Watching ‘The Buccaneers’: My Live Reaction Commentary to Season One

This is something new that I tried for this TV show. I basically wrote down my thoughts while watching. Sometimes I was too engrossed to comment anything, but generally it’s like those reaction videos on YouTube but blog style. That’s what I was going for anyway. There is some structure but don’t expect proper punctuation and grammar or anything, it’s more like a flow of consciousness. It’s quite entertaining to read through for me personally in retrospect, so I hope you’ll like it too.

I’ve been working on a few proper reviews, including one for this show, which are coming but it takes a while to write them because I wanna capture it right. It’ll get easier with time and practice though. I’m hoping. Because I really enjoy looking back through my old reviews to remember books and movies and TV shows, otherwise my memory is like a freaking sieve.

!Spoiler Alert! I recommend you have watched the show before reading this.

The first thing I did before I started this show is google what buccaneer means. Because of course I did. According to oxford languages it’s a pirate or ‘a person who acts in a recklessly adventurous and often unscrupulous way, especially in business’. Huh. Sounds entertaining enough.

I also don’t know anything at all before going into this, I only saw that clip where ‘Nothing New’ plays on Social Media somewhere, which was intriguing, so here wo go! Exciting to go in blind 🙂

Ep One

voice over at beginning very intriguing. basically, this isn’t going to be a love story or a tragedy. very intriguing. -> is nan(anabel) the main character?

instantly introduced to the friendship of conchita and nan and then all of them, love that

after the first ten minutes we also met guy and conchitas man whose name i forgot, we know that she is going to england and that she is pregnant. starting the show with the wedding to then introduce all of this right at the start was chosen and excecuted really well

theo is introduced: i’m immediately annoyed with him because men are such fucking idiots and never see how much privilege they have

basically i’m immediately angry and irritated with everyone and everything except for the girls. by them and their friendship i’m intrigued, and by nan‘s clear way of seeing the world and by their loud unapologetic overbearing energy.

when the mothers suddenly turn out to be amazing friends that were pretending to compete because they were forced to by expectations and their husbands and society: suddenly i am SOLD, I am sat, I am watching

then there is the dinner in england that is just awful, so uncomfortable

jinny (virginia) saying that one day she will be the used-to-be-pretty one, oof. too real. damn, that hit.

conchita very clearly hates england and the whole conversation of ‘i did ask you to behave – perhaps you should get a dog – you chose to be here – i chose you’ was so on point. and the part where richard acts all frustrated got me ao angry because at least he can escape and go play games or whatever while conchie is stuck in a house with a horrible atmosphere and she is pregnent. honestly, conchie is so right.

conchie saying „what if they look at my baby the same way they look at me“ – no one talk to me. goddamn. stop it right now.

basically, all the girls immediately have a conflict established (except for mabel) and there is so much competition but there is so much platonic love and i’m all riled up and angry and already fully invested after the first freaking episode haha

and then the episode ends with ‚nothing new‘ by taylor swift, which is the whole reason i started watching in the first place because i saw that clip of the song playing at the debutants ball and it’s so fitting

when they all hold up their numbers and the men are such fucking pricks, i nearly puked

and then nan speaks her mind. i was a bit jarred by that because her character is jarring to me. she just seems like she was written into that century by a women of today, if that makes sense. but the clash is also so intriguing because she says what i would say and just speaks her mind unlike literally any other character in the show so far or in any other show of that kind that i have seen.

that obviously gets the attention of theo. and maybe that’s the part that annoys me, she’s the chosen one and she’s “not like other girls”. but that is actually what is projected onto her by men. by guy and theo specifically. she is actually not a pick me kinda girl at all? she has heart and she is bold and she actively wants to be like other girls, she loves her friends more than anything and she loves girls and she is empathic and feels very fully and it’s actually crazy that her character already pulled me in this much. makes me feel so conflicted. do you see what I mean with the way this show already made me feel and contemplate so much with just one episode? nan makes me challenge my own way of thinking and viewing the world, or this story’s world ,and the way stories are constructed, and that’s what i like about her. a very strong character so far.

actually, me being frustrated with nan for having such an easy life compared to the other girls and having everything come to her and being smart and funny and empathic and just too good exactly demonstrates the point of the show so far: women are set up by society to see each other as competition.

