This episode was FLAWLESS. Every actor was fantastic. I wanted to cry with Emma, but be mad at her like Jane and disappointed like Alex. At least we are at rock bottom, it can only get better.
I completely agree. They caught the emotions of the book perfect...you are mad and (mainly) disappointed with Emma, but still empathize with her. Mostly I blame Frank! He instigated it...his perfect hair isn't going to save him now :)
Amy A Well if they stay true to the book, Harriet won't be in that much pain....not like this. Still, I'm scared Harriet's storyline might be worse than the book version. But I think about Martin's two tickets to the fair and I feel better. It's all gonna be okay....eventually.....
I think Jane is mostly angry at Frank, but is taking out most of it out anger on Emma. At leasts that what it sounded like with some of the things Jane was saying. He's supposed to love her right? Him humiliating Maddy in front of everyone would be like a slap in the face to Jane. I felt so badly for Emma, but what she did to Maddy was was awful and she definitely needed to be reproached for for it.
I agree, but I do think it was within her rights to not want them in the baskets or for her to not to sponsor them. However, if that was the case, she should have said so immediately and in a kind way instead of how she did. Emma does not seem to handle interpersonal problems well at all. There is just so much she doesn't see or take into account before she acts.
I feel like someone has punched all the air out of my body. That was amazing. The way Brent Bailey delivered his lines so starkly, so shockingly, even though I knew it was coming... A+. I'm so glad that they kept in "Badly done". Joanna Sototmura was great, as well. The yelling out for Alex and saying to Harriet, "Please don't leave me." could've been so overdone, but they weren't. A+ again. So great. AHHHH. HIATUS??? WHY??? CURSE YOU, BERNIE SU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't think there's a hiatus because the video still sats Monday, my guess is that they don't want to reveal anything from the next episode. Maybe they change location?
I love when Alex says bullshit, it's like Emma suddenly takes him seriously and the entire tone changes. Awesome job to the actors like seriously, this was incredible
First of, HOLY JOANNA SOTOMURA that was good. Seriously. The way her eyes teared up so quickly!!! Tyra and Brent did their roles so well. And i'm so glad they kept the "Badly done, Emma" line. I see a ? for the next video. Does this mean another hiatus? :(
Amal Samir But in this version Harriet has a deeper sensibility and a more complex personality, I'm afraid she could be really hurt after she discovers about Emma and Alex.
SophieEve88 yes, i was wondering how are they going to handle Harriet finding out about Alex and Emma , in the book Emma didn't even tell her ,she just found out that Harriet married Robert martin . i hope here she accepts going out with martin before she finds out about Emma and Alex so that way she realizes her feelings for Alex weren't that deep and doesn't get hurt much.
And I love how the writers translated the impact of Emma's actions in Mrs Bates's life, from "how the rest of the people will treat her, because they saw you treating her bad" to the "you encouraged her to put herself out there " . Maybe im overthinking the whole scene but the impact in Maddie's life is greater in this adaptation, I think, because it involves her business and it is a little bit more difficult to fix than just going to her house and pay visits and bring her food, as in the book. Love how all this worked.
Yes, exactly! It was more than just taking the jams out of the gift bags. She mocked Maddy in front of a lot of influential people, even though she was supposed to be helping her with her business.
+TheKD108 Thank you for saying that! Some commenters in other threads are brushing off Emma's bad behavior like it was nothing or like Maddie deserved it. Excuse me? Adults do not go around loudly insulting each other in large public settings; it's in extremely bad taste. The fact that the Woodhouses and Bateses are old family friends makes it even worse. What Emma literally did was publicly humiliate an old friend. I wonder how she's going to ever make it up to Maddie...
I am glad that Emma got told down, but at the same time, I just want to hug her and tell her everything will work out. Jane is understandable, not just because of Emma, but Frank as well. When you love someone, you don't humiliate their family. Knightley did the Badly Done perfectly. I just want to hug all of them, even Harriet.
RE: Jane--I see a lot of people saying that Emma went out of her way to be nice to Jane. I beg it differ. Emma went out of her way to satisfy her own curiosity about Jane's life, and kept trying even after it was obvious Jane didn't want to talk about it. She wasn't being nice; she was being nosy. And I say that with much love for the original Emma and Joanna's version, both of whom are amazing. As for Jane yelling at Emma: I'm not saying it's professional, but it is understandable. All I have to do is look at Maddy's face in the photos to know that the jibe hit home, and in that situation I'd yell too, boss or no.
