I recently did a re-watch of the show and thought I would put down some words/thoughts since the initial Season One discussion topic got eaten during the server issues.
I loved the many (many) shots of Anne exiting her carriage before the footman (or whatever the proper title may be) could open the door for her. Kinda mean of me, but I thought it was even funnier during the scenes when the carriage door that she had flung open basically hit the poor footman in the face. Cue jaunty music!
As has been pointed out here, Ann really does show an piqued interest in Shibden Hall and all things Anne Lister from her very first scene. Later, when Ann proclaimed that she had been in love with Anne since even before she met her (I think she says she was 14 when she first saw Anne), I completely believed her. The set up was so good.
During the scene when Anne is visiting Ann just prior to her going to the Lake District and while Anne is looking at the paintings Ann has drawn, Ann is staring at Anne's face so intently...like she is trying to memorize it. Then, Anne says that Ann should draw her one day which Ann later did - from memory. I thought that whole scenario was effective. Another thing about that particular scene that I liked was that Ann gave Anne some really solid advice about attending Vere's wedding. Anne seemed impressed.
Speaking of the Lake District, I think Catherine Rawson said that she was taking something like 9 hats and I believe they were only going to be there for about 3 weeks. Poor James, having to load all of those girls' trunks!
Speaking of Catherine - when Anne breaks the paper knife given to Ann by Catherine in what appeared to be a fit of jealousy, was it due to Anne being jealous of Ann/Catherine's relationship or just because the extended trip was throwing a fly in the ointment of Anne's seduction plans? I couldn't tell if Anne thought Ann/Catherine's "relationship" was something more. Maybe I was overthinking it.
I thought the "downstairs" stories were a bit muddled at times. The John/Eugenie story was abruptly dropped when she was no longer pregnant. Not that I blamed her and I guess we really didn't need to see more. But, at some point, James (or maybe it was a different servant) was asking Cordingly about Eugenie. John walks in and overhears them. Then, we see John walking across the courtyard. I don't think we saw him again until he appeared as a guest of Thomas Sowden's wedding. Oh well, perhaps more to come during Season 2.
Speaking of Thomas Sowden, I really didn't need to see so many cuts of him slitting his father's throat and then the ensuing pig feast mania. LOL
The Eugenia storyline with the new coachman/Thomas Beech was also a little strange. Again, maybe there will be more to it in Season 2.
Sophie Rundle really held her own against Suranne Jones who is pretty awesome in general. I had seen Sophie in a couple of things and thought she was a very capable actress, but she really impressed me in this series. The manic episodes were hard to watch, but she really sold them I thought.
Loved all the scenes with Anne and Marian. Suranne and Gemma had wonderful sibling chemistry. Marian's exasperation with Anne and subsequent eyerolls never got old to me.
Suranne Jones gave one of the most perfect side-eyes that I have ever seen on television to Captain's Sutherland's mother when mother whisper-talked the referral of a physician in Edinburgh for Ann as a "ladies physician".
I noticed that Anne never tells Ann that she loves her. (Please correct me if I am wrong on that matter.) Ann says that she loves Anne/is in love with Anne several times. On the couch, just before they are interrupted by Eliza, after Ann tells Anne that the Mr. Ainsworth proposed via letter, maybe a couple of times during all of the back and forth with the "religious despondency" issues and, of course, during the last proposal scene at the collapsed pit. Anne showed that she loved Ann many times, but I don't believe that she ever actually said the words. Season 2? And will Mariana show up to throw a fly into the ointment during Season 2?
Wow - I just realized how long this post is. Sorry to create such a long list, as I generally don't like to do that!