“i miss the world that had her in it” – guy about his mother who passed away; and then not much after: “i also miss my father even when i’m in a room with him” – actually a crazy thing to say. fck me up.

the whole argument with ginny. she actually has a point and nan doesn’t get it. because it’s horrible but ginny has to be noticed and get married to have even the shred of a life. when she says “this is my whole life. it matters.” she’s right. and obviously her being jealous of nan is annoying and the natural reaction to watching this would probably be to dislike jinny. but all i can see is that she is set up by society to act this way. she has to be jealous because society makes women compete. and that is the actual horrible part and it is not jinnys fault. and to think that she is weak or has a mean streak because she gives in to it is honestly so unfair.

the whole thing about nan’s mom. or rather about nan’s absolute jackass of a dad that her stepmom was forced to put up with. and then she gets sent away, which, alright, but WHY DID NO ONE INFORM CONCHITA??

turns out that guy has money issues and that’s why he’s talking to nan – that fucking triggered me and my trust issues.

and then nan meets theo. i’ve gotta say i was a bit put off by the fact that he is immediately more fascinated when she talks about the castle and clearly doesn’t know that he is the duke.

the way he stutters and answers „i paint“ when she asks if he‘s an artist is so on point. and then he critiques his own painting and says he restarted it but the restarted one is a blank canvas HAHAHAHA so real. and then she says „imagine what it might become“ and maybe i’m in love with her actually.

men are stupid is all i’m gonna say about the theo-guy issue that is already established here. this is gonna go full on love triangle instead it. ah man, i hate love triangles. and nan is too amazing and extraordinary for either of them anyway. cue ‚boyfriend‘ by dove cameron.

and that is the first episode! i am so invested already lol.

Ep Two

„sometimes a person looks at you and immediately you know you’ll remember it till the day you die“ → reminded me of the taylor swift lyric ‚all my days i’ll know your face‘

honoria being ‚corrupted’ by the girls is my favorite thing

it’s very interesting to see the way they interact when conchie is so desperate to have a sister in law and not be alone and jinny and lizzy competing for james and mabel not being interested in anyone but honoria and nan and jinny being upset with each other and conchie and nan being upset with each other. so interesting whenever they all come together. they are all so desperate and have so much to deal with and mostly only see their own problems and some scenes i almost can‘t watch because of second hand embarrassment.

also, i hate the whole thing with jean because she is being perfect and theo is being an ass and what i’m assuming is her mom is not very smooth

also i hate that guy notices something is wrong with nan first

and i hate jinny‘s fight with lizzy

i hate a lot about this show but i love the characters and it’s all very believable. well, i don’t know if the dresses are matching to late 18hundreds jada jada and i don’t know if girls then actually would have had mindsets that are this modern but non of that is the point of this show and i think with the way the world and the story and the characters are set up it is all very plausible and believable.

very interesting, the way honoria repeats what her parents say sometimes because she thinks it might impress mabel. that’s what it seems like anyway.

obviously hate james seadown or whatever his name is with all my guts, what a disgusting despicable monster

the whole “there are women and there are wives” misunderstanding with conchita and robert, ughh, i hate misunderstandings that don’t get solved quite soon after. and the way conchita takes it to heart is simply heartbreaking. the way she won’t let on how much giving birth affected her, i-

hate the proposal of that manipulative scumbag and the way jinny and conchita are so excited and lizzy relieved and honoria scared for her and just. i hate him with all my being. and the way he instantly takes away jinny‘s light- he’s the most horrible character ever. and the way he played lizzy and jinny against each other so ghat jinny won‘t listen to lizzys attempt of warning her makes me so mad.

it’s generally so weird how fast they propose lol

i hate love triangles. did they have to be best friends as well?? and the way theo is obsessed with her because she doesn’t care that he is a dune, don’t know how i feel about that. but guy was trying to manipulate her from the start and just came around too late. and they all have chemistry. i hate it.

