Last night I completed watching the series shown recently on the BEEB: Elizabeth R. This was first transmitted 50 years ago !!!!
It was more like a series of plays covering Elizabeth's life. Mundane sets by modern standards, but relied on the acting and writing to be entertaining. (And some totally startling costumes ... you think Goths, Rockers, Punks, Skinheads, Glam Rock Bands, even Mods
were a bit outrageous. Elizabethan clobber was bloody gut wrenchingly bad.
But it was utterly fascinating, and Glenda Jackson was firing on all cylinders as Elizabeth from young to old. I only caught the odd episode back when it was first broadcast because I was at sea for most of it. But did I ever enjoy the intrigue, backstabbing and political machinations it portrayed.
Elizabeth 1st was 69 years old when she died, not bad for those times. She reigned for 42 years through very turbulent times. What I liked about this presentation, (and you must remember most of history is
'opinion' not necessarily fact) is they didn't take a romantic view of her, and how wonderful she was. They showed her 'warts and all.' And didn't Glenda Jackson ever go for presenting that idea.