JackieStarSister

Episode 1

~ The opening scene does visually what Victor Hugo’s section on Waterloo does with words: it is massive in scope and detail, but only a very small portion is relevant to the story being told!

~ The idea of Marius’ mother bumping into Cosette’s mother on the street is so tantalizing!

~ Nicolette is the unsung hero of the story!

~ Javert’s “interrogation” of Valjean feels kind of pointless. All it does is establish a bit of Javert’s backstory, and I find it hard to believe that he would share that with Valjean.

~ I like that this adaptation shows how beautiful and lively Fantine is before Felix leaves her. It manages to make him even more hatable, because Fantine voices her doubts about Felix’s intentions, and it’s clear that he knows about Cosette but does not care about leaving them.

Episode 2

~ I don’t think two colleagues/work acquaintances would start debating nature versus nurture on their first meeting!

~ Watching Gillenormand dress Marius up like someone two generations older and teach him to badmouth his own father is heartbreaking!

~ Having Valjean personally fire Fantine is devastating! It makes sense that he is stressed about his own situation and mistrustful of Fantine now that he knows she lied to him, and it is kind of him to give her some extra money; but his telling her “Find some other employment” shows that he has no idea how hard that would be for a woman in her situation, after having her reputation smeared.

~ I can’t imagine Javert would hold that conversation with the chief inspector while so many other people were around.

~ I’m glad Fantine’s coworkers recognized her and went to Madeleine for help!

~ The show’s writers seem to have Javert’s motives and order of actions mixed up. Here, he seems to suspect that Madeleine is Valjean from the very beginning, and that that was why he chose to come to Montreuil. In the book, his suspicion only begins with the cart incident, and he does not make his accusation until the incident with Fantine tips him over the edge. His decision to resign doesn’t make as much sense with the order of events changed. And it seems like he is telling Valjean about the trial as a test, but that does not make sense unless he has some belief in Valjean’s integrity and desire to save another man from the fate intended for him.

~ Valjean, don’t be stupid! You can’t trust the supervisor to do what’s in Fantine and Cosette’s interest!

Episode 3

~ I like that Valjean and Champmathieu have a moment, giving each other looks of thanks and acknowledgement!

~ Javert taking Valjean back to Montreuil just to rub his defeat in his face … that’s just petty.

~ Having the hair and teeth dealer also be the doll vendor is kind of sick. Is it implying that Cosette gets the doll made from her own mother’s hair?

~ What kind of clientele are the Thenardiers attracting, that laugh when they see her beating a child?

~ I wonder if the writers have seen the Les Miserables anime series: they’ve shown Cosette with Gavroche a couple times, and that dog Gavroche is with looks like Chou Chou!

~ Is Thenardier trying to pimp out Cosette?! As a CHILD?! I hate him even more now.

~ I can’t believe I never realized that Cosette’s nickname “the lark” is “alouette” in French! That makes more sense, since they rhyme, and in a sense Cosette is plucked like the bird in the song!

~ The Thenardiers’ scene after Valjean and Cosette leave is hilarious! As awful as they are to each other, you can’t deny that their values and ways of thinking are aligned.

~ I hope Cosette got some satisfaction seeing Valjean take down Thenardier! That seems to be what makes her trust Valjean, as she takes his hand and smiles fully at him after that! He not only takes her out of her miserable life, but overpowers her abuser. He is truly her hero.

~ I like the scene of Cosette asking Valjean if he is her papa now. That’s one well-done conversation.

~ Cosette probably picked up swears from the Thenardiers and their clients! That’s a trait I’ve never seen in other portrayals of her, but it makes sense! She has some sass in her, and for the first time in her life, she can show it without fear of being punished.

~ That skull on Javert’s desk looks like the kind of model used in phrenology, which fits with his statements about human nature in the previous episode.

~ There is a particular irony in Gavroche serving coffee to Javert, considering their later encounter!

~ I was NOT expecting Sister Simplice to appear again and vouch for Valjean! That is some good closure, for her to care for Cosette after caring for Fantine—in fact, those scenes bookend the episode. I guess they didn’t want to devote much to Fauchelevent, and it gives the sisters of the Petit-Picpus convent a bigger, more deliberate role in giving Valjean sanctuary.

Episode 4

~ Really, Javert? You get no satisfaction in your job at all, and obsess over “the one that got away”? That seems like overkill, even for him.

~ The changes made in previous episodes take away the things that cause these changes in Cosette and Marius’ lives: without Fauchelevent at the convent, there is less of a clear reason for Cosette and Valjean to leave; and by moving Baron Pontmercy’s death earlier in the timeline, Mabeuf’s revelation to Marius seems to come out of the blue.

~ I like the atmosphere they created for the Cafe Musain!

~ I’m so glad they included the “What could be greater?” / “To be free” moment!

~ What is my girl Eponine doing?! Why is she being so creepy?! Was that scene just to establish the existence of the “peephole,” which isn’t really what it is since it’s not in his door?