Ep Three

nan is so right to be concerned with how little they know each other but conchie is also right because at that time people didn’t generally marry because they liked each other (as the whole plot so far has clearly shown), it’s out of necessity and the goal is to socially marry up. so twisted.

the way she says with theo she forgets who she is… that could be good or bad. i‘m leaning towards bad.

quite selfish of theo, the way he proposed. because obviously „context“ as they call it comes with everyone and you can’t ignore that. but it’s quite kind i suppose, the way he is so concerned for her to be happy and not feel pressured and to not force her into this.

I HATE RICHARD’S AND HONORIA’S PARENTS

the way honoria is so excited to see mabel again, they’re so cute. and richard being so concerned with conchita‘s behavior, finally!! coming to your senses

ughh i hate seadown so much and i hate that they eloped but it also makes sense for both of them tho. so desperate. and manipulative. they are so utterly incompatible and he is such a piece of trash.

conchita has turned so cynical and i hate that they got to her. and this convo with nan: „ive worked out the secret. silence. no voice, no oppinions. it’s better to be lonely and approved of than lonely and glowered at – it’s like the lights have gone out in you – yes but when the lights are out and its quite dark there is no need for appologizing“ -> rip my heart out. don’t let anyone ever conconce you that you are too much, do u hear me??

„your trying is one of the things i love the most about you“ shut up, you disgusting manipulative prick. that whole scene was so scary, he‘s psycho. the way he looks at her 🤮

‘your family are desperate to make my friends feel worthless when they lower themselves to marry your brothers’ (mabel to honoria) – literally my thoughts in a nutshell. though much more polite than my thoughts actually haha

very funny when mabel realizes that the castle she’s in is MUCH older than her country HAHAHA. americans are so self centered and oblivious to the rest of the world sometimes

love how glad nan is when she finally sees jinny again for the first time after she’s gotten married. and then the scene where she talks so meanly about conchie and tries to impress seadown’s parents makes me furius. i’m fuming. and i know she is repeating seadown’s words and trying to please, she’s not being herself, but that makes me even more angry.

mabel is my favorite character, who is surprised. or maybe lizzy. love them both so much <3

when conchita has the whole „will i ever be good enough i’ve tried being me and i’ve tried being someone else is there any point in me trying at all“ moment, ugh i can’t believe shes brave enough to confront them. and have I mentioned that I HATE richard‘s parents. and then when jinny finally goes after conchie despite james, goddamn, what is this family doing to my girls

mabel dancing like no one is watching, i love her so much!!

„she’s just doing it for attention – i’m her husband, it’s my job to give it to her“ – love richard for that, go off king

not mabel and honoria kissing in the rain🤭

love the blue of nan’s dress at the ball, the bluebell one, it’s a great color.

„because he’s your oldest friend – and you’re my newest“ – goddamn it guy, stop being so decent

the colors?? of the sunset?? and her dress?? when she accepts the proposal and they kiss?? gor-geous. absolutely stunning.

and then she fucking realizes that guy CAME BACK. see, this is why i hate love triangles. ugh.

Ep Four

you know, i love that this show is all about women. women are so amazing. i love women. !!

i love the duchess as well. and how well she reads people. how well she reads guy. she’s quite mysterious, love that for her.

i’ve been wondering about miss testvalley all this time and we still don’t know anything about her. something fishy is going on there…

nan’s dad is so annoying

nan‘s hair in this ep looks so pretty

why is nan angry with her mom?? why isn’t she furious with her dad instead???

okay, i’m much further along in the episode, was too enraptured to comment on anything. nan and jinny and her mom almost made me cry and can i just once again say FUCK SEADOWN he’s such an arrogant son of a bitch

theo thinking nan wanting to tell him about her mom is her wanting to tell him about guy, ughhh, of course this had to happen, so silly

I CAN’T BELIEVE JINNY, WHERE IS YOUR SPINE GIRL wtf is this i HATE him

ughh i love nan actually

and nan’s mom and livinia walking out *chefs kiss*

thank you lizzy for not giving up on jinny. because i don’t know what i would have done.

