Upstairs Downstairs 2.2: "The Love that Pays the Price"

Upstairs Downstairs continued its second-season run on Masterpiece Classic with another thoroughly enjoyable episode this past Sunday. The premiere was a fantastic introduction to just how the threat of war is impacting the residents of 165 Eaton Place, both upstairs and down -- and that pressure, combined with the everyday tensions that come from any gathering of colorful, passionate characters under one roof, threatens to fracture the Holland household beyond repair. Here's the episode summary from the PBS website:

The full, formal settings come out as an array of luminaries arrive for a grand evening at 165 Eaton Place. Amidst the jocular conversation, Sir Hallam Holland receives an unexpected and serious offer – one that could significantly alter life for everyone at Eaton Place.

Mrs. Thackeray, the cook, has reconnected with family, opening up the prospect for a different life. And the tug of familial bonds is felt upstairs as well when Sir Hallam and Lady Agnes receive an alarming 2 AM call from Lady Persie, who in the middle of the fiery chaos of Germany, is frantic to come home.

With the pact between England and Germany broken, Sir Hallam discerns that England is on the edge of the abyss. And as darkness encroaches, those upstairs and down unite to intervene, offering hope in fragile times.

Ed Stoppard (Zen), Keeley Hawes, Claire Foy (Little Dorrit) and Anne Reid (Bleak House) star in episode two of Upstairs Downstairs, Season 2.

A major aspect of this episode involves the growth of seeds of tension and discord in the Holland marriage, tensions reflected both upstairs and down, a mirror of the unease bubbling beneath the surface of European politics since the signing of the Munich Pact. The episode opens with Lady Agnes's (Keeley Hawes) tragic discovery that she will not be able to bear further children, thanks to the difficult birth of her second that ended in a Cesarean. To distract herself from this blow (I suspect she's suffering from undiagnosed depression at this juncture), she throws herself into planning an elaborate dinner party hosting Ambassador Kennedy, his wife Rose and son Jack, and a business acquaintance of theirs -- millionaire Casper Landry.

Hallam (Ed Stoppard) meanwhile continues to be deeply troubled by the ramifications of the Munich Pact and his inherent distrust of Hitler and his policies. He's also keeping a secret from Agnes -- the secret that during his time in Munich, his attempts to convince her sister Persie to return to London ended in a kiss, a kiss that he didn't ask for but didn't exactly recoil from, either. Persie (Claire Foy) remains adamant that she plans to remain in Berlin -- but as is her norm a dangerous discontent bubbles beneath the surface of her intentionally carefree demeanor. Her insistence on bringing up their kiss in conversations with Hallam hints that her relocation to Berlin has only served to entrench her less-admirable qualities even more deeply into her persona -- if she has no qualms about sowing discord where she can, even if it involves her only sister's husband.

Meanwhile downstairs, Mrs. Thackeray (Anne Reid) is thrilled that her nephew Tommy (Tom Bennett) has accepted a new position in London, giving her easy access to visit him and his wife Enid (Niamh McGrady) and son Cyril (Joseph Howse). Mrs. Thackeray can be proud, and a little silly at times, but she feels very deeply about family and position and it is glaringly apparent that she loves the chance to spend time with members of her extended family. When she uses Eaton Place kitchen supplies to make some violet macaroons for Tommy, she runs afoul of Mr. Pritchard (Adrian Scarborough), who is nothing if not a stickler for the rules. There's always been some tension between Pritchard and Mrs. Thackeray -- as the butler he is the defacto ruler of the staff, but as queen of the kitchen Mrs. Thackeray is loathe to cede authority in anything involving food.

