Sometimes the Netflix movie descriptions are highly misleading, and such is the case here. Netflix describes Georgiana as "a young duchess who indulges in extravagant vices and begins a scandalous affair with politician Charles Grey". Sounds pretty trashy, and we almost didn't add it to the queue, so we were pleasantly surprised when it was a satisfying, if unexceptional, period piece.
I highly recommend browsing the Wikipedia entry on Georgiana Cavendish and the links to others in her life -- knowing that Charles Grey later becomes the second Earl Grey after his father is elevated to the peerage and and then the Prime Minister helps to put some of the events in perspective. Also, the "meat" of the story takes place in the wake of the American colonial rebellion but prior to the Napoleonic Wars. It also exposes some of the historical liberties they've taken; for instance, Charles Grey was seven years younger than Georgiana (you go, girl!), so he would have been about 10 years old in the scene at the beginning of the film (which actually would have been better, IMO). Likewise, William Cavendish was "only" 9 years older than Georgiana, so he would have been about 26 at the beginning of the film, instead of 46 and looking like he's 50 in that wig.
Yes, reading Amanda Foreman's Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, would probably be better than the Wikipedia entries, but I haven't gotten to that yet.
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