Versailles, season 2, episodes 1-4
Apr. 12th, 2017 07:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
scripsiI feel a bit full of Versailles at the moment, so I need to write it out. I’m sorry if you feel like I’m teasing you. I’d love to discuss all this with you! But I can always return to this later. There are spoilers up until episode 4 under the cut, so please, don’t look!
Generally it seems like the budget has been beefed up. There are more extras and a lot more fabric and decorations in the background, making the overall look very lush and rich-looking. The costumes are still good, if not a perfect re-creation of 1670’’s fashion. But it’s clear a lot of thought has gone into how people look, and there is also a marked change in women’s gowns and hair, which is nice as fashion did change, and time do pass. I also crave Chevalier’s dressing gown.
Speaking of time, the season begins a very short time after the last season ended, not four years later. The first season really cover four years, but it’s not very clear, and easy to miss. It’s clear if you read the novelization, but that’s about the only good thing in it. Don’t read it.
Louis is a lot more manipulative in this season- a lot more like his brother has always said he was. For example; he manage to make the Queen and Montespan believe they have chosen who Philippe’s new wife will be. And the Queen has got more to do, being very much against Montespan and trying to make Louis give her up. I know she was pretty stupid and bland-looking in reality, but Elisa Lasowski is stunning, and it’s hard to see why Louis is so uninterested in her.
I like Montespan, even if she is clearly not a very nice character. Anna Brewster plays her with a kind of brittleness; she is well aware that the king is fickle, and even at the height of her powers, she is already fighting to stay on the top.
Philippe is still sulking in his castle, despite being draped with pretty boys. He gets a little perkier when Chevalier comes home from Italy, but then he has to go back to Versailles and get married. And I love Liselotte! She is straightforward, kind and snark back at Chevalier. Philippe doesn’t know what to think, but seems to like her. Not enough to consummate the marriage, though. Sophie gets attached to Liselotte to teach her the ropes, and they become instant friends. I liked that.
Chevalier has been camped up and is actually pretty hilarious. I like him a lot more this season.
And then we have my favourites, Fabien, Sophie and Claudine. I’ve already mentioned that I very much approve of Tygh Runyan’s costume. Fabien is given some more depths in this season, which is nice, and it is obvious there are some lasting psychological effects from having been poisoned.
I was a little afraid Sophie would plot revenge against Fabien, but they seem to have a good working relationship now. She seems perfectly at ease with him, and adept in spying. He seems to genuinely care about her and her well-being. Not as much as for Claudine, though. They have some lovely scenes, where she is concerned over him not eating, and then one where they almost kiss, only something Claudine says makes Fabien rush away after a suspect- duty first, and all that. And then the scene where she has been dismissed from court and Fabien finds her sleeping in a chair and puts her to bed. She says it’s strange that his hands which has killed so many, can be so tender, and I agree and go awwwww. I very much want them to kiss soon!
We have a couple of new characters. A new spy, who comes to court to chronicle the glory of the Sun King, and a nobleman who wants a career at court. He is clearly No Good, but also bland and boring. Then we have Madame Agathe, who I am sure is a mix of characters, just as Fabien is. If he s D’Artagnan and La Reynie, she is La Voisin and all the other witches involved in the Affair of Poisons. And of course Monespan’s dear friend Madame Scarron comes to court. Louis is completely underwhelmed, but if you know the history, you also know he will change his opinion. It’s obvious the plot de season is poison.
Not so much bad, as annoying that with all the talk of etiquette, they blatantly ignore it, like making Liselott sneak into a room and be ignored. Hello, she outranks everyone but the Queen! Also, you do not grab your lovers cock in front of the king, especially not when he is the king’s brother!
I’m not sure it really works making Guillaume d'Orange the Big Bad, it is much more stressed this season than the last one, and it doesn’t really work for me.
I’m very much over Fabien being fatally wounded only to bounce back to health in no time at all. Stab wounds to the gut were almost always fatal in the 17th century, and this season he gets stabbed in the heart! Well, almost, anyway.
Jacques the Gardener is killed by spy boy! Noooo!
Louis doesn’t trust Cassel and to keep an eye on him he marries him off to Sophie so she can spy on him. Sophie is upset and Fabien is upset. There is a really nice scene where he tries to comfort her and she pleads with him to help her. Only he can’t, and his talk of duty is a cold comfort for poor Sophie. I have a strong feeling Fabien’s sense of duty will bite him in the ass, later in the season. The wedding night was as bad as I feared, with Cassel brutally raping her. I really, really didn’t like that. Now I’m afraid Sophie will be so desperate she will poison her husband, and Fabien will be forced to execute her too. I don’t want that!
I also have a terrible feeling something bad will happen to Claudine, now when she and Fabien are growing close.
Generally it seems like the budget has been beefed up. There are more extras and a lot more fabric and decorations in the background, making the overall look very lush and rich-looking. The costumes are still good, if not a perfect re-creation of 1670’’s fashion. But it’s clear a lot of thought has gone into how people look, and there is also a marked change in women’s gowns and hair, which is nice as fashion did change, and time do pass. I also crave Chevalier’s dressing gown.
Speaking of time, the season begins a very short time after the last season ended, not four years later. The first season really cover four years, but it’s not very clear, and easy to miss. It’s clear if you read the novelization, but that’s about the only good thing in it. Don’t read it.
