14 thoughts on “Wives & Daughters Week pt. 2: Why This Series Rocks

  1. I absolutely love this movie, it is the closet thing to a Jane Austen story that’s not a rewrite or a prequel or sequel (and the book is equally wonderful — the adaptation is extremely faithful, but the book is even better. It’s 500 pages long and it just flies by).

    I love everything about this — the relationship between Cynthia and Molly, the love triangle (quadrangle?), Molly and her dad, the Squire — it is indeed practically perfect. I normally want to strangle Hyacinth but she’s not intrinsically bad, just self-centered. Besides, she had a tough time of it before she finally married Dr.Gibson. And I love that Bill Paterson shows up again in Outlander!

  2. The women’s clothes are TDF. It gives me clothes/costume lust.

    I’m not sure of the year, when the grown up Molly appears, but everything feels like 1835 or thereabouts. I do know when Cynthia goes to London there’s a reference the young queen (Victoria) so that part is 1837.

    This and P&P with Colin (sigh) are my all-time favourites. But can anyone explain Lady Harriet’s short hair near the end?

        1. I was always under the impression it was due to recovering from a fever.

          And this is one of my all time fav adaptations! The women portrayed as being complete human beings within the confines of proper decorum – such a rare treat!

  3. But Cynthia’s life is far more complicated than is initially obvious, most especially her connection with the sinister-but-hot Mr. Preston.

    Why is Mr. Preston sinister? I never bought him as a villain. Frankly, he proved to be a chump, poor man. I think many fans disliked him, because Molly did. And Molly disliked him because the Hamleys and Cynthia did. The Hamleys disliked him because he wasn’t properly “deferential” to the squire (cough! class issues!). And Cynthia disliked him because she had used him and did not want to face the consequences of her actions.

    I think Mr. Preston got a bad rap.

    1. Yes, what Susan said below. Mr Preston tried to pressure Cynthia into a relationship with him even though she was clearly uncomfortable and said so.

  4. You’re made very good points, but I seem to remember that Mr Preston tried to ‘marry up’ once before – both Lady Harriet and Lady Cumnor mention it, I believe.
    But Cynthia changed her mind. She saved money to pay Mr Preston back. He refused to accept it. That makes him a villainous hunk.

  5. Eeeeeee! I’m Kermit-flailing over this week’s posts! It’s all just so joyous and fun! W&D really has everything – great nuanced characters, wonderfully complicated – but not overly so – plot, and the adaptation has Ah-mazing costumes! This series alone started to turn my head towards the 1830s. I haven’t gone down that rabbit hole with my own sewing yet (I got waylaid by Natural Form, lol) but it’s sure to come!

    Although I find a lot in the characters and plot actually frustrating, it’s simultaneously all so lovable. I find it so hard to choose a favourite character, but it may actually be Francesca Annis’ Hyacinth, she just totally cracks me up. I think Cynthia may be a close second. Although this may also be influenced by their topnotch clothing and HAIR game – oh, their hair!

  6. My favourite TV series and I have been too busy all week to comment. Firstly thank you for blogging on this, It is nice to know that I am not along in loving this series. Everything about W&D was excellent, script, acting, costumes, but what never fails to impress me on my numerous re watches is the attention to detail, Mr Gibson eying of the cheese when he is dining with the Squire, Cynthia and Hyacinth always sewing, (as described in the book) and all the subtle nuances of character which are captured so well. The ending also really works. There was a Victorian couple who explored Africa together. I love the concept of Molly escaping the cloying domesticity of mid century England.

  7. The couple was Sir Richard Burton and his wife, subject of Mountains of the Moon. Sir Richard was a noted Arabic scholar, traveller and translator of Omar Khayyam.

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