🐝~||The Bane of Our Existence|| ~🌷 Strictly by invite!!! - Page 26

Posted: 2 years ago
Originally posted by EuphoricDamsel.


I didn't like her much either in S1. I mean apart from the focussed stars I guess Jonny and Lady Danbury were the ones I really enjoyed watching on the screen. 

Colin was again meh throughout. Which was a surprise because he was SUCH A BOMB in the books yk? 

Colin sucked in the show and I found Luke N’s acting pretty meh which didn’t help. Yeah of all the cast I enjoyed Jonny, Ruby and Phoebe among the younger lot the most. 

Posted: 2 years ago
Originally posted by LizzieBennet


Hey Gayathri. Glad to see you liked the series!

I got pulled into it only because I had read the books a long time ago and was pleasantly surprised they decided to make a series on historical romance novels- a genre which is usually treated with disdain by the general public (read male population) πŸ˜† We showed them that this genre can be successful right? 

@Bold- I never understand this...men liking unreal stuff like Avengers and Terminators is still ok with the society but a girl loving rom-coms or overly romantic stuff is generally perceived as stupid, silly and often such content is looked down upon...I seriously have a issue with this..its another double standard the society has for girls...I love the statement made by "Legally blonde" movie that being girly doesnt mean being stupid..

Yeah most people will be with you on the Simon- Daphne chemistry. I’m in the minority here, I found a lot of their scenes forced and the acting by RJP seemed off too. Though I have to admit he’s gorgeous. 


I’ve recently been rewatching S1 as prep for S2 and also because I’d  watched it a long time ago (when it first dropped on Dec 2020) and wanted to see if my opinions had changed. If you want you can go back a few pages and see my reviews on each episode. There’s been a lot of discussion on this thread- you’ll find how the books differ from the series and a lot more if you have the patience to go through the entire thread! πŸ˜†

@Bold- We watch it and analyze it with so much sincerity it feels like we are prepping for an exam πŸ˜†


Anthony’s book is my fav in the series and I do like the way Jonathan plays Anthony. Though I will forever be mad at how they f**ked up his character in the series. He isn’t  like this in the books. He can get overbearing and protective but in a good way. And he is a little arrogant and set in his ways but not in the pushy way they showed in the series. Also his romance with Siena is totally not present in the books.

They played around with the books a lot!


About S2, RJP is not returning. He announced it a while ago and so did the showrunners. Daphne (Phoebe) will be there though, I’m curious to see what character arc they give her. And S2 will be about all the characters I think, not just Anthony and Kate. The book is great but it does not have enough material to fill a season’s worth of episodes. I’m sure they would have tweaked the book a LOT this time too. I just hope they haven’t destroyed what I loved about it. 


I’m so stoked about S2. I can’t wait to see Jonny and Simone’s chemistry. I’m sure it will be sizzling! 


Have you watched the teaser- trailer for S2? I’m waiting for the longer trailer. I hope it will drop soon! 

Posted: 2 years ago
Originally posted by LizzieBennet


And the scruff! 

That Taron Egerton’s a lucky guy!

Poocho poocho

Aur mere S1 reviews bhi padho 


Who is Taron Egerton’s? πŸ€”

Posted: 2 years ago

I think they deviated too much from the book, and then had to work in the key plot point so they twisted and turned it so much it began to look contrived. I do like some of the 'fillers' they added outside of the books, like Will and Alice and Lord G, Ben's storyline etc, but others- especially those that played around with who these characters are at their core and what JQ wrote them as - simply make me wanna hit the screen with something! 


Haha I can understand- I am still frustrated with some portions of Harry Potter movies! I loved Will and Alice angel btw!!! 


I truly do not think they had much left over from the books. Yes, books can depict a lot through a character's thoughts and the show has to 'show' it in some way. Which is why, I wanted to see Simon talking about his feelings with someone - Lady D or Will or even Anthony, who's his friend. He could have told him his reservations about marrying Daphne. Instead, they built up on the drama and created unnecessary angst out of nothing. And where did this confession go later? Why did both D and S forget the affection, the attraction between them. D so easily dismissed S's concerns, and S did not feel the need to share why his past was casting such a shadow on their married life. I missed a heart-to-heart S and D convo. I wanted S to tell D exactly how he felt about his father. And for D to understand that and still heal him with her love.


Exactly!! I missed that too...that would have felt more real and authentic than this dramatized version!


Which brings me to the latest interview with Jonny and how the interviewer asked him about the tree- rutting scene he did with his pants down, and they even showed a close up still of it on camera. Why do they love embarrassing actors so much? It's bad enough they have to do these scenes with their family and friends watching. I feel second - hand embarrassment for them, truly. 


I know right...I watched many RJP, Phoebe interviews for S1 as well and they kept coming back to their "romantic" scenes...but I don't completely blame the interviewers...sometimes producers or platforms literally pay them to ask such questions to get that kind of buzz around these shows so more people tune in to watch... πŸ˜• 

Posted: 2 years ago
Originally posted by MJHTMonayaSajan



Who is Taron Egerton’s? πŸ€”



Image


The guy on the right - star of the Kingsman series.

He and Jonny are doing a play together - a gay love triangle. They were interviewed about it recently (the play has an nsfw name they couldn't even say out loud πŸ˜†, and Jonny was asked about Bridgerton S2!)