Events at 165 Eaton Place reach a crisis the night of the formal dinner for the Kennedys. Knowing Hallam's politics, the idea that he's going to find anything appealing about Ambassador Kennedy's (William Hope) pro-appeasement, pro-Germany policies is a long-shot, if not an outright joke. With war apparently avoided, Kennedy offers Hallam a position in America as his family's foreign affairs advisor. One wonders if Hallam felt a little outnumbered, between the presence of Kennedy and a desire to breach the rift that his anti-German views have caused with his long-time friend the Duke of Kent (Blake Ritson). Or perhaps he's running from Persie, willing to consider America for a chance to start fresh with his family? I don't know why I was so surprised by the appearance of the Kennedys, nevermind the stretch of reconciling Hallam's policies with Joe Kennedy's -- no way was Heidi Thomas going to pass up the chance to have the Kennedys grace the halls of Eaton Place.

Businessman Casper Landry (Michael Landes) was a welcome appearance, even if he is determined to hit on Agnes, simply because I think Landes is ADORABLE. Landry is a charismatic Jewish businessman who made his millions by selling a successful "hangover cure" tablet. Landes made (for me anyways!) an unforgettable appearance in the Marple episode, What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw, which I rewatch ad nauseum in large part because of his presence. His looks are SO well suited to films set in the '40s and '50s. Very all-American. :)

When Pritchard and Johnny (Nico Mirallegro) overhear Kennedy's job offer, it creates no little stir belowstairs. But nothing compares to the discovery that Jack Kennedy (Robbie Jarvis), sick on oysters, has made his way to the KITCHEN (oh the horrors!). Here I just have to note that while Jarvis had a decent accent, he has to be the least looking Kennedy-esque actor I've ever seen. ANYWAYS...Mrs. Thackeray takes a very motherly interest in his well-being, even calling him DEAR -- and while Jack doesn't object, Pritchard hits the roof as that familiarity crosses all sorts of class boundaries. Fed up with Pritchard's rules (and still not letting go of the whole conscientious objector thing revealed in the premiere), Mrs. Thackeray quits on the spot and takes off for her nephew's house. (This has awkward mother-in-law-type moment written ALL over it, no?)

Completely oblivious to the turmoil in the kitchen, the Hollands and their guests decide to visit a Soho jazz club. There was something almost intoxicating about the rarefied atmosphere in the club...such wealth, such privilege, such heady dissipation. The whole scene was really beautifully staged -- I do so love this show's attention to period detail.The more Hallam drinks, the more he seems amenable to the idea of moving to America -- and as Caspar flirts endlessly with Agnes, it's clear she finds the possibility of the move and its accompanying prestige intoxicating.

As Hallam and Agnes head home, they share a really lovely moment, even if it is underscored with a desperation born of some inherent knowledge that they are at a pivot point -- and all their future happiness depends on which fork in the road they take. (Of course I'm yelling "run from Persie, but not all the way to America, Hallam you idiot!") When this couple works it's a beautiful thing, and the simple romance of a midnight stroll, taking in the stars while laying on a playground spinning wheel (what the heck are those things called? and more importantly, how sad is it that I can't remember? :P).

Their romantic moment is ruined, however, by a late-night phone call from Persie, begging for help. It is Kristallnacht, Night of Broken Glass, and she is caught in the middle of the terrifying violence that is seeing Jewish businesses, homes, and synogogues destroyed, with thousands of German Jews arrested. I'd like to think that the senseless violence would make Persie realize who and what she's aligned herself with by her reckless embrace of Nazi socialism, but I fear she's too far gone for even the possibility of redemption. News of the violence abruptly awakens Hallam from the fantasy of leaving London -- he's determined to bring Persie to safety and prepare for the coming conflict -- Kristallnacht is irrefutable evidence that Germany is far from dedicated to the promise of peace.

