Entertainment
Forget ‘Widow’s Bay,’ Kate O’Flynn’s 8-Episode Fantasy Series Is Her Most Rewatchable
Whether she’s clad in a crown of animal parts in one episode, or accessorizing an oversized t-shirt with boots and a shotgun in another, Kate O’Flynn’s Patricia has become the breakout character of the year. The British actress plays the socially awkward Town Hall employee and unlikely Final Girl on Apple TV’s Widow’s Bay. From creator Katie Dippold, the horror comedy follows the inhabitants of a cursed New England island.
But O’Flynn opted for a more traditional crown just two years prior, playing a fictionalized version of King Henry VIII’s eldest daughter, Mary, in My Lady Jane. While Widow’s Bay may be a few spooks too many for horror-sensitive viewers, this Prime Video series may be her most rewatchable blending historical fiction, comedy, romance, and fantasy. My Lady Jane is based on the Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows book of the same name.
‘My Lady Jane’ Blends Historical Fiction, Comedy, Romance and Fantasy
My Lady Jane reimagined the reign of England’s “Nine Day Queen,” providing an alternative history where Lady Jane Grey (Emily Bader) and her husband Lord Guildford Dudley (Edward Bluemel) weren’t executed after her short stint as the Queen of England. Jane ascended to the throne at the behest of her cousin, King Edward (Jordan Peters), upon his presumed death. His controversial move broke tradition, leaping ahead of his sisters Mary and Elizabeth “Bess” (Abbie Hern).
While the series is still set in the 1550s, it brings a modernity to the story with tongue-in-cheek narration and pop culture references interspersed. With a special focus on 1980s and 1990s movies, My Lady Jane reworks iconic moments from The Goonies, The Princess Bride, Clueless, and Crocodile Dundee, among others. Venturing into fantasy, this new version of events also includes a subjugated class of shapeshifters known as Ethians.
But at its core, My Lady Jane is a love story. Bader and Bluemel deliver a Bridgerton-worthy romance, fighting their undeniable chemistry as nobility thrust into an arranged marriage. The couple must contend with their shared secrets, burgeoning feelings, the potential of a divorce, and new threats faced as royalty.
O’Flynn Played The Central Antagonist
O’Flynn starred as My Lady Jane’s central antagonist, Princess Mary. She works to seize control of the throne by poisoning her brother King Edward and usurping Lady Jane Grey’s rule. Harkening back to her real-life counterpart’s “Bloody Mary” persona, she is portrayed as not just ruthless, but deranged with an aversion to bathing, an intense prejudice toward Ethians, and a manipulative relationship with Lord Seymour (Dominic Cooper). Despite being open to more advantageous matches, she continues to be romantically engaged with Seymour so he does her bidding.
This role is a sharp departure from her Emmy-nominated performance on Widow’s Bay, replacing social timidness with a self-assuredness. While Patricia tries to be a moral voice, Mary plots not just for power, but revenge. She orchestrates the events that led to Jane and Guildford’s execution. But when backed in a corner, Patricia does gain a little bit of Mary’s gumption, as she did when facing the Boogeyman. O’Flynn also brings the skillset to balance the nuance of each series with comedy, whether an evil royal rising armies to defeat her cousin or the fear of an islander facing supernatural forces and longtime mean girls.
‘My Lady Jane’ Was Canceled After 8 Episodes
While My Lady Jane manipulated history throughout the series, Jane and Guildford were confronted with their intended fates in the finale. The season ended on a cliffhanger, with the narrator (Oliver Chris) declaring, “our story is not over yet.” But despite a 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes and a dedicated fanbase, Prime Video canceled the series less than two months after its release. Gemma Burgess adapted My Lady Jane into an 8-episode season, premiering in June 2024. The series also starred Anna Chancellor, Henry Ashton, Isabella Brownson, Robyn Betteridge, and Rob Brydon.
Luckily for fans of O’Flynn, Widow’s Bay has not suffered the same fate. The series earned 19 Emmy nominations for its first season. So it’s not surprisingly that Apple TV renewed the series for a second season, upping fan-favorite Dale (Jeff Hiller) to a series regular. The series also stars Matthew Rhys, Stephen Root, Kevin Carroll, Dale Dickey, and Kingston Rumi Southwick.
While Patricia has infiltrated the zeitgeist, O’Flynn’s turn as Mary proved she is not only a fearless performer, but she has the range to tackle even more in future seasons of Widow’s Bay. While she may be the villain of Jane’s story, O’Flynn is able to ground an otherwise bombastic character, bringing realism to her lightest and cruelest moments in My Lady Jane. But for viewers a bit too scared to wade into Widow’s Bay, My Lady Jane shares a similar comedic sensibility without interspersing jumpscares.
- Release Date
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2024 – 2024-00-00
- Showrunner
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Gemma Burgess, Meredith Glynn
- Directors
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Jamie Babbit, Stefan Schwartz
- Writers
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Jodi Meadows, Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand
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