Posted: 2 years ago

Coming to the most controversial (and boring) episode of the season lol


Originally posted by LizzieBennet


S1 E6


and it breaks my heart to see A and C disagreeing and fighting like this. I know I keep bringing up the books- and it might seem irritating to people who haven't read them, but they have such a lovely dynamic in them. In fact, all the siblings do. They may annoy, and irritate and meddle in others' affairs but it's never quite this serious. 

Oh no, I totally understand...Its irritating to see movies/shows sometimes messing up with the whole essence of the book (which in this case, I think, is the bond between Bridgerton siblings) for some lame reasons like TRPs and marketability! 


- D refuses to cavort with S and wants to take Mrs. Colson's tour instead. πŸ˜† Why Daph? It's a nice light-hearted scene, and we've only had a few of those, so it's welcome. (Unlike the books which are laced with humor, okay okay I know I'm sounding like a disgruntled pelican now I'll stop)


- Mrs. Colson has definitely not warmed to Daph! She does not take kindly to the idea that Daph wants to redecorate. Daph looking wistfully at the nursery. 

yeah, I find the pacing of the episode has dropped significantly.

You bet, I started skipping some scenes Ep5 onwards! 

- S and D dinner table convo- the servants are scandalized and Mrs. C disapproves πŸ˜†

I don't understand this...arent they supposed to be all hush-hush in front of servants? Here S & D seemed like breaking all the rules which I guess what they wanted to show but I still found it a bit overly TBH

S does not want D to dress so formally and pulls off her gloves β˜ΊοΈ. These small interludes are actually sexier to me than the actual sex scenes. I also like RJP's acting here, he does well in these scenes too.

- And here's where D's naivete comes forth - "Does that hurt" she asks and S laughs. This might have been cue to educate your clueless wife, Simon. After all, you've educated her much more that her euphemism-loving mother has!


 She goes to Simon' study and he kind of dismisses her. You know, the more I think of it, the more I feel that Simon hasn't managed to convince me that he's in love with Daph. He even ends up not saying the actual words. It's such a let down. 

True!! And the Over-the-top s*x scene make it feel like he is just in it for that...which is I think what Daph also felt at some point after knowing the (half) truth (that its "willnot" and not "cannot")


- Daph and Rose go into the village and Daph learns from Ada's mom why the villagers are cold towards her. It was the pig fight. The winner was supposed to supply pork the whole year, and now no one would have a chance to do so. This was actually a good scene. It tells you the way you see things may not always be the right one - sometimes there are things that are hidden and not immediately obvious.

@Bold- true that!! 

- Daph talks to Mrs. C.. and she tells her a little of Simon's troubled childhood. And then says it's not always the woman's fault, sometimes it's the man. Daph is ofc puzzled. The womb cannot quicken without strong, healthy seed. My, my these 19th century euphemisms will be the death of me! πŸ˜†

You know the way Mrs C was telling this, I thought - So Simon might not be Hasting at all...like his father's seed was weak so his mother got help from some servant or someone to conceive and fulfil her husband's wishes and that will be the big reveal which will convince Simon to have kids πŸ˜† Oh my poor over thinking brain  


- S and D have another encounter in his study and this is when she seems to realize (after putting two and two together from Mrs. C's convo), that something weird is going on. Then she goes and asks Rose and now she finally knows. She looks accusingly at Simon as he goes on about the farms and his estate at dinner. She is feeling betrayed at this point. And I get it. But why did she not talk to him?

This is where S and D fail for me as a couple. No communication.

You know, it kind of made sense though...her not talking...like Simon hid this from her and she is soo betrayed that she doesnt even know how to bring this up or have a honest conversation...she has lost trust completely

- The entire build-up for the next scene is kinda ominous - 'Keep your breath on me, till my body is free' plays in the BG. And yes, Simon looks smitten and completely clueless as to what will happen, he's just happy his wife is taking the lead. Oh Lord, I do not like D's expression at all when she reverses their positions. It just feels wrong on so many levels. πŸ€’ He panics, shouts out her name, he does not want this.... Yep, this is not empowering for Daphne at all. It does not feel like it. It's not okay. I found it difficult to watch this scene the first time and that hasn't changed. This is why I never read this book again. 

You know...if you keep the s*x part out of it...this is how I read their expressions the first time (totally not recognizing this non-consent angle)...Daph is betrayed..she even tells him "You are the person I trusted the most" and she really did...she trusted him, she truly loved him...and he totally used her...its obvious for her to feel he used her, he took advantage of her lack of knowledge...it was beyond a point where she could have a conversation...its like she wanted to catch him red-handed...and thats what she did in her head...

To give an analogy, lets say Daph finds out he is having an affair..and she is a dutiful loving wife and when she finds out abt this, she goes through his phone, finds the time he and his mistress are supposed to meet and goes there to catch them instead of confronting him...that is reasonable, right? Its something similiar she is trying to do here...I felt two things- 1. She is trying to verify what she heard from Rose is actually true- remember, she has no idea how this works..no context, no experience..so she really wanted to see if Simon has any issue or he really didnt want to have kids and 2. She silently trying to show him that "I KNOW" with her actions...like you used me and now I have found out...

At least thats how I saw the scene the first time before all the thoughts of non-consent came in...now I cannot watch the scene with the same eyes but just wanted to put this out here..

