If you are still in mourning over the end of Downton Abbey and already have Poldark withdrawals after the end of Season 2, then I have found your next period drama obsession. Amazon released the first trailer for Z: The Beginning of Everything , and the Jazz Age set series following the exploits of Zelda Fitzgerald has all of the ingredients needed to be your new favorite show. Christina Ricci is all old-school glam and wit in the trailer, as Zelda barrels through every moment of her life as if it is an adventure. Her relationship with F. Scott Fitzgerald is tumultuous to say the least, but that is half of the appeal.
Period dramas tend to be set in the U.K., but there is something tantalizing about visiting '20s era New York with Zelda and F. Scott. Watching the two of them dance, drink, and fight their way through the Jazz Age is exactly what you need to liven up your winter. As always, Ricci disappears into her role by bringing Zelda to life with all the passion and pain the legendary figure is known for possessing. Everything you want from a period drama is here — lavish costumes, a larger than life love story, and a female lead who is smashing the gender expectations of her time. Lady Mary fans prepare yourselves, Zelda is here to steal your heart.
Being half of one of history's most famous couples is no easy task. The trailer's emphasis on showing the world through Zelda's eyes is the best reason to get psyched for this series. As the wife of F. Scott, history has often relegated Zelda to a background. In most stories, including Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris, Zelda is more muse than human. This show is about telling her story in all of its messy glory. Zelda starts out as a debutante in Alabama, and she becomes the queen of the party scene in New York City during one of the most exciting periods in American history.
She moved through a world of socialites and artists trying to find her own identity, and she did it all on the arm of a man whose fame always preceded him. Her journey is one ripe with stories just waiting to be told, not only of her triumphs, but of her tragedies. The real Zelda suffered from mental illness, and that is something the show will have to address at some point, even if it isn't tackled in Season 1. The first season's most important job is introducing Zelda and the rambunctious social circle she ruled as the queen of the Jazz Age.
While you may miss the British accents at first, this all-American tale of Zelda's rise to fame by the side of one of the greatest writers of all-time will enthrall you with its vivacious lead. Everyone needs Zelda in their life, especially when she's being played by Ricci. The 10 episode first season premieres Jan. 27 on Amazon Prime.
Image: Amazon Studio
