bijoux

And robbed Prudence of a new mama. LOL You just reminded me of Cressida at the edges of the ballroom with a sourpuss twice in this episode. I'm not sure what she was first reacting to, maybe Colin dancing with Penelope. The second time was hearing the Queen arranging Edwina a date with Prince Frederic. It was hilarious. The actress really leaned into it.

She's an interesting woman. She can have many interests. 😉 Oh, I just remembered another element from the book they used differently. Lady Danburry smacking people around with her cane. In the books it was in ballrooms. Here it was to separate Kate and Anthony before her house combusted.

I love so much of what was done with Kate. How she always stands out with her height and bold colors. And never makes herself lesser or smaller in any way. Anthony looked ridiculously gorgeous and doable in the 'how many fingers' scene. And Kate's smirk when he held up four. Oh, you think you're do cute? Yeah. Along with what you mentions about the end of the dance, there's also inhaling. Again. That nove with their hands coming down between them felt very Bollywood. Am I correct in seeing that connection? Just masks symbolically falling down. And then there are Kate's huge teary eyes. The expectation would be for Anthony and Kate to take over the house. His mother and siblings could remain with them od move. Given Kate and Anthony's current state, I imagine they're house hunting if they haven't moved during the honey moon already.

I didn't think about where colors fell on the spectrum, just that Kate was freer and more open. It was also supported by her different hairstyle at both the ball and later at Aubrey Hall. The comment about a shoe dropping reminded me that I expected some resolution to the Queen's beef with Mary. I guess the necklaces she decided to send over meant she was over that as well as the aborted wedding. I do think Penelope saw this as a lesser evil but she has the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Frankly, I expected Wrecking Ball would start playing for her.

Oh my God, Violet and Lady Danburry! Hey, maybe they can have some event for the married ladies next season and they can all get high.

After watching everything twice I feel the change with the biggest overall impact is Whistledown. Eloise finding out completely changes not only her and Pen's friendship, but Pen's relationship with Colin as well. There was something to be said for him being the first to find out about Penelope's secret. Now Eloise knows and will likely have known for years by the time Colin finds out. This changes the timbre of everything, right down to Eloise going to Phillip because she was feeling lonely and adrift after Penelope married Colin. They must have something completely different in mind for their season. In fact, there was a scene in which Portia gives them a pensive look, she knows or at least has an incling about Penelope's feelings. Something that was never near happening in the book. So that got me to thinking that Penelope might actually get a suitor on the show, that Portia might extend a true effort to get her one.

So, during that war room at Lady Danburry's not only are Kate and Anthony separated from the others, they also match. She's in her bright purple and blue dress and he has a more muted dark blue vest and purple coat. Christ on a cracker. Edwina meanwhile matches - Mary. Newton also made me laugh with finally going to Anthony, but then it hit me. Of course he did. Kate must have wanted cuddles from her best boy when she came home shook from that kiss. Newton must have been like, ah, we like him now. Right-o. Really capital idea to bring this pair to that exhibition. Looking at all those naked, entwined bodies certainly cooled them down. This is where Edwina gets on my nerves, the constant little jabs and the way she put that martyrdom on like a cape. I wish Daphne was in the salon for 'have I truly been this blind' just to respond, Um. Duh. Both Anthony and Kate are heartbreaking with feeling like such failures at what they see as their roles. He visibly broke Violet's heart a little when she was worried about him and he thought she only saw what he'd done wrong. I must say that he very clearly was ready first. He wanted to talk about the kiss and obviously did not just go to propose out of obligations. Just look at the grin he had when he woke up. It's Kate's sense of duty that's getting in the way now and I appreciate that they're highlighting that in a woman. It's not just a manly tražit, although it's usually reserved for them in fiction.