For those paying attention to the pulse of world events, Kristallnacht is a terrifying signal that time is running out for Germany's Jewish population, as Mr. Amanjit (Art Malik) discovers when he's sent to Lotte's (Alexia James) boarding school. Lotte, if you remember, was the daughter of Rachel, who fled persecution in Germany and took a position as maid in the Holland household. Following her tragic death, Hallam made Lotte his ward, determined to provide for her future. Given the poignant friendship that developed between Rachel and Mr. Amanjit, I loved the fact that he wanted to visit Lotte's school for a report on her progress. As a Sikh, he more than anyone can empathize with being an "other" in society -- as he tells the headmistress, no matter how much Lotte wants to shed her German roots, she will always be a Jewess, of another race, and events in Germany are stark reminders that some are never willing to forget the difference.

It turns out that Mrs. Fuller (Lucy Cohu), the headmistress of Lotte's school, knowing Hallam's compassion for Lotte's situation hopes to use his connections to allow her to help foster more Jewish children, whose lives are in increasing peril since Kristallnacht. I was thrilled to see Cohu make an appearance in this show as I think she is such a classy actress, and her looks and demeanor are perfect for a '40s-era period piece. Cohu was just seen on Masterpiece Mystery in the Inspector Lewis episode Fearful Symmetry. Mr. Amanjit takes this idea and runs with it, which is fortuitous since after last week I was wondering what he was still doing on this show. :P

So now that this episode has given Mr. Amanjit fresh purpose, he passes the favor on to Hallam's Aunt Blanche (Alex Kingston), who thus far has served little purpose other than appropriating the rooms formerly occupied by her half-sister Maud. Mr. Amanjit recognizes Blanche's academic background and rather brusque, no-nonsense manner as just the sort of personality traits needed to help organize local efforts to get Jewish children to safety. The reality of what those children faced, and the seemingly insurmountable obstacles of funds, support, and organizational logistics that those who wanted to do something were tasked with overcoming is just heart-breaking to watch play out on-screen. Even Hallam, an outspoken advocate for anti-German policies, struggles to find the hope, the belief that England's strict immigration policies can be changed in time to make a difference.

But persevere they must and do, organizing the Refugee Children Movement -- also referred to as the Kindertransport -- which ended up saving thousands of Jewish children from the Nazi menace. Buoyed by a hefty donation from Casper Landry (thanks to a coy appeal from Agnes -- seriously what is WITH Casper's obsession with the rumba? LOL), the first wave of refugees are scheduled to arrive. They're met at the station by Mr. Amanjit and Blanche, and over the strains of a children's choir singing "I Vow to Thee, My Country" -- and at this point I nearly lose it. The thought of what those children endured, the loss of family, history, a "normal" childhood -- it just breaks my heart. And then to think of those family members they'd left behind...it makes me want to weep. This was an incredibly moving sequence, and I loved seeing the characters get involved in this effort.

Back-tracking a bit, I'd like to touch on Mrs. Thackeray and the hole her absence leaves in the lives of the Eaton Place downstairs staff. Mrs. Thackeray throws herself whole-heartedly into preparing gourmet meals for her nephew and his family, putting everything "on account" -- which causes no end of stress for her nephew's working wife. I thought the tension here was a really poignant illustration of the cost of a life in service -- Mrs. Thackeray clearly values family, but her time serving the wealthy has impeded her ability to relate to a working family's lifestyle and financial limitations. In many respects one could argue that the price of a life in service was the sacrifice of a normal family life with those they serve becoming a surrogate family.

Pritchard and Johnny have found themselves on kitchen duty in Mrs. Thackeray's absence, which leads to Johnny making a very telling comment to the effect that "everyone is out of their proper place." Of course he's referring to the staffing situation, but it hints at the social upheaval to come with the war's impact on social classes and the roles of women in the workforce. Much like Downton Abbey during the war, this is another rarefied world on the cusp of great change. Happily for Pritchard's stress levels (and the stomachs of everyone in the household), he devises a sensitive way of wooing Mrs. Thackeray back to the Holland kitchens. Placing an advertisement in the paper, he has it delivered by Spargo -- and realizing that continuing to live with her nephew is straining good relations with what remains of her small family, Mrs. Thackeray packs up and returns to work. And both she and Pritchard hold fast to their dignity, with a gentle nod to the new spirit of peaceful agreement between them.

