and Bentonville Acupuncture 5 x 5 continued on page T10 Alicia von Rittberg in "Becoming Elizabeth" Making a monarch www.nwaonline.com Did you know those images are available for purchase? IT'S EASY! Just go to nwaonline.com, click on "Photos" in the top menu bar and use the search to fi nd the photo you want. Then just click "Purchase" for sizing options. You can also have the image put on a coff ee mug, mouse pad, key tag, holiday ornament and more! Did you see a photo in our newspaper or on our website that you would love a copy of? Check it out!