Versailles - General Discussion

[iMonrey]

Well you got to see him in the finale, so there's that.

At least Philippe, Chevalier and Palatine got a happily ever after. It didn't feel quite finished, though, with Marchal languishing in jail. 

It just irritated the heck out of me whenever they cut to these dumb peasant characters nobody gives a hang about. The ended up being utterly pointless. Total waste of a season, overall.

[andromeda331]

On ‎12‎/‎9‎/‎2018 at 10:50 AM, iMonrey said:

Well you got to see him in the finale, so there's that.

At least Philippe, Chevalier and Palatine got a happily ever after. It didn't feel quite finished, though, with Marchal languishing in jail. 

It just irritated the heck out of me whenever they cut to these dumb peasant characters nobody gives a hang about. The ended up being utterly pointless. Total waste of a season, overall.

Yes, they did. I liked that Philippe, Chevalier and Palatine got happy ever after. I liked Chevalier holding the guard at gun point to release Delphine although I still don't like or get their relationship and Philippe appearing and ordering the guards to let her go. Maybe because something actually happened? The rest? Nothing really happened. Everything was so pointless. The endless hours spent on the peasants for a completely pointless scene. All the time spent on Marchal breaking or considering breaking for nothing. Philippe's whatever was wrong with him, the Shokemaker, Louis getting worse and worse, it would be a shorter list that wasn't pointless this season. They wasted the entire last season and for nothing.

[ch1]

The peasants really were pointless.  Phillipe didn’t even get to react to Guillome being killed.

I think this show could have gone another year because some things were wrapped up in a nice bow that really shouldn’t have been.

Fabien deserved better than a final shot sitting in prison.

Phillipe and Chevalier deserved better than an out of no where reunion.  Their last scene should have been them agreeing to try again.  Not Phillipe wanting to hear ILY from the guy he dumped and gave no thought to until he had nothing else going on. WTF changed his mind?

The Louis and Phillipe relationship deserved better than the two being on fine terms after murdering their father and Louis being at his most tyrannical self.  Phillipe always called out Louis so how did he not go all I told you so after killing Louis’ would be assassin? Their last scene in s2, ep. 10 was so much better.

Poor Colbert.  He was the only advisor worth a damn.  

[andromeda331]

On ‎12‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 1:12 PM, ch1 said:

The peasants really were pointless.  Phillipe didn’t even get to react to Guillome being killed.

I think this show could have gone another year because some things were wrapped up in a nice bow that really shouldn’t have been.

Fabien deserved better than a final shot sitting in prison.

Phillipe and Chevalier deserved better than an out of no where reunion.  Their last scene should have been them agreeing to try again.  Not Phillipe wanting to hear ILY from the guy he dumped and gave no thought to until he had nothing else going on. WTF changed his mind?

The Louis and Phillipe relationship deserved better than the two being on fine terms after murdering their father and Louis being at his most tyrannical self.  Phillipe always called out Louis so how did he not go all I told you so after killing Louis’ would be assassin? Their last scene in s2, ep. 10 was so much better.

Poor Colbert.  He was the only advisor worth a damn.  

They really were pointless and in the end nothing matters. Its also like they jumped to the "ending" without explaining how any of them got there. Suddenly Louis and Philippe are on fine terms as if none of the previous scenes happened. No apology from Louis, no Philippe calling him out, nothing. Suddenly they are close again. Same with Philippe and Chevalier as much as I liked the reunion it still made no sense from where they were up until that moment. We never get to see Chevalier call out Philippe or Philippe apologizing and explaining why he dropped him whether it was PTSD or what. Chevalier deserved an explanation. They don't even really explain why Chevalier, Philippe, and Lisolette are so happy to be back at Versailles after everything that happened? Chevalier is totally cool with being back living under Louis's roof after being locked up? When Lisolette tries to explain to Philippe why they should go back. It doesn't make any real sense given how crappy they were treated. It would make more sense if we saw any kind of pay off for them to return. We never get to see if Louis goes back to being normal or is still being horrible to everyone. For all we know he's using the assassination attempt to execute more people. No, we didn't see anything of it. But given his behavior up until that moment there's nothing to suggest he wouldn't either. They've given us no signs that Louis changed back. With Maintenon by is side happily agreeing with everything he's done. Its really unlikely that he's stopped.    

[ch1]

I think the writers were caught with their pants down.  I think the news of no season 4 made them wrap things up late in filming.

I like Phillipe, Chevalier and Liselotte but their last scene made me cringe.  It was way too cheesy for me. 