Speaking of Harry Spargo (Neil Jackson), there was not NEARLY enough of him and Beryl (Laura Haddock) in this episode to suit me. I did think the scene early in the episode, when Beryl was shucking oysters and feeds one to Harry was ADORABLE. But poor Harry, when he jokes about how she needs to be careful feeding him aphrodisiacs gets a thorough smackdown when Beryl takes exception to his playful remark. I really don't think he meant anything *too* untoward -- you just have to look at Spargo's face in any of his scenes -- since he kicked his obsession with socialism to the curb there is a wonderful lightness to his expression and demeanor that I just love. Because let's face it, he is ADORABLE (and if Downton proves anything, I apparently have a thing for chauffeurs in period dramas!).

Source: ladygranthams.tumblr.com via Ruth on Pinterest

Considering Harry's romantic history with Persie, it was interesting to note the tone of their first meeting in two years, when Hallam takes the car to the airstrip to pick Persie up from her Berlin flight. (Before I forget, I should note it was interesting to see Persie acknowledge that she's been living as a "kept woman," subject to the whims of her lovers, in her last phone call with Hallam prior to getting her out of Germany. I mean what BROUGHT her to the point where she felt this was some way to live? It isn't as if she was wholly without resources or family connections. Silly twit.) Anyways, Persie gets off the plane and is she grateful? NOOOOO. She also makes a rather pointed remark to Spargo about "old times," but thankfully he's moved WAY past her...Hallam with his "white knight" complex, is I am afraid another story.

I really enjoyed this episode, particularly the Mrs. Thackeray storyline as I found it unexpectedly poignant (Anne Reid really reminds me of my maternal grandmother in certain respects), and the accord she reaches with Mr. Pritchard very well done. More than that, though, I continue to adore how Heidi Thomas weaves the political history of the time period throughout the characters' lives. The "living history" aspect of this series is one of its strongest assets. This episode did a fantastic job of establishing more of the characters -- particularly Mrs. Thackeray, but also Blanche and Mr. Amanjit. (I'm starting to feel rather bad for the new kitchen maid Eunice, played by Ami Metcalf, as so far she's been given very little to do other than look quizzical.) Looking forward to seeing the turmoil Persie's return brings to 165 Eaton Place -- and please, for the love, give a girl more scenes with Harry! *wink*

Gratuitous Harry picture, because this episode needed MORE HARRY:

Source: spoilertv.co.uk via Ruth on Pinterest

Isn't that better? I think so. :)

Inspector Lewis: Fearful Symmetry

Well wasn't this episode a twisty hot mess? :) The third brand-new episode of Inspector Lewis featured on Masterpiece Mystery this season features swingers, fetish photographs, and a PRIMATE LAB!!! I can't think of another show out there that could make that list of plot elements work except Lewis. :) Here's the episode summary from the PBS website:

Sometimes murder extends its reach even beyond the medieval walls of Oxford. So it goes when suburbanites Nick and Honey Addams return home after a night out to find their babysitter, Jessica Lake, dead, her wrists symmetrically bound to the Addams's bed. Her death pose is shocking; more so is Inspector Lewis (Kevin Whately) and DS Hathaway's (Laurence Fox) discovery of fetish photographs featuring Jessica in similar restraints. With Jessica as her muse, the provocative "Oxford type" artist, Marion Hammond, used fetish photography to explore the dual nature of passion: innocence and corruption. In the dark and varied worlds at the outskirts of Oxford, Lewis and Hathaway search for answers in an abandoned children's home, a primate lab, and the upscale home of smug venture capitalist Tom Garland. To piece together the terrifying symmetry of Jessica's murder, Lewis and Hathaway race to solve the mystery of the girl behind the muse. (90 minutes; TV-14)

The episode opens with Nick (Ciarán McMenamin) and Honey (Georgia Taylor) Addams awaiting the arrival of Jessica Lake (Abi Hardingham), a babysitter scheduled to watch their toddler-age son while they go play tennis with Nick's boss and his wife. There is obviously a great strain on the Addams marriage, and it's about to get worse as the couple returns the next day to find their toddler shrieking and their babysitter dead, tied in a symmetrical bondage position to their bed (I would SO be moving). The careful arrangement of Jessica's body suggests premeditated murder -- but since the Addams spent the night away from their home at the last minute, and Jessica was a replacement babysitter, was she the target or a "convenient" replacement?  