Daphne is also far off from the actual concept of r*pe and I feel this is not even r*pe, its not like he didn't want to do it, he just chose not to and she wanted him to admit that instead of hiding it...anyway...

Did Simon's stutter come back when he asked D, "What did you do?" He looks confused still.

 Yes, the stutter came back

No Daph's arguments, her justification, her seeking revenge for being lied to do not convince at all. 

Yes, cannot and will not are different things and yes, Simon did choose for himself but it's still his choice, his agency. He has the right to choose. And it was terrible what D did. Period. I do not get Daph's righteous anger at all. Simon was honest with her. He told her he could not give her children, yet at that point saving her reputation was more important for her. Do you truly think she would have refused to marry him if he had told her it was a choice he was making and not because there was something physically wrong with him? 

@Bold or was he? I don't think Daph would have refused to marry him under the circumstances she was in...and I don't think her problem was even that he didn't tell her at that moment...its afterwards...when he was thoroughly enjoying their adventures...and it did not occur to him once to tell her the truth? He obviously knew she is totally unaware of how this works...I felt it was his responsibility also to have a proper conversation about all of this before starting to f*ck her all over...he also kind of didn't let her have a choice...maybe if she knew it was a deliberate decision to not have children, she would have married him but refused to have s*x just for the pleasure of it? Its like he took from her what he wanted (s*x) while refusing to give her what she wanted (child) and all of this unknowing to her

You told me I was enough. Yes Simon. She also told you - It's you I cannot sacrifice. What happened to that Daph? Were they just words? Could you not have talked to him, asked him why he lied before you went ahead and took away his agency? Maybe what he did was wrong - not being entirely honest about his reasons, but I don't think what you did was right either.

Yeah what Daphne did is wrong....and without any prior context, cruel...but what Simon did is also pretty bad in my opinion...He didn't do it deliberately and she also didnt do it deliberately but both of them reached a point where it was irreconcilable ...and that I think is the reality of most situations...nobody tries to hurt the other person but it just with all the context, her background etc.. children, she would have married him but refused to have s*x just for the pleasure of it? Its like he took from her what he wanted (pleasure) while refusing to give her what she wanted (child) and all of this unknowing to her...kind of r*pe only, if we see it from that angle..

With Pen and Marina I find they destroyed both characters to an extent with their storyline, and with S and D I felt the same- except in their case, I feel S is more to be pitied than censured. 

I don't feel like saying anything more, this storyline makes me sick πŸ€’. I knew what was coming and still that did not make it easier.

 With all that said, I would have much preferred for the story to not take such a dark turn...its definitely not an easy watch...even when I re watch, I just stop at their love confession scene in EP5 and pretend as if next things did not happen at all..its just too much...

And Lady W has published Marina's secret. πŸ€’

This has got to be the worst episode. πŸ€’

At least Pen and El made up. That's something.

Posted: 2 years ago

S1 E7


I'm watching half-heartedly at this point.

I do not understand the point of the opening scene, D playing the piano and S shooting and both of them looking defiant.


She's moving her things out of his room. But they're not talking, and when they do they spit at each other. πŸ€’

- "I will be kept informed of the success of your conjugal endeavours," he says plainly, and Daph jibes back that she wouldn't hide such 'important matters' from him implying that he did. Arrrghhh so passive-aggressive this whole convo!


- Daph is returning home to support her family with Colin's scandal.

- Marina's plight only looks more severe and Lady W's revelations only look malicious given what she will have to endure going forward. Colin just lost a little bit of face in contrast.


- Colin wants to visit Marina to show his support (he is a good guy!) and A warns him not to - his reasons being that Lady W's word has saved Colin from the mess for now but he were to consort with Marina people might think him responsible for her situation. πŸ€’

- Daph arrives and Vi thinks it's great and D lets out another jibe- Pretending nothing is amiss is the perfect way to lure the ignorant into submission, she says. And she's not wrong. But then keeping things status quo and letting wounds fester is not the proper way either.


- Daph and Colin scene: Colin is mad they're not letting him see Marina. He still loves her. Oh how is this all going to play out when C learns Pen is Lady W. Would it be so easy for him to forgive her? πŸ€’ D agrees to let Colin see Marina with her as chaperone.


- S and Will boxing scene followed by Daph and S scene at Hastings' House. She's now accusing him of being unfaithful.

"You wound me" he says.

Yeah I don't understand the point of this scene when things are unresolved between them. It seems so unnecessary. 


He pleasures her but does not want to go further. They will stay married in name only, he says. And if she's pregnant he'll support them.


- Colin meets Marina with Daph in the room.


He says, if Marina had only told him and not deceived him, he'd have married her. Yet, he's ready to abandon her to her fate - woman he professed to love without a second thought. That lie, that deception mattered more to him, his pride was wounded and hence Marina had to be punished. 

Isn't it the same with Simon? He may have lied to Daphne, told her a half-truth, but didn't she punish him- push him into something he did not want?


If Colin was truly gallant, he would have stayed with Marina now, when she needed him more than at any other time. Even though what she did was not right. Ugh, what a messy storyline.


- Queen's luncheon. Vi is getting on my nerves with her false pretending that everything is hunky - dory. And now the Queen wants to hear news of a Hastings heir soon.


I definitely feel the show has lost something in these two episodes. I cannot feel for the characters at all.

