my lady jane watch party - 1.04 'bluebird is dead' (dir. jamie babbit)
ah yes, in this episode of london murder starring detective jane grey, we pursue the truth about edward's death! at least london has a high enough population to support a murder tv show.
+ I'm thinking about the mechanics of getting jane and guildford to the palace before the sun rises. they had to still be pretty close! but guildford already sees the writing on the wall. they're all in mortal danger, and not just because of court politics.
+ there's a lot of focus on how lord dudley schemed to get his blood on the throne (accurate) but frances was in this plot as much as he was
+ it is...so bonkers how mary is traipsing around in her dad's coat and also has sex in it. WEIRD.
+ it's a good thing guildford has already worked to reestablish his trust with jane before she finds out his father is charged with murdering edward, so when he promises jane that his father didn't do it, he has some credibility
+ "I wish you could stay." awww <3 they're moving towards...something - they're still pulling back, but they don't want to! listen to your heart!
+ jane is very convinced that edward wouldn't want an innocent man executed on his behalf, but he does seem okay with boiling people, so who knows
+ I was thinking recently that it's weird that jane doesn't wear a crown very often even when she's queen
+ "she has inherited a troubled administration in a divided kingdom" too realllll
+ second day at the palace and guildford is almost already busted D:
+ I love that jane wants to talk about edward with bess <3
+ absolutely nothing about guildford's "then provie it" is a prompt for KISSING, jane! it's just that every time they even start to bicker the UST takes over her brain, and his. impressed they made it through 3 close calls and still stopped.
+ but guildford was ready to leave! he was going to go to florence because he saw himself as a danger to everyone around him (which is true). was he thinking that he wasn't going to make jane cure him, or he felt himself too much of a danger to her hopes of independence on another front? all possibilities.
+ I don't think lord dudley has thought this "make guildford king" plan. I think they're going to notice if the king is a horse during the day, dude!
+ ugh, and lord dudley calling guildford's ethianism his "one flaw" just reinforces to him how he'll never be enough. his dad had to make him king to make him worthwhile! ouch.
+ bess is taking petunia being an ethian in perfect stride, which makes more sense with the finale reveal.
+ the attempted poisoning at the dinner party frustrates me a little. jane only survives because her mom is so self-inflated she gives a speech about herself. I mean, it tracks, but still - by the skin of her mom's teeth, basically!
+ I would like to know what guildford's cover for his daytime activities is!
+ stan playing the guitar outside of frances' window is 100% a john hughes move! maybe the most '80s reference of this show.
+ actually, this episode is the exemplar of jane not being super strategic: first nearly getting poisoned at dinner (and not even knowing it) and then (like edward) announcing she has proof of a treason plot but worse, alone. she has many great qualities, but strategy is not high among them.
+ this is probably the episode I am least hooked on, but it has so many great moments, including smoochies and near smoochies, margaret and katherine thieving escapades, and jane/guildford bonding over decrypting letters :D however, there is another 1pt deduction for no susannah!
