Death Comes To Pemberley, Episode 2: Recap and Review

Welcome to “Death Comes to Pemberley, Part 2.”  We open with Lizzy looking sad, which sets the tone for the rest of the ninety minutes.  Lizzy is worried that Darcy regrets marrying her because Lizzie is Lydia’s sister, and Lydia brought Wickham back into Darcy’s life.  Jane gives Lizzy a pep talk and then leaves.  Bye, Jane.  That was quick.

Remember Louisa Birdwell, who was “taking care of her sister’s baby?”  Louisa is carving initials on trees and crying, so that’s not good.  Things are even worse between Darcy and Lizzie, since Darcy tells Fitzwilliam that he has permission to propose to Georgiana.  Lizzie points out that Georgiana is clearly in love with Alveston.  Fitzwilliam calls this “endearing.”  Lizzie kills both men with a bazooka.  No, wait, she doesn’t.  She and Darcy have a huge fight and they both stalk off in different directions to pout.

Louisa confesses to Lizzy that the baby is hers.  She claims that she is not “a silly girl” and that the baby’s father, Freddie, is with the regiment but has vanished.  Lizzie clearly dies a little but offers to make enquiries as to Freddie’s whereabouts.  Everyone seems in agreement that Louisa can’t keep the baby and the housekeeper remarks bitterly that it’s awful that children must suffer for their father’s actions.  This, plus the idea that women suffer for mens’ actions, is a theme.  If you ever have to write a paper on “Death Comes to Pemberley,” you have your topic all lined up.  You’re welcome.

In a scene that resembled puppy torture, Georgiana breaks up with Alveston.  She cries right in front of the footmen – really, Georgiana, have some dignity!  Snark aside, it is very sad. Georgiana tells Lizzy that she will have to marry Fitzwilliam to preserve Pemberley if Wickham is hung (because scandal?) and Lizzy is all “WTF, these people be crazy.”

Regency Inquest!  The set-up closely resembles a dinner theater production of Rocky Horror Picture Show.  There are tables, chairs, food, alcohol, and audience participation.  Wickham says that he claimed Denny’s death was “his fault” because he felt bad about fighting with Denny in the carriage.  Darcy says Wick has never been violent.  Hardcastle says, “I suggest the jury retire, preferably not to a bar” thus winning my heart forever.  Louisia and Lizzie bring Darcy lunch and lo and behold Louisa recognizes her beloved Freddie!  It’s Wickham, that philandering little shit!  DRAMA!

The jury determines Wickham guilty, so now there will be a trial because English law is weird.  Louisa considers jumping off a bridge but she doesn’t.  This is good because for one thing I like Louisa, and for another thing that wasn’t really a very high bridge so all she would have done was broke a leg and then died months later from sepsis.  Hardcastle shows up and reveals to the Darcys that he did in fact notice the woman wailing, “FREDDIE” in court and he put everything together and it would be best if the fact that Wickham is a philandering little shit not be revealed at the trial.

More plot reveals from Louisa!  Louisa saw Denny on the morning of the murder!  She was supposed to hand the baby over to Wickham and a woman who would take care of the baby until Louisa and “Freddie” could go run off together.  But when Louisa shows up, she immediately notices that “Freddie” is not there and instead Denny is, and the woman has shifty eyes and is clearly planning to keep the baby forever.  Louisa grabs the baby and makes a run for it, but not before she notices that Fitzwilliam is on the scene as well – also the woman is that same ghost woman who Lizzie saw earlier in the woods.  Lizzie tells Darcy about this but he does not believe that Fitzwilliam could be involved – cue another fight.  Stop fighting, you guys, it makes my tummy hurt!

Fitzwilliam proposes to Georgiana.  This is incredibly awkward, as Fitzwilliam starts with subtle blackmail, mentions his brotherly feelings (ewwww), and then become actually fairly touching as he drops his attempts at manipulation and just proposes.  I do believe his feelings for Georgiana are sincere, but I also think he’s a creepy, controlling person.  Georgiana accepts the proposal and walks away, crying.  Fitzwilliam is not great at emotions, but even he can tell that this is not a good sign.

Regency trial!  Lots of wigs!  Strange ghost lady is here!  As it turns out, Darcy knows her from that time in Pride and Prejudice when he had to track down Wickham and Lydia!  She’s also the one who facilitated the elopment between Georgiana and Wickham back when Georgiana was fifteen!  She is Wickham’s long-lost sister, who apparently is illegitimate and turned to various forms of blackmail etc to support herself when her father would not acknowledge her (this is all implied),

In a wonderful scene that I’d like to embroider on a sampler, Lady Catherine shows up, wreaks havoc, and is chased away by the oh, so scandalous Lydia.  Lydia is wearing the most gorgeous dress ever.