~ I’m surprised, and kind of impressed, that they included a scene of Cosette asking about her mother, and Valjean actually telling most of the story, even if he omits the worst parts. But the question seems to come out of nowhere. In the book there was a time when Cosette said she had a dream about her mother; that would have been a good prompt.

~ The writers don’t seem to fully grasp the rule to “show, don’t tell.” Cosette just saying “I’m lonely” is telling, not showing.

~ That is one patient man, taking his daughter clothes shopping and letting her model all those outfits. Valjean could have—and perhaps should have—let Toussaint assist Cosette, so she could have some real enthusiasm and advice from another woman!

~ Are they trying to push the angle that Valjean is actually in love with Cosette? If so, I don’t like it.

~ They have Cosette and Marius introduce themselves casually like normal people?! No slow burn or seeking out with them not even knowing each other’s name? Is this even Les Miserables without that?!

~ This adaptation subtly reframes Valjean’s desire to protect Cosette, especially from a potential suitor: he does not want her to be taken advantage of the way Fantine was. I had never thought of that until now.

~ Nooo, Marius, don’t give in to peer pressure!

~ Eponine wouldn’t just walk past Marius and plop herself down with someone else! She’d take advantage of finding him in such a place!

~ Ugh, I do not like this series’ approach to the love triangle. Marius dreaming about both girls, one turning into the other … that’s just too weird, and out of character. He’s too chaste and idealistic to think that way about Cosette (or probably any girl), and too dense to pick up on Eponine’s feelings for him.

~ I can’t wrap my head around the idea of Valjean showing Cosette the chain gang on purpose. And how can he point to the wretchedness of the convicts instead of the cruelty of their guards?

~ Eponine CANNOT kiss Marius this early! That takes away from the significance of her most famous scene! But her unabashedly asking for Marius’ scraps is in character.

~ I would expect Eponine to be able to figure out a better hiding place for her coin than just holding on to it. She could have slipped it away before showing her hand to her father.

~ I like that Cosette and Valjean recognize the Thenardiers in this adaptation, triggering Cosette’s memories of her childhood trauma. She covers her cheek as though expecting to be slapped like when she was a child.

~ Why would it be necessary for Valjean to return, in order to get the Thenardiers out of their lives?

~ Cosette would probably pray the rosary in Latin; but if not, they could have used that as a moment to include some French.

~ Does Javert actually suspect that the man is Valjean? He has no reason to; the fact that the place is the Gorbeau house is pure coincidence.

Episode 5

~ Javert is not that single-minded! He would absolutely recognize the importance of quelling revolt.

~ Did the writers/directors deliberately try to recreate the Beauty and the Beast scene of tending wounds?

~ Josh O’Connor channels Romeo (a part he played a couple years after this was made) by climbing the garden wall!

~ Gavroche being a mentor to younger urchins (even if they’re not his unknown brothers in this adaptation) warms my heart!

~ Gillenormand putting on a stern face to hide his glee!

~ Cosette yelling “I hate you” to Valjean is out-of-character for her, and a dagger in the heart for him!

~ They have Eponine’s intentions all mixed up! Her only reason for telling him his friends are waiting for him at the barricade is to lure him to his death, hoping they will both die. Why would she tell him where they are if she doesn’t want him to go and get himself killed?

Episode 6

~ Cosette looks like Juliet or some other tragic hero, lying on her bed in that pose in a red dress.

~ Gavroche wouldn’t say “It’s all over”! He’s the personification of the spirit of revolution!

~ Enjolras’ “I command you” followed by Marius’ “I entreat you” is a great bit of writing!

~ I don’t fully understand why Marius stays instead of seeking out Cosette. Is it despair that he can’t be with her without permission from his grandfather? Is it his sense of duty or honor compelling him to stay with his friends?

~ Marius seems to earn Valjean’s respect when he goes after Gavroche, tries to save him, and holds him while he dies.

~ Did they steal the idea/image of Valjean carrying Gavroche’s body from the 2012 film?

~ That’s an interesting moment for Valjean to have an attack of guilt. Who is he asking to forgive him? God? Fantine? Cosette?

~ “You’re back, sir” is one heck of a welcome for someone who was held captive for at least 24 hours and barely got out of the barricade alive!

~ What was that carriage scene with Javert and the other officer about?

~ It’s a miracle that Marius’ wounds don’t get infected while going through the sewers!

~ That shot of Javert in the carriage and Valjean’s reflection in the window almost makes them look like mirror images! Not very subtle, but fitting!

~ That is an uncomfortably long shot of Javert being emotional. Great acting, but too long.

~ How does Valjean know to call Marius by his title of baron? Does anyone else?

~ Did Toussaint end up being the one to give Cosette “the talk”? The way she acted earlier in the series, it seemed like no one had explained the facts of life to her. Is she ready to get married?

~ I like that Cosette was part of the final conversation with Thenardier, facing down her abuser and learning the truth about her father. But Thenardier went out too quietly! Marius should have thrown the money at him, or hit him, or mentioned Eponine or Gavroche, who deserved better.

~ I think Valjean should have mentioned Fantine in his final conversation(s) with Cosette.