The White Princess

:

Season 1
  • Network: Starz
  • Series Premiere Date: Apr 16, 2017
Metascore
71

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
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Critic Reviews

  1. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Gwen Ihnat
    Apr 14, 2017
    83
    True to form, The White Princess frequently features an end card that admits that some of the situations and characters have been tweaked for dramatic purposes. But the actual events of this story still have enough in play to make this a riveting watch--particularly, as with the previous series, how much these three women vie for power when the majority of women at that time had little say whatsoever.
  2. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Shirley Li
    Apr 14, 2017
    83
    Apart from Comer, it’s Fairley and Davis, as the royal mothers attempting to pull the strings behind the new king and queen, who lend the series a much-needed gravitas.
  3. Variety
    Reviewed by: Sonia Saraiya
    Apr 14, 2017
    80
    The drama is an enjoyable, ridiculous romp through the early days of the first Tudor king, Henry VII, and his marriage to Elizabeth of York, the titular white princess.
  5. Wall Street Journal
    Reviewed by: John Anderson
    Apr 13, 2017
    80
    In addition to taking the chattel’s point of view in a world lopsidedly male, The White Princess is a tapestry of soap and backstage politics, with some really marvelous performances.
  6. Collider
    Reviewed by: Allison Keene
    Apr 12, 2017
    80
    It has a lot of ground to cover and a lot of historical beats to hit, but it’s never stuffy or slow.
  7. We Got This Covered
    Reviewed by: David James
    Mar 27, 2017
    70
    [Jodie Corner] doesn’t have quite the amount of gravitas to carry it, not to mention that she’s comprehensively overshadowed by just about everyone else around her. But The White Princess is a compellingly tangled watch, casting light on figures often blotted out by the male-dominated historical spotlight. It even manages to conjure up a little dramatic tension on what will happen next.
  8. USA Today
    Reviewed by: Robert Bianco
    Apr 14, 2017
    63
    Come for the fancy costumes, drafty castles, barbed glances and backstabbing power grabs. Just don’t come for the story, because Princess doesn't have much of one to tell.

Awards & Rankings

92
#92 Best TV Season of 2017

User Reviews

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User Score
5.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 27 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 27
  3. Negative: 8 out of 27
  1. CarterReviews
    May 9, 2017
    4
    If you found the White Queen -- for which the White Princess serves as a prequel to -- a dull drag through a time period and setting in whichIf you found the White Queen -- for which the White Princess serves as a prequel to -- a dull drag through a time period and setting in which corrupt people rape those under them (figuratively and literally), then you will find that lightning does strike twice (and burn your crops).

    The White Princess is a stale show, devoid of smiles, humor, or any in-show characters enjoying themselves. It is an hour of even-toned, emotionless actors either dominating someone by means of their high status, or someone being dominated because of their lack of status. The relationships in play here are neither engaging nor entertaining, seemingly everyone has a rain cloud over their head. Even shows such as Game of Thrones -- which is largely criticized for its sexual violence (among other vices) -- break up the satanism with a cast of unique characters and doses of humor or points of interest.

    It is good to see Vincent Regan (300, Snow White & the Huntsman) in the mix, as he is regrettably under utilized in film and television in general, and Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones, Resurrection) tends to bring a sense of gravitas to a production, but even she is present to do nothing more than glare and personify the uninteresting archetype of "royal-mother-who-would-do-anything-to-make-sure-her-son-is-king."

    As for the star of the show, one Jodie Comer, there is nothing to grasp onto. Everything occurring is entirely 'been there seen that'. We already know rape is wrong. We already know women were mistreated in the Renaissance Era (and beyond). To show a young girl struggling in dire situations could be impactful, if only we actually knew something about her. A line she speaks, "All I have ever wanted, all my life, is to marry a man for love", it does not instill feelings of sadness or sympathy, but rather feels cliche. You can show a dog being run over by a car to make people feel something, that does not make it art.

    Set pieces, costuming, and the sort are not astounding, nor do they stand in the way. By my account the budget seems to not hinder the show's potential in the least, but that is where the quality ends. The minutes feel long in this story, and what exactly the viewer is supposed to be entertained by or looking forward to is beyond me. The opening theme is nearly identical to that of the aforementioned White Queen, which is a pleasant sounding theme, but like the show it is attached to, it does not flourish, it merely remains in a single place, not attempting to be refreshing. The rest of the show's soundtrack is entirely forgettable.

    There is nothing new here, but that is not what makes this show lumber like a wet giant, as nothing in entertainment is new to begin with. The fact of the matter is that I am one who seeks shows such as this, hoping to find something to be engaged in. I want to make predictions, feel emotions, and think about the show after I finish watching it. But throughout the 60 minute run of the first episode, I was as boring as this show, just sitting on my couch, soullessly, as I watch tears fall from a girl's face whilst a king rapes her for approximately 30 seconds, both of them sitting upright and hardly moving, awkwardly (not that there was a way to make it appealing). This is a show devoid of life, character, and any motivation other than screwing people over or trying to not get screwed over. It is a plain piece of white bread, a blank sheet of white paper, sterile, colorless and uninspired, a model house with white walls, white appliances, and white furnishings. It would seem the White Princess is a fitting title.    … Full Review »
  2. asmanraj
    May 7, 2017
    10
    This is a great period drama series that is every bit as entertaining as The White Queen. It should appeal to fans of Outlander. All of theThis is a great period drama series that is every bit as entertaining as The White Queen. It should appeal to fans of Outlander. All of the performances are competent, but Essie Davis and Michelle Fairley steal the show.… Full Review »
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