Louis is a lot more manipulative in this season- a lot more like his brother has always said he was. For example; he manage to make the Queen and Montespan believe they have chosen who Philippe’s new wife will be. And the Queen has got more to do, being very much against Montespan and trying to make Louis give her up. I know she was pretty stupid and bland-looking in reality, but Elisa Lasowski is stunning, and it’s hard to see why Louis is so uninterested in her.
I like Montespan, even if she is clearly not a very nice character. Anna Brewster plays her with a kind of brittleness; she is well aware that the king is fickle, and even at the height of her powers, she is already fighting to stay on the top.
Philippe is still sulking in his castle, despite being draped with pretty boys. He gets a little perkier when Chevalier comes home from Italy, but then he has to go back to Versailles and get married. And I love Liselotte! She is straightforward, kind and snark back at Chevalier. Philippe doesn’t know what to think, but seems to like her. Not enough to consummate the marriage, though. Sophie gets attached to Liselotte to teach her the ropes, and they become instant friends. I liked that.
Chevalier has been camped up and is actually pretty hilarious. I like him a lot more this season.
And then we have my favourites, Fabien, Sophie and Claudine. I’ve already mentioned that I very much approve of Tygh Runyan’s costume. Fabien is given some more depths in this season, which is nice, and it is obvious there are some lasting psychological effects from having been poisoned.
I was a little afraid Sophie would plot revenge against Fabien, but they seem to have a good working relationship now. She seems perfectly at ease with him, and adept in spying. He seems to genuinely care about her and her well-being. Not as much as for Claudine, though. They have some lovely scenes, where she is concerned over him not eating, and then one where they almost kiss, only something Claudine says makes Fabien rush away after a suspect- duty first, and all that. And then the scene where she has been dismissed from court and Fabien finds her sleeping in a chair and puts her to bed. She says it’s strange that his hands which has killed so many, can be so tender, and I agree and go awwwww. I very much want them to kiss soon!
We have a couple of new characters. A new spy, who comes to court to chronicle the glory of the Sun King, and a nobleman who wants a career at court. He is clearly No Good, but also bland and boring. Then we have Madame Agathe, who I am sure is a mix of characters, just as Fabien is. If he s D’Artagnan and La Reynie, she is La Voisin and all the other witches involved in the Affair of Poisons. And of course Monespan’s dear friend Madame Scarron comes to court. Louis is completely underwhelmed, but if you know the history, you also know he will change his opinion. It’s obvious the plot de season is poison.
Not so much bad, as annoying that with all the talk of etiquette, they blatantly ignore it, like making Liselott sneak into a room and be ignored. Hello, she outranks everyone but the Queen! Also, you do not grab your lovers cock in front of the king, especially not when he is the king’s brother!
I’m not sure it really works making Guillaume d'Orange the Big Bad, it is much more stressed this season than the last one, and it doesn’t really work for me.
I’m very much over Fabien being fatally wounded only to bounce back to health in no time at all. Stab wounds to the gut were almost always fatal in the 17th century, and this season he gets stabbed in the heart! Well, almost, anyway.
Jacques the Gardener is killed by spy boy! Noooo!
Louis doesn’t trust Cassel and to keep an eye on him he marries him off to Sophie so she can spy on him. Sophie is upset and Fabien is upset. There is a really nice scene where he tries to comfort her and she pleads with him to help her. Only he can’t, and his talk of duty is a cold comfort for poor Sophie. I have a strong feeling Fabien’s sense of duty will bite him in the ass, later in the season. The wedding night was as bad as I feared, with Cassel brutally raping her. I really, really didn’t like that. Now I’m afraid Sophie will be so desperate she will poison her husband, and Fabien will be forced to execute her too. I don’t want that!
I also have a terrible feeling something bad will happen to Claudine, now when she and Fabien are growing close.
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no subject
Date: 2017-04-13 08:59 am (UTC)(I meant to watch Versailles but I was ill and I couldn't cope, and then when I decided to make a serious attempt at ep1, I had a stomach ache and then it was too associated with feeling rotten, which is stupid, but, as I said, I was v ill last year, and now I think, "Urgh, stomach ache" instead of "interesting looking historical show!" So i deleted it. One day maybe when it and I are both much older, though!)
no subject
Date: 2017-04-13 09:10 am (UTC)Oh dear! But I understand. I hope you will feel otherwise eventually. :)
no subject
Date: 2017-04-13 09:15 am (UTC)I know! I loved the look of the trailer, but all I can think of is greyness and mystification and pain that seemed to be everything the first twenty minutes had to offer and it took forever. One day I'll binge watch the DVD or something, but it'll have to be when I'm ready. Still, at least there's always something else to get into! (Although annoying from your pov.)
no subject
Date: 2017-04-13 09:19 am (UTC)We can squee together over the fact Doctor Who is back soon! <3
no subject
Date: 2017-04-13 11:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-04-14 07:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-04-12 08:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-04-13 05:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-04-13 04:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-04-13 05:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-04-14 01:21 am (UTC)The Tudors however... that's one of My Historical Interest Periods, so no forgiveness was possible.
no subject
Date: 2017-04-14 05:17 am (UTC)