- Lord and Lady G corner Ben and he's so uncomfortable. He does not want to be introduced to Lord Wetherby. Is he coming across as a tad homophobic, or is he just worried Lord G will discover his adventure with Lady G?


- Okay, a question I've been wanting to ask for a while- why does the Queen wear such hideous wigs?


- She wants El to find out who Lady W is and is increasing the pressure, she all but threatens El which I did not like. Then the Featheringtons arrive and they are shamed into leaving. Mama F tries to lie and tell Vi that she did not know the truth about Marina, but Vi walks away haughtily.  Does no one care about Marina's fate in all this? All of them are busy protecting their own reputations when she's the one with everything to lose!🀒


- Now they're making it look like Pen cared so much for Colin that she accepted tarnishing her own name along with her family's to save his. Idk what to feel about this. The more they try to whitewash Lady W and Pen, the more I feel angry at her actions. Writing about something or someone is a responsibility that she should have used wisely especially given the times they lived in and the extreme repercussions for women. Didn't El herself say - Colin would be well, gentlemen always are? However much of a scandal they're embroiled in, it's easy enough for them to wrangle out of it as it was proved. It's the women left behind bearing the long-term consequences.


- Vi asks Daph to share her troubles but Daph is in no mood- she tells off her mother not mincing words, saying she would give her more vague metaphors. Daph is yelling at her now. Okay, I get you're angry and feeling let down but how is this everyone's fault but your own? If your mother did not tell you, couldn't you have found out from someone else? She calls out Vi for always pretending, and I daresay I have to agree.


Lady D overhears them arguing and Vi pretends it's the heat- again! 


Vi was a character I really liked. Can't believe they made her into this. Which is why I said I can't relate to any of the characters anymore.


-Daph meets Marina and offers to help find George for her. She sympathizes with her plight and understands why she did what she had to do. "Why should he be the one to decide your future when he clearly cares not for the outcome?" she says, and I can sense some of her frustration about her own situation with Simon coming through here. It seems to me like Daph feels fixing Marina's life can help her fix her own, or at least feel like she has some control over things. M does looked overwhelmed here, this is the first time someone - other than Pen has shown her understanding and kindness.


- Papa F visits Will and asks him to 'throw' his next match (did they even use phrases like that in the 19th century?) and Will throws him out instead. πŸ˜†


- Daph at Lady D's soiree . Welcome to my den of iniquity! I like it, but it's an overused phrase in so many HR romances (In one book I read, the ML had crafted his own right there in his house. You can imagine that was about! πŸ˜†) And soon Daph is drinking and gambling and being boss at it!


- Meanwhile Anthony and Simon are sharing drinks at the gentlemen's club. I liked Jonny's expressions here: He thinks he saw Siena and his eyes light up and then he blinks when he realizes it's not her and calls for a 'large glass'.

 The General's wife (Kitty) encourages Daph to write him - It's not as if he would refuse you an audience. You're not his wife. I like the actress who plays her. 


- Back to A and S again. They trade some barbs and then A loses it when S refers to his father being ashamed of the way he 'handled' things as head of the family. My goodness, that is quite a drunken brawl. How did A manage to throw S on the table like that? S is much bigger!


- Daph comes home to find S trying to fix his broken face that he attributes to 'training with Will'.  I get he wants to spare her feelings about her brother, but why can't they be honest with each other, man?

"Why will you not unfold yourself to me? A child would be a blessing" says Daph and here's where S finally reveals the 'vow' he made  his father. Come to think of it, it does seem immature and childish, but the childhood trauma he faced makes him behave this way. He has never gotten over it, tbh and I wish this was addressed more. Daph expects him to just forget about it and move on. But it's easier said than done.


- Marina does not think Daph writing to the general without Simon's endorsement will yield any result. Arggh, it grates on my nerves sometimes how women had little power and everyone, including women themselves, seemed to facilitate this state of affairs.


- A and C scene. Anthony apologizes and Colin is churlish about accepting it at first. Then A tries to soothe him saying - it will be as if you never loved her at all. It's clear he's trying to soothe himself- tell himself that he will get over Siena. And it's clear Colin does not believe him. 'And how did these precepts serve you?' he asks, doubtfully.


- El is getting ready for the concert and I did feel Claudia overacted a bit in this scene. She does the scenes where El has to be sassy and angry really well, but the emotional ones leave me wanting. Though I must say, Claudia and Ruth look like mother and daughter! Well done, casting department!


- Ben corners Sir Granville and asks him about his 'situation'. I don't understand- he was referred to as Lord Granville earlier, no? which meant he was titled, and now Sir means he's a knight. I don't get it.

Anyways, Sir or Lord G tells Ben his wife has her freedom and it's happier marriage than most in society. Then Ben questions him about his paramour, Lord Wetherby's courtships. 'Do they enjoy the same freedom?' he asks. It's clear Ben is judging Sir G. I really thought Julian played this scene well when he says - "I risk my life every day for love, you have no idea how it feels to be in the same room as someone you love and yet feel like you are oceans apart. It takes courage to live outside of the traditional expectations of society. You talk of doing the same, but it's just talk."

He throws an open challenge at Ben and I feel like this is foreshadowing for Ben's story. I would love for Sir G to be part of that one too.



