It’s a little funny how attached I am to this series, considering I’ve never been a huge fan of the Victorian romance genre of fiction. I’ve always found the plots insufferable, the heroines too cold, the “love” a little flat. I wanted to grab all the characters and shake them, while screaming, “just say how you feel! SAY IT!”

And yet here I am, absolutely enamored of this series and giddy beyond belief when I see a new release. I know it’s only the second episode of Season 2, but I don’t see my squeals of glee going away any time soon.

*squeal*

We start episode two with Emma, as she reflects on serving at Haworth for a month - and really enjoying herself. As much as a servant can, I guess. She likes her work, likes her boss, has befriended the forest creatures…that’s my girl.

At the Jounes household, a letter arrives from Eleanor inviting “them” to the Crystal Palace. Clearly, she just wants to go with William, but that’s not how things are done. Vivi of course is ridiculously excited at the prospect. William says he won’t go (I wouldn’t want to, either…Vivi is annoying), but Colin’s wide, pleading eyes finally convince him. That’s my boy.

Off they go to the Crystal Palace. William and I will both spend this entire outing remembering the time he went with Emma and wishing stupid Eleanor would pack up and go home already.

They wander around for a bit, Vivi becomes increasingly more obnoxious, William flashes back to Emma. Some more time passes and then Eleanor gets this great idea to manipulate William into getting a little more interested in her. How? By purposely getting herself lost so that he, and everyone else, have to devote themselves to looking for her. Eleanor may be horrible, but she’s not completely stupid, and she realizes the futility of her dirty plot: she simply cannot take the place of the person on William’s mind. Damn right, beeyotch!

Meanwhile, the little girl at Haworth is having a birthday. Emma and I both learn a valuable lesson about servants being affectionate towards their young masters - in short, don’t. It seems so sad and unnecessary, but from a practical, historical aspect it makes a bit of sense. Oh, those Victorian ideals.

The little girl gets a bird, which screeches and scares the little boy’s squirrel. It runs up a tree and Emma gives chase. Yes, our girl can even climb trees! And still look damn proper while doing so. Hans tells her to come down because if she breaks her legs, it means more work for him. She does eventually tumble down on her own, unharmed. It’s much better to fall and land on her own two feet than to slide into his arms and have him be all up in her junk. I don’t trust his German lechery.

The master and mistress of the house remind their son to properly thank Emma for her help and he does so with a kiss on the cheek. How freaking adorable is this kid?! Way better than the Jounes children. Except maybe for Colin, he seems sweet.

That night, the servants had a big party and everybody drinks and dances. Except for Emma. She’s about to get a little alcohol in her and then she…goes off to do the dishes. And then later she cries in her rum. Perhaps not the best introduction to partying, hopefully next time will be more fun for her. Hans watches her like a wolf staring at a ham. I hope she’s wearing her iron underwear.

William, also a bit drunk, declares to Hakim that he will no longer have anything to do with Eleanor. I wish I could believe him, and Hakim clearly doesn’t either.

On her way to bed, Emma stares at the full moon and remembers her kiss with William. And cries some more. Our girl is having a rough time of it, and who can blame her? William, too, stares out the window and misses his love. Sniff…you guys - you’re breaking my heart!

Another good episode, quiet and yet poignant. I do love this series so much. I’d love it a lot more if Eleanor and Hans would hurry up and fall off a cliff, but I suppose their influences are necessary to drive the conflict. Manga Hans and anime Hans are shaping up to be quite different men, which does not bode well for our William. He’s going to have to step up his game if he plans to compete for Miss Emma’s affections.

Oh, just hurry up and reunite already!

Next time: Who does that blonde woman remind you of?

Posted on Sunday, May 20th, 2007 at 2:31 am in Emma. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.