The Nevers
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Its the penultimate episode of part one of season one ofThe Nevers.
But after watching Hanged, a much tidier episode than weve come to expect, Im suddenly optimistic again.
Its feeling less like were nearing some arbitrary halfway point and more like the end of a lengthy prologue.
Or some word that sounds like galanthee.
What I would give for a nice chalkboard session in which Mrs.
The diversion takes care of itself.
The hanging incites dissension amongst Lord Massens cabal.
But its not enough for Lord Massen to see the touched brought to heel, he needs hope obliterated.
Amalia objects to the side-mission for some solidly pragmatic reasons.
(2) For PR purposes, its a bad idea for St. Roms to harbor a serial killer.
Sure, yes, okay, Maladies guilty of murder.
But shes beinghangedbecause shes touched.
Amalia and Penance stand on opposite sides of the courtyard, and the small group cleaves itself atwain.
Penance recruits Harriet, Desiree, George, Violet, and, after promising to pay him, Nimble.
Bonfire Annie sides with Amalia, as does Pennys crow crush Augie, which stings.
The Amalia/Penance face-off isnt the emotional crescendo it wants to be because no ones drawing real sides here.
But it is a rewarding glimpse into what makes Amalias first lieutenant tick.
Like Oppenheimer to his atomic bomb, Penance laments the violence of her inventions.
She thinks her soul is being tested.
If Amalia is the unyielding soldier, Penance is her conscience.
Only a person with such scruples should have access to her powerful turn.
We make inroads to understanding the philanthropist Lavinia Bidlow, too, this week.
The galanthi is cracking hatching?
and she orders Dr. Hague to kill it its alive?
before it kills everyone else.
She wanted to reverse-engineer a cure for the touched; now, she believes that dream was naive.
Usually brusque with her brother, Lavinia finally shows some sisterly affection here.
How does this all add up?
It deeply does not, but Im starting to like Lavinia for more than her high-lace collars.
(I am directly asking you, Philippa, like, tell us.)
Since the beginning of the season, popular media has played a role in howThe Neverstells its story.
We first learn of Maladie from a newsies holler in episode one.
This week, the orphans read aloud the pro-touched newspaper column of Effie Boyle, intrepid lady reporter.
Its hard to care really.
Every episode conspires to throw Hugo and Frank into conflict and nothing ever comes of it.
(This, too, Philippa, is a direct appeal.)
Death row is short in Victorian London.
The atmosphere inside is giddy.
There are concessions for sale oysters, gin.
Real life Maladie is trotted out to her noose to boos and taunts.
Penny and the B-Sides, meanwhile, shouldnt have bothered.
People are desperate to escape.
Nothing too destructive, just enough fabricated mayhem to convince Londoners that Massens extraordinary measures are necessary.
Specifically, Maladies shoe, and it reveals a foot missing some toes.
It seems now shes made a darker contribution.
But if thats not Maladie on the other end of the noose, where is she?
Was this somehow Maladies plan all along?
How is it possible she could predict the chain of events that would fill the space between the episodes?
Maybe she killed Effie for some other unknown revenge and saw opportunity later.
Back at the orphanage, the B-Sides roll in.
The A team is already back.
Everyone is battered to shit, no one looks happy.
Next week, I assume, well find out what happened to Bonfire Annies leg.
Or maybe we wont.
Its honestly that kind of show.