NOT MABEL CRYING DON‘T DO THAT TO ME

who tf is miss testvalley to richard???

WHO IS NAN’S MOTHER it’s someone we know isn’t it

Ep Five

failed betrayal, what an episode title.

not nan showing guy how to chop wood HAHAHAHA u go girl

i hate seadown

mabel looking STUNNING in purple, that’s ma gal

are lizzy and guy gonna be friends? please tell me they’ll be friends

no. the whole „disappearing to be seen“ scene. and the talking about women not eating. lizzy is so well spoken. that hurt me on a very deep level. and then she finally talks about it. oh no, this will wreck me. her eyes. the actress is too good. fuck, the shame. and guy being so persceptice. both of them, so smart and aware. i love them both. and the breaking voice. best scene so far, hans down. oh my god, they are both so great. WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME??

„my whole life i‘ve been told to make less noice. now they’re wondering why they can’t hear me“ – fuck me up, jean. i told u theo has no clue what he is missing out on

YES LIZZY LOOK AT HIM LIKE HE IS A PIECE OF DIRT UNDER YOUR SHOE AHHHHH MY GORL (when jinny drops the handkerchief in the labyrinth)

love conchie and nan’s little girl talk about their love lives

and lizzy and jinny on the lake, hell yeah

and obviously mabel and honoria, don’t talk to me. they are so 🥹

i like theo but nan and guy are meant to be. they just fit. and that has kinda been clear since the beginning. i said what i said. BUT WHY ARE THEY KISSING OUT IN THE OPEN. IDIOTS

not the three of them playing poker. can theo stop being mean. fuck me. didn’t think it’d go this far. and nan winning. that is so-

Ep Six

„we know who loves to get their hair pulled“ ahhh conchita is so iconic, gagging him once again. they’re so great together my gooooooood

why did you have to marry him, jinny?? he says i love you and then in the same breath he says with your friends around you‘re not as easy to love. fuck you. that is not love, jinny, dear. that is manipulation, that is disgusting. get away from him. “only us” fuck you

I HATE HIM. pig. stop carrying her, lizzy doesn’t need your help. my god, lizzy‘s actress is a goddess. those tears in her eyes. killing me. GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER

not me crying. mabel and honoria are so awkward. that would sooo be me. fucking hell.

FINALLY they are talking. i’m so proud of you, lizzy. shit, i knew it would go this way. don’t do that, jinny. don’t invalidate her feelings, she is your best friend, remember? fuck, who let him do this to her? he had brainwashed her. actually, who let him do this to both of them? it’s so complex. fuck, and the actresses are killing it. killing me i should say.

fuck. the way they are both panicking. jinny walking out and making sure she is alone before she lets her walls fall, that is soooo me. i feel ill.

you know, i feel like shows always make girls like lizzy seem more likable than girls like jinny, but i just relate to jinny so much somehow. well, not her situation luckily but to the way she reacts to things ig? i just want to protect her from the hate that i’m sure she is getting from some people watching this. just breathe, honey, it’ll be okay.

not honoria and conchie bonding. god, i love women.

fucking hell, gus and nan are SO GONE for each other. how is no one noticing this because they are not fooling anyone, they are so obvious. i guess everyone just has their own shit going on, but damn, they really couldn’t be more obvious

„sometimes i feel very panicked about the idea of trying to fit the whole world into one lifetime“ (nan) – same girl same

james is a natural at this and that is not a compliment, I’m just baffled that people like this actually exist. not that he actually exists, thank goodness, but anyway. he is so good at manipulating, it‘s painful to watch. i just wanna give jinny a hug and do anything that will make her see her own worth.

