Watched: Vile Victorians

[selenak]

Some of the loot from my recent London trip:

Effie Gray, which I mostly wanted to watch because Emma Thompson wrote the script. She also plays a supporting role, but given her script for Ang Lee's Sense and Sensibility was superb, I was looking forward to this other effort in the writing department. It's a cinematic take on a notoriously bad

Comments

[selenak]

Yes, I think there were only two things not covered by the novels - Bucket's new case (which was of course the classic closed room mystery) and whether Arthur commits suicide now or later. (Since as far as I recall Great Expectations only says he died in remorse, not when exactly). For a second season, I imagine there would have two be a new set of characters - not difficult to find given Dickens' ouevre, of course.

re: the Barbary sisters - I googled and was surprised to find people calling Frances the worst person of the show. Even leaving aside later misdeeds covered by Dickens (such as Bill killing Nancy etc.), within the show itself you have Marley running a child slavery ring together with Fagin, and you have Compeyson the life ruiner and killer of dogs (no, I'm not impressed at all he later decides he's got feelings for Amelia after all since she's hot), and of course Arthur, repentance or no repentance later, scheming against his sister whom he knows and acknowledges loves him out of sibling envy and daddy issues. But Frances, who shares the sibling issues motive with Arthur and is not responsible for anyone's death or slavery, is the worst? *mutters about double standards for women*

[kathyh]

It may not surprise you to learn that the fanfic is primarily Arthur/Compeyson or more rarely Arthur/Jaggers. For a series that had some interesting women that does seem a bit of a shame, if entirely predictable.

[selenak]

No, not surprised at all, because that's how fandom rolls. At least in this case you can see where it's coming from, the Arthur/Compeyson not being even subtext anymore, whereas there's still the unforgotten Clint/Coulson based on 50 seconds of dialogue over the coms in Thor about antoher guy. :)