I also don’t understand when Versailles became home for them. Especially since we have seen St. Cloud is home to Phillipe and I would think home for Liselotte would be wherever her forgotten son is.  Phillipe viewing Versailles as home just because he killed someone for his brother doesn’t work for me.

And speaking of things not mattering - the show ended with Delphine who?   The ending just proved to me that she was there to give Chevalier something to do while Phillipe was playing investigator. Waste of time.

[Razzberry]

I'm just getting into this show.  Loving it, but at first it was a little confusing.  Not helped by my close captions even misnaming the people!  First time I've seen that happen.

[andromeda331]

On ‎12‎/‎27‎/‎2018 at 5:01 PM, ch1 said:

I think the writers were caught with their pants down.  I think the news of no season 4 made them wrap things up late in filming.

I like Phillipe, Chevalier and Liselotte but their last scene made me cringe.  It was way too cheesy for me. 

I also don’t understand when Versailles became home for them. Especially since we have seen St. Cloud is home to Phillipe and I would think home for Liselotte would be wherever her forgotten son is.  Phillipe viewing Versailles as home just because he killed someone for his brother doesn’t work for me.

And speaking of things not mattering - the show ended with Delphine who?   The ending just proved to me that she was there to give Chevalier something to do while Phillipe was playing investigator. Waste of time.

I admit I like the scene but it makes no sense with everything that happened up until that moment. Chevalier just got over being imprisoned? He just got over Philippe dropping him with no reason? Why? It would have made more sense if we saw how they got to that moment. I don't understand how Versailles became their home either. Philippe and Liselotte never acted like they liked it there and even less after everything that's happened. Even when Liselotte's saying the words at St. Cloud that they have to back. There is no reason for it. Why would she want to go back to a place she didn't like? Where her son was taking away from her? And after Chevalier was arrested? While Louis's been even more of a tyrant then before. There's no reason for them to ever want to go back. But in the season before it made more sense. Philippe brought out the good in Louis. That having him there. Having both of them there was better for Louis (he's made remarks that he likes Liselotte's honesty and doesn't play politics) it would have made more sense if Louis sent someone or went asking for them to come back. Pleading that he needed them, apologized for his behavior and/or gave them some reason to return. But that doesn't happen. We get no reason why they went back or why later they are happy to be there. 

I agree Delphine ended up being something that gave Chevalier something to do. If they hadn't made him fall in love with her it would have made it better. There was no reason for that. They had zero chemistry and zero reason why Chevalier is suddenly so in love and with a woman. Friends would have been fine or one or both needing each other as reasons to stay at court. Chevalier lost his reason and then his position it would make more sense he finds a reason to stay. The only reason I like his part is he ends up being the only character all season who does something. Louis a tyrant for no reason, Philippe drops everyone and is changed for no reason, etc. Chevalier befriends Delphine, helps sneak Protestants out when things go bad for them, he risks his life to help Delphine's father and gets imprisoned, gets out and is mad at Philippe, then goes and forces Delphine's release. The love part makes no sense and once she's gone its like he forgets about her but he's still the only one who does something all season. His story arc ends up at least having a conclusion. None of the others did. It still makes no sense though after all he went through he's happy to still be at Versailles and in love with Philippe.

[ch1]

The one thing Phillipe did (and to an extent Liselotte since that is actually the main reason she went to Phillipe) was save Chevalier’s ass.  Without Phillipe getting his release Chevy wouldn’t have succeeded at being a hero.  Even at the the end the reason Delphine escaped was because of Phillipe’s intervention.

Phillipe helping to release Delphine I guess was supposed to be enough for Chevalier going back to Phillipe no questions asked. As I said they deserved a better ending and a last season where they actually had more than 5 minutes together.

I know in the finale they had Louis say that he and Phillipe needed each other but honestly I didn’t see it.  Louis presented himself as needing no one and the only one he listened to was Maintenon (not surprising since she fed his ego). And in all 3 seasons Louis treated Phillipe like shit so i can’t help but think Phillipe would have been better off without him.

[andromeda331]

9 hours ago, ch1 said:

The one thing Phillipe did (and to an extent Liselotte since that is actually the main reason she went to Phillipe) was save Chevalier’s ass.  Without Phillipe getting his release Chevy wouldn’t have succeeded at being a hero.  Even at the the end the reason Delphine escaped was because of Phillipe’s intervention.

Phillipe helping to release Delphine I guess was supposed to be enough for Chevalier going back to Phillipe no questions asked. As I said they deserved a better ending and a last season where they actually had more than 5 minutes together.

