Notes on 'My Lady Jane' Season 1 Episode 5: "I'm Gonna Change the World"

On My Lady Jane's pop culture references, almost love confessions, and grand banquets in honor of Queen Jane Grey

Mar 09, 2025

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It’s been far too long since I’ve written about My Lady Jane.

I didn’t realize how much I missed writing about this show until I rewatched My Lady Jane Season 1 Episode 5, “I’m Gonna Change the World.”

I always rewatch the episodes before I write about them — just in case something I missed before catches my eye. Instantly, I remembered why I fell in love with these characters and the show’s unique storytelling. It also feels relevant to mention that I watched Rivals Season 1 and all of Gavin & Stacey between my last post and this one. I now have a much better appreciation of Oliver Chris and Rob Brydon’s work. I highly suggest watching both of them if you haven’t yet.

They’re very different shows but very good — I’ve already rewatched bits of both.

Likewise, my recent reading of Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’s Diary and watching of Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy has given me a whole new appreciation for Jane’s “Don’t say ‘pardon,’ say ‘what’” bit. I had forgotten that it takes a turn in this episode, written by Bisanne Masoud and directed by Stefan Schwartz.

Credit: Jonathan Prime/Prime Video. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC.

On the heels of Mary trying to murder Jane and stealing any evidence that indicts her in Edward’s death, Jane decides to twist the knife in Mary’s weakness — her hatred — to show Mary’s true self to everyone. It just so happens that her plans must fit around the first (and last, unfortuantely) banquet in Queen Jane’s honor.

This episode is all pomp and politics — two things My Lady Jane loves to tackle.

In fairness, there is also plenty of romance. For instance, this episode doesn’t have nearly enough Edward for my liking. “I’m Gonna Change the World” can’t bring him back to life, have his rather intimidating grandmother reveal that he’s Ethian, and not spend more time with him. Then again, the future looks bright for Edward because this episode also introduces the very charming Fitz, who wants to rescue Edward and also happens to turn into an adorable cat.

Then again, watching a show and truly enjoying every character is a luxury. I relish in the fact that so many of My Lady Jane’s characters are women who are encouraged to be prickly and messy and mean. The more complex, the better.

For that reason, seeing a bit more of Margaret in this episode is truly enjoyable.

Also, where this episode doesn’t make up with Edward (There is more to that story, so I’m not too worried), it does with Susannah, Archer, and even Owen.

The Ethians are isolated from the rest of the ensemble until “I’m Gonna Change the World.” Of course, the show’s in-story kingdom’s division laws ensure it. I’m glad My Lady Jane rejects that principle to spend time with these characters outside of scenes with Jane. Their existence is not dependent on Jane.

Unfortunately, since no other leader has stood with them, Ethians’ legal right to be treated the same as Verity people is dependent on Jane.

I like that (at first) the larger conversation begins with Jane and Susannah. Their friendship is fantastic; one of My Lady Jane’s best assets. It’s impactful for Susannah, Jane, and their friendship that Susannah tells Jane, “But everyone should know there is no cure, and you must never question our right to exist again,” when discovering Jane’s research. Upon rewatch, that scene instantly makes me think of this quote from Emily Bader, who plays Jane Grey:

“I think Jane is, in some ways, one of the dumbest smart people you’ll ever meet. And that she knows everything about people and the world. But she knows very little about what it means to be a person and to be a part of the world.”

“I’m Gonna Change the World” really puts that aspect of Jane’s character on the table. One of the most respectable things is that Jane immediately tries to be and do better. I like that she stands before Archer and says, “Look, the truth is I grew up oblivious to the inequity in this kingdom. I’m not proud to say that. But I didn’t see it, so I didn’t have to think about it. But it [equality] is the only thing that matters.”

From a storytelling standpoint, I also appreciate that My Lady Jane uses this turn in Jane’s perspective to bring more diverse voices around her at the palace. It’s exciting to think the show will get to know Archer more while he stays there.

Likewise, this episode makes it abundantly clear that there is more in the cards for Owen, who teams up with Guildford to find a cure that doesn’t exist.

“I’m Gonna Change the World” does such a great job of creating believable conflict between Jane and Guildford. It brings them closer than ever — their sex scene is refreshing in its authenticity and its focus on consent. It shouldn’t be as rare as it is to see consent so explicitly represented on TV…and yet.

I find these comments from co-showrunners and executive producers Meredith Glynn and Gemma Burgess, respectively, to be illuminating about how My Lady Jane approached intimate scenes like the one in this episode:

“When it came to our sex scenes, all of the actors were really involved in crafting them, blocking them, figuring out exactly what was going to happen when.”

“Our director and intimacy coordinator, we would all meet and talk about exactly what shots we'd be doing. If it was an intimacy scene, even a kissing scene, we would make sure that everybody felt safe, everybody knew what was going on. No surprises.”

While that sequence features the incredible “Wet Dream” by Wet Leg, my favorite Jane and Guildford scene is when he gives her a pair of his mother’s earrings to wear to the banquet. Not to be entirely in character and bring Harry Styles into this (My Lady Jane did it first, technically. Edward Bluemel was told Guildford is “a Tudor Harry Styles”), but Jane and Guildford’s banquet attire reminds me of the line “I noticed that there's a piece of you in how I dress” from his song “Cherry.”

Bluemel’s delivery of “Before I met you, I was in despair. I drank. I gambled. I fought. I fucked…everything up. And now for the first time in my life, I have hope. You’ve given me hope, Jane” is so excellent that it plays as a love confession.

And it pairs nicely with that Harry Styles lyric — the gold accents in Guildford’s clothes complement the gold in Jane’s gorgeous dress. It’s unreal that the ruff is the same one from Shakespeare in Love. Everything about this show is so cool.

It also feels like another way for the show to accentuate Jane’s neck, like when Mary tries to strangle her to death, to allude to the threat of Jane’s execution.

Anyway, the romantics of that scene rival its dramatics because the truth that Jane has yet to tell Guildford hangs in the air. My Lady Jane delays that conversation for nearly all of “I’m Gonna Change the World.” The truth finally comes out in one of Bader and Bluemel’s best scenes that comes down to Guildford’s incredible and heartbreaking line: “Fuck England. Heal me.”

I don’t know how that scene gets better yet more painful every time I watch it.

The same applies to Mary’s “social arson” with the scream heard around the kingdom. Once again, Kate O’Flynn puts her “powerful frayed nerve” description of Princess Mary into action. It’s incredible to witness. It does precisely what Jane intends — showcases Mary’s outright hatred towards Ethians.

Unfortuantely, that display of Mary’s emotions also solidifies her hatred of Jane.

Earlier, Dudley reveals Mary’s hatred stems from her mother’s death. Henry VIII chose Anne Boleyn (She was Ethian in My Lady Jane), over Catherine of Aragon. As Dudley explains but doesn’t excuse, “To Mary, beasts are not just evil, they are the root of all her unhappiness.” Now, Jane, who keeps Mary from the throne is, too.

Though “I’m Gonna Change the World” ends with a cliffhanger that threatens Jane’s reign and, therefore, her life, all hope is not lost. Jane still has time to end division laws and change the world. There is no unhappy (or deadly) ending here for Jane Grey — or Ethians. This show is not a story where the “bad guys” win.

Maybe that’s why I finally circled back to writing about My Lady Jane. Right now, it’s comforting to watch a show that rewrites history to have a more hopeful end. Needless to say, I will not be waiting as long to write about the next episode.

♡ Bookmarked ♡