I finally finished Emma: A Victorian Romance, Season 2, after a binge watch session last night on Hoopla Digital. The last couple of episodes presented a stereotypically Japanese solution to the story, but it works, and the emotional payoff (see photo above) is worth it. The times they are a changin’….the commercially successful middle classes are pushing aside the stuffy aristocrats. The fact that William and Emma conclude the story having four children this close in age is a clear sign theirs is a very happy marriage indeed.
William's calling off his engagement with Eleanor Campbell has enormous social repercussions and hurts him in trying to make business deals in the near term. But GANBARE! He puts his nose to the proverbial grindstone and soldiers on, day in, day out, putting in very long hours. He's determined to prove himself a successful businessman so he can be worthy of being a good husband to Emma. The servant class are all supportive of Emma, they are eager to see one of their own be elevated into the middle class through love & marriage. Viscount Campbell attempts to financially ruin the Jones Family through sabotage and his vast social influence, but William's diehard efforts win the favor of a wealthy patron who is impressed by the young man's drive and determination and enables William to win back a government contract to build railroads in South America (which is historically accurate). Prince Hakkim seems to have taken up more or less permanent residence at the Jones Estate and to have caught the eye of Eleanor's eccentric older sister. Eleanor spends time in the country to heal her broken heart, practices piano, gives a recital, and catches the eye of a handsome young man from a respectable country estate. I think I enjoyed Season 1 more than Season 2, but the emotional payoff for Season 2 makes the whole thing worth watching. Big thumbs up for this series, especially if you're already a fan of period romance dramas like Downton Abbey on PBS.