- El has a theory that Lady W is a tradesperson and tells the Queen who is not impressed and dismisses her. And that's when El realizes the Queen intends to punish Lady W. "There is still good she must do." says El. Yeah, I confess I do not see what that is at this point.

El escapes the concert with Ben. I wish this one was of the Smythe-Smith musicales. I really miss them from the books, I hope S2 has one of them at least.


They ride the carriage together and stop to pick up Madame D, and something she says about the Featheringtons not being there gives El an idea...


A and his mother sharing a stand, A looks at Siena in the crowd and she glances back at him, and then grips the hand of her new lover even as A's face tightens.


- The concert begins, and Marina is cooking up a concoction to kill her child πŸ˜’, and in parallel, S reaches out to take Daph's hand when she feels something is wrong...

This entire interlude-the parallel between Daph and Marina set with the BG of Vivaldi's Four seasons was shown really well.

Marina collapsed on the floor and Pen finding her - trying to get rid of the baby she did not want, and Daph finding out that she's not having the baby she wanted, sobbing in her mother's arms.

The music stops and the scene freezes on Simon's face as he hears the sounds of Daphne's sobs...

Posted: 2 years ago

Forgot to tag you for S1 E7 ^^^


You know...if you keep the s*x part out of it...this is how I read their expressions the first time (totally not recognizing this non-consent angle)...Daph is betrayed..she even tells him "You are the person I trusted the most" and she really did...she trusted him, she truly loved him...and he totally used her...


@Bold. I do not think he 'used' her at all! Their attraction was mutual and they both wanted each other. S did try to do the right thing and backed off, but unfortunately they were seen and protecting Daph's reputation became all -important. When I first saw it, I felt like Daph was blaming him unfairly and my opinion did not change even now.


its obvious for her to feel he used her, he took advantage of her lack of knowledge...it was beyond a point where she could have a conversation...its like she wanted to catch him red-handed...and thats what she did in her head...


Again I think this is too harsh an assessment of Simon's actions. I did not think he took advantage of her, or she of him. It was circumstances that forced them together. And it was Daph who was more insistent on the 'getting married' part. Simon did not want it and was prepared to 'die' to avoid it, like he tells her. He did not want to take away her dream. Yes, the communication in 'not wanting to have a child' and 'not able to have one' may have gone horribly wrong, but it was just that - miscommunication. I did not feel at any point that it was deliberation on Simon's side. He even tells Daph ' How did I get so lucky?' when she talks about her nieces and nephews, thinking at that point that she has accepted not having children of her own and is happy just to be with him.



To give an analogy, lets say Daph finds out he is having an affair..and she is a dutiful loving wife and when she finds out abt this, she goes through his phone, finds the time he and his mistress are supposed to meet and goes there to catch them instead of confronting him...that is reasonable, right? Its something similar she is trying to do here...


No, I still do not think it justifies what she did. To me, her actions seem more duplicitous than Simon's who was merely ignorant about his wife's ignorance. And thought she had accepted his not being to have children.


I felt two things- 1. She is trying to verify what she heard from Rose is actually true- remember, she has no idea how this works..no context, no experience..so she really wanted to see if Simon has any issue or he really didnt want to have kids and 2. She silently trying to show him that "I KNOW" with her actions...like you used me and now I have found out...


Yes, agreed, but the way it played out felt like she was punishing him without even listening to him. She had judged him and sentenced him without giving him a fair trial. And that felt totally unjustified.


Daphne is also far off from the actual concept of r*pe and I feel this is not even r*pe, its not like he didn't want to do it, he just chose not to and she wanted him to admit that instead of hiding it...anyway...


Yes I also don't think it is r*pe, but it is non-consent. You know, I did not feel this way when I first read the books, but when I watched the show - especially watching Phoebe and RJP's expressions in that scene, the helplessness he feels and the deliberate gleam in her eyes when she pushes him down as he's panicking, I cannot think of this as anything but non-consent.



@Bold or was he? I don't think Daph would have refused to marry him under the circumstances she was in...and I don't think her problem was even that he didn't tell her at that moment...its afterwards...when he was thoroughly enjoying their adventures...and it did not occur to him once to tell her the truth? 


Tbh, they were both enjoying their 'adventures'. I think he was as honest as he could be. During the 'duel' scene he said what it was he had to say, and Daph went and announced to everyone that she and Duke were marrying. That clearly gave him the message that she did not care. At that point, she did not ask him - "If I say I do not care about your inability to sire children, will you then marry me?" No she just assumed he would and went ahead and announced it. Granted, at that point she wanted to stop that foolish duel but still there was a lot of assumption on her part (on Simon's too). I think they both 'assumed' things about each other without clarifying things. Simon assumed Daphne understood his 'cannot' have children and when he pulled out, accepted that it was a choice. And Daphne assumed Simon saying he 'could not' have children meant he had a physical impediment.


He obviously knew she is totally unaware of how this works...


@Did he? He knew that she was virgin, but they never talked about what she knew or didn't know. Daph did not ask him, other than 'Does that hurt?' and he didn't tell her. Which is why I said, they did not have a conversation about this at all. He may have assumed things without verifying it, but i do not think he deliberately led her astray. For eg. when they are at the village, and they talk about how Daph will have many children to play with because her brothers and sisters will marry, he is genuinely amazed that she does not care about having her own, and that she is happy just being with him.


