Versailles, episode 9 & 10
May. 1st, 2017 08:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
scripsiSo, I saw the last two episodes of Versailles yesterday. On the whole I feel the second season was much weaker than the first, but I still enjoyed it very much. There were a few things I disliked, but also things I loved. Some of it is grounded in my knowledge of history- I cannot un-know things, and at times this didn’t gel for me. However, if you know less about what really happened, you may very well not be bothered about it at all! And don’t get me wrong, despite my complaints, still love the show, otherwise I would stop watching.
As always spoilers under the cut.
Season 2 has been much more of a soap opera than the first, and I think if I hadn’t already been emotionally invested in several characters, I may not have watched the whole season. About all of the historical characters in this season has been wildly out of character, and I don’t see the point in that at all. Why not work with what you have- it wasn't as if Louis XIV, Monsieur, Chevalier, Montespan and Liselott were boring and uninteresting characters in real life. I also found it very jarring when character’s behave in ways with would have been completely unthinkable for most people in the 17th century. Like being sexually jealous at a married couple who marries for political reasons. Or trying to poison the king because he breaks up with you. I also find it annoying how the king's enemies constantly touts how hated Louis is, because we really don’t see much of him being particularly hateful. And historically speaking he was no better or worse than any other monarch at the time. Also, I really can’t take it seriously when a seeress tells him his days are numbered, because I know he would continue to be king for almost 30 more years.
But I really like almost all of the actors, even if there is a fair amount of scenery chewing. But I have a fondness for large hams. So I can forgive some of the inaccuracies because I like what the actors do with their roles. I found Madame Scarron a bit too bland considering her enormous influence on Louis. Evan Williams seems to have the time of his life with Chevalier, but though I think he is consistently very good, his character pretty much changes every time the writers wants him too. He is a lover, a buffoon, a coward, a brave man, or whatever. And I’m sure I will follow Alexander Vlahos career with interest, because he is pretty great here. I really enjoyed Philippe and Liselotte together as two people who genuinely like and care for each other, though they aren’t in love, and at least in Philippe's case, has no sexual feelings for the other.
The plot rolled out pretty much as I anticipated, which partly was because I already know what was going to happen, historically speaking, and partly because I am rather good at predicting plots. Mostly I loved Anna Brewster’s Montespan because she consistently came across as a woman who is in love, even if she isn’t particularly nice person. She’s both damaged and desperate, and it is all pretty believable, until the end, where she tries to kill Louis, which was just ludicrous. It was also very odd that she is kept at court, when n reality she was packed off to a convent. I suppose they will want Anna brewster in the third season too.
But no more Cassel. He was vile, but he was also a good antagonist and I like Pip Torrens, so I was still sorry to see him go. I was a bit surprised he never understood Sophie was slowly poisoning him. If anything he seemed to develop a modicum of care for her, actually warning her against Thomas instead of punishing her when he realised they were lovers.
I haven’t forgiven the show for Claudine’s death, whom I would have loved to see more of, but I’m happy to know both Fabien and Sophie will be in the third season. I’ve seen quite a lot of vitriol against Sophie, where she is accused of brattiness and being spoiled, but she never came across as that to me. (I’ve even read comments where a hope cassel will rape her has been expressed. Well, I guess those people will be happy.) Yes, she is sassy towards Fabien when she should have known better, but she is also very young and very alone. I was a bit afraid her character would spend season 2 plotting revenge as Faben, so I was pleasantly surprised when the show gave her a more complex personality. She is a genuinely nice person, and it is clear her conscience troubles her. Her reaction when she find Thomas killing Cassel isn’t to cheer him on, but to try to stop him.
I also very much like Fabien’s character arc. In season 1 it is never clear what he feels for Beatrice- is he in love with her, or not? But in season 2 you can’t miss his love for Claudine, and his genuine care for Sophie. Among all the scene chewery, Tygh Runyan’s acting is very subtle. So it was very nice to see him as something more than a killing machine. He did found out what Sophie did, of course, and I was glad he didn’t automatically condemn her. In fact, he seemed to accept the responsibility of her actions fell on him for not being able to help her. I liked the scene where he tells her he knows, only to say she is innocent in his eyes, and that he has destroyed the evidence against her. I’m right, I believe, in thinking he has a bee in his bonnet for innocence.
However, and you know that was coming), I feel Sophie’s character would have benefitted from some more screen time. In the early episodes she is shown working with Fabien, and seemingly getting along very well. Then they have literally no scenes together for five episodes, which is rather strange. I think their story would have worked much better if they had had some interaction in between. I also feel her love affair with Thomas never feels like it is this big love, which it suddenly seems like it is in the last episode. She is genuinely horrified when he murders Cassel, and finding out he knew about her past really ought to make her think twice. But though both Cassel and Fabien warns her, she opts to leave with Thomas anyway. And then, when he is killed, she flees Versailles, though she has no reason to do so. She s a duchess now, and she already knows Fabien puts no blame on her. My guess is that when the scene was filmed, they didn’t know if there would be a season 3 and/or they didn’t know if the would keep Sophie on. But she is kept, and now I wonder how they will get her back to Versailles. It would be really weird if she flees to Holland alone, and narratively speaking she wouldn’t have anything to do there. What I want to happen is Fabien finding her and talking her into returning. I really like the idea of them continue to work together. I know, i ship them, but I don’t think that would work in the show, but I want them to be friends. What I fear is that Sophie will be transformed into an antagonist. I don’t think it would work well, especially after establishing her empathy, bt this show has made some odd things in characterization before.
Oh well, I will have to wait for a year for answers anyway.
