I delved into this series on accident. It was a random recommendation from a tv show website. I'm generally too cynical for rom coms or Jane Austen films, but this seemed like a decent way to pass the time. I was expecting to sit in my bed with my hot chocolate, huddled in a pile of blankets, rediscovering hope in love and humanity... or something like that. We'll just say it didn't go as expected.
The first few episodes were a bit slow, but that seems to be Austen's style. I had the feeling that we were building up to something, which one would suppose to be Charlotte and Sidney's happily ever after. We were building to something, but something perhaps a bit more realistic--- sacrificing one's love and future on the altar of familial love. Needless to say that I'm guessing it's all a ploy to get a second season, but in any case I'm preserving my Austenesque escapism by pretending that last episode never happened.
The good points of this show were numerous. The acting was quite good, even from Theo James. Boy can act--- now please apologize for all those horrid films you tortured us with, like "The Benefactor" and "Divergent". Perhaps Sidney's miserable marriage to Mrs. C is a form of atonement. In fact, all the roles seemed perfectly cast. Miss Lambe was especially interesting as a spunky addition, and I enjoyed immensely when she broke out into was it pidgin or creole?
The bad parts, however, are also quite numerous. Parts felt ripped straight from Pride and Prejudice. Then again, all that forced dancing would probably get to the best of us. Parts seemed trite and too modern like Charlotte's ability to play cricket (and win!). Some of the scandalous parts would probably have been more appropriately hinted at, rather than splayed on the screen in all their scandal. Also, the ending. What can we say about the ending? Life is hard enough. Don't rob us of our expected Happily Ever Afters in the interest of getting an as of yet unsure second season!
All in all, it wasn't bad. Without a second season, it's not one I'd be keen to recommend. There are too many loose ends as of yet.
Why does Miss Lambe still insist Sidney is a bad person? Why didn't Miss Lambe or Susan donate money to preserve Charlotte and Sidney's happiness? Why didn't token proletariat bricklayer seize the opportunity to bare his soul? Why did Sidney happen to know houses of ill repute in London seemingly well? Why does Mrs. C want to marry someone who doesn't love her anymore? Why don't they let their brother rot in debtor's prison? I mean, the first rule of adulting is to buy every kind of insurance available. If you don't, you'll catch ebola and die alone outside of the hospital. Or your city will burn down. Something like that. So why not let him suffer the consequences of adulting like most of us do?
So while the series was captivating and fun, it did have its weak points. But everything happens for a reason. Perhaps this happened in order for us to get another season, or perhaps it was a warning to never fall in love with sulking gold diggers who ride horses and wear odd hats. They may seem fun to date, but they're not going to marry you, honey. Or perhaps it's better this way... Sid and Nancy ended in tragedy. Sid and Lottie is a much smaller tragedy by comparison.
The first few episodes were a bit slow, but that seems to be Austen's style. I had the feeling that we were building up to something, which one would suppose to be Charlotte and Sidney's happily ever after. We were building to something, but something perhaps a bit more realistic--- sacrificing one's love and future on the altar of familial love. Needless to say that I'm guessing it's all a ploy to get a second season, but in any case I'm preserving my Austenesque escapism by pretending that last episode never happened.
The good points of this show were numerous. The acting was quite good, even from Theo James. Boy can act--- now please apologize for all those horrid films you tortured us with, like "The Benefactor" and "Divergent". Perhaps Sidney's miserable marriage to Mrs. C is a form of atonement. In fact, all the roles seemed perfectly cast. Miss Lambe was especially interesting as a spunky addition, and I enjoyed immensely when she broke out into was it pidgin or creole?
The bad parts, however, are also quite numerous. Parts felt ripped straight from Pride and Prejudice. Then again, all that forced dancing would probably get to the best of us. Parts seemed trite and too modern like Charlotte's ability to play cricket (and win!). Some of the scandalous parts would probably have been more appropriately hinted at, rather than splayed on the screen in all their scandal. Also, the ending. What can we say about the ending? Life is hard enough. Don't rob us of our expected Happily Ever Afters in the interest of getting an as of yet unsure second season!
All in all, it wasn't bad. Without a second season, it's not one I'd be keen to recommend. There are too many loose ends as of yet.
Why does Miss Lambe still insist Sidney is a bad person? Why didn't Miss Lambe or Susan donate money to preserve Charlotte and Sidney's happiness? Why didn't token proletariat bricklayer seize the opportunity to bare his soul? Why did Sidney happen to know houses of ill repute in London seemingly well? Why does Mrs. C want to marry someone who doesn't love her anymore? Why don't they let their brother rot in debtor's prison? I mean, the first rule of adulting is to buy every kind of insurance available. If you don't, you'll catch ebola and die alone outside of the hospital. Or your city will burn down. Something like that. So why not let him suffer the consequences of adulting like most of us do?
So while the series was captivating and fun, it did have its weak points. But everything happens for a reason. Perhaps this happened in order for us to get another season, or perhaps it was a warning to never fall in love with sulking gold diggers who ride horses and wear odd hats. They may seem fun to date, but they're not going to marry you, honey. Or perhaps it's better this way... Sid and Nancy ended in tragedy. Sid and Lottie is a much smaller tragedy by comparison.