4 Reasons to Watch the Series "Gentleman Jack"

Gentleman Jack is a two-season adapted series that is based on Sally Wainwright's books, which were originally written by Anne Lister as a diary. The series' first season was released in 2019, and the last episode aired in 2022. As a historical drama, it portrays the facts of the period very well. While we witness the society and bureaucracy of 19th century England, there is also a fact that aroused great interest throughout the series: Anne Lister was a homosexual woman who did not particularly try to conceal it despite the public pressure of the time. Sadly, even though the third season has been canceled, Gentleman Jack remains a must-see production for certain reasons.

1-Gentleman Jack is an HBO Original Series

Anyone who considers themselves a TV series addict knows the high quality of HBO productions, including Game of Thrones, Succession, Euphoria, The Sopranos, House of the Dragon, and more. HBO is a financial powerhouse in its own right, free from the pressure of sponsors, which allows for more creative freedom compared to other networks. As we saw with Game of Thrones, HBO spares no expense in producing its series. It also encourages creativity and maintains great flexibility. While other broadcast networks typically produce serials with 12+ episodes per season, HBO usually limits it to 10 episodes, giving actors and producers the time and opportunity to deliver their best work. Therefore, we can be sure that waiting years for another season of a series will be worth it. These same standards have been applied to Gentleman Jack as well. With the combined quality of HBO and BBC One, you won't even realize how time has passed when starting the next episode.

2-The Successful Cast and Beautiful Settings

One of the most significant factors that contribute to making a movie exquisite is its cast. The actors and actresses in Gentleman Jack are perfectly suited to their characters, and simply by looking at their appearances, one can see this truth. Suranne Jones brings Anne Lister to life perfectly with her upright posture, self-assured tone of voice, and facial features. As the complete opposite of Lister's character, Sophie Rundle portrays her companion Ann Walker with her innocent and sincere smile, worried-looking eyes, and hesitant posture, making this casting just perfect. I believe all the other side characters, especially Aunt Anne, Captain Sutherland, Mariana Lawton, Mr Abbott, and Eugenie, are portrayed excellently by the actors and actresses. Moreover, having witnessed centuries of historical events, Shibden Hall, where most of the series was shot, boasts extraordinary and detailed architecture with a slightly dark tone, which gives off a 'Wuthering Heights' vibe, as described by some.

3- Interesting Historical Facts in 19th-Century England

As history books explain, the British Empire experienced its most prosperous era in the first half of the 1800s. However, this description does not imply that there were no quarrels or disorder. One of these quarrels depicted in the series is about the 1835 election. The tension between Tories (conservatives) and Radicals (working class people) grew so high that riots erupted after the results. Gentleman Jack portrays these disorders on screen in a realistic way. Viewers can feel the fury of the rebels, see the fear in the eyes of the people of higher status, and feel heartbroken by the ruins of the town.

Another significant development in the early 1800s was the widespread usage of steam trains. Considering that the horse-drawn carriage was the fastest mode of travel in those days, the speed of steam trains was shocking for the public. People believed improbable scenarios, such as women traveling by train having their wombs drop or, as we see in the series, cows transported by train exploding due to the speed. This was a very good realistic example of how the public reacts to advancements despite their insufficient knowledge.

4-Homosexuality in Society and Law in the Early 1800s

As mentioned before, Anne Lister was a lesbian woman who had a slightly masculine physical appearance, high education, high-class status, and some land to inherit. For two seasons, we have seen her efforts to establish a healthy romantic bond with Ann Walker. Other than the problems between these two, there was a reaction from society. People who realized the "unnatural intimacy" were afraid of them. They were even afraid of knowing this fact because of the similar situation they witnessed before. This is the point where we realize the approach of the law to homosexuality. If two men were caught engaging in such intimacy, their punishment was execution. However, there were no laws regarding two women in the same situation. Moreover, we learn that once there was someone who claimed two women having an unnatural relationship. This person thought they would be punished severely; however, those two women sued the person for tarnishing their status and position in society. They won. On the other hand, even though laws impose no burden, lesbian couples face ostracism from society. What they did was considered a sin, and nobody wanted to associate with them. In Gentleman Jack, Anne Lister tries to show people that she is just a normal person, with consistent features and character, so that the public sees her beyond her sexuality. Does it work? Only with people who already love her for her good traits. Despite Lister's self-acceptance, Ann Walker faced a mental struggle due to her self-discovery, similar to Catherine from Wuthering Heights. By watching the series, viewers can learn about the laws, public opinion, and even the psychology of people on this matter.

5- Gentleman Jack Has Both Unique and Stereotypical Characters

Anne Lister's portrayal in the series shows us how unique she was. Homosexuality is considered a sin according to the Bible, yet she breaks the rules of Christianity. Nevertheless, she is a devout Christian, believing that God created her this way, so it is not an unnatural way of being. I expected her to be progressive, maybe even leftist, due to her need for acceptance by society and the government. Surprisingly, she is a solid conservative. Even though Anne gets married to the fair sex (which was considered unnatural in those times), she disapproves of Marian getting married to a man with lower status than her, which feels hypocritical. Not to give too many spoilers, I will not mention more examples of how Anne Lister surprises us with her unique character. On the other hand, we are introduced to stereotypical characters, such as the sister who lives in the shadow of her older sister, a man trying to marry a woman just for her wealthy dowry, people trying to mooch off their relatives' money, and a man who uses his title for malicious purposes. Being able to analyze the characters and anticipate their next actions has been the most enjoyable aspect for me while watching.

To be honest, the cancellation of the third season is really disappointing, especially since there are still unanswered questions. Nevertheless, the quality of Gentleman Jack deserves to be seen and appreciated for the reasons mentioned above. Surely, once you start, you won't be able to resist wanting more!