Costume-wise I couldn’t help noticing Philippe started to wear purple when he and Louis started to get along. I’m sure it was deliberate to blend his usual red with Louis blue. I also don’t think it’s a coincidence that Chevalier's has similar hair colour and hairstyle, and both favouring pale blue.
As always spoilers under the cut.
Season 2 has been much more of a soap opera than the first, and I think if I hadn’t already been emotionally invested in several characters, I may not have watched the whole season. About all of the historical characters in this season has been wildly out of character, and I don’t see the point in that at all. Why not work with what you have- it wasn't as if Louis XIV, Monsieur, Chevalier, Montespan and Liselott were boring and uninteresting characters in real life. I also found it very jarring when character’s behave in ways with would have been completely unthinkable for most people in the 17th century. Like being sexually jealous at a married couple who marries for political reasons. Or trying to poison the king because he breaks up with you. I also find it annoying how the king's enemies constantly touts how hated Louis is, because we really don’t see much of him being particularly hateful. And historically speaking he was no better or worse than any other monarch at the time. Also, I really can’t take it seriously when a seeress tells him his days are numbered, because I know he would continue to be king for almost 30 more years.
But I really like almost all of the actors, even if there is a fair amount of scenery chewing. But I have a fondness for large hams. So I can forgive some of the inaccuracies because I like what the actors do with their roles. I found Madame Scarron a bit too bland considering her enormous influence on Louis. Evan Williams seems to have the time of his life with Chevalier, but though I think he is consistently very good, his character pretty much changes every time the writers wants him too. He is a lover, a buffoon, a coward, a brave man, or whatever. And I’m sure I will follow Alexander Vlahos career with interest, because he is pretty great here. I really enjoyed Philippe and Liselotte together as two people who genuinely like and care for each other, though they aren’t in love, and at least in Philippe's case, has no sexual feelings for the other.
The plot rolled out pretty much as I anticipated, which partly was because I already know what was going to happen, historically speaking, and partly because I am rather good at predicting plots. Mostly I loved Anna Brewster’s Montespan because she consistently came across as a woman who is in love, even if she isn’t particularly nice person. She’s both damaged and desperate, and it is all pretty believable, until the end, where she tries to kill Louis, which was just ludicrous. It was also very odd that she is kept at court, when n reality she was packed off to a convent. I suppose they will want Anna brewster in the third season too.
But no more Cassel. He was vile, but he was also a good antagonist and I like Pip Torrens, so I was still sorry to see him go. I was a bit surprised he never understood Sophie was slowly poisoning him. If anything he seemed to develop a modicum of care for her, actually warning her against Thomas instead of punishing her when he realised they were lovers.
I haven’t forgiven the show for Claudine’s death, whom I would have loved to see more of, but I’m happy to know both Fabien and Sophie will be in the third season. I’ve seen quite a lot of vitriol against Sophie, where she is accused of brattiness and being spoiled, but she never came across as that to me. (I’ve even read comments where a hope cassel will rape her has been expressed. Well, I guess those people will be happy.) Yes, she is sassy towards Fabien when she should have known better, but she is also very young and very alone. I was a bit afraid her character would spend season 2 plotting revenge as Faben, so I was pleasantly surprised when the show gave her a more complex personality. She is a genuinely nice person, and it is clear her conscience troubles her. Her reaction when she find Thomas killing Cassel isn’t to cheer him on, but to try to stop him.
I also very much like Fabien’s character arc. In season 1 it is never clear what he feels for Beatrice- is he in love with her, or not? But in season 2 you can’t miss his love for Claudine, and his genuine care for Sophie. Among all the scene chewery, Tygh Runyan’s acting is very subtle. So it was very nice to see him as something more than a killing machine. He did found out what Sophie did, of course, and I was glad he didn’t automatically condemn her. In fact, he seemed to accept the responsibility of her actions fell on him for not being able to help her. I liked the scene where he tells her he knows, only to say she is innocent in his eyes, and that he has destroyed the evidence against her. I’m right, I believe, in thinking he has a bee in his bonnet for innocence.
However, and you know that was coming), I feel Sophie’s character would have benefitted from some more screen time. In the early episodes she is shown working with Fabien, and seemingly getting along very well. Then they have literally no scenes together for five episodes, which is rather strange. I think their story would have worked much better if they had had some interaction in between. I also feel her love affair with Thomas never feels like it is this big love, which it suddenly seems like it is in the last episode. She is genuinely horrified when he murders Cassel, and finding out he knew about her past really ought to make her think twice. But though both Cassel and Fabien warns her, she opts to leave with Thomas anyway. And then, when he is killed, she flees Versailles, though she has no reason to do so. She s a duchess now, and she already knows Fabien puts no blame on her. My guess is that when the scene was filmed, they didn’t know if there would be a season 3 and/or they didn’t know if the would keep Sophie on. But she is kept, and now I wonder how they will get her back to Versailles. It would be really weird if she flees to Holland alone, and narratively speaking she wouldn’t have anything to do there. What I want to happen is Fabien finding her and talking her into returning. I really like the idea of them continue to work together. I know, i ship them, but I don’t think that would work in the show, but I want them to be friends. What I fear is that Sophie will be transformed into an antagonist. I don’t think it would work well, especially after establishing her empathy, bt this show has made some odd things in characterization before.
Oh well, I will have to wait for a year for answers anyway.
Costume-wise I couldn’t help noticing Philippe started to wear purple when he and Louis started to get along. I’m sure it was deliberate to blend his usual red with Louis blue. I also don’t think it’s a coincidence that Chevalier's has similar hair colour and hairstyle, and both favouring pale blue.