mabel flirting with a man. she is trying so hard. i feel bad for him and i feel bad for her. ugh. is he aware that she is in love with honoria? i feel like he might be. he surely is aware that she doesn’t like him in that way. this might work out for them then. i shouldn’t get my hopes up tho

oh i love honoria. mr james bullman! the milkman ahhaha she‘s so cute. oh, don’t tell me they are announcing an engagement now. goddamn. mabel is so bad at acting WOW. hahahaha „well done just right“ so they are both acting then. HAHAHAHAHAH i kinda love this. and everyone is so surprised. is he gay? or just not into her i guess, that would be great. he did say let us both do as we please or something. ohhh, „no more than he loves me. it works for both of us“ yeah that’s what i thought

and just as she says „which married couple can honestly say they are in love“ it cuts to conchie and richard, that’s just *chefs kiss*

i like jean so much. she deserves someone that adores her. i still cannot believe Jean is having so much trouble locking down a husband. kind, rich, handing out big ass cheeses as gifts? someone marry this woman already, are you all blind?!?

why is the actor of james acting him so well. it’s fucking scary. he’s too good of an actor. the scene in the bathroom or whatever that is, where he is like „all i do is love you i have no secrets can you say the same“. he is too good. fuck it’s scary because if i was in her position, once you’re married, and you’ve been gaslit long enough, honestly shit, it might work on me. and that is the worst feeling. i almost can’t watch it. i didn’t expect this show to explore themes like this. oh jinny, my love😭

also, the whole theme that is explored with conchie and richard, love is not enough, it’s so interesting to watch that play out.

oh my god. is miss testvalley in love with richard. is that the subplot there. no way. hell nah. good for you to leave then because you deserve someone that gives it back. and is not married to someone else?? and in love with his wife as well, so.

the scene where theo’s mom found out about nan’s mother: WHAT. WHAT. WHO SAW THAT COMING?? who told her. 500 hundred years of civility and sacrifice?? are you kidding me?? you mean from the women. the men were not civil or sacrificing anything, i assure you. maybe one or two of them were and the rest were probably men who think they can do whatever whenever just because they are rich. and sadly they were probably right. fuck this. i mean, as you know i don’t think that nan and theo should be endgame because i don’t see any real deep chemisty but this is just bullshit. if they were as in love as he thinks that he is and i would therefore ship them, his mom would have still thought that she had to do this. bullshit. it’s not gus who told her, right. right?? if it is, i‘m gonna stop watching. that would exactly proove why i hate love triangles

oh my god. the camera on nan’s face as she is stubling through the castle. that is some good fucking cinematography right there.

what do you mean ‘understand us’. i thought- are you kidding me? i hate this show. that is terrible. this had so much promise and now suddenly gus told the duchess about nan and testvalley and richard are in love??? what is this. what. is. this.

oh, okay, thank you. so it was NOT gus. because that would have gone against everything that the viewers think they know about gus. that would have been some terrible damage to a character just to “further the plot”.

relieved?? girl, i‘ve been telling you. stop leading theo on. this has never been a love triangle. no live traingle ever truly is a triangle, is it. not if the characters are written like real people that don’t change like a flag in the wind and have no agency

NO. jinny. I HATE JAMES. HE IS TALKING FOR HER. fuck this show. what are you doing to my girls. nan is noticing that he is doing this to her, isn’t she. oh yeah she is. my heart is literally bleeding right now. please jinny. before he manages to cut you off from everyone. please realize. that is nan. she is your sister. you know she is right. come on jinny, open your eyes. please, jinny. i know it’s the bravest thing you‘ll ever do, but please notice, please run, run for your life

That is the main theme with this show, isn‘t it. Shame. Women made to feel ashamed. With lizzy and conchie and jinny and nan. And mabel quite obviously. And their mothers. And honoria. And all of them different kinds of it. Or for different reasons. Fuck. That’s why it’s getting to me on such a deep level. Because that’s something i think about a lot. i feel like i just unlocked a new level of understanding.

“I am proud to have survived the revelation. I am proud of my mother. And I am proud to be … I am proud to be” the conviction. the pride. love that for her. fuck, i want to say that and mean it that much. you go, nan. good for you, genuinely. so happy for you. the development she went through, amazing.

