Gentleman Jack Review: Tripe All Over the Place, Presumably (Season 2 Episode 3)
Gentleman Jack Season 2 Episode 3, “Tripe All Over the Place, Presumably,” leaves viewers with an emotional cliffhanger as Anne visits Mariana for the first time since taking the sacrament with Miss Walker.
“Tripe All Over the Place, Presumably,” feels like the calm before the storm. Until the end, the episode simmers, hinting at conflicts and drama on the horizon.
The most obvious storm brewing and the one just about to land as the episode ends is the love triangle with Mariana. It’s hard to know how to feel about Mariana. Even as a viewer firmly rooting for the Ann(e)s, my feelings on Mariana go back and forth.
At times I have a lot of sympathy for her. It’s true that given the time and her circumstances, her options were limited. Running off with Anne would have been a tremendous risk.
It’s not only understandable why she wouldn’t do it, but incredibly sad. Whatever else you can say about their relationship, Anne is the love of her life.
Perhaps if she were independently wealthy like Ann Walker she would have chosen to commit to her. It doesn’t change the fact that Ann Walker had the courage to take a leap of faith and Mariana didn’t, but it does at least create some sympathy for her situation.
Other times though, Mariana gets my hackles up. The way she plays on Anne’s sympathy and guilt is intentional and isn’t fair. While there’s no reason to doubt that Mariana is struggling as much as she says, her letters feel manipulative. Given how she has taken Anne for granted in the past, her sudden urgency for Anne is off-putting.
I also cannot abide the dismissive and sometimes insulting things she says about Ann Walker. If for no other reason than that, Mariana will always be a character that evokes more hostility than sympathy.
Anne’s trip to visit Mariana is not off to a great start, to put it mildly. If I were to guess, I’d say it won’t end well either. I couldn’t say how it ends, but I doubt we’ll come out of Episode 4 with everything being sunshine and butterflies.
Another conflict brewing for Miss Walker is her brother-in-law’s continued efforts to slow roll the division of her estate.
I’m looking forward to seeing the gamesmanship between them, but I’m even more interested in seeing how Ann reacts. On “Tripe All Over the Place, Presumably,” Ann is mostly defiant and annoyed. However, she is also stewing and possibly self-medicating with alcohol. Anne’s trip to see Mariana doesn’t help the situation either.
I’m not particularly interested in seeing Ann Walker have a full-blown drinking problem, so I hope nothing too major comes of that. I am, however, fascinated by some of the feelings it’s bringing out in her. Specifically, her frustration with feeling ignored and underestimated.
On the one hand, the very fact that she is upset about it is progress. The Ann we met in Gentleman Jack Season 1 would have just accepted those dismissive assessments of her. She would never have been assertive enough to even think to be angry, let alone fight back.
Still, getting in her head about it will not be particularly healthy for her. Feeling resentment because she’s ignored and believes Anne wouldn’t be isn’t particularly healthy for their relationship either.
“Tripe All Over the Place, Presumably,” also introduces a new storyline concerning Anne’s involvement with the canals and hints of political unrest. It’s too early to say much about these developments other than they seem poised to be another significant part of Season 2.
I’m not immediately invested in either of these potential storylines the way I am in Ann Walker’s efforts to get her estate divided. Then again, I never thought I’d have been so gripped by coal pit intrigue during Season 1. If canals and railroads are the new coal pits, I’m here for it.
“Tripe All Over the Place, Presumably,” is another solid outing for Gentleman Jack Season 2. If the episode itself didn’t completely blow me away, it certainly has me pumped to see all the drama it sets up for the next one.
Stray Thoughts
- “Tripe All Over the Place, Presumably,” might be one of the funniest lines of the entire series.
- I don’t know if it is, but I’m going to assume Anne and Marian’s lines about Hartford, Hereford, and Hampshire is, in fact, a nod to My Fair Lady.
- Hopefully, Anne is correct, and they don’t need to worry about Washington. I don’t want to have to start hating him.
- We need online bonus material that’s just a series of vignettes of family meals at Shibden Hall. I would watch them on repeat.
- It is absolutely precious that Aunt Anne rereads Anne’s old letters for fun. No one loves Anne Lister as much as her Aunt.
What did you think of this episode of Gentleman Jack? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Gentleman Jack airs Mondays at 10/9c on HBO.
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Sarah Fields
Sarah is an obsessive geek who likes to get into the weeds and over think things. She is passionate about Sci-Fi and comics and is a giant classic film nerd. Sarah cares deeply about media representation and the power of telling diverse stories. When she's not writing or watching her favorite shows she spends her days working in the non-profit world trying to make life a little better for those that need some extra help.