Highway Robbery!
Renegade Nell 1.2 “Tracks Less Well Trod”
Nell commits her first act of highway robbery…stealing the stage coach and the people in it’s luggage. At least one of them is probably glad.
She has a plan, but it’s a bad one. Fortunately, she teams up with the other highwayman, Charles Devereux, who has a better one, except hedoesn’t predict the supernatural elements. He turns out to be an impoverished nobleman.
Adrian Lester shines in this episode, chewing the scenery beautifully as Poynton. (There’s no explanation as to why this character is Black. I don’t care). He summons something that decidedly resembles an evil Herne the Hunter.
Nell is rapidly becoming a notorious outlaw both for the things she’s done and the things she hasn’t done.
Also, I hope they don’t burn out Florence Keen, who’s 14, adorable, and marvelous as George. I also loved Enyi Okoronkwo’s Rasselas.
The horses don’t seem to mind being stolen. There’s a lot of horse stealing in this. (And still no stupid equine sound effects).
Renegade Nell 1.3 “A Private Joke With The Queen”
So, Poynton used his magic to make a construct that he made look like Herne the Hunter, which he was controlling kind of like he was in a VR suit.
Nell killed it.
Ow.
Poynton is alive, but he’s not in a good state and, indeed, his doctors have advised rest…permanently. Not that he actually had an apoplexy, but it looked like it to them.
George has been shot and Nell and Rattagas need to abdut a physician for her. This isn’t going to go well.
This was a weaker episode, in my opinion. The fight between Nell and Herne was well choreographed, but it felt a bit off in pacing. Just a bit.
Renegade Nell 1.4 “Devil’s Dung”
Apparently, somebody’s destined to be a witch. I loved how all the weird ingredients were, indeed, plants. Yes, eye of newt is a plant people.
We all know George won’t actually die.
I think that Boynton has actually put a curse on Nell, or somebody has, because not only does she have the worst luck, but so do all around her.
Meanwhile, Isambard’s fiancée is refusing to help him because she thinks he slept with Nell.
(I do smell a love triangle with Nell, Isambard, and Rasselas. I know which one she should pick if that happens. But grrr, can we not with the love triangles?)
Pacing was a little slow again, but in this episode it felt right and worked.
We also find out that Poynton is a Jacobite and in favor of…shall we say curtailing the rights of parliament?
The sister is falling into evil, which is a shame. SHE should have been the heir…but of course we’re still in a sexist society.
We’re halfway through and I’m still enjoying it.
Renegade Nell 1.5 “Excuse Me, I’m A Doctor”
Love triangle…evaded. Thank you. Hopefully it will stick.
Nellie goes to rescue Isambard, who refuses to be rescued. A poor move on his part. Instead, she stages a mass jail break, because of course she does.
Poynton and Sophia use black magic to try and trap her. It doesn’t work. When you have a pixie buddy…
(I really love the character of Billy Blind. He’s far more benevolent than most fae, but no less…cryptic and sometimes unreliable).
One poor horse in this episode. Did he actually spook and they use the take or did they train him to fake it? He was certainly not happy ;).
George is about to be taken hostage.
Definitely a better episode, but how does everyone mistake Nell for a man with that voice? Also, she’s like 16 and they think she’s…oh, I don’t care.
It’s too much fun to care.
Renegade Nell 1.6 “Snatched by Strollers”
Oh, this episode is fun. Poor George…and the woman who got robbed during Nell’s first highwaywoman adventure…have been kidnapped by disgraced traveling players. The director/head actor has completely lost it and plans on poisoning Nell so he can be a hero.
(Instead of turning her in alive for the 40 pounds?)
Of course, this doesn’t end well for him…although some of the players are quite happy to switch sides.
Oh, and we have a kiss between Nell and her prior victim, who seems to be slowly realizing she might be a lesbian. It’s unclear how much Nell enjoys it. She’s definitely not gay, but she could be bi.
Rasselas, unfortunately, messes up. He tries to talk to Sofia. She manages to get hold of some of his blood. Great. Now she can track him…and thus Nell…anywhere he goes. Or worse.
Don’t trust the dark magician, Rasselas.
It feels like there should be more than two episodes left, somehow. I hope this doesn’t mean a rushed ending.
Renegade Nell 1.7 “Stop Printing This Muck”
We get a musical interlude! Somebody’s written a ballad about Nellie…and they actually wrote the ballad.
And made it an earworm, too.
Isambard rescues himself from court. Meanwhile, Nellie tries to get his fiancée to print a retraction.
His fiancée who has broken it off after finding out he’s a con man through and through, but she seems upset enough about it that she may just take him back.
Is Nellie going to end up getting the girl or am I too hopeful here?
This episode was just fun…the musical interlude and the over-the-top fight scene in the press room are both awesome.
They know everything…and it doesn’t feel rushed at all, thankfully.
Now they just have to rescue the queen!
Renegade Nell 1.8 “Not Some Cheap Trick”
Oh, Nell.
The climax contains some fantastic fight scenes, although guys, a sword she grabbed from a suit of armor isn’t going to be combat sharp.
I know. It’s a trope.
And an inappropriate horse vocalization. You were doing so well.
Despite that, this was a good ending. If this isn’t renewed, which I suspect will be the case, then I’ll be happy with it.
Nell turning down the Queen’s offer to defend her (in part because she thinks she’s lost her powers) was perfect. As was her insisting on appearing in male dress in court.
The gender stuff with Nell is…it really felt as if they wanted to affirm tomboys, and you don’t see that very often. She’s definitely not a man, but she’s not a traditional woman either.
I’d love to see more of her, but even somebody who worked on the show told me their marketing was a bit of a fail.
And Poynton really got his comeuppance, and it’s always good to see a really good villain go down.
Unfortunately, there’s still a villain out there for season two if there is one.
And I’m pleased to note Nell didn’t yet end up with anyone. NO LOVE TRIANGLE.
George is short for Georgina. Which I can tell she hates.
Loved this show, hoping for more but not expecting it.