Theo. See, this is why i like him so much, despite. He is too decent. If someone said that to me, i- also, the number of love declarations that nan has gotten so far is actually crazy. when is it my turn.

Ep Seven

No, because gus is right. Theo can afford to. Isn‘t that sad. What kinda society is this. I mean, it’s not exactly like that anymore but. it’s not hard to see the parallels though.

„Your legitimacy and respect. Id like some of my own.“ (nan to theo) – everyone women to every man EVER, amirite

Nevermind, i take it all back. Theo has no clue what he is talking about. He is rich and he is a man. He has no clue what romantic love is and he has no clue what life means for most people. Damn. The worst part is, he is so confused. No idea what he is doing wrong. Men.

Fuck. Fuck. This is once again going deeper than i thought. How old was he??? Honoria knows so much more than she lets on. Carrying all of this with her. And richard was groomed?? Fuck i didn’t think that far. I mean there is quite an age difference but i thought it might have been a rather recent development. like an affair before he met conchie or something. and yes, if the genders were reversed i would’ve thought this far way sooner. oh, richard. Fuck. How are they doing this to me. honoria needs a hug, richard. And so do you. Shit. I can’t believe he went through that. Crazy how we have no clue what people deal with. Goddamn.

this show really made the most of the time they had. all these stories that are told and properly developed and they all go deeper and take turns that i didn’t expect. i’m quite blown away.

See, this is exactly what i was afraid of. jinny is alone. That’s what he wanted. Nan has her friends and her parents and it’s horrible, but jinny for her it’s horrible and she is all alone. And she is dying. and yes, she might have to take some of the blame for the beginning, for turning a blind eye and going with it and not stopping even when hurting her friends but. she’s human, and she’s been struggling and hurting since the beginning, like we all do, and there was so much pressure and honestly once you’re in the clutches of a master manipulator, how much can you really do? not much besides realize and leave, and sadly she’s not there yet but you can’t blame her for that.

Oh, her mom knows. She knows it’s guy and not theo. And she knows something is wrong with jinny.

“Tracy, she’s pretending. we all are” – that sums up this whole show. The men mostly oblivious and the women pretending. I just need to give all the women a hug. Richard and guy can get one too.

See, guy is so perceptive. With lizzy and with nan. that’s whag i like about him. also, he is fine.

“I do admire you americans. Your lack of shame.” – see i was right. That is the main theme of the show. why is she saying that to nan’s mom and not to tracy (her dad) though. such a twisted perception, makes me furious

Not theo and patty talking about the real stuff. this show always gets to me. Damn. Because that’s my mom.

Mom, i love you. (she’s not reading this cuz it’s in english lol)

SHE KNEW. richard’s mom knew. about testvalley. fuck. i just wanna wrap him in my arms and protect him. she is SO unfeeling. how is she so unfeeling? “something foolish like proposing”?? are you kidding me?? he was groomed, you idiot. he was a little boy. he needed his mother. he needed someone to talk to, someone to catch him. shit, i’m emotional.

lizzy. fuck. jinny. she does need protecting. you were the last one. fuck. james is so good at being a manipulative piece of shit. he is a master at it. honoria was so right, he is a MONSTER.

this is excactly what taylor swift was talking about, during the long pond sessions i think. when patty finally speaks up, suddenly she is the one offending. even though all she is doing is finally, FINALLY, reacting to what is being done to her.

YEESSS. YES PATTY. I LOVE YOU. “the power to walk away from you” shit but nan is not marrying a duke though, is she. it’s so fucked up that patty can’t walk away either way because she is a woman and she does need him, purely financially and legally, she needs him. yeah, you have always deserved more patty. goddamn, i’m crying. why are situations like this always so much more complicated. especially for women.