That was SO GOOD! Best episode so far. Everything was pulled off beautifully - Jane's leaving, Alex's disapproval, Emma's shift from forced cheerfulness to having to deal with her actions square-on. Calling Maddie's jams "disgusting" in front of everyone and laughing with Frank about it, is even worse than we imagined with her just leaving them out of the gift boxes. I don't think the adaptation has ever been more spot-on than in this episode. Well done, all!
THIS WAS SO GOOD. I loved everything about this. Brent's usage of profanity and the way he delivered the lines was absolutely spot on. I loved how Joanna absolutely made me believe her world was crumbling. Tyra's whole reason for leaving was a little vague (though we all know it is because of Frank), but her acting was superb. As for the might be hiatus: PLEASE PLEASE *PLEASE* DONT DO THAT.
OH GOD! BOX HILL IS HERE. First: I actually cried. When I saw Alex at the door, I knew my heart was about to be broken along with Emma's. What a perfect job of the whole crew. What a perfect episode, even though is so painful to watch. Alex was perfect! You can see how hurt he is... The way he says "that's bullshit"... I just had to get back to that line, it was even more surprising than "badly done, Emma". And Emma, OMG!!! The way her eyes were already tearing during the conversation. It broke my heart. I must say this is one of the best adaptations of the Box Hill incident ever.
And cue me crying. I think with Jane, it's hard to feel an impact because she really didn't open up to Emma at all, and if she was having these issues she should have said something sooner. Also, I think some of Jane's anger is misplaced. I don't remember the specifics of the book, but hello Frank. But following that with Alex's explanation of events makes Jane's feelings much more understandable.
UGH WHO ELSE CRIED? Btw I highly appreciate that Harriet still held Emma's hand while trying to turn the camera off. I love Harriet. BUT WOW THIS EPISODE WAS INTENSE
Nicole Nixon It's not a bad thing. It illustrated how frustrated Knightley is and how badly Emma behaved. Cursing is fine once in awhile like this. If there had been more, then I don't think I would like it as much. And I say this as someone who swears regularly.
You see Emma's face drop so thoroughly and quickly that I think Alex doesn't swear often. I think when he swears, something is a BIG deal. I think Emma's reaction shows us that Knightley is not just upset. He. Is. Angry.
Okay, I love Pride and Prejudice and all the drama that was in it more than Emma as stories, but no LBD episode--not even the one when Lydia finds out about what George did to her--can compare to how visceral and gut wrenchingly beautiful this episode is. One could clearly see how Emma's heart broke in two while Alex was chastising her. And those tears, those tears were real. Kudos to Joanna and Brent. At the last moment before Alex left, his voice broke while he was speaking and it looked as if it was killing him to hurt Emma. While that moment in itself was a great touch, perhaps what actually made it as great was the fact that it was killing Brent as a person and not as Alex Knightley to see Joanna hurting as Emma was hurting. That touch of realness that comes with Joanna and Brent's relationship transcending this show is what made this scene one of the best ever in terms of Pemberley Digital and this whole thing. Bravo to Joanna Sotomura for a beautiful performance.
I'd say the Lydia finding out about George episode was pretty amazing too. The way she breathed out all shakily and started crying before running out was impressive
Oh my gosh. Tears. Many tears. And can we talk for a minute about what a great adaptation this was of the scene in the book? A bit more anger than the book, but it really captured the true feelings of Knightly's frustrations with Emma that have been building up. Also, perfection in acting from both Joanna and Brent.
I am so happy with the way this episode worked out. Despite currently crying tears, as I have in every adaptation at this very moment. I am mixed with feelings of sadness for Emma, and a part of me is so torn because of how broken her friendship with Alex is. I am so proud of you Pemberley Digital. This couldn't be any better than it was.
This is the first time I've missed a video, and it had to be one of the most important ones of the entire series. I started watching the next video and I had no clue why Emma was crying!
This has always been my absolute favorite part of Emma. Everyone knows how it feels to be this ashamed of themselves, to be in a party, get carried away by the excitement, do something stupid, then go to bed hating themselves.
Joanna was spot on in this. Watching her face as the episode progressed was heart-wrenching. Absolutely powerful. The writing was brilliant and the execution from everyone was perfection. Oh how my heart hurts, right now. I feel like I've been stabbed.