LYDIA GIVE ME THAT DRESS I WANT IT!

Back at the trial, we have a new witness.  Mrs. Piggott is a dream witness, who tells all about fight between Denny and Wickham at the inn.  She was visiting the privy at time, which fact causes much Regency merriment.

Darcy confronts Fitzwilliam – who says he was trying to protect the Darcy family from scandal but is being a total jerk about it and Darcy forbids him to speak to Georgiana again.  Darcy apologizes to Georgiana, and to Lizzy, everyone cries, and there’s a sex scene between Darcy and Lizzie which is so awkward!  I do not want to see Darcy and Lizzie have sex!  Ever!  I draw the line at smooching!  I realize viewers’ mileage will vary on this but as far as I’m concerned the sex scene should be followed by a rain of toads and other signs of the End Days.  This is a subjective opinion.  If you liked the sex scene, more power to you.

Trial next day –  Lizzie tries to tell Lydia that Wickham was having an affair, at which Lydia suddenly transforms into a very smart, sort of sad, very determined rock star.  Now I love her.  I’m so confused.  Hardcastle lies under oath, claiming that he is not aware of a reason Wickham would have killed Denny, even though he and Darcy think Wickham killed Denny to stop Denny from revealing Wickham’s identity and plans to Louisa.  Later Hardcastle says he did this because he’s not like his father (remember the magistrate who hung the kid?) but I feel a long essay coming on about the illogic of this action.  Fitzwilliam tells Alveston, who is defending Wickham in court, “She was always yours” which is both sweet and totally offensive.  The jury is back!  The verdict is…

Guilty!  Dooom!  Strange Ghost Lady is so distraught that she runs outside and throws herself under a carriage and dies!  Lydia and Wickham have a lovely moment together in Wickham’s cell.  Wickham prepares to face death.

But fear not, gentle viewers.  Lizzie is still on the case.  She goes to Louisa’s house to confront Will, Louisa’s mortally ill brother.  Will is the killer!  He confesses!  When Denny banged on the cottage door on the fateful night that Denny fled the carriage, Will thought it was the man who had taken advantage of his sister.  He hit Denny on the head, and Denny staggered off, fell down a gully, hit his head on the gravestone of the never-to-be-named Darcy relative who did all the gambling, and then Wickham found Denny but could not save him.  Lizzie writes out the confession, Will signs it,  Lizzie rushes through the night to the judge’s house, and at the very last possible minute the judge calls the hanging off – but only for Wickham.  Some other men were also due to be hung, since bulk hangings were all the rage, and they die, and they look very annoyed about it.

So, except for Will, who is conveniently dead, and those other guys who were hung who we never knew anything about, everyone is practically delirious with joy.  Darcy and Lizzie make up and she reveals that she is pregnant with baby number two.  Darcy says Louisa can keep the baby at Pemberley: “It’s about time Pemberley started looking after its own”.  Alveston rides across a meadow, shirt partially unbuttoned, sans cravat, in the middle of the day, to propose to Georgiana in a flowery meadow.  She says yes.  Cue kissing.  This is ridiculous but adorable.  Everyone is happy.  The End.

This concludes our recap.  And you can see some of the scenes in the Episode 2 Preview:

Behold, we have THOUGHTS!

RHG:

It’s been a hell of a week (well, two months, but the last week was…  intense), so this is going to be short and scattered.

“There’s no evidence that this was carved in love.”  It’s initials in a fucking heart, Darcy.  Hardcastle may be a man of little imagination, but he’s not actually STUPID.  Is it a coincidence that Wickham picked FD as his fake initials?  Probably not.

No one does an annoyed stalk down the hallway like Elizabeth Bennett.  She also has her own migraines with Darcy’s relatives.  “How intriguing.”  Must try that at my sister’s wedding next weekend.  Lydia versus Lady Catherine is a show I would suspect would pass purely on spec, because there is no way that could not be the best hour of my week.

Fitz, don’t bring up brotherly feelings during your proposal.  That’s just weird.  And creepy.  And no, just don’t do that.   Fitz’s whole character assassination here is a thing (Oh by the way I’m drunk right now?  but on deadline?  so like that’s also a thing?)  and it’s kind of annoying but they picked a perfectly douchey actor to play him with his stupid douchey face and douchey voice so we’ll go with it, and Georgiana is so determined to do the right thing and poor kid, thank god she didn’t actually hear Fitz and his whole “I’ll take her even though she is sullied by previous proximity to Wickham’s penis” thing.

