S01.E03: Episode 3

[aradia22]

"You can flog a sweetmeat for twice the price if it's in a pretty paper." This show has some good lines.

Tableaux look as boring as I've always thought they'd be.

Why the eff would Quigley keep doing Justice Cunliff's bidding if he doesn't do anything for her in return?

Margaret said that Lucy had schooling. Why is her accent so rough? 

I don't appreciate all these forward servants. Haxby. The footman/driver messing with Lucy. OK, so they don't respect what they see as low women but you'd think they'd be more scared of their masters. 

Team Margaret should hire their own street toughs. I imagine we won't get full out brawls because then the law might get involved. But if we're going full nonsense, then I'm open to cracking open some skulls. Those men were awful. Actually, if we're going full nonsense then I'm down for Margaret just shooting them one by one. 

It feels a little anticlimactic to introduce Nathaniel and then kill him this quickly. 

Oh. It's interesting that George married into his fortune and Caroline was something of an heiress.

There was a crazy debauched energy to Lucy being at the Repton's country estate. I still don't get what kind of show this wants to be. Anything could have happened in those woods and I would have believed it. Which is bad. I should understand the rules of the universe we're in.

Why is Benjamin such a monumental ass? 

Woo! We are getting a proper brawl. I love that Nancy's a part of it. 

When Margaret started going in the house by herself, I knew she would find Mary. I know Margaret is tough but I'm afraid she'll be fighting a losing battle with Quigley for depravity. She needs to stop with these little battles and take her out with one shot. When you come for the king, you best not miss. She keeps swinging and missing and she's not going to have endless chances.

Also, how does no one notice Lydia Quigley's twink spy? He's not exactly inconspicuous. This show is making me bloodthirsty.

This episode was evidence for Margaret's theory that a woman has no real power until she gets enough money to be beyond the influence of a man. 

Why can't he just fire Haxby? Keep your enemies close is a stupid idea. Eliminate your enemies so they aren't a threat is how more TV characters should operate. 

Armitage is right. Fanny looks great in her new dress. 

I hope Lucy isn't traumatized forever. 

Yeah, Quigley is definitely going to try to sacrifice Scanwell's daughter.

[aradia22]

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I do think that Charlotte was a bit hasty in her decision not to ally with Caroline. Since Charlotte is dependent upon George for money, she should be at least a little concerned that he's running through his wife's fortune so quickly. If he's broke, he's not going to be able to pay her debts.

Agreed. Though I suppose she doesn't have a great incentive to just live reasonably. If she were as smart as her mother, she'd be squirreling away money and jewels and not incurring gambling debts for no reason. I sense a lot of apathy from Charlotte. Look at the way she was spitting plum pits at the door. I hope she doesn't get depressed/reckless and run away with the hopeful gigolo not because she thinks it's a viable plan but because it might work and she doesn't really care enough what happens to her to mind if it doesn't. That or she'll kill herself. I dislike characters like that. Fight, damn it. I wish she'd take her mother's advice. Level up from the baron, find a richer protector and save up money so you can live how you want when your looks are gone. 

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I also found it odd that Lucy seemed so unprepared for the life of a harlot, considering she grew up a brothel. But I also think it doesn't help that a) she has obviously been spoiled and coddled by her mother and maybe her sister and b) she is not only not outgoing, but she seems to be borderline socially awkward and can't read a room very well. I think, because of Lucy's more refined prettiness, quietness, and possible intelligence, Margaret hoped she would become a very high class mistress, the kind that was attached to some very high member of society and hosted Salons and such. Some of those mistress were very well taken care of and even respected among that set. But they also had to be cunning, charming, and good conversationalists, and poor Lucy ain't that. Margaret really didn't do her any favors by making Lucy think she was somehow above it all.

I still don't get this character. What kind of education did Margaret get for her? She doesn't have the wiles or seductive charm of a courtesan. And she doesn't seem to have the airs, intelligence, speech, behavior, manners, etc. of a lady. At best she can play the pianoforte and sit quietly sometimes. 

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Lucy isn't beautiful or witty enough to be a high-class courtesan.

I wonder how long they'll keep her makeup this natural for the whole fresh and innocent thing. I think she could easily look more glamorous with a bit of makeup. She reminds me of Rosamund Pike. 

[Scarlett45]

I have just started watching this series at the suggestion of a friend. Thanks to all of you for your posts. 

Its clear as day why Benjamin did what he did. He detested his father for “caring” for Harriet and the kids, so her punished her in the cruelest way possible. By kicking her out WITHOUT her children, leaving her how they will be left to be tortured and abused as slaves for the rest of their lives. Often many slave owners had affection for their relatives they owned, and gave them the easiest, most comfortable positions of domestic labor and companionship duties, but Benjamin has no such intentions. Poor babies. 

Lennox can rot in hell. If he cared anything about Harriet he would’ve provided for her and the kids (be granting them money and FREEDOM), but he likely didn’t do that because he wanted to keep his monetary interest in them in case he and Harriet went had a falling out.