‘Sanditon’ Season 2, Episode 1 Recap

Who would have thought we would be here again? Sanditon has been definitively canceled until “it comes back at least two seasons, but without the main character.” We last saw it Sanditon in the US in February 2020. It is fitting that so much has changed in our lives that the writers seem to have thrown 90% of the show’s storylines in the trash and started over. A movement I applaud! It’s quite In the forestno Paus. What happens after the Jane Austen plot runs? Well, clearly, we’re going to Charlotte Brontë. But first, let’s talk briefly about our missing leading man.

At the risk of internet harassment, Sidney was horrible. She fixates him and little in recent episodes, but he spent most of his time yelling at Charlotte on the street, and it made me extremely uncomfortable that he was interested in her love. But guess what, SIDNEY IS DEAD. It’s the whole opening. There is a funeral in Antigua and a grave with Sidney Parker. It’s a fresh start for Charlotte, Georgiana, and all Sanditon. Everyone is version 2.0 except Lady Denham, which remains the worst.

Charlotte lives at home and goes back to Tom and Mary Parker with her sister in battle! As someone without sisters and often with no interest in sorority relationships, I love an Austen sister dynamic. Alison is full of storyline possibilities, and she has such a positive attitude! In period dramas you have the gloomy, staring-over-the-sea characters and the upbeat “I do love Jam!” Signs. I love the Jam characters and I like more of them. Up with Alison! Charlotte walks through the Parkers house and has flashbacks to her time with Sidney. She seems to avoid the screaming bits, though I’m not sure how. Of more importance is that we learn that there is a new meeting room and promenade in Sanditon! Exciting.

Georgiana Lambe, who was Sidney’s ward, is now Tom. Mr. Hankins and his sister seem to be their chaperones, an arrangement that Arthur (Arthur is back!) Describes as not ideal. The Hankinses sing an anthem loud and off-key, which gets me every time. I loved a funny song “Bread from Heaven.” I know technically that Mr. Hankins was there last season, but I have no memory of him. He and his sister bring a strong Dickens vibe in episode one, though, and I appreciate them for that. Georgiana net.

Let’s talk about the new men of the season. As stated earlier, I’m what I like to call a ‘gay lady’, so sometimes I do not understand the appeal of some gentlemen. Sidney, aesthetically, I understood. Theo James is a very attractive man. I’ve been having a hard time this season, but I appreciate the new options for the ladies. We have:

There are several (two) men with cold boxes in this episode? And they both talk to ladies while doing so! I was shocked, I tell you. Maybe they’re just trying to emphasize the loose and sexy vibes of Sanditon. This is all because of that beach influence.

Do you remember Mr Stringer? Nice, handsome, aspiring architect, Mr Stringer? Well, he’s gone. Written off from the show, with some passing reference to him doing well in London. You are not dramatic enough for this season, Stringer! Get some windswept hair in a rear horse, and maybe you can come back.

In another interesting change this season, Georgiana leads a boycott of sugar in the city, in the hope that plantation owners who enslave people will be forced to change their ways. Alison is confused because England abolished slavery. That’s right! Pretty much. The slave trade was abolished in England in 1807, but, as Georgia explains, it only forbade the buying and selling of enslaved people, not to own it. Alison says she will never have sugar again. A Jam character moment when I’ve ever seen one!

The Hankinses are distributing pamphlets over the boycott (they look really great this season), which Lady Denham instantly pooh-poohs. We see later how she pours quite a bit of sugar into her tea. I have some pamphlets you should read, Lady Denham.

Really so much is happening in this episode as we are stopping everyone. Esther is back! She is still married to Lord Babington and seems to love him very much, only she has fertility difficulties. This is an extremely emotional issue elo if we have the wonders of science on our side, then I can only imagine that I would miscarry with over five months and then be told that you will die if you try again. Esther has it hard, and of course !! She had to a month ago. Lady Denham tries to love her in her own Lady Denhamy way, but wow, a month is no time at all. Poor Esther. Because of the extreme pressure on women to get children to carry on the family line, especially for more aristocratic families, she looks to Dr. Fuchs for help. The fox seems like a nice guy, but he tells Esther that God may not want her to be a mother. (When I was fifteen in church camp, I told a leader I was scared to be pregnant at some point, and she told me, maybe God did not provide for me for marriage. Well, Patty, now I’m married to a lady, and it feels pretty great. Basically, buu everyone who uses this phrasing.)

Also back in town is the terrible Edward, who is part of the army. He bought himself a commission (well, he has not paid it yet) and has grown a really terrible mustache. He immediately sees Lady Denham, promises not to harass Esther and then harasses Esther. What if, instead of Edward being evil, we do this whole season just about social faux pas, which disrupts romantic relationships until the last episode where everyone gets married. Or Charlotte falls in love with Colonel Lennox, but then it turns out that he is engaged to a beautiful girl named Lucy, and they have to pursue what the duty dictates, despite their inner turmoil. Elizabeth / Darcy is exaggerated; I require more Edward / Elinor copycats.

Alison places Charlotte over the Colonel until she realizes that Charlotte is still very upset about Sidney and decides never to marry because she does not want to return to the power of a man. Sure. However, her family has no money, so she has to work. If only it were a job like the one in the very big house with the restless kids, Leo and Augusta. Charlotte saves nine-year-old Leo’s life, and Augusta is a nasty teenager. Leo’s father and Augusta’s guardian is the aforementioned Alexander Colbourne, who was briefly interviewed by Charlotte.

She comes out after hearing him say that society met a woman and did not teach. Like very Blanche Ingram of him. He then drives after him, offers her the position and leaves. This feels like a Kate Beaton comic.

Meanwhile, Georgia and Alison steal Lord Kingsley’s wagon and drive it around the soldiers on the beach. They laugh so much that it feels like it’s going to be an accident, and yes, the carriage is tipping over and we see Alison on the floor. We do not see Georgiana at all and a soldier we saw earlier only controls Alison. Is Georgiana ok ??

The last thing we learn is that Sidney and Antigua were in business for Georgiana. What is up?! When will Charlotte and Alexander Colbourne inevitably come out? Will Georgiana succeed in her sugar boycott? Is she alive at all? And how many pamphlets does it take before Lady Denham becomes a caring humanity? Hopefully we will find out some of the answers next week.