Lewis (Kevin Whately) and Hathaway's (Laurence Fox) investigation takes them to an animal behavior lab at Oxford, where the Addams's original babysitter, Yasmin Randall (Leila Mimmack), had been asked to work a last-minute shift. Jessica not only knew Yasmin, but she had been hired to work at the lab by primate researcher Dr. Bob Massey (Con O'Neill), who just happens to be the father of her boyfriend Gideon (Pierro Niel-Mee). As if that isn't enough of a tangled mess of associations, the investigation uncovers S&M-style photographs of Jessica, reminiscent of her death pose, that lead Lewis and Hathaway to a rather controversial, avant-garde photographer, Marion Hammond (Lucy Cohu). Marion was working on an exhibit featuring Jessica's poses entitled "Unspeakable Acts." Marion's somewhat devil-may-care attitude towards her controversial work raises the possibility that she could have been involved in Jessica's death, all in the name of her art. Or perhaps it was Silas (Bronson Webb) and Kyle (Merveille Lukeba), fellow squatters with Jessica at their now-abandoned former home for troubled teens -- the former distinctly unbalanced and determined to exact superhero-style street justice on Jessica's killer.

The Addams's marriage troubles come into play in a disturbing fashion when Lewis and Hathaway visit the home of Nick's boss to verify the couple's alibi. Tom Garland (Gary Kemp) and his wife Davina (Katrine De Candole) are wealthy, privileged, and used to getting their own way -- and their home, decorated with Marion's highly-sexualized photographs, suggest the couple explore the behaviors exhibited in Jessica's photos and death scene. In typical Lewis fashion, Marion's work has touched and connected all of the disparate individuals, from wildy varied backgrounds, that touched Jessica's life prior to her death -- the question is, who took the images displayed in the photographs too far?

This was a fantastically twisty, convoluted episode. I loved seeing Ciarán McMenamin on television again, though I'm really starting to question why I like him so much. Aside from his hit-or-miss turn as Matt on Primeval, he seems to play rather questionable (??) characters a little too well, if you know what I mean. Comes off as wishy-washy after a while, poor guy. The revelation that he pressured his wife into participating in a swingers' session with the Garlands absolutely made my skin crawl. Nevermind that the couple didn't follow through with it -- the idea in and of itself is just...ick, you know? McMenamin saves his character by the end of the episode, but barely. Speaking of the Garlands, the wife Davina may look familiar -- she played a brief role in X-Men: First Class as well as a memorable appearance in Zen.

My favorite guest star in this episode was Lucy Cohu as Marion. I think she has such a striking on-screen presence, and while I can't say I liked her occupation in this film, I loved her style. :) Cohu played Jane Austen's sister-in-law Eliza in Becoming Jane, Captain Jack's daughter in Torchwood: Children of Earth, as well as appearing in Ballet Shoes and Miss Marple. Eventually we'll see her on Masterpiece in the second series of the rebooted Upstairs Downstairs as well.

