North & South discussion

~ Episode Four Discussions:

The best episode. Lots of smiles after a lot of sorrow and a very swoonworthy (if inaccurate) ending.

It certainly is the best episode, if only because of all the smiling! But I've always liked Episode Two almost as much, seeing as it's very... intense.

The two things that really give this episode it's impact are, I think, Mr. Hales death and Thornton's money troubles. Things seem to be going well for everyone's relationships in this one, with John and Margaret doing a fairly good job of keeping out of each other's way... but we're constantly reminded that the shadow hanging behind all this is John's failing business. Then with Mr. Hales death, though Thornton has not been seeing much of Margaret lately, he is forced to confront the reality of what life will be like entirely without her, making the loss of his friend Mr. Hale all the more painful.

The failure of John's business so soon after Mr. Hale's death and Margaret's departure makes it seem as though all of Thornton's problems have converged in one moment to give him a cruel double blow. Meanwhile of course, Margaret has lost her parents and is discovering that Helstone isn't everything she thought it could still be. So when the two of them finally come together at the train station and Margaret not only gives herself to Thornton but offers to save his business too, the shadows hanging over him in this episode are suddenly and brilliantly gone. It makes the ending even more beautiful and exultant than it already was. :)