Here's something I appreciate about the final scenes aside from how beautiful and hot they are together. There's the direct juxtaposition to the season opening with Anthony joylessly running ragged. Here he's not only unable to quit smiling, he's been on a six month honeymoon without any indication he's planning to end it soon. He's just comfortable in his own skin and in the life he's building with Kate. Then there's the sunlight kissing their skin both on the lawn but also in the bedroom. When they kissed in church there was sunlight streaming through the windows. When they met in the park the next morning it was coming through the tree tops. Both times around them but not touching them. Like flashes of hope that was crushed. And now finally it's been realized. Now, I realized that Anthony wasn't just checking out Kate's thigh durig the hunt, the dumbass was leaning after her for a sniff. See? How many times had he actually done it that I missed. No wonder he took a big junkie whiff at the gazebo, he was addicted.

I think it was said Colin was 21, no?

Some of that, but a lot of not tangling with a respectable unmarried young woman. That was the line in the sand. Prostitutes, actresses, singers, willing widows and even married women who'd given birth to an heir and a spare that was undoubtedly the husband's a-ok. Still a gentleman. Young miss whose reputation and marital prospect will ne ruined. Scoundrel.

Oh, I didn't hate Daphne for it at all. Anthony is an idiot by his own design, just saying it clicked when, where and how the die was cast.

Actually, that was perfectly acceptable for gentlemen then. I mean, Eloise can be annoying, but she's not wrong. Ladies and gentlemen don't just live by different rules, they live on separate universes. Oh, it's actually much worse. That was Mary's own mother.

The only change I really minded was the courtship getting to the wedding and the changes to Edwina's character. But then I even get that. They removed Anthony's chief motivation of being convinced he'd die within a decade and Kate's selfdoubts shifting both of their focuses on obligations. This turn of events tortures them more so it even makes sense. Chris Van Dusen talks about not wanting to repeat the marriage over being caught compromised after doing it with Simon and Daphne last year. I think it's with ET. I actually specifically remember saying last year that I couldn't imagine show Portia dithering about 'bubbies', so I thought it was a really great play on the book to incorporate it as Portia's set up and her outrage being faked. It was one of my favorite little catches from the book. You get where the inspiration came from even if they completely turned it over. I also like how they updated Kate and Anthony. We all know what the biggest controversy was last season and I feel like they made this couple more aligned with modern sensibilities.

They are renewed for seasons three and four. Shonda has said during press rounds that they won't necessarily stick to book order, which a lot of people took to mean Colin comes before Benedict, but might mean they're combining them. I actually really like show Benedict. He seems to be comfortable in his own skin even if he's unsure of what he wants to achieve and how to do it, and I find that quality very appealing. Francesca is one year to the day younger than Eloise, so 17 now, and I think she marries in her first or second season if memory serves. That could play out concurrently with Benedict's story, and then jer second marriage combined in the season with Colin's and Eloise's stories. That wouldn't even be changing the books so much. I kind of really want to see the little ones find love too. It's not hard to do a time jump. I guess I just want to see the family really, and Kate and Anthony growing on the sidelines. Particularly since seeing an interview with Simone and Jonathan saying they plan on sticking around for future seasons and this season's ending being only the beginning of Kate and Anthony's story.

On rewatch this is one of the strongest episodes. There must have been at least one whiteboard in the writers' room outlining Kate and Anthony paralleling each other. It's not just their pull when they're together, it's things like Kate almost dropping her cup of tea while thinking of Anthony in the beginning of the episode and the same then happening later to Anthony when Hyacinth mentions Kate. It's him practically parroting what she told him about her wishes and feelings not having weight in the last episode to Violet when she wisely tried to bring the engagement to an end. I gasped the first time I saw Anthony Head as Lord Sheffield, the big bastard. Although I admit to judging Lady Sheffield more harshly. But what a good episode for Mary that was after being a non-entity for the first four. First her excellent conversation with Kate and then just laying it all out at dinner. Justice for Mary. Naturally, then comes Anthony's hero moment. He was like a pressure cooker there at dinner and then finally and painfully obviously blew when Kate was bearing the brunt of the attack. No matter how pissed and frustrated he was at her, that was simply unacceptable. When I thought there'd be nothing I loved more in this episode than the river scenes, with his fixation and 'that's my hand to hold, my laughter to drink up' written clearly in his 100 yard stare (really, I cannot imagine Daphne not smacking him upside the head had she been there) and that ridiculous flex about knots and sliding in to helo Kate out of the boat in front of Dorset's proffered hand, along comes this. Jesus, take me now. I know people, rightly, point put the similarities to Pride and Prejudice, but damn if I don't see a lot of Sense and Sensibility's Elinor and Edward in them, being so bound by their obligations that they're unable to reach for what they want.