I know in the finale they had Louis say that he and Phillipe needed each other but honestly I didn’t see it.  Louis presented himself as needing no one and the only one he listened to was Maintenon (not surprising since she fed his ego). And in all 3 seasons Louis treated Phillipe like shit so i can’t help but think Phillipe would have been better off without him.

True he did do that and it is hard to believe that was enough for Chevalier. I agree they deserved better. Almost everyone deserved better. 

[Razzberry]

For new viewers who may have the same problem I did -

[Macbeth]

Of course Fabien ended up in jail.  That's his happy place.

I felt for Colbert's death.  He worked until his death for a King he no longer respected.

King Louis was the villain of this piece.  I am glad the show reflected that.  He persecuted protestants during his reign - that's a historical fact.  In terns of limiting Rome's power in France.  That was probably a good idea.  

As for the peasants.  Its Versailles you need peasants.  When the King crowed about his legacy - all I could think was - the revolution is only a century away.  I think we needed to follow a peasant family throughout the entire show.  The show's approach was not coherent. 

I was annoyed that we were no longer had a carefree Phillipe and Chevalier.  But it really helped me to binge watch the last few episodes.  And I appreciated their characters' growth. 

As for the Daddy issue - Killing Daddy was way over the top.  But the idea of the King and Phillip actually being bastards is something to be considered.  An underlying theme this season was royal inbreeding.  Charles II of Spain, that everyone was trying to have their candidate married to, is the poster child of royal inbreeding.  He was unable to produce an heir which led to a war.  Now the King  and Phillipe's parents couldn't produce a child in nearly 20 years.  There had been 4 still-born births.  And then they had 2 healthy sons that lived until their old age??  Very unlikely.  

[One Tough Cookie]

On ‎10‎/‎31‎/‎2018 at 6:00 PM, andromeda331 said:

Both of these. Maintenon isn't interesting. She's a bore who's thinks she's better then others because she sprouts religious crap and the actress isn't playing her interesting either. Just boring. I don't see what Louis sees in her. She's boring, sprouts crap and is a hypocrite

I think he is using her in some way to salve a conscience he pushes away. And I agree, she's a bore.

Farewell, Fabian, he of the leather pants and "come hither" scowl.

(from the shallow pool)I want EVERY pair of earrings all the actresses' wore.  Divine.

For me I adore the show and it's sustaining me until GOT comes back.

And I LOVE Philippe's' tug of war between loving his brother and hating his king. Well done.

didn't Phli drop chevy after he conspired against the king?  He may not love the king, but he certainly loved his brother.

Edited February 13, 2019 by One Tough Cookie

[SheekenLeetle]

Hello, I've a question ... I watched the first and second seasons of Versailles on Netflix. However, I  felt there were things I missed, so I decided to watch the first and second seasons again. Did anyone else notice scenes that seem to have been cut? For example, when I rewatched just a few weeks after originally viewing, Madame Montespan's infant child's death was completely missing from the show. This was the reason for the dismissal of the young doctor Claudine. Where did this scene go and why would Netflix remove a major part of the story line?  Thanks so much!

[One Tough Cookie]

On ‎2‎/‎18‎/‎2019 at 11:15 PM, SheekenLeetle said:

Hello, I've a question ... I watched the first and second seasons of Versailles on Netflix. However, I  felt there were things I missed, so I decided to watch the first and second seasons again. Did anyone else notice scenes that seem to have been cut? For example, when I rewatched just a few weeks after originally viewing, Madame Montespan's infant child's death was completely missing from the show. This was the reason for the dismissal of the young doctor Claudine. Where did this scene go and why would Netflix remove a major part of the story line?  Thanks so much!

oohh--thanks for giving me a reason to re-binge this weekend!

[Iju]

hm. netflix usually doesn't censor. i wonder if we can see the full versions elsewhere.

(btw still waiting for S3 on netflix, only thing worth watching on there nowadays.)

[One Tough Cookie]

{growling}  "At least let me bruise his face"

Oh Fabian, never change. 

~le sigh~

re:  the baby--dies in epi 5 ,season 2.

edited for correct season

Edited March 18, 2019 by One Tough Cookie

[WatchrTina]

On 10/16/2018 at 1:16 PM, iMonrey said:

I hope Palatine gets revenge on Maintenon. I'm not sure where the child was sent to or who is supposed to care of it, or why Palatine simply couldn't go there too.

