*How December Got Awesome
*Television can occasionally be good for you
In my opinion, with very few exceptions, Masterpiece Theater Classic has been an amazing gift for us lit fans over the last two years. This is high quality television that rather than highlight the worst of humanity, it rises above to present us with the best. This tradition is maintained with the sequel Return to Cranford (RTC).
This continuation from last year's was able to capture the humor, tragedy, and progress, of a small 1840s village. The village of Cranford is filled with spinsters who rely on each other as they face the changing times. Of course the oncoming industrial revolution is represented by the railroad, which is still trying to develop a route through Cranford. In RTC the route becomes a necessity as the local economy begins to suffer driving residents to "horrible" towns such as Leeds and Liverpool.
Progress is difficult and inevitable is the theme of part one of this series. And although the time period is the 19th century, I couldn't help but feel the relevancy to our current times. With the economy in the dumps, and no recovery on the horizon, it becomes essential that technological innovation becomes the new driving force. Even in the work that I do (librarianship) it is becoming a case of embracing new technologies, like ebooks, or get out of the way. Not everyone is willing to do this but even in the world of Cranford it is inevitable.
It is a masterstroke and wonderful surprise that the catalyst for change in this story is Miss Matty. Miss Matty, as portrayed by Dame Judi Dench, is the beating heart of Cranford. She remains at the center of events in RTC, but is much more proactive in her influence. As the passive of the two sisters in the original Cranford, in RTC she decides to become a driving force. And how could anyone say no to her? She is the kind of person who is amazingly selfless. Her empathy is untainted by cynicism which is refreshing in this day and age. It is heart-breaking when she has to deal with the often cruel fact that sometimes terrible things happen. I was blown away by how the character of Miss Matty internalizes and takes responsibility for the negative consequences. Further she is able to take that guilt and turn it into a positive action.
Her internal journey gives this story emotional heft that is absent in other characters. I was not as invested in the romantic relationships in this volume. Also the villians were sadly a bit one-dimensional. I'm not sure whether this reflects Gaskell's story-telling or the intentions of director Simon Curtis. It was sad to see Septimus portrayed as such a one-dimensional villian (and btw what was up with the gay overtones? Aren't we past fey gay villian stereotypes in our modern times?) considering the build up that we've had with his character since the first Cranford. Poor Mr. Pryce was given an inconsistent character of Edward Buxton in the second half. One minute he's a good guy, the next he's a manipulative jerk. That's just poor storytelling.
RTC does maintain Gaskell's theme that a strong woman will sacrifice for the better good. Whether it's Miss Matty or Miss Galindo with Harry Gregson, these women are resilient. This series has motivated me to check out Gaskell this year. And I can't wait. In the end I highly recommend checking out Return to Cranford either online here, or on DVD soon. It is completely worth the return trip.
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