The English It’s the 1890’s in the days of the Wild West and Lady Cornelia Locke (Emily Blunt) arrives at a remote outpost in Kansas in pursuit of the man responsible for the death of her son. She is met by Mr. Watts (a deliciously wicked Ciaran Hinds), who has the body of Eli Whipp (Chaske Spencer), a Pawnee Indian and former scout for the US army, currently strung up. When Cornelia tries to buy Elis’s freedom, she is beaten for her trouble. Some pretty awful things take place next but, ultimately, Cornelia asks Eli to accompany her on her journey to Wyoming and he reluctantly agrees to do so as far as he can—he is on his way to Nebraska to claim land he is owed by the army. As Cornelia and Eli travel they are forced to deal with a myriad of fantastical scenarios and quirky characters and with each encounter, their bond deepens and their personal stories unfurl. It is a deeply exquisite narrative, both thoughtful and thought provoking, with an undeniable chemistry between the two leads which creates pure magic. I watched this with no idea of what to expect and found myself swept up in a beguiling tale of immense beauty and enormous sorrow set against the stunning vastness of the American West. Strangely, while I found this show to have an elegant serenity to it, it can actually be quite violent and macabre.
Disclaimer Cate Blanchett is absolutely phenomenal in this show – but then isn’t she always? She is Catherine Ravenscroft, a renowned and well respected documentary journalist who is receiving an award in the opening scene. Upon returning to her beautiful home that evening, she finds that a book has been delivered in the mail and, reading it, discovers that it is a fictionalized version of an incident she experienced in Italy when her son was a toddler. The book, which has been self-published, blows up her entire world, dragging into its wake her job, her colleagues, her husband and son. What unfolds is a haunting portrayal of Catherine’s alleged abhorrent behavior as written by the mother (Lesley Manville) of a son who has drowned, and set into motion by the father (Kevin Kline) who is out for revenge. Information about what has taken place is parsed out slowly, its impact looming with ponderous, claustrophobic weight. And just at that moment when we believe we know all, we are forced to rethink everything. This is brilliantly acted, beautifully filmed, and cleverly written with dreamy flashbacks, shifting narratives and almost meditative voice overs.
The Essex Serpent One of those rare series which captures the essence of the book it is based on. When Cora’s (Claire Danes) abusive husband dies, she throws off the shackles of Victorian London society (along with her corset), lets down her hair (literally and figuratively) and indulges in her passion for natural history. When she reads an article about a mythical water creature—the Essex Serpent—she takes her young son and maid to the town of Aldwinter, in search of, not just answers, but a more fulfilling life. Here, amidst the flat marshes of coastal Essex with its pale watery sunshine and steely gray mists straight out of a Constable painting, Cora encounters Will (Tom Hiddleston) the unusually enlightened local pastor, who invites her into his family and the local community. When a young missing girl is found dead on the marshes, a story unfolds in which science is pitted against religion and superstition tangles with truth. I adored every inch of this shows quiet, poignant beauty, its ethereal gloom and haunting music. For a different take check out this review in The Guardian.