Anthony is my absolute favorite character from the books, so I wasn't crazy about what they did with him in the show. But despite hating the Sienna storyline, which was pretty much all of Anthony's storyline, and making him do a shit ton of things book Anthony would never do, I was still invested in him throughout and at the end of the season. I think the actor was one of the better ones, for both practical and shallow reasons. So I don't think all hope is lost yet. At least I hope not. Going forward I think they intend to keep the bones of each pairing's story the same as the books, so it does make me wonder how they are going to approach his and Kate's story in season 2.
Someone in one of the episode threads made the observation that the depiction of Anthony's relationship with his mistress might cheapen his supposed-to-eventually-be-love-match with Kate. I think it's valid. It seemed like the show wanted us to believe that he was very in love with Sienna. Either that or he was just borderline obsessed with and fixated on her. Neither of which is a good look when trying to sell his true love with someone else. I mean he had ZERO discretion or control when it came to Sienna. He blocked everyone else out and openly stared and mooned at her at public gatherings, had sex with her in public multiple times, and then they had him look surprised that his mother knew about his relationship with Sienna when Violet mentioned it to him. He came across like an impulsive unaware idiot with zero self control. I hated it.
I really hated that when faced with the possibility of his death at the duel his primary concern seemed to be that Sienna was taken care of. Any concern for his siblings' and mother's well-being, and his family/father's legacy seemed to be an afterthought. Benedict's look of pure terror and distress when Anthony tells him that Benedict would have to head the family now, didn't seem to give Anthony pause at all. I hated it.
I think Anthony in his book and in S1 is too old for them to write off his relationship with Sienna as infatuation, or a something that he thought was love but really wasn't. At least if they try to have the show character resemble the Anthony portrayed in the books. So I suppose they'll adjust his hang-up from not wanting to fall in love to not wanting to fall in love 'again' and that kind of sucks. I really don't want a love-triangle type situation. I really don't need to see Sienna ever again. I don't need to see Anthony chasing after Edwina, while pining away for what he lost with Sienna, while they shoehorn a love story with Kate in there too. That's way to ambitious for the people writing this show. Now that I'm actually writing it out, I suppose I don't have very high hopes that they won't make Anthony look like a total self-centered dick and I'm a little sad already. I'm determined to be optimistic though!
What I love about him was the thing that most people called him out for being an asshole for. In the show when a man would politely approach Daphne and Anthony immediately lists every crap thing about the guy I cackled with glee. Both in the books and in this show I LOVED it whenever he shut down people who in his eyes (or who actually) weren't good enough for his sister(s), or who he believed had wronged one of his sisters or threatened them or their honor as it were. I loved it whenever he popped up out of nowhere (like when Simon and Daphne are in the garden) or burst into someone's house uninvited, proverbial guns blazing, in defense of his sister's honor. I think Anthony works from a place of responsibility and honor, but he's also very protective of and devoted to his family, his place in it, and his father's memory. I'm disappointed that the show gave people reason to think he is or was being a selfish controlling asshole trying to make decisions for his siblings that might result in their unhappiness (outside of what he'd feel required to force to avoid a ruination. And even then, after the situation he found Eloise and Phillip in, he wasn't going to force her to marry Phillip if she could honestly say that Phillip would be in any way abusive to her). In the books he allows his sisters to refuse proposals to men they didn't want.
I know everyone is excited for Pall Mall, and I think there is literally zero chance it won't be included. But my big wish is that they cast Edmund and we get to see flashbacks. Edmund! I tend to get attached to dead characters in books that are frequently and lovingly remembered by those left behind. I get way too invested and felt so sad for him and all of the things he missed out on. I hope they show the things Anthony and Violet remembered about Edmund through flashbacks and memories. Edmund obviously was very influential to Anthony and impacted his choices in the story so I hope they include him.
I don't have high hopes for that though, sadly.
