Hot Men Who Turn Into Horses? Count Me In.

Would you date a man who turns into a horse at night?

No? Because you are sane and oppose some half-core beastiality-adjacent romance?

What if he looked like this, was endearing as hell, and came with a killer accent?

When I saw that, I was still a hard no, but then my sister urged me to give it a try.

My Lady Jane2024

"For the plot," she insisted, "My Lady Jane is a lot better and less weird than you think."

Of course, knowing my sister, who has an impeccable sense of taste and a reservoir of literature and media that she's consumed, I had to try it out. She's probably a bigger critic of TV shows and movies than I am, so a good word from her was equivalent to the word of God.

I grabbed a bottle of wine and a bag of chips and made it a Friday night in. In my head, the premise felt a bit like Bridgerton but weirder because of the fantasy element of it all. Not that I'm opposed to fantasy narratives, it's just that I wasn't expecting much out of the story other than some mindless fun.

So, imagine my surprise when the show actually turned out a hundred times better than I thought it would. Emily Bader killed it (not surprising because I think she's a great actress who should be in way more projects), and her chemistry with Edward Bluemel was off the freaking charts.

I was glued to the screen from the get-go. It was lighthearted, goofy, self-aware, and thoughtful in an unexpected way. Where I thought the plot would get run-down by overt declarations of love and super contrived moments of tension (*Anthony conspicuously posing against the doorframe of his library), the show actually subverted the tropes, poking fun at the cliches while indulging in them.

Like, seriously, if Bridgerton wasn't wholly your style, My Lady Jane might do it for you.

First of all, the jokes got me cackling. [Slight spoiler here] My favourite scene by far is when he accidentally transforms into a horse in the bed they share. It's so dumb and absurd that you can't help but laugh. What makes the moment funnier is that Jane doesn't even blink an eye as the horse-Guildford sleeps; in fact, it's meant to be a moment of connection between the two of them, where she realizes that she would stand up for him. That discrepancy in tone (seriousness in the face of a super absurd and unhinged plot point) makes the watching experience ten times better because it makes the world and the stakes feel all that much more real. [End of spoiler].

Right from the get-go, the series tells you exactly what it is and what it is doing, and it does not hold back its punches. The dialogue is quick and fun, and honestly the best part is watching both Jane (Emily Bader) and Guildford (Edward Bluemel) bicker. There is something natural and flowy about the way that their relationship unravels, which you don't get with romance shows.

Enemies to lovers trope is a hard one, guys. No, like seriously. I mean, Bridgerton tried with Anthony and Kate, but I thought it was mediocre at best. Despite having so many episodes, the romance felt rushed; they also skipped the best part of the relationship, which is the enemies part, and jumped straight to attraction for one another. Without transitioning their repulsion towards one another into a growing mutual attraction, the shift to Kate and Anthony feels abrupt and emotionless. Like, randomly they're just lusting over one another, and for some reason, specifically, every time they bond over their dads dying. With Jane and Guildford, the relationship feels more natural and fun because the show indulges in the initial detestation of each other. They are so opposite of each other that, initially, they seem like the most incompatible couple. Jane is this super uptight, morally righteous, and outspoken leader. She wants to fight for a better world where every kind of person is given equal rights. She's intelligent and well-read and idealistic. You know, the typical female protagonist with a deadbeat dad. Lord Guildford is a rich player who, on occasion, turns into a horse. He drinks and parties and hates the fact that he's a man-horse who has to hide his true identity and shirks all of his responsibilities. He lowkey an asshole, who knows exactly how to get Jane all riled up. As they spend more time with each other, we get to see, firsthand, both of them gaining mutual respect for one another. I absolutely loved that; it wasn't just one random episode of them randomly pining after one another, the show really built up to it, and then when they finally do get with one another, it's perfectly serious and hilarious.

This is why this show slaps. I'm obsessed. It really tests its characters by putting them in growingly absurd premises and then seeing how they'll react. Like, with Guildford, his whole spiel is that he can't control when he transforms into a horse, and for some reason it only happens at night. Stupid plot, but because of how serious the characters are, the story doesn't feel all that silly. The therianthropy (people turning into animals, yeah, I fully just learned this word now, too) plotline also works on a deeper level as it brings topics of classism and racism into the narrative as well. Not just that, with Guildford, the show also explores elements of internalized racism and how that plays into identity. Unlike a lot of romance shows on Netflix and Prime like Bridgerton, Buccaneers, Maxton Hall, or The Summer I Turned Pretty, this show actually explores stories outside of the main romance.

Jane is established as more than just passive actor in a mediocre romance; she is a major, autonomous individual who constantly pushes back against the roles and expectations imposed on her while also having an epic love story blossom simultaneously. For example, when she is forced into an arranged marriage to Guildford, she actively finds ways to get out of it or to resist it. In her relationship, she constantly defines the rules. She takes over the narrative; above her romance with Guildford, Jane's journey and ambitions matter more. Not only does focusing on Jane allow for viewers to get a better sense of who she is, but it also inadvertently adds more nuance to Guildford's character. The interesting thing is that he is literally in the margins of the story. He comes and goes, but he never takes over. And, yet, we are never really deprived of getting a real, complicated being. He isn't just a placeholder for Jane's pleasure either; instead, we get a very even and equal dynamic between them.

I keep on comparing My Lady Jane to Bridgerton in terms of character development and plot development, and My Lady Jane supercedes it in every effect. This show proves how silly romances can be that deep and fun and not-so-serious without actually becoming mindless. And, it's addictive. I was hooked from the moment the show began all the way to the end. Is it an absolutely perfect show? No. But is it a refreshing take on a romance story? Hell, yeah! It's indulgent and strangely grimy, and so genuinely its own world and era that you can't help but love it.

It's so sad that I came onto this show two years later when the buzz died, because it deserves more attention. I mean, I've rewatched it multiple times and I want a second season! It's so good that George R.R. Martin literally signed a petition to have the show renewed. You guys, it's that good. A literal famous author is saying it needs revival– like, this is a show that is not only undervalued but its potential is unrealized.

So, yeah, the next time someone tells you there's a show on Prime about a romance where a guy turns into a horse. Watch it.

You can sign the petition here (George R.R. Martin signed this one, too): https://c.org/XshjWLSw87

Proof of George R.R. Martin:

https://people.com/my-lady-jane-cancellation-george-rr-martin-shares-fan-petition-to-save-show-8709815