I confess the mystery in this episode kept me going until nearly the end. I love how it set up Gideon's father as a parental hero of sorts, as he is the one who stayed to raise Gideon after his mother -- the icy Stanza Massey (Anna Wilson-Jones) -- couldn't handle motherhood and left her family, doing "penance" by working with the youth home that raised Jessica and her squatter roommates. But it is Dr. Massey who, somewhere along the line, has begun a slow descent into madness. Alternately repelled and fascinated by Jessica's artfully staged photographs, he longs to recreate the work -- to the point that he does so twice, and nearly a third time (after he attacks his son!) when he confronts Marion as the creative force behind the photos. That scene was one of the series' best suspense-wise, as the chills of having a madman invade Marion's home like that was brilliantly played. I loved the fact that out of this tragic family mess, Gideon's mother steps up and realizes that her son needs her as an active presence in his life, the conclusion hinting at a more hopeful future for the tragedy-ridden family. Side note: When Chief Superintendent Innocent (Rebecca Front) turns up at Marion's apartment to oversee Dr. Massey's arrest -- am I forgetting something or does this series bring Innocent into the "field" more frequently than ever before? I'm just used to seeing her in the office, lol!

As is the norm with this series, the episode provides a slew of wonderful Lewis and Hathaway-centric character moments. From their good-natured ribbing of each other to the fantastic way they've learned to practically read each other's minds -- this duo has come so far, and I never tire of watching each tiny nuance and expression exhibited in their interactions. I was especially touched by how Jessica's death prompted Lewis to call his own daughter -- unless I'm forgetting something, she's never featured in an episode. But I love how the show reminds us again and again of just how much he loves his family. I also loved the moment when Lewis asks Hobson (Clare Holman) about her report on Jessica's death -- and she teases him good-naturedly about using the term "funny business" instead of something more direct like assault. They are SO CUTE TOGETHER.

There is also a lot of humor at poor Hathaway's expense, but I loved every second of it. There's nothing quite as satisfying as seeing the straight-laced, oft-times somber Hathaway getting a bit rattled. I loved how he goes to the Addams's home to look for their son's favorite toy stuffed giraffe, and gets positively drowned in kid-related items. And then when he realizes he saw the toy in the friggin' primate lab, and has to go into retrieve it -- but only after a severe warning about not looking "them in the eyes" OR ELSE -- oh, it was an undeniably serious moment, critical to the investigation, but seeing Hathaway so tightly wound, it cracked me up!

I thought this was one of the series' more suspenseful episodes, full of the show's trademark twists and turns. Thoughts?

Miss Marple: A Pocket Full of Rye

The Miss Marple mysteries are like the equivalent of television “comfort food” for me, so it was with great anticipation that I looked forward to the savvy sleuth’s return to Masterpiece Mystery Sunday night. However, I have to admit that my excitement was somewhat tempered by the knowledge that a new actress was taking up Miss Marple’s ever-present knitting needles – after three series as Miss Marple, Geraldine McEwan retired from the role, and with the fourth series, Julia McKenzie took the reins. I absolutely loved Geraldine McEwan as Miss Marple – she’s the reason I now love the character, and have been inspired to really delve into the Agatha Christie novels she brought to life on-screen. I grew up watching the Marple television show that featured Joan Hickson in the title role – and while I certainly get why people love the show, and that it was a faithful adaptation of the stories, Hickson’s take on Marple bored me to tears. McEwan brought life and humor and zest to the role – and if some liberties are taken with scripts, I don’t have enough of an emotional attachment to the stories themselves to really get up in arms about it.

A Pocket Full of Rye is the first film to feature McKenzie, and I am so, so relieved that the basic tone and style of the series isn’t changing. McKenzie effortlessly fills the gap left by McEwan’s departure, and brings her own spark and brand of humor and compassion to the role. I thought it was a little strange that this story didn’t feature Miss Marple as prominently as she has been in other mysteries, especially considering this is a “Marple” book, not a regular mystery where the character is inserted into the action. However, I’ve never read this book and decided to start it yesterday for comparison purposes – and so far, Miss Marple isn’t front & center in the action of the book, either. Go figure. ;-)

A bit about the story (taken from the PBS website):

