Belgravia: The Next Chapter - Season 1

After a somewhat wooden start, Belgravia: The Next Chapter gets off to a good start. That wooden start is mainly due to the acting in the first episode. The stiff upper lip (always wanted to use it in a review) is portrayed very literally. For a moment, the feeling arises that the absence of Julian Fellows is palpable. The creator and writer behind many series, such as Downton Abbey, is only presented as the creator of the original series Belgravia. Fortunately, Belgravia: The Next Chapter quickly manages to recover. In fact, this season develops in such a way that it is almost as good as the original series.

The beautiful setting, the fantastic costumes and the matching images score high.

This is due to cleverly found storylines. Full of passion but also with betrayal. The lovely and somewhat naive Clara marries dream prince Frederick Trenchard. Frederick seems the ideal man but the young Clara soon discovers that he has his traumas. His painful past ensures that he remains cool, distant and unreachable. Clara is restless and is slowly but surely seduced by another world. Another man plays a major role in this.

Frederick meanwhile tries to further expand his business empire. With the help of the Marquise d'Etagnac who fled from France and his loyal employee Ross, this seems to succeed. Frederick is blinded by the first success while the Marquise and Ross also appear to have other interests. This causes Frederick's trust in his fellow men to be further damaged.



When all the scheming comes out, it creates the necessary challenges. In the relationship between Clara and Frederick, but also in the business relationships that Frederick has. Moreover, other problems in the past also appear to play an important role with other people. In the course of the story, various secrets come to the surface. It provides the necessary plot twists that make the story interesting and exciting.

Benjamin Wainwright (World on Fire) plays his role as Frederick in the first episode very stiffly. As time goes by he manages to find the perfect balance between stiff, reserved but also emotionally charged. Harriet Slater plays a completely different role as Clara than in Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman's Butler as Sandra Onslow. It shows the natural talent that she manages to portray both so well. With roles by Elaine Cassidy (No Offence) as Clara's servant, Sophie Winkleman (Sanditon) as the Countess of Rochester, Toby Regbo (The Last Kingdom) as Frederick's brother and Edward Bluemel (A Discovery of Witches) as Stephen, the series scores well with acting talent. Young and old.

This season is shaping up to be at least as good as the original series.

Belgravia: The Next Chapter brings everything a typical British costume drama should bring. That is a compliment and a small point of criticism at the same time. The beautiful setting, the fantastic costumes and the matching images score high. On the one hand, the story is known from other similar series, but also has enough surprises and depth to captivate. You have to survive the first wooden episode to really enjoy it. As so often happens now, perseverance pays off.