My Lady Jane premiered for Amazon Prime subscribers back in June of the 2024 TV schedule as a historical romance that packed in a lot more fantasy than viewers might have guessed from just the trailers. Based on the book of the same name by Jodi Meadows, the show was a fun romp set in an alternate version of Tudor England and ended the first season in a way that definitely left the door open for Season 2.
Alas, that won’t be happening, and the cancellation of My Lady Jane after one season reminded me of what the executive producers told CinemaBlend about their hopes for a future beyond the final credits of Season 1.
My Lady Jane Cancelled After One Season
Prime Video cancelled My Lady Jane nearly two months after its June premiere, according to Deadline, after never earning a slot on Nielsen’s Top 10 streaming rankings for originals. So, even though it was the talk of social media for a time, online buzz didn’t necessarily translate to enough people watching the series.
I do have to wonder if the show would have been received differently if the promotion had given away the twist. The plot wasn’t just a steamy period rom com based on a history in which Lady Jane Grey wasn’t executed, which seemed to be the case based on the trailers. No, the main plot – spoiler alert if you haven’t watched – centered on Ethians with their ability to transform into animals and the Verity ruling class. And Jane’s love interest? A secret Ethian by the name of Guildford who couldn’t control himself from transforming into a horse.
Basically, it was a whole lot weirder than it seemed based on the promotion, but those who watched it really seemed to enjoy it. Having gone in blind myself, I loved the twist and was more than ready to tune in for a second season. The finale also ended in a way that set up more to come, with Emily Bader and Edward Bluemel surely reprising their respective roles as Jane and Guildford.
What The EPs Wanted Beyond Season 1
In fact, in the final minutes of the Season 1 finale, the narrator says “our story is not over yet,” with a vexed Mary still queen, Bess an Ethian, and secret relationships continuing. That said, Mary and Guildford did get a happy ending without a torturous cliffhanger, sharing a kiss before agreeing not to flee England and instead fight to take the throne back from Mary.
When I was fortunate enough to speak with the My Lady Jane team ahead of its premiere earlier in the summer, I asked at the time about a possible future for Jane, Guildford, and Co. Executive producer and showrunner Meredith Glynn shared:
We have hopes and dreams. But we’re just excited for everyone to see Season 1.
While not enough people evidently tuned in for My Lady Jane to score a second season and a shot at becoming an ongoing entry on our list of the best Prime Video shows, the consensus that I at least have seen among viewers was that it was a fun series. Gemma Burgess, who is the creator and writer of My Lady Jane as well as an executive producer, then shared her take on a possible Season 2:
We can only hope. We feel like Jane’s story is not yet done, but we just want audiences to see Season 1. If they love it, then we’ll see.
Sadly, “we’ll see” did not turn into seeing a renewal for My Lady Jane, although Emily Bader has landed another role that will keep her in the limelight. Laurie MacDonald, who produced films including The Ring, the upcoming Gladiator II, and the Men in Black franchise as well as My Lady Jane, shared what she thought of a future for the Prime Video series prior to its premiere. When I asked why the book adaptation was a better fit for a TV show than a film, she explained:
It’s interesting. I think that it could have been a terrific movie too. It’s not a big, big book. It was a best seller, but not at the level that you need for a feature film to sort of rest on. I think in the old days, Jane would have been a brilliant Disney hero, but when the writer, Gemma Burgess, brought it to me, I was excited about the challenge of a series. I’d worked much more in features, and I do think it’s a story and a group of characters who can expand, with some luck. If it’s successful, I think we can go for a while. We’ve got Mary, we’ve got Elizabeth. There’s lots of great history to cover, and it’s such a fascinating period.
Short of another platform saving the series, fans will never get to see how My Lady Jane would cover this great era of history and how the characters’ stories would expand. I do think that the show is still worth watching and rewatching, though. The cliffhanger at the end of the Season 1 finale – now the series finale – wasn’t too painful, since Jane and Guildford at least got their happy ending.
If you want to check out My Lady Jane despite its cancellation, you can find all eight episodes streaming now with an Amazon Prime Video subscription.