Return to Cranford takes place two years after the first series. Most of the original characters reappear, but there are some conspicuous absences. Where on earth are Dr. Harrison and Sophy? And Dr. Morgan and Mrs. Rose (now Mrs. Morgan) are mentioned in the first few minutes and completely forgotten about afterwards. More irksome is the introduction of characters who are supposedly well-known to the village but have mysteriously never been heard of before.
Obviously, many of the original recognisable actors are still there, but they've been joined by a few new familiar faces.
Jonathan Pryce (Governor Swann in Pirates of the Caribbean, and Juan Perón in Evita 1996) as Mr. Buxton
Tom Hiddleston (Loki, and Thomas Sharpe in Crimson Peak) as William Buxton
Jodie Whittaker (the thirteenth Doctor in Doctor Who) as Peggy Bell
The story begins with the arrival of the Buxton family. Apparently they're from Cranford but have been away for a while. Strange no one ever spoke about them in the first series. And then we're introduced to the Bells. Ugh. That's all I can say about the Bells. Mrs. Bell is the least convincing character ever to appear in Cranford, Edward is one of the few characters as vile as Septimus, and Peggy is just... dull. Compared to Mary, Sophy, Miss Matty, Miss Pole, and the host of other comical and sympathetic characters in Cranford, Peggy is practically a non-entity.
Peggy
William
Peggy with her mother and brother
Mr. Buxton
Speaking of Septimus, we finally get to meet him in this series. He lives down to all expectations. But more about him later.
The railway is coming closer and closer to Cranford. But Lady Ludlow refuses to sell her land, so it looks like it won't reach the town itself.
Harry goes off to school. This is the start of a lot of trouble for Harry, Miss Galindo, and Rev. Hutton.
Miss Galindo. I like her new hairstyle much more than her hair in the first series.
Harry, looking much more grown-up than when we saw him last.
Meanwhile, Martha dies in childbirth, and Jem decides to leave Cranford with Tilly, the child he and Martha already had. At the same time, Lady Ludlow dies of an unnamed disease (implied to be a form of cancer). This is when Septimus finally -- ahem -- graces us with his presence 😏
Lady Ludlow and Miss Galindo
(Okay, I'll stop now.)
Septimus decides to cheat Harry out of his inheritance. Miss Galindo finds out in time and tells Septimus what she thinks of him.
Mary returns to stay with Miss Matty. For some reason the writers decided to give her a fiancé who never appears and who she breaks up with before the end of the story, a decision that leaves me scratching my head. Why did they bother creating the fiancé at all when he serves no purpose in the story?
Anyway, Miss Matty convinces her friends, plus Mr. Buxton, William and Peggy to accompany her on a train journey. Cranford's ladies and Mr. Buxton agree that they were wrong to oppose the railway. And William suddenly declares his undying love for Peggy and asks to marry her. Even though they've barely spoken to each other. This is another decision that leaves me scratching my head. If the writers wanted the viewers to sympathise with William and Peggy, they should have included some scenes of them getting to know each other, learning what they have in common, anything that makes their romance seem genuine.
Episode two begins with Mr. Buxton learning of his son's engagement and losing his temper. I disagree with his reasons for objecting, but I agree with his disapproval. Peggy and William barely know each other, but suddenly they're going to get married?
Mary has broken off her engagement, something that has no effect on the story and makes no sense. And Mrs. Jamieson's sister-in-law, Lady Glenmire, has come to stay in Cranford... and she marries Captain Brown, to Mrs. Jamieson's horror.
Meanwhile, Harry has run away from school. He goes to Miss Galindo, and then runs away from her too when she says he has to go back. At the same time Peggy's brother has stolen money from his employer and has to go on the run. Peggy decides to go with him to Canada. What an idiot! Your wretched brother doesn't deserve your help, Peggy!
Disaster strikes when Harry accidentally frees Bessie (who's still wearing her pyjamas!). She wanders onto the tracks and is hit by a train. Poor Bessie 😢 Harry, William and Peggy are injured, and Peggy's brother is killed. Good riddance!
Jem and Tilly return to Cranford in the middle of a magic show, a moment that made up for all the implausible plot twists earlier. And the story ends with everyone dancing a waltz. Aww! 😃
My overall opinion is "a typical sequel". It's a fairly good, if somewhat rushed, story on its own, but it's a sequel to Cranford. Nothing short of absolute perfection would have made it as good as the original. And sadly, it's far from perfect. It has some good moments, but the emphasis placed on the frankly dull William and Peggy, the absence of Dr. Harrison and Sophy, and the changes in some people's characters make it nothing better than average.
There's no moment I can point to and say "that's what makes this series so mediocre". Its flaws are woven all through its plot. But if you don't expect too much and accept it for what it is, you'll probably enjoy it just fine.
Is it available online?: Not as far as I know.
Rating: 6/10.
Miss Galindo: "Your handshake had no meaning and never will have. Your handshake is a bastard thing, for you are not a gentleman!" Me: *cheers*
Mary returns to stay with Miss Matty. For some reason the writers decided to give her a fiancé who never appears and who she breaks up with before the end of the story, a decision that leaves me scratching my head. Why did they bother creating the fiancé at all when he serves no purpose in the story?
Anyway, Miss Matty convinces her friends, plus Mr. Buxton, William and Peggy to accompany her on a train journey. Cranford's ladies and Mr. Buxton agree that they were wrong to oppose the railway. And William suddenly declares his undying love for Peggy and asks to marry her. Even though they've barely spoken to each other. This is another decision that leaves me scratching my head. If the writers wanted the viewers to sympathise with William and Peggy, they should have included some scenes of them getting to know each other, learning what they have in common, anything that makes their romance seem genuine.
The not-very-romantic William and Peggy
Mary and Miss Matty on the train
Episode two begins with Mr. Buxton learning of his son's engagement and losing his temper. I disagree with his reasons for objecting, but I agree with his disapproval. Peggy and William barely know each other, but suddenly they're going to get married?
Mary has broken off her engagement, something that has no effect on the story and makes no sense. And Mrs. Jamieson's sister-in-law, Lady Glenmire, has come to stay in Cranford... and she marries Captain Brown, to Mrs. Jamieson's horror.
Lady Glenmire and Mrs. Jamieson
Meanwhile, Harry has run away from school. He goes to Miss Galindo, and then runs away from her too when she says he has to go back. At the same time Peggy's brother has stolen money from his employer and has to go on the run. Peggy decides to go with him to Canada. What an idiot! Your wretched brother doesn't deserve your help, Peggy!
Disaster strikes when Harry accidentally frees Bessie (who's still wearing her pyjamas!). She wanders onto the tracks and is hit by a train. Poor Bessie 😢 Harry, William and Peggy are injured, and Peggy's brother is killed. Good riddance!
Jem and Tilly return to Cranford in the middle of a magic show, a moment that made up for all the implausible plot twists earlier. And the story ends with everyone dancing a waltz. Aww! 😃
My overall opinion is "a typical sequel". It's a fairly good, if somewhat rushed, story on its own, but it's a sequel to Cranford. Nothing short of absolute perfection would have made it as good as the original. And sadly, it's far from perfect. It has some good moments, but the emphasis placed on the frankly dull William and Peggy, the absence of Dr. Harrison and Sophy, and the changes in some people's characters make it nothing better than average.
There's no moment I can point to and say "that's what makes this series so mediocre". Its flaws are woven all through its plot. But if you don't expect too much and accept it for what it is, you'll probably enjoy it just fine.
Is it available online?: Not as far as I know.
Rating: 6/10.
No comments:
Post a Comment