Don't sigh. I dare you.

I know People were Like who's going to be able to follow in Rege's footsteps, but really, just watch how captivating Jonathan is when all you can see are his eyes as the valet covers Anthony's face with a towel. Unfair, really.

Isn't it just. :D But it's hardly surprising given that Lady Danburry swatted Anthony away from Kate with her cane earlier in the episode!!! (I can just imagine Newton smirking at that) and he was sniffing the air left in her wake like a horny, lovestruck weirdo. Really Lady D should have come armed. Another thing I loved about this episode was the family dance. It was just such pure joy, where you could see how they all could be a family. Not gonna lie, I fell a bit more in love with Anthony as he spun Hyacinth around.

Thank heavens for that scene of Violet and Lady Danburry just loosing it and laughing hysterically. Highlight of the episode, no don't about it.

See, I'm not sure that she doesn't. It pleasantly surprised me that Marina seemed at peace and content when Colin came to see her. She only started getting snippy when 1) Colin and Phillip dragged the meeting out, and 2) Colin started casting judgement on her marriage. I don't think she fell madly in love with Phillip, but do think she was satisfied to be married to him. Also, Phillip is a cutie sweety pie. Firstly, that did not seem like a bit to me. Secondly, Portia killed it with that line. I just realized when Anthony's mind was made up - when Daphne tells him it's love. And he does not want it and was not looking for it. Then there's also Kate very much not asking him to change his plans and also talking about leaving for India and abandoning him! Edwina, of course abandoning Edwina, that's what's got him in a twist. It's a dumbass move, no doubt about it, but the moment the choice is made is crystal clear on rewatch.

Oh, that scene of the lawn was perfection. Just grinning idiots bathed in the morning sunshine. Brand new day and all that jazz. I have a note about Newton: wanted more of him. What I really appreciate is the running thread of women actively making decisions and changes, starting with the insight into Penelope's operation - those were some great scenes of her hustling -, Madame Delacroix being all thank you for your kind offer to rumple sheets, Ben, but I've got work to do, Eloise figuring out Whistledown, down to Lady Featherington being a baller and choosing her kids while hustling a hustler. With an assisst from tried and trusted forgerer extraoridinaire Varley. Not that I approve of her swindling money out of idiots, but credit to her handling the situation marvelously. Here I go saying something positive about Colin. That was a surprising, competent and effective way he handled Jack. Penelope understandably made eyes at him here. Bonus points for apologizing to Will for what was just a ruse (and a clever one at that, you go, Colin) and bringing business to him. Not to apologize, just because he liked Will and his club. And to mix it all in with youthful exuberance and insecurity over what he had pulled off was the right way to go. Very charming. So if Penelope was able to see that somehow, I get it now.

You want to tell me that you weren't convinced by that, Oh, Colin, I didn't see you there? Surely you jest.

I actually laughed and checked the minute mark. It was like, hello, Bridgerton, welcome back.

The scenes at the tracks just crackled. Kate's little nod at the end of her put down. The weather wasn't the only thing that was hot after that. Poor daft Lunley though. It surprises me Anthony didn't peg him for Daphne last year given how sweet and sexless he is. Sincere warm wishes to Philippa and Finch. I wish them many happy years filled with cheese. Look at Varley getting flushed over the new lord's smile. Violet may be overbearing in trying to match her kids, but she really does have their best interests at heart. Her trying to find someone interested in dog grooming for Eloise was as sweet as it was ridiculous.

I don't think Edwina loved Anthony, but unlike the book she really wanted to marry him. I mean, it's definitely true this is inspired by the book. Listing the differences would take as long as watching the season probably.