George Villiers, Favourite to King James I: Part 1 Artwork

Ambivalent Offenders: Re-Examining History’s Most Questionable Figures

Just like history isn’t all black and white, neither are the people who lived it. So who are the ones living in the grey?

Welcome to Ambivalent Offenders— where we dig into the lives of people who’ve been called a lot of things: villains, scoundrels, monsters, misfits, or just plain morally messy. But were they really as bad as history says… or have they gotten an unfair rap?

In each episode, we unpack the stories, facts, and cultural myths surrounding some of the most questionable (and sometimes misunderstood) figures from the past — all in a tone that’s more friend-at-brunch (according to one listener review) than lecture hall. No dusty textbooks, no moral grandstanding. Just conversational storytelling, questionable behavior, and a little historical tea.

Ultimately, we’re here to do what humans do best: judge the hell out of some pretty interesting people.

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Ambivalent Offenders: Re-Examining History’s Most Questionable Figures

George Villiers, Favourite to King James I: Part 1

June 05, 2025 • Jamie & Erin Poljanac

We are tackling the action-packed and brief life of George Villiers, the Duke of Buckingham, who became the powerful favorite and lover of King James I of England. He’s also the George in the new show “Mary & George.” In Part 1, we cover George's early life, how he found himself dangled in front of a king (thanks to his mother and the Queen), and all the complexities of being a favorite. Spoiler alert: it's a lot more paper-pushing than you'd expect.

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If you have a judgement on any of the figures that we have covered (it can be a voice memo or an email that we can read!) or have a recommendation for a historical figure, please contact us at ambivalent.offenders.podcast@gmail.com!