The Wolf & The Lamb – As this episode of Mary & George begins, two men stop and camp for the night. Gravedigger Rab (Ian Hanmore) and Gravedigger Bill (Neil McKinven) eventually make it to a grave. There is no coffin and only remains. If they ever tell anyone about this, they’re dead. They begin digging up the grave. The gravediggers unearth something that makes them question what type of man they’re dealing with. King James I (Tony Curran) wakes up next to George Villiers (Nicholas Galitzine). After the intro, George complains that King James bit him. James kisses it to make it better. John Villiers (Tom Victor) sits alone outside. John walks into the water and begins drowning.

Inside, Mary Villiers (Julianne Moore) and Susan (Alice Grant) argue about what Kit (Jacob McCarthy) is eating for breakfast. Sir Thomas Compton (Sean Gilder) carries John in again and asks if he knows he can’t swim. Thomas admits he is beginning to miss being bored and alone. Outside, George and Mary talk about John’s swimming. Mary believes John wants to go to France and be like George. John is sad and misses him. George says he misses him too. He tells Mary about King James biting him before James interrupts. Once they’re alone, Mary asks George about Lady Hatton. George says she is in Italy trying to find Frances a husband. Mary talks about the possibility of John marrying Frances. Mary admits she thinks the fact that she doesn’t own anything and her children aren’t wed every day.

She worries that the King’s affection for George will curdle and they’ll have nothing. George hopes James will never leave him. James comes over and licks James’s face. In private, George tells Mary that he is exhausted because his mood changes so often. James introduces everyone to Helen who is from Jamestown, Virginia. He reveals he is going to Edinburgh for the first time since he became King. James hasn’t decided who will be the Keeper of the Seal yet. Mary tells George not to take his eyes off James when he goes up north because his loyalty talk scares her. Before long, George and James make it to the border. Mary speaks to Sir Edward Coke (Adrian Rawlins) who reveals he wasn’t selected as the Keeper of the Seal. Mary asks whether a father can authorize a marriage contract for his daughter.

Coke says that didn’t work previously. He worries that Lady Hatton (Nicola Walker) would feed his knees and joints to her dogs. Mary suggests the stage can belong to Coke if he joins their family. They go to Edward Coke’s house where they find people ransacking his possessions. Lady Hatton asks if they have a contract for Frances that they thought they could wave around while she was away. Hatton admits she found out from Page. She argues with Mary about who’ll get Frances. Once they reach Edinburgh, George asks James what there is to fear. James wishes he’d just trust him on this. Inside, Kit suggests James is already bored of George. A boy tells him that James is just protecting their innocence. He introduces himself as Peter Carr. Peter says the Earl of Buckingham is a much better man for the King.

He suggests James has George on a leash, but George insists he is on no man’s leash. Sandie (Niamh Algar) catches up with Mary and Edward to tell them she knows where Frances is being kept. Mary insists they should move now. Once Sandie and others storm the house, Sandie finds Frances hiding inside. In the carriage, Frances Coke (Amelia Gething) complains that they broke her arm. Although Mary says this is all for the best, Frances doesn’t think it is in her best interest. Meanwhile, George and Kit talk while Peter dances nearby. Kit notices he is interested in Peter so he asks if James would kill him. Kit doesn’t trust him. Before long, George has sex with Peter. Once George finishes, Peter asks if it is his turn. George worries James will find out, but Peter insists he knows what his young pups do.

George tells Peter that his brother doesn’t think he should trust him. Peter says he is an officer in the Scottish guard and it is his duty to protect the king. They get ready for more sex. James isn’t happy when George returns. James admits he saw George with the darling soldier boy. George claims they were chatting since he knows Peter’s family. He says he isn’t lying and he isn’t the one touching other boys in front of James. Eventually, James says he had a true love once. He told James that no one will ever be as true to him as he is. George asks if this man was Somerset. James thinks he should find a bed elsewhere. Sir Francis Bacon (Mark O’Halloran) stops Mary’s carriage. He doesn’t believe this’ll look good since they’re forcibly taking away the girl.

Francis is the Keeper of the Seal in James’s absence. Mary asks if they should cut the baby in half. Later, Mary and Hatton are with Frances while they wait for the King’s word. Hatton knows things are going back for George. She suggests James will find someone else. George tells James he has letters from his mother and she wants him to read them to him. George explains his judgment is needed back home, but James admits he doesn’t care. James reveals these people killed his father before he was born and gave his mother to the English to be caged and beheaded. He gets upset and says they need to get out of this city. Sandie sneaks in with Mary and they begin making out. She tells Mary that John sliced the serving girl, Jenny.

Mary’s husband locked him John away in his room because he kept going into the lake. When he was finally allowed out, he grabbed a knife and attacked Jenny. Mary thinks John will behave from now on because he still wants to be wed. Sandie questions where all this ends, but Mary says nothing ever ends. George takes James on a walk through the countryside. Peter follows them. James alleges Peter is a distraction for George. Peter believes George loves James. Then, James accuses them of betraying him. He jumps into the water and begins swimming across. Peter goes after him. He brings him back before he is returned. Peter tells George to give him space so he’ll crave his return. He offers to take George and Kit someplace to kill time.

Mary overhears Lady Hatton speaking to Sir Bacon about John’s actions. Peter takes George to Ruthven Castle. Once they go inside, Peter mentions that he had a lover named Lord Lennox who was much older than the king. Other lords were not happy with Lennox like the lords who hated Somerset. That included Lord Ruthven. He kidnapped the King and brought him there as a prisoner for ten months before James escaped. After he escaped, the King had his revenge. Lord Ruthven and his family were executed. If anything happened to George there, everyone in Scotland would know the significance. Peter begins choking him and asking whether he thought he could brag about what he did to his cousin. Although George denies it, Peter says he’s already admitted it.

George says they can talk. Kit shows up and shoots Peter in the head. Later, James apologizes to George. He believes he pushed George away and into the other guy’s arms. James tells him that Lord Lennox was exiled while he was detained in that tower. He died in France impoverished and alone. James says Lennox was his first great love and he has proof that he loved him. After he died, he left instructions for his heart to be embalmed so James could have it. James had it buried above Edinburgh but thought it was time for it to come home. They kiss before George says he’d like to learn under James. Next, James and George go dig up the heart. George agrees to do it. Once they dig it up, James explains it says, “Semper mea.”

It means, “Always mine.” Sir Bacon approaches their camp later and asks to see the king. George asks him if he wanted to make sure James heard his version first. Francis is surprised to see that Mary already beat him there. James reveals he’s made Kit the Earl of Anglesey because he’s a hero now. Mary questions what could possibly stop them now. John marries a sobbing Frances. Mary tells George that she’ll pick him a wife next.

 

Mary & George Review

The fourth episode of Mary & George didn’t do much to up the intensity or excitement level. Instead, the tedious story continues to plod along in the most exhausting way possible. The costumes look great at times, but that’s pointless when three-quarters of the scenes are shot in near complete darkness. It has become painfully clear by this point that Mary & George has no historical significance whatsoever.

It’s just another show that used historically significant names to draw attention while creating an outlandish story that’s far from reality. Despite having a great cast, some of them appear out of place and even awkward at times. It doesn’t help that none of the characters are easy to care for. Peter could’ve choked George to death and it would’ve been a satisfying ending just to see the series end without three more episodes.

If the story had been more grounded with more purpose, this easily could’ve been a hit for Sky. The episode scores a 4 out of 10. Recaps of Mary & George can be found on Reel Mockery here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising on Reel Mockery here. Discuss Mary & George and other shows at the Reel Mockery Forum.