I don't care for profanity, but it was done well for Alex to say what he said. It sort of snapped Emma out of her perfect-ish world. "Badly done" thank you do much for putting that line in here!!
Yes, I don't care for profanity either, and that's what makes this so great. People who use that kind of language all the time don't understand how powerful it can be when used by someone who normally doesn't.
Oh my god, the emotion in Alex's voice while telling off Emma... and the way Emma just breaks down knowing that Alex is seriously mad at her... god this made me cry :-(. Still so glad they pulled off like in the book :-). And the pics are just so awesome, they kind of fill the gaps for us!!!
The hardest part about watching this video was seeing Emma beg Alex not to leave. And yes, I watched it to the end and was horrified by her total breakdown, but that scene when she runs after him was almost unbearable in its emotional brokenness. I only wonder how much Emma can take once Harriet has her own confession to make.
"Badly done, Emma." Wonderfully done, Emma Approved!! This episode hit it out of the park. The writing and acting were pitch *perfect*. Seriously, omg THE FEELS. Bravo, all!
this was perfectly executed! im so happy with how they are turning one of my favorite books into a perfect modernization, the cast and crew are doing an amazing job
The writing, stage direction, and acting are outstanding in this episode. Every decision feels perfectly deliberate in the best possible way: the camera changes, the word placement ("bullshit," the natural "badly done"), the perfect amount of time to leave the office empty and give the audience space to fill it up with their own emotions...Emma Approved may be different from LBD, but I was never one to say it was worse, and I think this episode made it better. Well done, EA.
"If this is the way you make the world better, I don't want to be in any part of it." Oh. My gosh. Nothing he could have said would have hurt Emma harder then that. *tears well up* Bravo, guys. This was amazing.
This episode was amazing. I was tearing up the whole time. Emma calling out to Alex was heartbreaking! The badly done line (which I've been hoping they kept) was flawlessly worked in and didn't sound awkward. Daymn well done all.
This episode was so intense! AND SO GOOD! I knew you were all good actors, but today you proved you were AMAZING actors! Those tears felt so real, Joanna! And Tyra and Brent were so good too! Well done. Really. Good job everybody!
No one else is saying it, but for this adaptation I think Alex shouting "bull shit" was far harsher and more shocking than "badly done" I think for the era "badly done" was the equivalent of him swearing at her. However its great the line was still used because its so iconic. On a side note his anger and the argument seemed real enough that I even pulled back a little with Emma when he swore. Bravo you were all so amazing!
I hate seeing Emma all broken down like this. It's like we've taken a step back to the senator scumbag incident. This influence Frank has over her is controlling, and he is changing her for the worst. Alex needs to come back and help Emma back to the person she used to be, bright, happy and maybe slightly less nosy. Come on Snarky knightly, she needs you... #emmaandalex
Mia I know that, but it was Franks influence. Sometimes, when your around the wrong people, you can end up as someone you never thought you would be...do things you never thought you would do.
Elise Johnston This. I'd say a theme of the novel is how we let ourselves be influenced by others, and how we influence others, and the knock-on effect that can have. Very much about how to function as an interconnected community and to be aware of ourselves and those around us. There's a reason the setting of Highbury village is so insular compared to the travels undertaken in other Austen novels. It's about the pressures and dynamics within that contained environment, where the forces are people's personalities, goals and desires.
Well, even though I knew this was coming, it still effectively tore my heart out. I cannot wait for monday now. This show and all the actors are amazing!
Hitting the "like" button was almost ironic, since "like" is not exactly what I feel towards this episode. Can anyone love something and still hate it to the guts? It was so perfect, but that just means my heart was torn apart :'(
Wow. This was so well done. I am completely blown away. "Badly done, Emma" has always been one of my favorite parts of Emma's story because it's exactly what needs to happen for Emma to realize what she's done AND for her relationship with Knightley to move forward. GOOD JOB, ALL! WOO
OH MY GOD. Best episode of the series so far: dramatic, great rhythm, the actors were tremendous, and the writing honoured the original text. I loved the way Jane was referring to her dubious relationship with Frank Churchill (who seems to be more unforgivable in this scenario than he is in the novel - especially since there doesn't seem to be any reason for him to be upset and vengeful, AND why the hell would he force Jane to keep their relationship a secret? I don't see any plausible reason in this day and age) while speaking on what doesn't work at EA. AND ALEX. ALEX. GOD. I've been waiting for this conversation for almost a year now. 'BADLY DONE, EMMA' AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Yes! Good! And Joanna Sotomura was fantastic, she broke my heart - her voice suddenly went very small, as if coming from far far away, as if the ground had been swept off her feet. When she ran after Alex my throat began to ache from the EMOTION. I CAN'T WAIT.