I felt it was his responsibility also to have a proper conversation about all of this before starting to f*ck her all over...he also kind of didn't let her have a choice...maybe if she knew it was a deliberate decision to not have children, she would have married him but refused to have s*x just for the pleasure of it? Its like he took from her what he wanted (s*x) while refusing to give her what she wanted (child) and all of this unknowing to her.


Well, we can have the reverse of that argument too. Like Daph only wanted to be with Simon because she wanted a child from him. That would be her using him to father a child, wouldn't it?

And I do believe he did not 'take' from her what he wanted. He also gave her back equal pleasure and Daph did enjoy them. In fact, he was very giving during sex. It did not feel like he initiated or pushed her into it at all. She wanted it too. It did not feel at any point to me that Daph was being forced into it or that she was a reluctant participant.


Yeah what Daphne did is wrong....and without any prior context, cruel...but what Simon did is also pretty bad in my opinion...He didn't do it deliberately and she also didn't do it deliberately 


She did it deliberately, that's the problem. She was angry and betrayed, yes, but I still don't think it justified her taking away his consent. The child would not just be hers. He would be a father to it. How can she then 'take' what she wanted without ensuring he wanted it too?  Like Simon's father wanted an heir so bad he did not care what happened to his wife in ensuring he had one. It's not far- fetched to think of Daph's actions in parallel to that. She wanted a child so bad that she 'took' what she needed from Simon, without caring what he felt about it, and that's why it feels so wrong.


She would have married him but refused to have s*x just for the pleasure of it? Its like he took from her what he wanted (pleasure) while refusing to give her what she wanted (child) and all of this unknowing to her...kind of r*pe only, if we see it from that angle..


Yeah, like I said in the above point, it never felt like Simon was taking sex from her for his own pleasure, she wanted it too, she made no secret of the fact that she enjoyed the pleasures he was giving her. She does tell him openly that she enjoys it, and is a willing participant in all their 'adventures'. In fact, he does not want to initiate it that night at the inn- he gets her a separate room and her space. It's she who hates that and says so, and then the confession follows and it's mutual and consensual. At no point does it feel forced. He does try to stay away from her, but feelings get in the way. 

Their having sex is mutual- the way I see it.

Their having a child is not-  at least not at this point when Daph has taken away his agency. The only thing I'm glad about in this mess is that Daph did not get pregnant this first time and when it finally happens, it's a mutual and welcome decision.

I'm not absolving Simon of all wrongdoing here, but what Daph did seems more egregious to me.

Edited by LizzieBennet - 2 years ago
Posted: 2 years ago
Originally posted by LizzieBennet


S1 E7


I'm watching half-heartedly at this point.

I do not understand the point of the opening scene, D playing the piano and S shooting and both of them looking defiant.


Ya me too I don't get any point of that scene. He is shooting and she is playing piano it clearly doesn't show their displeasure regarding each other's behaviour. 


She's moving her things out of his room. But they're not talking, and when they do they spit at each other. πŸ€’

- "I will be kept informed of the success of your conjugal endeavours," he says plainly, and Daph jibes back that she wouldn't hide such 'important matters' from him implying that he did. Arrrghhh so passive-aggressive this whole convo!


- Daph is returning home to support her family with Colin's scandal.

- Marina's plight only looks more severe and Lady W's revelations only look malicious given what she will have to endure going forward. Colin just lost a little bit of face in contrast.

Lol, I don't like Marina's character tbh maybe I don't like her when she played as Ginny in Ginny & Georgia show🀣

First she justified that she truly loves George and can't love anyone like him. And then believes the fake letter sent by Pen's mom see who loves dearly will understand their partner whole heartedly and next if she is wishing to save pen's fam from debt atleast she could have said Colin that she is pregnant. I found her character on and off as well as bleh πŸ€’

- Colin wants to visit Marina to show his support (he is a good guy!) and A warns him not to - his reasons being that Lady W's word has saved Colin from the mess for now but he were to consort with Marina people might think him responsible for her situation. πŸ€’


Colin I can't understand his love seems to infatuation and attraction not true lob πŸ€ͺ2 minutes noodles nibba nibbi lob πŸ˜†


- Daph arrives and Vi thinks it's great and D lets out another jibe- Pretending nothing is amiss is the perfect way to lure the ignorant into submission, she says. And she's not wrong. But then keeping things status quo and letting wounds fester is not the proper way either.


- Daph and Colin scene: Colin is mad they're not letting him see Marina. He still loves her. Oh how is this all going to play out when C learns Pen is Lady W. Would it be so easy for him to forgive her? πŸ€’ D agrees to let Colin see Marina with her as chaperone.


Let's see whether he accepts or else Penp will write something else as lady W πŸ€£for badla πŸ€£

- S and Will boxing scene followed by Daph and S scene at Hastings' House. She's now accusing him of being unfaithful.

"You wound me" he says.

Yeah I don't understand the point of this scene when things are unresolved between them. It seems so unnecessary. 


And coming to D and S. Simon could have atleast discussed his trauma to D. She will understand and here D not understanding him wants only her desires to fulfil. If he is not willing to have a baby. D must speak to S understanding his problem and help to recover from his trauma later on they can have baby. At least they could show some more mature talking between D and S after that rain ball scene. Directly they began to have s** and then baby πŸ˜†


He pleasures her but does not want to go further. They will stay married in name only, he says. And if she's pregnant he'll support them.


