One can’t really get enough of these BBC productions and hoping for another masterpiece, we decided to watch Wives & Daughters, based in Elizabeth Gaskell (North & South) novel with the same name. The story revolves around Molly Gibson, a country doctor’s daughter whose mother passes away and leaves her without a female influence. With time, she strikes a friendship with Mrs. Hamley, who becomes a second mother to her. The young Miss Gibson becomes almost part of the family, befriending also the Hamley sons, especially Roger.
Molly’s life changes abruptly when her father decides to remarry so she can have some female advice and company. Molly is not too fond of her stepmother but she gets along really well with her daughter, Cynthia. This new stepsister seems to have seen quite a bit more of the world than Molly but has a somewhat inconstant and frivolous nature who attracts the male attention in general. Despite Molly’s feelings for Roger, she watches how him and Cynthia become secretly engaged before he leaves for Africa.
It is painful to watch Molly’s concern and repressed feelings, while Cynthia does not seem preoccupied in any way by her fiancé’s welfare. Her flirtatious nature keeps landing her into trouble but nothing seems to stop her. Even when a problem from the past arises, it is Molly who stakes her reputation to save her friend and becomes the subject of the town’s gossipy matrons. The consequences do seem to sober Cynthia a bit, albeit not enough to our tastes. Later, her engagement to Roger is broken to our relief.
True to her inconstant nature, Cynthia quickly finds another beau but when Roger returns, she has doubts…once again.
While we loved this series, we have to admit we felt a little disappointment. Molly and Roger’s relationship was quite bland and while we liked the characters enough (especially lovely Molly), this left a slightly sour taste in our mouths. The young woman never really fights for what she wants (or even let other people know) and lets Cynthia manipulate her at her will. Roger seems a sick love puppy and completely uninterested by Molly until the very end. We wanted a more stronger male character who knew what he wanted and, let’s face it, more intense. Maybe we were deluding ourselves and hoping for another Mr. Thornton.