I also like that there’s tension resulting from Lizzie and Darcy’s marriage.  I wasn’t worried that they’d split up, but the stress of the situation would bring to the surface any worries that each of them might have had, especially Darcy retreating into his socially awkward self and defaulting to the Correct Way Of Doing Things that propped him up so he didn’t have to worry about what to do and what the ramifications would be and oh god what would people think.

Plus sexy times.  So that’s a change from the book I really liked.

I felt like Wickham’s last second reprieve was horrible for the poor schmucks who didn’t have Lizzie Bennet on their side.  This well-dressed dude has a pretty lady show up with a signed confession, but the 99%ers?  No,  it’s a short drop and quick stop for you.

I think Lydia’s “what fun we’ve had” thing is just so… Lydia.  Like, she doesn’t see past the end of her nose, and has no concept of other people except as supporting players in her own drama and that just sums her up.  Completely.

I just really liked this and I love the Matthews Goode and Rhys and you should watch them in The Good Wife and The Americans, respectively, and I don’t think I’m gonna like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies as much as I liked this but we’ll see I guess.

CARRIE:

Well, that was sort of a hot mess, wasn’t it?  I very much enjoyed the first episode, but this episode was too rushed.  In the first episode, I thought we were seeing a wiser, more mature Lizzie.   In this episode, she was so quiet she was almost asleep, except for when she was angry.  Lizzie sure knows how to scathe with a glance.  I loved Lady Catherine and Lydia.  I even loved Wickham.  The fights between Lizzie and Darcy were truly painful and fairly realistic – it makes sense that Lizzie would feel insecure, and that Darcy would revert to his more conservative leanings in times of stress.  There was a good balance of horror and comic relief (I love you, Mrs. Piggott!).

But the story just seemed to fall apart.  Will was awfully convenient as a murderer.  While I appreciated that Louisa was able to keep Wickham’s baby and stay at Pemberley, and it certainly fit the themes of the story nicely, it seemed wildly improbable for the time period and for Darcy’s character.  Darcy’s concept of duty and kindness would have been to find Louisa and the baby a situation elsewhere, or settle them independently with a pension, perhaps within visiting distance of her mother is that could be arranged.

There was no earthly reason for Alveston to appear at Pemberley all unbuttoned except for fanservice – if it was a call out to Darcy’s proposal in the 2005 film, it was a sloppy one.  In the 2005 film, Matthew Macfayden proposes in similar attire, but it’s at dawn so he has more of an excuse (and frankly it’s still pretty silly – hot, but silly).  Why Alveston would show up in a state of undress in the middle of the day is a mystery.  Don’t get me wrong, I adore Alveston, but he’s perfectly capable of being romantic with his clothes on.

My point is that people behaved in out of character, anachronistic ways to pull a happy ending out of a hat.  I haven’t read the book since it came out in 2011, but I don’t recall it feeling so rushed and arbitrary.   I do remember that the relationship between Wickham and Strange Ghost Lady (AKA Mrs. Younge) was explored more fully, which helped a lot.

ELYSE:

KNITTED THINGS! I can make that shawl!!

Colonel Fitzwilliam and his jaw need to omit the word “brotherly” from marriage proposals. Sheesh. Also when a woman walks away from you crying and holding her stomach, probably she doesn’t want to marry you. Sorry.

I don’t know how Lizzie keeps from beating Lydia to death with a shoe. She defended Lizzie…yeah… But at least we know that Lydia’s self involvement and verbal diarrhea trump Lady Catherine’s.

I’m conflicted about Lydia and Wickham. On the one hand, they are both awful people. Wickham is more awful what with the adultery and baby stealing, but they have a very human side shown here. When Lydia told Wickham that meeting him was the best day of her life, and that no one could say they didn’t live life to the fullest, I was all “awww.” Then I remembered all the people who were casualties of their shittiness. I mean, when Mrs. Bennet freaked out because she was afraid Mr. Bennet would challenge Wickham to a duel and die? That could have happened. Louisa almost killed herself and her baby. So yeah, fuck them.

I am pro Lizzie/ Darcy sex, personally. I mean, Darcy spent all of Pride and Prejudice with an erection, so good on him finally getting to use it. Plus the post coital intimacy was sweet.

I agree the end was too rushed, but a lot of mysteries have a denouement like that.