“no matter how small you made me feel, i have made sure they are the tallest in the room. and now they are letting me stand on their shoulders where you could never reach” screaming crying throwing up. litteral tears caught in my throat, streaming down my face. NOT PATTY LETTING HER HAIR DOWN. the woman you are. THE WOMAN YOU ARE, PATTY. and the breath. let it go, darling. wait, is that the same actress from the greatest showman? the one who sings never enough?

“i hate you for making me feel like i could be loved” that cut so deep. honoria. i was already crying, no need to make it worse

you know, i hate that gus and theo are best friends. in a love triangle. worst plot trope ever. “you’ve known all this time and you didn’t say” EXCACTLY. how about some proper communication. “she chose me – did she” and that smug laugh, JAW ON THE FLOOR. GUY. DAMN. and then a food fight. you’ve gotta be kidding me. HAHHAHAHHHHAHA. of course they burst in fighting. i am laughing so hard. this is the silliest dumbest most stupid thing i’ve ever seen. yup. it’s embarrassing. you should indeed look embarrassed. god. “are we five years old” EXACTLY. you’re so right nan. why are we still talking about that telegram though. that was episodes ago. why can no one communicate properly. I HATE LOVE TRIANGLES. oh my god. that’s what the telegram said??? shit. theo can see it, can’t he. that he has no idea what romantic love is. because it’s this right here, in front of his nose. tell me he looks at his best friend and sees it. kinda funny how they both remember every line. stupid boys.

YES JINNY GET AWAY FROM HIM. breathe honey. just breathe. she’s pregnant isn’t she. i thought so before already. is she realizing that she wants better for the baby? why do women only realize that they deserve better once someone else is in their position.

also, i knew that was gracie singing. my queen.

oof that’s gorgeous, the green firework and nan in her green dress. “this was yours to either keep or decide to one day share” he is right. i think he did the right thing. and nan has been leading him on so she can’t blame him for this. oop the look on her face. she knows he’s right. horrible feeling, realizing you are in the wrong and you have no right to be this angry but the other person does. “this is about me – isn’t everything” well. she is right, in that she has to figure out what she wants but she should’ve done that without toying with them. and theo should walk away. there we go, walk away. you deserve the same swooning confessing kind of love that you are giving and nan clearly is not reciprocating that.

i forgot this is where richard grew up. sorry, can’t call him dick. that is such a weird nickname for richard, i’m sorry, who came up with that.

“never should have let them near you? – who? – my parents” (richard to conchie) break my heart. go ahead, i give you permission. oh and the way he clings to her. i’m not crying, you are.

“you chose theo – that’s not an answer” yes it is, actually. nan, get your shit together.

“i think we could learn to love each other” oof.

noooooooo. i knew jinny would turn around and come back. she’s so scared. the fear is actually tangible. it’s in her posture, in her face, in everything she says and does. damn, the acting in this show is killing me.

finally gus and theo are talking. that’s what they should have done all along. idiots, you’re supposed to be best friends remember.

and of course the love triangle is continued into the last episode.

Ep Eight

“theo is the main event tonight. you can stand silently by his side. which is the job, of course. to smile, to wave, perhaps. […] But decisions, even those which affect you both, from now on, aren’t yours to make.” see, this is excactly why i would hate to be royal. and why being a women has sucked for so long. and we’ve been working on making this a better world for women to live in but people forget that that’s a new development. a VERY new development. like, last few decades at most. probably last two or three, actually.

also, the duchess is right. nan had multiple opportunities to leave theo and she didn’t. she chose theo. whether that is what she wants or not, it’s what she did.

i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again: nan has gotten an unnatural amount of love confessions. and theo deserves someone to be sure. i’m glad he is saying this. because she can’t leave him at the altar. she has to choose now, she should have chosen LONG ago, but she has to choose right now. i am upset with her ngl.

hahaa the way she walks in with her girl friends just as he says new era, fun

chita looks so good in blue. what was in the letter?? was it from what’s her name?? testvalley??

jinny is in so much pain

GO OFF RICHARD. honoria’s smile. WOOOOOOOooooooooooaooOOOOOOOOOoooOOooooooOooooOOOOooooooo that felt AMAZING. WO. free at last. everyone get up, come on. round of applause for richard.

jinna unconcious. is it because she is pregnant or because she has been keeping everything inside and it’s finally showing physically?

oh. so the letter was from conchie’s dad. see this is what i call communication. not keeping it to yourself for days, weeks, months. she’s so surprised by richard’s reaction. you deserve this, queen. i’m crying again.

jinny didn’t tell james about the pregnancy. shit i’m scared for her.