I don't think she ever does try to get revenge because, in the end, giving royal babies over to the raised by nannies with a random nobleman as surrogate parent was apparently normal.  I looked up Maintenon and it looks like that is the manner in which she came to the king's attention in the first place. This from Wikipedia:

Quote

In 1669, when Madame de Montespan's first child by Louis XIV was born, she placed the baby with Madame Scarron [Maintenon's first married name] in a house on Rue de Vaugirard, and provided her with a large income and staff of servants. Françoise took care to keep the house well guarded and discreet, even doing the domestic duties herself. Her care for the infant Louis Auguste, Duke of Maine (born 1670) first brought her to the attention of Louis XIV, though he was initially put off by her strict religious practice. When Louis Auguste and his siblings were legitimized on 20 December 1673, she became the royal governess at Saint-Germain. As governess, she was one of very few people permitted to speak with the king as an equal, without holding back. Madame de Sévigné observed that he was charmed by having someone who would speak to him in this way.

As for wanting revenge on Maintenon -- I think the show did a good job showing Palatine's ongoing resentment of her but when Palatine winds up with those incriminating paintings in her possession her first instinct is to get them OUT of the palace -- not to use them for revenge.  Which just goes to show that she's one of the nicest, most decent characters on the show. Or maybe she just has good survival instincts.  The Chevalier (naturally) has the opposite instincts.

On 10/22/2018 at 12:24 PM, iMonrey said:

I'm getting a big kick out of the aftershow with Tygh Runyan (Fabien) and Evan Williams (Chevalier).

Wait what?  I know I missed this (I'm watching months later on Netflix) but, damn I would have liked to see that.

[WatchrTina]

On November 12, 2018 at 12:12 PM, iMonrey said:

Although to be fair, the after show is a real waste of time and talent. They've got Tygh Runyan (Fabien) and Evan Williams (Chevalier) every week as guests but the host, Chelsea Cannell, is so vapid and uneducated we never get any real info about the show.

Oh.  Damn.  Well you can ignore my comment above about being sad that I missed this.

On November 18, 2018 at 1:02 PM, ch1 said:

Honestly though if you are going to do it then make Louis the iron mask guy’s son and Phillipe the son of Louis XIII.  That would make for interesting drama.

I'm so glad they did NOT do that.  In that scenario Philippe would have been the true heir to the throne and I can't imagine him just looking the other way and allowing Louis to continue to rule (yet we know from history that Louis' legitimacy was never challenged).  Furthermore, If that had happened one can imagine that young bastard Louis would have been quietly smothered in his crib after legitimate Phillipe was born.  No, I much preferred the two brothers discovering this dark secret that applies equally to the both of them.  It still manages to drive a wedge between them since Philipe did not want their biological father killed but Louis did it anyway.

On December 12, 2018 at 2:12 PM, ch1 said:

Fabien deserved better than a final shot sitting in prison.

So true.  But in a way, his ignoble ending was realistic.  You don't get to have a take-this-job-and-shove-it moment with The Sun King - Louis XIV and get off scot free.

BTW -- sorry for the double-post but as you might have guessed I just binged-watched season 3 all in one day.  I'm glad that this discussion board exists so that I had some place to go to share my thoughts and see others' reactions even though I was very late to the party.

Edited April 2, 2019 by WatchrTina

[One Tough Cookie]

Heads people.  Season 3 is now steaming on Netflix. And a lot had been cut out on Ovation., some things {and I only watched the fist epi)  are making more sense.  So far no memorable Fabion quotes.

[swanpride]

Honestly, that the Hugenottes were prosecuted was more or less the only part of the season which had anything to do with reality. I wonder why they changed so much when what actually happened was pretty interesting in its own right.

[andromeda331]

10 hours ago, swanpride said:

Honestly, that the Hugenottes were prosecuted was more or less the only part of the season which had anything to do with reality. I wonder why they changed so much when what actually happened was pretty interesting in its own right.

I wonder too. Especially given that they ended up choosing stuff that wasn't even that interesting.

[millennium]

I have been rationing this show, one episode per week, because I enjoy it so much.   It's pure fluff, eye candy, mildly amusing.   With a fantastic intro.

I finished the final episode tonight.  I will miss the king and his court.   It was like the most overdressed country club ever.

Adieu, mes amis.

[Kirsty]

I haven't seen season two, but I'm seven episodes into season three. And I wish Madame de Maintenon were a more enjoyable character given that her relationship with Louis plays like a traditional romance.

What a wet blanket! She's an intolerant, pious tight-arse. Does she enjoy anything? Does she like people? She hasn't had a kind word or look for a single person who isn't the Sun King. She's lost any friendships she had at court by being a self-righteous arsehole. And even with Louis, half the time she's either talking in religious terms or polishing his halo. It's a believable take on the woman, but I'm disappointed because I wanted to like her.

