Rufus Sewell's Lord M left ITV's Victoria and Twitter went into mourning
Wedding bells led to sad farewells
Victoria fans, it's been a good run. We've had five weeks of Rufus Sewell smouldering up a storm as the young sovereign's Prime Minister and personal advisor, Lord Melbourne.
But despite plenty of lobbying on Twitter, you simply can't rewrite history. And so Lord M left us last night, bidding Jenna Coleman's Victoria farewell as she scurried off for a life with new hubby Albert.
The queen may have got her happy ending – but Twitter had been hoping for a different outcome.
Fans were in mourning following Rufus Sewell's departure...
The show won't be the same anymore without Lord M #Vicbourne #VictoriaITV pic.twitter.com/3W3KkCjc7h
— Patrice Pannell (@patricepannell5) September 18, 2016
Lord M no longer in the show? THAT'S ME DONE WITH THIS BYE #Victoria
— Jade Azim ??? (@JadeFrancesAzim) September 18, 2016
And eager to provide him with a shoulder to cry on:
If you look closely you can see the exact moment Lord Melbourne's heart breaks #Victoria
— Tasha☾ (@TashaAnnLovell) September 18, 2016
LORD M, THE NATION IS HERE TO CONSOLE YOU #victoria #goodbyeLordM ?
— Bean (@annabeany) September 18, 2016
Someone made the point that had the real-life Lord M looked like Rufus Sewell instead of this...
...then perhaps the outcome might have been more to our liking.
History might have been very different if Lord M had looked like Rufus Sewell #VictoriaITV
— Elly Griffiths (@ellygriffiths) September 18, 2016
Still, Lord M went out with a bang, delivering some Dowager Countess-worthy one-liners over the course of the episode.
Lord M has all the best lines tonight. So much sass. #Victoria #VictoriaITV
— Vicki Wardman (@VictoriaWardman) September 18, 2016
And there was plenty of praise for Twitter's favourite new crush.
Rufus Sewell is the best thing hands down about #VictoriaITV He gives the character such gentleness and sadness but wrapped up in dignity
— Siobhan Connor (@ConnorPR) September 18, 2016
So much so that more than one tweeter had an excellent suggestion for a spin-off.
Rufus Sewell as Lord M should have his own series.....#VictoriaITV #LordM
— Abagael (@abssims) September 18, 2016
@ITVVictoria @FredrikSewell Maybe a Lord M spin-off? Plenty of drama in his life. #VictoriaITV https://t.co/IcKz4jFDpd
— Mia Maria (@MiaMaria_1) September 18, 2016