Mary Villiers wasn’t born to power. She had to scheme her way there from the dirt, learning what she was up against on the way up. An early episode of “Mary & George” shows how vicious those lessons could be as Julianne Moore’s Mary first stares into the face of Lady Elizabeth Hatton (a scene-stealing Nicola Walker).
Mary hasn’t a clue who she’s tangling with, assuming manners and etiquette will get her by. Then the good “lady” opens her mouth to offer her thoughts on the late “virgin” queen with whom she shares a name.
