Sanditon Review: Episode 5 (Season 1 Episode 5)

Quiet disagreements surface, romantic entanglements are sabotaged, and a new, potentially dangerous development arises on a dynamic, engaging Sanditon Season 1 Episode 5.

The pressure mounts throughout the hour, adding its own set of suspense, waiting to see if it will all come to blows—from the workers and Tom’s situation to Charlotte’s promise to Georgiana to Esther’s dance around Babington and her heart.

You can’t help but feel it’s going to get very bad, very soon.

It turns out the cricket match is the perfect place for significant arcs throughout the episode to converge, and, to varying degrees, come to blows.

With Tom, Stringer, and the workers, the subject of compensation for the work that has already been done becomes a focal point as the workers threaten not to appear to play the match.

Interestingly, the threat is they won’t play in the match, and not like a North & South-like protest. But it carries just as much weight considering what the match means in terms of Tom’s grander plans for Sanditon.

Even when they appear, the workers choose when they appear for the game in the most precise illustration of a power move, showing Tom exactly how their dynamics might be shifting. It’s a fascinating story playing out with each episode, especially with this late entry to the match, and their accusations of missing compensation.

In turn, Tom’s familial relationships suffer because of the lies and getting to see the consequences of that broken trust in Mary adds emotional depth to Tom’s family story. How will Tom repair things with Mary? Is it something we’ll see done within the next 3 episodes we have left?

Meanwhile, the Denham family is still dealing with Esther’s prospects, making Lord Babington’s presence loom even larger in both houses.

There are moments between the pair where it honestly feels like the affection Lord Babington feels for Esther is reciprocated, and there’s a bit of hope for happiness for her. Even when he proposes to her, there’s a look of genuine happiness on her face that makes you want to root for the pairing.

Of course, it’s short-lived as Edward gets in the way, and she takes her answer back. The look on her face the moment she tells Babington seems to telegraph some level of heartbreak that her words don’t betray.

Is Esther wholly convinced that Edward is “the one,” or is it Edwards manipulative ways holding her back from what could be potential happiness?

The match is the crux of the entire hour, setting stories in further motion. The moment Charlotte joins in, with Stringer as the bowler and Sidney on her team, the anxious tension between the workers and Tom is traded in for some flirty tension and it’s fun to watch.

Charlotte being less than subtle about her flirtations with Stringer, is kind of adorable and serves as a nice juxtaposition to what her dynamic with Sidney—which fluctuates frequently.

The match loosens something up between Sidney and Charlotte—a tenuous dynamic that falls back to tension after the news of Georgiana—while also raising the level of affection between Charlotte and Stringer.

Then there’s Charlotte’s mission as a go-between for Georgiana and Otis. The fact that they spend the first act plotting Georgiana’s escape denotes that there will be a hitch in the plan. There’s an unsettling feeling throughout the match that ratchets a bit higher as Charlotte joins the match.

It makes sense that the headstrong young lady who is determined to sneak away would make a break for it when everyone is distracted, which precisely happens at that point.

It’s in these moments that Charlotte has those hints of Northanger Abbey’s Catherine, which comes back to haunt her in the form of Georgiana seemingly being taken. But who’s taken her? Does it have to do with Otis, her father, or Sidney?

With Charlotte heading to London to try and absolve some of the guilt she carries with her actions, and setting out to search for her friend, will she succeed? Will she make it out of London? Will she run into any familiar faces?

Random Thoughts

• The visuals throughout the hour are gorgeous, from the scene Esther confronts Edward at the top of the hour to the cricket match on the beach to Lord Babington’s proposal.
• Sidney’s comment about heading to Babington’s estate and not planning to return to Sanditon gives me a bit of pause. What would force him away and have him thrusting the responsibility of guarding Georgiana on Mrs. Griffiths?
• Lady Denham’s declining health means things are going to get messy on that side of Sanditon. Just how messy will it get, though?

What did you think of this episode of Sanditon? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Sanditon airs Sundays at 9/8c on PBS.

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