The Forsytes Season 1 Episode 5 Review
Frances Forsyte is extremely proper and does everything by the book, while Irene Forsyte is a free spirit pushing boundaries. Yet neither can get their husband to do what would make them happy on The Forsytes Season 1 Episode 5.
If you’ve been waiting for the other shoe to drop on Soames this season, consider this episode the resounding “thud.” Not only does he trick Irene into coming back to London, he continues to lie to her face once there.
The only surprise is that Soames isn’t crueler after his dodgy investment advice about the mines causes the firm’s clients to lose massive amounts of wealth. His dad may say his calmness makes him a leader, but to me it’s giving sociopath!
When Irene confronts him about lying about his father’s health as the reason for them staying, he simply gives her an ultimatum: be happy or not.
Much like he doesn’t take responsibility for the losses of his clients despite the fact he advised them, he doesn’t take responsibility for Irene’s unhappiness because he thinks by giving her money and a home that is enough. It’s turning out that Soames is not a great guy after all!
Jo is a much more sympathetic figure, but there’s some similarity between what is happening between him and Frances and his cousin’s marriage. His decision about giving Louisa financial support and seeing the children is final no matter how much Frances tries to convince him otherwise.
Her own deception, of getting Louisa evicted from her home in fear of Jo carrying on an affair, is cruel and uncalled for her, but she doesn’t have any other power in the situation. As a woman in that era all she has is her marriage and reputation, something Jo is repeatedly willing to risk.
Even her own daughter rats out her sneaky behavior, so Frances really needs an ally other than her impotent father-in-law who doesn’t seem to do much of anything. I hope she AND Louisa can get a happier ending because this show loves punishing women too much.
In fact, the only woman with any power in the family is matriarch Ann, who non-coincidentally doesn’t have a husband to bow down to. Marriage is a gilded prison, and it’s no wonder Louisa is so hesitant to give Jo any power over her or the lives of their children.
Meanwhile June is eager to marry Phillip, and is delusionally happy about her love match. If the show has taught us anything, it’s that even love can’t fix the systems these characters are born into.
It would be quite out of character for The Forsytes to give her a happily ever after!
Episode 5 is the most grounded so far because it leans into the source material’s more severe look at class and family dynamics instead of trying to undercut itself with lightheartedness and melodrama. I look forward to seeing more of how Irene navigates her new situation, one that she surely won’t accept without a fight.
What did you think of this episode of The Forsytes? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!
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The Forsytes airs Sundays at 9/8c on PBS.
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Breeze Riley
Breeze Riley is a pop culture enthusiast who decided to turn her love of watching too much TV into a hobby writing about it. Although she's a convention-going sci-fi and fantasy nerd, she's just as likely to be watching an off-beat comedy or period drama. She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic.