DISCLAIMER: This recap of the Gentleman Jack season finale episode “It’s Not Illegal” has spoilers. Proceed at your peril.
Welcome back, Anne/Ann fans! Gentleman Jack‘s emotionally explosive finale closes the door on the Walker estate division, decisively putting known homophobe Captain Sutherland in his place. “It’s Not Illegal” might not pack as much of a punch as the Season 1 finale, but, let’s be honest, how can you top a secret marriage ceremony?
Suranne Jones and Sophie Rundle are each a tour de force in their own right, with Jones infusing Anne Lister with delicate yet gut-wrenching vulnerability and Rundle injecting Ann Walker with an invigorated sense of purpose. The pair ostensibly switch places personality-wise, and exploring character dynamics of this nature is always fun.
Ready to delve into “It’s Not Illegal”? Let’s get to it.
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We open with Anne (Jones) and Ann (Rundle) in London. Tension from last week’s episode lingers between our fave wives, and Ann expresses her frustrations regarding Anne’s reluctance to introduce her to high society London. Ann wants to meet Anne’s fancy friends!
Anne dines with friends who are captivated by our lead’s intrepid escapades. She informs them that she and Ann plan on choosing a new headteacher for the school in Halifax.
Later, Ann scolds Anne for not letting her speak while they’re sitting in their carriage. She believes it makes her look inept. Meanwhile, Captain Sutherland (Derek Riddell) and Elizabeth (Katherine Kelly) dine with the former’s mother. They plan to leave their child with granny while traveling from Scotland to Shibden Hall. Elizabeth leaves the room, so Sutherland seizes the moment to divulge his concerns about Ann’s relationship with Anne.
Sutherland compares it to an incident in Scotland wherein two women were accused of having a romantic bond. Blah, blah, blah, cue the raging homophobia. Sutherland believes Anne Lister’s “debasement” of Ann is the driving force behind the latter’s sudden desire to divide the Walker estate. Because Ann isn’t intelligent enough to ask for that on her own, right?
Next, Ann accuses Anne of draining her dry of her money, primarily since Ann finances their trips and Anne’s real estate pursuits, i.e., the Northgate Casino. Then, Ann reveals she’s tired of being seen as less-than compared to Anne. She also discloses her knowledge regarding Anne’s standing with Mariana Lawton. She knows something happened, but she seems unaware of Anne’s adultery.
Suddenly, Ann declares she cannot continue in this arrangement. No! This drama is too much!
Anne vows that her only wish is for Ann’s unadulterated happiness, so she won’t stop the latter from leaving Shibden.
Later, while heading back to Halifax, they make a pitstop at a church to pay their respects to a child’s memorial. Anne launches into an emotionally-charged monologue examining her character traits. She wonders aloud why she is the way that she is. Additionally, Anne believes that since this child perished only a few weeks before she was born that perhaps said child was reincarnated as Anne. Anne declares that this is why she can’t give Ann children.
Jones commands the scene here with a powerhouse performance. It holds the weight of a thrashing hurricane while Jones delivers her monologue with natural subtlety and nuance and takes the route of “less is more.” It’s mesmerizing.
Next, Anne and Ann return to Shibden Hall and have dinner with Marian (Gemma Whelan), Aunt Lister (Gemma Jones) and Jeremy (Timothy West). The group discusses the gathering to commemorate the groundbreaking casino construction, wherein Ann promises to lay the first brick in celebration.
Ann drinks everyone under the table, clearly anxious about the estate division and Captain Sutherland’s incessant meddling.
Later, the following day, Ann meets with Sutherland and Elizabeth. Elizabeth remains completely silent, allowing her husband to talk for her. Sutherland claims he’s worried about Ann and states his belief that Anne’s behind this desire to divide the Walker estate. Sutherland demeans Ann’s intellect, believing she doesn’t possess the acuity to conduct these affairs. What a tool.
He’s also irked about Ann keeping all documentation at Shibden Hall, where anyone, a.k.a. Anne, can read them.
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Then, Anne reads a letter from her wife explaining Sutherland’s refusal to sign the deed. We see her have sex with Mariana (Lydia Leonard) in the bed she shares with Ann. Initially, I was unsure if this was a flashback, but it appears to take place in the linear timeline of this episode. That’s not good.