- Colin meets Marina with Daph in the room.


He says, if Marina had only told him and not deceived him, he'd have married her. Yet, he's ready to abandon her to her fate - woman he professed to love without a second thought. That lie, that deception mattered more to him, his pride was wounded and hence Marina had to be punished. 

Isn't it the same with Simon? He may have lied to Daphne, told her a half-truth, but didn't she punish him- push him into something he did not want?


@B I agree with you. Both being hypo πŸ˜†


If Colin was truly gallant, he would have stayed with Marina now, when she needed him more than at any other time. Even though what she did was not right. Ugh, what a messy storyline.


In short their story is 2 minutes nibba nibbi lobe🀣

- Queen's luncheon. Vi is getting on my nerves with her false pretending that everything is hunky - dory. And now the Queen wants to hear news of a Hastings heir soon.


I definitely feel the show has lost something in these two episodes. I cannot feel for the characters at all.


It seems to be bit rushed as it gets completed on 8th episode 


- Lord and Lady G corner Ben and he's so uncomfortable. He does not want to be introduced to Lord Wetherby. Is he coming across as a tad homophobic, or is he just worried Lord G will discover his adventure with Lady G?


- Okay, a question I've been wanting to ask for a while- why does the Queen wear such hideous wigs?


Haha πŸ€£πŸ€£that too of different colors

- She wants El to find out who Lady W is and is increasing the pressure, she all but threatens El which I did not like. Then the Featheringtons arrive and they are shamed into leaving. Mama F tries to lie and tell Vi that she did not know the truth about Marina, but Vi walks away haughtily.  Does no one care about Marina's fate in all this? All of them are busy protecting their own reputations when she's the one with everything to lose!🀒


F family are toooo much selfish and when that papa F got money they allowed their daughter to get along with her beau (I forgot his name) πŸ˜†


- Now they're making it look like Pen cared so much for Colin that she accepted tarnishing her own name along with her family's to save his. Idk what to feel about this. The more they try to whitewash Lady W and Pen, the more I feel angry at her actions. Writing about something or someone is a responsibility that she should have used wisely especially given the times they lived in and the extreme repercussions for women. Didn't El herself say - Colin would be well, gentlemen always are? However much of a scandal they're embroiled in, it's easy enough for them to wrangle out of it as it was proved. It's the women left behind bearing the long-term consequences.


- Vi asks Daph to share her troubles but Daph is in no mood- she tells off her mother not mincing words, saying she would give her more vague metaphors. Daph is yelling at her now. Okay, I get you're angry and feeling let down but how is this everyone's fault but your own? If your mother did not tell you, couldn't you have found out from someone else? She calls out Vi for always pretending, and I daresay I have to agree.


Lady D overhears them arguing and Vi pretends it's the heat- again! 


Vi was a character I really liked. Can't believe they made her into this. Which is why I said I can't relate to any of the characters anymore.


-Daph meets Marina and offers to help find George for her. She sympathizes with her plight and understands why she did what she had to do. "Why should he be the one to decide your future when he clearly cares not for the outcome?" she says, and I can sense some of her frustration about her own situation with Simon coming through here. It seems to me like Daph feels fixing Marina's life can help her fix her own, or at least feel like she has some control over things. M does looked overwhelmed here, this is the first time someone - other than Pen has shown her understanding and kindness.


- Papa F visits Will and asks him to 'throw' his next match (did they even use phrases like that in the 19th century?) and Will throws him out instead. πŸ˜†


- Daph at Lady D's soiree . Welcome to my den of iniquity! I like it, but it's an overused phrase in so many HR romances (In one book I read, the ML had crafted his own right there in his house. You can imagine that was about! πŸ˜†) And soon Daph is drinking and gambling and being boss at it!


- Meanwhile Anthony and Simon are sharing drinks at the gentlemen's club. I liked Jonny's expressions here: He thinks he saw Siena and his eyes light up and then he blinks when he realizes it's not her and calls for a 'large glass'.

 The General's wife (Kitty) encourages Daph to write him - It's not as if he would refuse you an audience. You're not his wife. I like the actress who plays her. 


- Back to A and S again. They trade some barbs and then A loses it when S refers to his father being ashamed of the way he 'handled' things as head of the family. My goodness, that is quite a drunken brawl. How did A manage to throw S on the table like that? S is much bigger!


@B Even I wondered🀣🀣


- Daph comes home to find S trying to fix his broken face that he attributes to 'training with Will'.  I get he wants to spare her feelings about her brother, but why can't they be honest with each other, man?

"Why will you not unfold yourself to me? A child would be a blessing" says Daph and here's where S finally reveals the 'vow' he made  his father. Come to think of it, it does seem immature and childish, but the childhood trauma he faced makes him behave this way. He has never gotten over it, tbh and I wish this was addressed more. Daph expects him to just forget about it and move on. But it's easier said than done.


- Marina does not think Daph writing to the general without Simon's endorsement will yield any result. Arggh, it grates on my nerves sometimes how women had little power and everyone, including women themselves, seemed to facilitate this state of affairs.


- A and C scene. Anthony apologizes and Colin is churlish about accepting it at first. Then A tries to soothe him saying - it will be as if you never loved her at all. It's clear he's trying to soothe himself- tell himself that he will get over Siena. And it's clear Colin does not believe him. 'And how did these precepts serve you?' he asks, doubtfully.