[Chalby]

On 12/16/2019 at 1:04 PM, Kirsty said:

I haven't seen season two, but I'm seven episodes into season three. And I wish Madame de Maintenon were a more enjoyable character given that her relationship with Louis plays like a traditional romance.

Which station did you go to in order to watch season 3? I am so jealous because I have had my TV PVR'ed for Versaille but it's not appeared on any channel for almost a year. I thought maybe it wasn't renewed. Even now, when I watch the opening 3 minutes, I get goosebumps because of the intro song, Générique. So beautiful and atmospheric, it makes me feel as though I've gone back in time. (Until I am hit with the reality of powdered wigs, lice and poor indoor plumbing, lol).

[Chalby]

On 3/6/2018 at 6:13 PM, Philbert said:

 What I enjoy about this show is they take little tidbits of information from the periphery of history (which may or may not have actually happened) and give them their own plotlines. 

Good point. I discovered this when the black child was born to the Queen and quickly taken away to the monastery. I looked it up and apparently there was a black nun who was 'rumoured' to be the Queen of France's child form an affair.

[Kirsty]

On 1/2/2020 at 4:09 AM, Chalby said:

Which station did you go to in order to watch season 3?

I watched it on Amazon Prime, but I know they offer different shows, and different seasons of the same show, depending on what country you're in.

I really liked the theme tune too.

I enjoyed the season's intrigue between Louis, Leopold, and the Cardinal, using the Queen, the man in the iron mask, Sophie the spy, Leopold's niece, and Phillippe's daughter as pawns.

I didn't give a damn about Guillaume the shoemaker or his sister or any random peasant in their rando circle. I was never given a reason to care about them.

Edited January 5, 2020 by Kirsty

[One Tough Cookie]

Well, I just completed season 3 and noticed how, the MINUTE the Queen died, Mantinon dropped her skirts and spread her legs.

[NYGirl]

I've been binge watching and I'm about 2 episodes to the end

I agree with all of you about Mantinon...eww I hated her.  I hated his other mistress too.  I did like Henriette

What the hell with all these children of Phillippe??  Who was their mothers? 

I am in love with Fabien...poor guy got stabbed, tortured and falls in love with unfortunate women.

I hate the random shoemakers...what a bore.

I like Bontemps...he is definitely a trusted servant.  I cried when he was talking to his son who was dying.  I think he ran the palace though.

At least the mystery was finally solved and it turned out to be interesting.  I'm guessing it's not true though.

I wish there was a season 4.

 

 

Edited May 9, 2020 by NYGirl

[NYGirl]

13 minutes ago, NYGirl said:

 

 

Edited May 9, 2020 by NYGirl

[Irina de France]

Hello people, I'm French and a bit of a Louis XIV/Versailles buff, so posting here in case you guys would have any questions about the historical accuracy of the show and real life events that happened. 

Regarding Maintenon, I see a lot of people disliked her, but I think it really boils down to her being all around a hard character to get (she's either a villain or a saint depending on who you're reading, although most French historians will agree to say she was mostly human). I get what they were trying to do with her in the show, but she also kind of feels... underwritten? Weirdly enough, considering how much screentime she gets? 

I would recommend a French TV series done in the 80s, called L'Allée du Roi - I think it can be found online with English subtitles. Françoise Blanc plays Maintenon (funnily enough, she also plays Anne of Austria, Louis and Philippe's mother in the Versailles TV series) and she and Didier Sandre as Louis have A LOT more chemistry and are amazing in their roles. Valentine Varela is Montespan and I think she plays her a lot closer to how the historical Montespan really was (don't get me wrong, Anna Brewster did an amazing job but I thought she was a little too... vampish at times? Although it works with the show's context). 

[Kirsty]

I watched some of season two recently and the way the Louis/Madame de Maintenon relationship seems to work is that she adores him and he adores him too.

I mean, by season three it's clear that he cares for her as well. But the main thing they have in common is that they both believe he is literally God's gift. 😄 He used to be his own number one fan, and then at a time when his faith was flagging, he encountered this true devotee and president of the Louis fanclub, who helped him restore his faith in his greatness.

I find it very believable! I don't think it's uncommon for romantic relationships where one person is the star and the other plays a supportive role. But you don't usually see it portrayed as explicitly as this. And it's not exactly romantic when it's all about him and his giant ego. It also doesn't make for fascinating viewing when all they talk about is him! I guess Maintenon has a role as a kind of religious mentor/life coach in his life too.

Edited May 28, 2021 by Kirsty