Businessman Rex Fortescue drops dead after breakfast, apparently poisoned. The only clue is incomprehensible — grain found in his suit pocket. It's obvious that Fortescue isn't exactly missed. Between his estranged and angry children and a wife who seems to not be at a loss for comfort, the Fortescue house is full of secrets. Inspector Neele (Matthew Macfadyen, Little Dorrit) is dispatched to investigate, but makes little progress until the arrival of Miss Marple. For Marple, the case is child's play — the killer seems inspired by the rhyme "Sing a Song of Sixpence." As the murders pile up, Marple discovers a motive as dark as blackbirds. Julia McKenzie makes her debut as Miss Marple along with a strong supporting cast (Rupert Graves, The Forsyte Saga; Hattie Morahan, Sense and Sensibility) in this adaptation of Agatha Christie's A Pocket Full of Rye.

One of the biggest treats in the previous three series of Marple mysteries is identifying and enjoying the wild variety of familiar British acting talent that have taken on guest star roles in the various films. A Pocket Full of Rye continues this tradition, and I have to call out my favorites:

Of course the most important reason to view this episode is the presence of Matthew Macfadyen as Inspector Neele (that little moustache does a surprisingly good job of disguising him, LOL!). This has been an excellent year for Matthew on Masterpiece, as earlier this year he played Arthur Clennam superbly in the out-of-this-world, amazing, fantastic miniseries Little Dorrit. Inspector Neele was a fun role to watch Matthew take on – Neele isn’t a romantic lead, he’s competent, straight-laced, and has a wicked gift for dry understatement (i.e., the "dead as a dodo" line). My favorite moment of the entire show is when Miss Marple looks at Neele rather slyly remarks that he resembles Errol Flynn. Looking extremely pleased with that comparison, Neele smoothes is ‘stache and remarks, quit happily, “you think so?” H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S. The exchange is a wonderful example of how Miss Marple succeeds in winning those who doubt her abilities or her usefulness over. This little old lady may seem quite harmless, but she’s an astute observer and knows exactly when the right word or look needs to be played in order to advance her cause. Well played by Julia McKenzie!

Lucy Cohu plays Pat, the elegant wife of Lancelot Fortescue, the “black sheep” of the family. Two of Cohu’s most recent appearances have been as Jane Austen’s sister-in-law, Eliza, in Becoming Jane and dance teacher Theo Dane in the delightful Ballet Shoes. I really, really like her and look forward to seeing her in new projects – she’s elegant, classy, and not a stick figure like so many actresses out there.

Anna Madeley, playing Adele Fortescue, is a familiar face to Masterpiece viewers. In 2006 she starred as the title character in The Secret Life of Mrs. Beeton, and in 2008 she played Lucy Steele in Sense and Sensibility. Though Adele only makes a brief appearance in Pocket, Madeley brings a lot of Lucy Steele-esque humor to the role which is fun to see.

Hattie Morahan is another Sense and Sensibility alum – she played the best version of Elinor Dashwood to date (in my view anyway, LOL!). In Pocket she plays Elaine Fortescue, who’s not at all sorry to have her father out of the way, since that frees her to marry her communist boyfriend. Since she hasn’t been acting all that long, I thought Hattie Morahan was almost unrecognizable as Elaine. However, I thought she fit the period well and enjoyed seeing her take on a more “modern” role, albeit a small one.

I had to look up Ben Miles - he plays the straight-laced eldest son, Percival Fortescue. Miles bears more than a passing resemblance to Primeval star Ben Miller IMO (weird, no?), yet I can’t find any info that they are related. He seems extremely familiar, but the only project I can recall seeing him in is the loverly Under the Greenwood Tree, where he played the thwarted Parson Maybold. Apparently he’s also been in series 1 of Lark Rise to Candleford, a BBC series that looks very Cranford-esque, which finally comes to region one DVD this October.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. It contained everything I love about this mystery series - great pacing, excellent costumes and period detail, topped off with wonderful performances by the cream of British acting talent. Next up in the series is Murder is Easy. Can't wait!