- El is getting ready for the concert and I did feel Claudia overacted a bit in this scene. She does the scenes where El has to be sassy and angry really well, but the emotional ones leave me wanting. Though I must say, Claudia and Ruth look like mother and daughter! Well done, casting department!


- Ben corners Sir Granville and asks him about his 'situation'. I don't understand- he was referred to as Lord Granville earlier, no? which meant he was titled, and now Sir means he's a knight. I don't get it.

Anyways, Sir or Lord G tells Ben his wife has her freedom and it's happier marriage than most in society. Then Ben questions him about his paramour, Lord Wetherby's courtships. 'Do they enjoy the same freedom?' he asks. It's clear Ben is judging Sir G. I really thought Julian played this scene well when he says - "I risk my life every day for love, you have no idea how it feels to be in the same room as someone you love and yet feel like you are oceans apart. It takes courage to live outside of the traditional expectations of society. You talk of doing the same, but it's just talk."

He throws an open challenge at Ben and I feel like this is foreshadowing for Ben's story. I would love for Sir G to be part of that one too.



- El has a theory that Lady W is a tradesperson and tells the Queen who is not impressed and dismisses her. And that's when El realizes the Queen intends to punish Lady W. "There is still good she must do." says El. Yeah, I confess I do not see what that is at this point.

El escapes the concert with Ben. I wish this one was of the Smythe-Smith musicales. I really miss them from the books, I hope S2 has one of them at least.


They ride the carriage together and stop to pick up Madame D, and something she says about the Featheringtons not being there gives El an idea...


A and his mother sharing a stand, A looks at Siena in the crowd and she glances back at him, and then grips the hand of her new lover even as A's face tightens.


- The concert begins, and Marina is cooking up a concoction to kill her child πŸ˜’, and in parallel, S reaches out to take Daph's hand when she feels something is wrong...

This entire interlude-the parallel between Daph and Marina set with the BG of Vivaldi's Four seasons was shown really well.

Marina collapsed on the floor and Pen finding her - trying to get rid of the baby she did not want, and Daph finding out that she's not having the baby she wanted, sobbing in her mother's arms.

The music stops and the scene freezes on Simon's face as he hears the sounds of Daphne's sobs...

Posted: 2 years ago

Lol, I don't like Marina's character tbh maybe I don't like her when she played as Ginny in Ginny & Georgia showsmiley37


Marina is played by actress Ruby Barker. 

Ginny is played by Antonia Gentry.

Maybe it's the hair that had you confused. πŸ˜†


First she justified that she truly loves George and can't love anyone like him. And then believes the fake letter sent by Pen's mom see who loves dearly will understand their partner whole heartedly and next if she is wishing to save pen's fam from debt atleast she could have said Colin that she is pregnant. I found her character on and off as well as bleh smiley11

Yeah I have to agree Marina isn't a well-written character, but i's important to understand her predicament from the angle of the times they're living in. See how the Featheringtons were treated after Marina's truth was revealed? Like social pariahs. And it wasn't even them, it was someone they were harbouring in their house. It will be a thousand times worse for Marina. Plus she does not have the luxury of time. She has written several letters to George at this point and has not received a response to a single one. Even if she accepted Mama F's letter as fake, she has little hope at this point. It's outright rejection from George (if the letter was true) or indifference (which is what she assumed when he hasn't responded to her despite her telling him of her 'condition'.) She is desperate and that desperation makes her do foolish things. But yes, at least they should have shown her as feeling some remorse for what she did to Colin and/or Pen during all this, that might have redeemed her character somewhat. Instead, she came off looking calculating and ruthless.



Colin I can't understand his love seems to infatuation and attraction not true lob smiley392 minutes noodles nibba nibbi lob smiley36


Well, Colin does seem very immature which is why Anthony does not believe it's love. And he was right, it wasn't love. At least it did not feel like it, because after knowing the truth about Marina he abandoned her to her fate without once checking on her well-being. He did not care what happened to her, despite knowing she would have to face society and raise her child alone. He did not even offer to find the child's father for her, or ask her about him - it was Daph who did that. When his male pride was wounded, after being lied to and led on - he just gave her big words - if only you would have come to me and told me the truth I would have married you. Right! 



And coming to D and S. Simon could have atleast discussed his trauma to D. She will understand and here D not understanding him wants only her desires to fulfil. If he is not willing to have a baby. D must speak to S understanding his problem and help to recover from his trauma later on they can have baby. At least they could show some more mature talking between D and S after that rain ball scene. Directly they began to have s** and then baby.


Exactly, This is what I said to Tina too, and wrote in my review. This entire series can be retitled ' Failure to Communicate'. Till the end they don't. Everything gets magically resolved. Simon is okay with it, and Daph calls him out on his foolishness - hanging on to a vow he made to a dead man and refusing himself the happiness of having a child (which I agree is a valid argument). But they do not address his trauma or talk about what Simon himself would be feeling about being a father - given that he had never experienced the love of his own parents. 

S2 could have addressed this if RJP has stayed but now it just seems like a lost opportunity. Perhaps Daph will bring it up in conversation with Anthony or someone else in a candid talk about how things went wrong in their relationship and how they resolved them but tbh it won’t be the same as watching them resolving it on screen. 

Edited by LizzieBennet - 2 years ago

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