I don’t know if I should be reviewing this as it is really not my preferred genre. So I will stick to what I liked, and what I think felt frustrating from a story point of view. If you think that is not frustrating or expected in this genre, then go right ahead and enjoy the show.

Things I liked-

1. The alternate history where racism isn’t an issue (as far as I can tell).
2. The range of characters, especially Eloise (the sharp-witted one).
3. The type of men. Not all buffoons, not all gentlemen, but a range of them. Just like there are a range of female characters. Everyone feels alive.
4. The manner in which sexism is discussed. I think there is a lot of potential here.

Things I didn’t like-

1. The second half of the show. There were no real stakes.

   1. The character’s actions eventually didn’t feel logical or rational. I understand having difficulty to communicate, but I think this felt like writers stopping characters from speaking, so as to have ‘tension’ for another episode.
   2. The pacing fell apart. We went from a fascinating drama, set with social intrigue, gossip and promise to, eh, they will be fine. Let the chips fall where they mey.

2. The mystery of who is the narrator. I thought this was played up too much as it was rather obvious after a while. Even the red herrings didn’t do much here.

I think this is a new kind of show, tackling old but relevant themes. It has potential, but it needs to either be shorter or be willing to take more risks. Worth a watch if you enjoy social drama and period pieces.