Marian confesses how overwhelmed she feels with juggling the finances for Shibden. She expresses to Anne her desire to move, and she plans to take Jeremy with her. Anne wonders what happened to her former beau. Marian reveals it went up in flames a while ago.
Meanwhile, Sutherland meets with Ann’s lawyer, Mr. Gray (Adrian Rawlins). Sutherland reveals the depths of Anne Lister’s corruption and how he doesn’t think Ann is mentally sound enough to oversee this estate division. However, Gray shoots back that Ann’s doctor, highly regarded in his field, had nothing but glowing remarks about Ann’s progress. Gray believes she has the competence to move forward independently.
Then, Sutherland withdraws the only ace up his sleeve — Anne and Ann’s “ungodly” relationship. Thankfully, Gray shuts down Sutherland’s claims. Perhaps not his homophobia, but it feels that way, so I’ll take it.
Later, Anne stops by to visit the Sutherlands at Ann’s behest. She tells Ann that Tib’s mother, Mrs. Norcliffe, had a stroke. Ann informs Anne that Sutherland plans to send the deed to Mr. Parker and even seems “appeased” about the whole thing. Something’s amiss.
Anne chats with Sutherland and Elizabeth for a spell and notices how challenging it was to elicit even one sentence from Elizabeth. Sutherland has her in his thrall.
Next, Anne and Ann prepare for the Northgate Casino brick-laying celebration. Marian reveals she won’t attend for fear of stares and murmurs from the crowd. After the newspaper article about Ann’s fake engagement, Marian’s former beau fled the scene.
Aunt Lister wishes Anne luck, while Jeremy declares his belief that she’ll make a fool out of herself.
At the gathering, Mr. Washington (Joe Armstrong) reveals that Sutherland sent the deed to Mr. Parker without signing it. Anne and Ann piece together Sutherland’s intentions, i.e., his belief that Anne’s corrupting her wife.
Then, Anne encourages Ann to give a speech before laying the first commemorative brick, which is well-received by the crowd. Huzzah!
Later, our wives hightail it to Mr. Parker’s office to chat with him. Unfortunately, his secretary bars them from entering, as Parker’s (Bruce Alexander) in a meeting with the Sutherlands. Once again, Sutherland expresses faux concern for his sister-in-law’s wellbeing. Parker, like Gray, seems hesitant to ruffle feathers.
It all comes to a head at Shibden Hall as Sutherland and Elizabeth arrive to speak with Ann. Ann confronts Sutherland about his refusal to sign the deed. Finally, Elizabeth explodes, confessing that Sutherland lied about being pals with Gray and Parker and their supposed disapproval of the estate division. So, there was no collusion. Take that!
Anne and Ann celebrate their victory when Sutherland finally signs the documents in front of Gray and Parker. Then, we see Tib (Joanna Scanlan) penning a heartfelt letter to Anne revealing the unfortunate demise of her mother.
Ann bids farewell to Sutherland and Elizabeth before hitting the road with her wife. Ann apologizes while in the carriage for doubting Anne’s character and intentions. They plan to travel to York to mourn Mrs. Norcliffe, then settle the affair with their wills. Ann’s in this marriage for the long haul. The pair lock hands and kiss, and all is well with the world.
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“It’s Not Illegal” wraps most of the season’s storylines save the inexplicable loose thread of the Sowden family drama. Perhaps they’ll revisit it should the series receive the Season 3 greenlight? That said, I feel this episode also serves as a solid series finale if that’s the end of Gentleman Jack.
Filled to the brim with enthralling performances and delicious drama, “It’s Not Illegal” proves that love wins. Oh, and never, ever, mess with Anne Lister and Ann Walker. I’m particularly proud of Ann in this outing. Her growth this season is undeniable. Season 2 does a fine job of experimenting with character dynamics and development.
Do you think Anne will come clean regarding her indiscretion with Mariana? Will Marian and Jeremy move out of Shibden Hall? Let’s hope the HBO gods hear our prayer for another season.
Gentleman Jack Seasons1-2 are currently streaming on HBO Max.
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