'Marie Antoinette's' Deserved Better Than Its Dull First Season Finale

After such a dramatic run of episodes, it's a bit strange that Marie Antoinette concludes its first season with a finale that feels determinedly lackluster compared to everything that came before it. It's not clear if the production wanted to make sure this finale concluded the series at a high point for its central heroine (the birth of her son, the Dauphin) in case it wasn't renewed or hint at many of the scandals to plague the queen in the years to come, without being overt about it.

Almost nothing happens in "Queen of Hearts," save for King Louis's decision to back America against the British as a middle finger to France's age-old enemy. It's a reason to bring Benjamin Franklin to court. Provence thinks Louis's military instincts are crap and supporting America is dumb, with no evidence his position comes from anything other than contrariness or a general inclination to just do the opposite of whatever his brother does.

Antoinette gets too close to a male admirer, kissing someone who isn't her husband, and her friendship with Chartres takes a dark turn when she says she doesn't like him like that. (I really could have done without the rape vibes during their confrontation following his alleged military victory.) Oh, and she gives birth to a much-hoped son and loses her mother in a five minutes span and never utters a line of dialogue about either of these personal emotional earthquakes.