JS&MN ep 2, "How Is Lady Pole?"

[kate_nepveu]

More insta-reactions, though this time almost a week late.

Extremely not down with Stephen shushing Lady Pole in her conversation with Arabella instead of Sir Walter. Extremely.

edit: also no sexist doctor, which worries me; he's awful but we've gotten very little sexism so far, and that's important. (The worst racism against Stephen is still to come.)

Alas, no more whimsy from the gentleman this time. Looks like we aren't getting it at all. I am disappointed. (Also, I found this out between episodes: that actor was Mr Teatime in the TV Hogfather.) Lost-hope wasn't how I imagined it but I think I liked it.

edit 2: the gentleman implies he and Stephen had a bargain. There was no bargain! There was an invitation that was accepted. Stephen gets no benefit, there's no exchange.

Collapsing the Shadow House with Starecross makes sense and is fine. Removing the French Admiral's dwarf servant is fine too, since in such a short appearance it would be hard to convey that he's valued and not there as a freak show. Making the rain blockade be discovered to be rain immediately makes it seem ineffective, unfortunately. Making the sand horses have no ill side effects means that we have to defer that lesson about magic for the Peninsula, which there will be ample opportunity for, so that's fine.

Making Norrell aware of the gentleman's interest in Arabella by seeing him at the auction: wow, way to make him even worse than in the book.

I was kind of surprised when this episode was over, because I am tired and wasn't paying attention to the time remaining bar on the DVR. I think it makes sense: here's Jonathan's initial education as a magician, here's Lady Pole & Stephen's plight. But it took stopping and thinking about.

Lots more peripheral camera angles, which seems to be a thing for this show. Oh, and the Venice paintings! I made way too much fuss over them in the reread and was so hoping we might see them. Yay.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

I was torn how to read the auction scene in terms of making Norrell better or worse. The way it played out, it seems he suddenly doubles his bid on seeing the Gentleman sitting with Arabella. I couldn't tell if he was scared for her or simply scared of her/Strange finding out what he'd done.

I hadn't remembered who shushed who, but I totally thought the way it played out that I'd be suspecting Lady Pole and Stephen had something going on if I were Arabella. I hope they don't make Sir Walter's outburst be the full extent of his characterization. One of the things I loved about the book is that all the characters were relatable even when making bad choices.

[kate_nepveu]

Hm, I suppose he could also have been concerned at what Arabella might learn, but he specifically yelled at the gentleman about stealing away people, so that was what I thought he was concerned about.