I really had to talk myself down from putting on a top hat to watch this episode because ANNE LISTER IS BACK! I’m going to leave the dopest fashion to our main lady though, because sitting alone on my couch at 10pm on a Monday night doesn’t seem like the right place for such attire.
Opening to Anne’s power-dyke walk is literally what we all needed. We have waited since 2019 to relish her ballbusting aura again. God, I love her. She’s as cheeky as ever. Anne is paying a visit to Ann’s Aunt, the other Ms. Walker. Ms. Walker is disgruntled that Ann has been away with Anne and hasn’t let her nosey family know what she’s up to. Anne is protecting her girl and letting her regain her health in peace. Yes, Mama.
Ann has asked Anne to become her new executor and wants to write a new will, it is announced to Ms. Walker. When asked why Ann would discuss this with Anne and not her family, Anne replies, with a smirk, “She likes me.” This elicited quite the laugh-out-loud from me because that’s putting it mildly and also Anne is so effortlessly smooth and witty.
Ms. Walker threatens Anne for getting involved. As if anyone can intimidate Anne Lister.
Next we see Anne traipsing through Shibden Hall, which is being renovated, it seems. She’s in her usual head-of-the-house temperament. She whirls through the house, hitting all her connection points and tending to each one, then struts right along to check on the coal pit. The coal pit workers are up to some poppycock and ineptitude and Anne has to set them straight.
Side note here, I love the music in this series. How can you not start to feel Anne’s confidence and jaunt in your own body listening to the jovial, high energy, assertive signature tracks and beat? I mean, come on!
Anne is chastised for being too risky with her endeavors and finances lately when discussing the potential purchase of some land. She is given strong advice to sell some of her property to put herself into a much better position.
Arriving back at Shibden Hall after her errands, a letter awaits Anne. Oh yes, Mrs. Mariana Lawton. It’s you again. “Dearest Freddy, my thoughts are perpetually full of you. I love you dearly and fondly and despite all our ups and downs my heart is not unfaithful…” Mariana goes on to advise Anne not to move too quickly or tether herself to Ann too prematurely. Oh, get the heck out, Mariana. You had your chance with Anne and you left to marry a man instead of giving Anne the wife she wanted.
Cut to Anne in a carriage rubbing her wedding ring between her fingers while we hear the rest of the letter being read. Anne looks engrossed in thought. And then we see Ann. Jumping up with excitement upon seeing Anne’s carriage arrive out the window. The emotion exchanged between the two of them upon being reunited in this scene is palpable. Yes, I gasped “Oh!” and put my hand to my chest to be able to witness this. Also, yes, I am very invested in this story. Anne is quick to close the door behind the maid and rushes to embrace and kiss on Ann.
Wife and wife catch up over dinner. Ann is reassured that her family doesn’t suspect anything peculiar. They’ll be taking a trip to Paris and upon their return home, Ann will be moving in to Shibden Hall.
Okay but I want to be in an opulent bed with my beautiful wife next to a cozy, crackling fire. You thought these two would reunite without us seeing Anne make love to Ann? Yeah, right. You should know by now that Ann will be moaning while Anne works her mastery and stares at Ann in delight at the pleasure she has produced. Only Anne can talk business in bed, in between fingering her wife and going down on her. Power lesbian shit.
Ann’s doctor has protected and defended Ann’s seclusion in York from her family. He recounts such to Anne when she checks in with him. Good, more people on Ann’s team helping to keep her predatory family’s weird bondage and infantilizing emotional abuses at bay.
Anne walks out to some cathedral ruins, where Ann is painting, and eats a plum while reminiscing on her love making with Ann last night because GAY. “Three very good kisses last night. She said we had never done it so well before. And however unreserved and only amoroso at night in bed, nothing escapes her lips during the day. In fact, during the day she is so modest, so very nicely particular, so much so that I am really satisfied with her and hope that we shall get on well together.”
Gals, I am dead. This is like a lesbian period romance opiate and everything I dream of, and it makes my heart leap into my throat while I make ugly happy faces at my inability to even be able to process so much joyous women-loving-women stuff happening in front of my face. The Anne Lister world is so dreamy.
Anne takes Ann to dinner with some of her old friends. As they all retire for the night, Anne has an intimate talk with her friend about Ann, this is a friend who knows Anne’s true nature. She’s getting to share the news of her marriage and commitment to Ann for the first time, 18 months after their ceremonial church visit. Anne lights up. This is the life she has always wanted.
As Anne leaves Ann again, she gives her a pep talk then gives her a nudge — she needs to get her family out of Crow’s Nest, her family home, so that she can make rental income on it. Without getting the family strings unattached, Ann cannot alter her will, which inhibits Anne from being able to alter hers. They can’t do the whole wife-and-wife grand plan without the Crow’s Nest situation being attended to.
Per the usual, Ann thinks it might not be the right time and doesn’t want to brave people’s opinions. “We, first and foremost must respect ourselves and each other,” Anne advocates. I’m with her on this one, it’s time for Ann to step up a little bit and be the boss of what’s hers. Ann is still in her meek mode though, it seems, and asserts, “I won’t be rushed.” Anne is frustrated because here they are back at the whole push and pull.
Marian and Anne are sitting together back at Shibden. Anne asks Marian, her sister, if she thinks Ms. Walker, Ann, will suit her more than Mrs. Lawton. “I like Ms. Walker! So does father. He says there isn’t anyone he’d like better, moving in with us.” No one likes how much Mariana has hurt Anne through the years, yet still won’t let her go. What a sweet moment. Anne and Marian seem to be much more agreeable with each other this season.
Anne’s Aunt is understandably nervous that Ann is still dragging her feet on tying up the necessary ends, but Anne is choosing to have faith in the woman she has chosen. She sees the spark of willfulness in Ann and considers her to be much less weak than anyone else thinks, recognizing that. Is Ann just a really slow Taurus? Hmm. Of course, brazen Anne goes to meet toe to toe with Ann’s family, solo, to tell them of Ann’s intention to move into Shibden instead of going home to Crow’s Nest. Brass ovaries on that one.
A surprise package awaits Anne back home. It’s from Ann who promises that she will not disappoint her. The sweet letter ends with, “I want you in a thousand ways. Yours entirely, Ann Walker.” Anne holds the letter to her face and smells it for any lingering hint of her love. And I’m crying. Anne immediately starts writing to order a silver wax seal, decorated with a banner design and the motto, “Foi est tout,” French for “faith is all.” Anne is such a romantic.
Anne loves her birthday gift and I squealed at her reception and their kiss. Don’t you all wish you could watch Gentleman Jack with me in person? It would be secondary entertainment to the show’s entertainment, I’m sure.
In a big surprise to no one, Ann gets completely badgered and shouted down to by her Aunt at the first opportunity. Auntie is losing her grip, since she is losing control over her meal ticket, so she figures she should try the old emotional abuse trick again. Ann loses it on Anne as she comes back to Shibden and then they have a nice little chat and work it out. Their relationship continues to grow and evolve. The real marriage work has begun.
The bomb gets dropped when Anne finally writes Mariana to tell her the truth — that she has committed herself to Ann. Mariana is, predictably, an emotional wreck over it.