YES PATTY PEOPLE DO WANNA HEAR

Mabel telling Lizzy how afraid she is all the time. And the way she- good god. Minute 18 of Episode 8. That’s where I am at. That conversation broke me. I watched it three times before I could move on. And I haven’t actually moved on. “You’re not disgusted? – Darling. Shame. You have to try and let that go. You’re too lovely to be ruined.” I don’t think I’ll ever be able to watch this scene without crying. that fucked me up good.

sorry for swearing all the time btw but i can’t help it, i am overly invested

I knew james would hit her. Gut feeling. I knew it.

Guy calling it off with Jean and saying she deserves better. you’re so right, she does. jean, i hope you know that you are too good for any of them.

Girl, I have been telling you. It’s been clear since like episode two or three that you are in love with Guy. What about Theo now, huh? nan, you made such a mess. Gah.

no, Jinny. annnnnnnd I’m crying again. What the hell. Baby girl, come here. I just wanna hug her. The bruises. She didn’t need the bruises to prove that he is abusing her, because he was abusing her plenty before it became physical. Emotional abuse is just as much abuse!!! But fuck. Please promise me that if you ever end up in a position like this, you are going to walk out before it becomes physical. Sorry again for swearing so much but fuck. My heart is bleeding.

Of course james shows up as they try to escape. My heart rate is actually through the roof right now. The way they are laying in bed. I can actually physically feel her fear.

Oh, the duchess knows Guy well. Very well. I forgot.

What a mess. Please get Jinny out. Finally. I don’t care about the love triangle, just get Jinny away from him.

Okay, everyone is leaving. AHHH the parallel to the first episode but now Mabel is carrying the packet. YOU DO! YOU DO! you know who you are. honoria and mabel, you cutiepies. crying again. yes, you do. you do indeed.

What is happening?? Why are they… They look gorgeous of course. But what is happening. “She’s always been a loose cannon” Hell yeah. And the mother’s smiles. “We don’t need father” that’s so right Nan. WHAT IS GOING ON. I know that I’m gonna love this though. WHAT HAVE THEY PLANNED. Because the duchess is in on it, and Theo knows for sure and they gotta get Jinny out. Oh, the way Theo looked at Patty. They know. right? I wanna know too? What’s the plan?

YES. Get Jinny out. GO!! This is cute and all, but you need to leave. GOOOOOO NOW! I’m stressed

Oh, so Theo doesn’t know? Yes he does. She was at his painting chapel thing. Why does her mom think he doesn’t know? The duchess knows too, doesn’t she? What the hell? I’m so nervous, so so nervous.

Oh yeah, she knows. Save your sister. What do you mean???????????? Oh my god. OH MY GOD. Is she gonna…

She’s choosing Jinny. Fuck, she is right. She has to marry Theo. To give them all power. To protect her sister and her mom. Her niece or nephew. Her friends. Her family.

“The Institution always comes first.” That’s ominous and scary.

NOT TAYLOR PLAYING!! NOT LONG LIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!! That’s the reason I started watching in the first place, the scene with Nothing New in it.

What do you mean, Nan’s mother is here.

YOU CAN’T END LIKE THIS. I knew they’d do that.

TELL EM HOW I HOPE THEY SHINE!!!! I HAD THE TIME OF MY LIFE WITH YOU!!!

Goddamn. What an emotional roller coaster.

This show. Wow.

Thank you so much for coming onto this ride with me! Best believe I will be sat for season two haha. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

And like I said, a proper review is coming. I had lotsa fun with this, I hope you enjoyed reading it 🙂 Might do this again sometime.

Lotsa love, Skye