The Nobility of Love

A princess fleeing a coup, a hidden identity in 1920s Brazil, a love that crosses class lines: A Nobreza do Amor is TV Globo betting big on pure fantasy, and the early returns are promising. Duda Santos stars as Alika, whose kingdom of Batanga falls to plotters and who lands in Brazil under the name Lúcia. Ronald Sotto plays Tonho, the rural worker who falls for her without knowing what she is.

The period texture is the quiet triumph. Costumes, farms and old interiors feel considered rather than recycled, and the show treats its fairy tale with a straight face, which is the only way this material works. Lázaro Ramos and Erika Januza bring gravity to the intrigue that follows the princess into exile.

It is still proving itself. The rich rival scheming against the couple is standard issue so far, and the pace wobbles whenever the story leaves the farm. But a novela this visually confident has earned patience, and Santos has the presence to lead a Globo novela.

Globoplay streams episodes in Brazil after broadcast, and TV Globo Internacional serves overseas viewers. Our score: 7/10. Tonight this is the one if you fancy escaping into crowns and cane fields instead of another crime story.