Belgravia: The Next Chapter

The Next Chapter was quite disappointing. I disliked the main character, Lord Trenchant played by Benjamin Wainwright from the moment on screen. He is sullen and has a face that shows it (think Kristen Stewart, Anna Kendrick) in every scene. I realize his character is complicated and miserable but even when proposing to his love, he looks like he ate a lemon. Just not a likeable. The new wife, Clara, played by Harriet Slater, is portrayed like a 13 year-old teenager who is smitten and Pollyanna-ish. I blame the poor writing not the actor. I wonder how such a great first series could turn into a common soap opera in the second? Made it through the first excruciating 52 minute episode and decided I couldn't continue with the series.

I'm a (very) latecomer to period dramas. "Downton" had long since finished before I began to tackle the 50+ episodes and what a treat that turned out to be. It would be asking a lot for any series to be its equal or even come close but one that really impressed was "The Gilded Age".

I have not seen the original "Belgravia" for the simple reason that I had never heard of it but will find it to watch.

This latest "Next Chapter" seems to be taking a lot of flak from what appear to be seasoned period drama viewers so who am I to argue?........but I will. I thoroughly enjoyed it and the final two episodes were extremely moving.

I found all of the characters to be interesting in their own way and, of course, anything with a music score by John Lunn is always worth watching.

I am a fan of period dramas, and have set "Downton Abbey" as the golden standard. Naturally, that means I am very interested in titles by Julian Fellows, and have seen at least a few of them. When I watched "Belgravia", I thought it was a lightweight compared to "Downton Abbey". Whereas the characters in "Downton" are complex and well developed, the characters of "Belgravia" seemed a bit charicatured and simplified. There were the good guys on one side, and the bad ones on the other. The whole plot seemed a bit like an ordinary fairytale, and it was easy to guess where everything would end up.

Now, I started watching the spin-off show straight after finishing the original show, and was very pleasantly surprised. The characters all seem more complex than in the previous show, and there are more side plots, just like we saw in "Downton Abbey". The "downstairs" party are much more complete characters than the ones in the first part of "Belgravia", and I find myself interested in their backstories. Much more to work with for the writers, and I can easily see a continuance for this show.

I am seriously puzzled that so many hate this season compared to the original. Do most people prefer the lightweight, straight forward story with few surprises in store? I find that hard to believe. Yes, this season is much more subtle, and keep its mysteries for a longer time, but I completely disagree about the notion that the main character has the personality of a "block of wood". He is contained, troubled and melancholy. He tries to open up now and again, but struggles with himself. I think the actor is doing a clever job of a character that is hard to portray.

Not entirely sure why everyone seems to hate it so much. It's different from the first season - yes - but it's its own storyline with very different characters. The main couple are just two very mismatched people (not actors, actual show characters) who happened to fall for each other. She - a very lively, happy young woman, brought in a household full of mutual love, respect and joy; he - a product of an affair who upon the birth of a true heir, his younger brother, became a burden to his now very emotionally abusive father. Very much a "victim" - so very 2023-24. Without therapy or close people they could really confide in, they struggle to maintain that relationship - and the whole show revolves around that. There are some other well-written supporting characters; romantic distractions and villains (the marquise who I'm certain is a very clever con woman who will eventually run off with the Trenchard money, mark my word). The actors are doing a great job being their characters, there's a good amount of subtlety in their performance that some lifetime and hallmark fans might not be able to pick up. Overall, yes, it's slow paced but it only makes me look forward to seeing how it all unfolds. Took a star off not to be accused of being biased.

Belgravia was written by Julian Fellow and his attention to details was visible everywhere. It wasn't perfect, but it was interesting, the actors were good, the time period well presented. But this New Chapter feels like a high school play. The actor playing Frédéric Trenchard is so bad! The costumes are awful, again it looks like a mom took whatever look like from before 1900 and dressed the characters with it, with no research of the specific period. So there is costume from the Elizabethan period (16th century) mixed with the early Victorian (1840'). The characters display 21st century values and attitude. It could be funny if it was a spoof but it's not supposed to be. Neither is it a period-fantasty like Bridgerton. I can't understand how Julian Fellow accepted to have is name associated to it. Did he lost a bet?