I love this theory! And it makes a lot of sense - she wants to make it on her own, she doesn't want his job to influence hers...especially given that he's a corporation mogul and she works for non-profits.
OMG. I knew this video would be heartbreaking...but...but...but.. :( That was so intense huhuhu. Impeccable acting. And I loved how Joanna's mascara was getting ruined from the tears. And Knightley's 'Badly done, Emma!' was spot on. I just wish we could have actually seen how Emma humiliated Maddie, but I guess the Boxx pictures should suffice. Good adaptation from talkativeness --> jams
TabChesson I agree. The pictures were beautiful, such high quality! I love how we have more than just the videos to interact with in knowing the story. It makes everything seem so much more realistic.
I have tears, ACTUAL TEARS, in my eyes! That episode was POWERFUL! Well done to the writers, actors, and especially Joanna for giving that amazing performance. And they managed to do all this while staying true to the original text work. I am completely blown away by how wonderful this episode was.
I just realized something: why is no one mad at Frank Churchill? Pretty giant piece of latent sexism in that, isn't there? Like Jane is behaving irrationally, but Frank is just, what, high spirited? Not cool, folks.
SPOILERS. Jane's very pissed off at Frank right now (that's a big reason why she's taking a job in NY--to get away from him). In the book, she sent him a letter basically telling him to go to hell in a polite, 19th century way. I'm sure this Jane has had a confrontation with him; we just didn't get to see it.
MORE SPOILERS Aside from what Amy said above, Mr Knightley also gets really mad at Frank. He's just afraid to hurt Emma's feelings, because he thinks she's in love with Mr. Churchill. The problem is, even though Knightley is pissed off at Frank, he holds no consideration for the latter - he knows Emma is better than what she has been showing, but he really doesn't expect any good coming out of Frank.
No need to throw around accusations of sexism. If you look at Frank-heavy episodes, you'll see quite a lot of Frank-bashing, but in this episode it's Jane who's more featured which is why people are mad at her. I don't think anyone bashing Jane isn't mad at Frank, but they're focusing on her since she and not he was the one whom we saw in this episode.
Amy A You're spot on! SPOILERS If you look at the pictures from the opening, you can just see the jealousy and mistrust of Frank seething from Jane in her expression and body language. Especially in the group photos.
Amy A DudsCampos Very true statements, both. I was thinking more "why are the commenters on this video not mad at Frank?" than "why aren't the characters mad?"
People keep commenting that Jane's behavior (yelling at her boss isn't "professional" but isn't that the point? Her grievance isn't professional, it's personal. Emma humiliated her Aunt, and if my boss treated any one of my acquaintances the way Emma treated Maddie, boy would they hear about it and not in a professional manner. I feel sorry for Emma, but she brought this upon herself by being cruel, and Jane and Alex losing respect for her is kind of a testament to her character (they had come to expect better) and to theirs (they are willing to speak their minds when they see something amiss). "Emma" is the only book published by Jane Austen during her lifetime that uses the heroine's name as the title, because more than anything else, I think the novel is the story of Emma's growth. and here you can see how badly she needs to do some growing up. She NEEDS to come to grips with her failings before she can get together with Knightly. Jane is right: she doesn't value people enough. Not Maddie, not Harriet (maybe she really starts to value Harriet as a friend and not just as an accessory in this episode), not Martin, and not Alex, whose steadiness and unfailing kindness she perceives as "boring". And how could Alex respect her after watching her being needlessly horrible to someone so sweet? It's not that I don't "like" Emma, but she, like me and 99.99999% of humanity, is a deeply flawed person. The question is whether or not she can come to grips with that and change herself for the better.
I knew it was coming - I was waiting for it - but it's still a sock to the gut. Kudos to the writers for keeping in the "badly done Emma." I agree that Joanna Sotomura did a great job.
Oh my God...the acting was amazing, I cried, I couldn't hold it. I can't believe this is all happening and so fast... Emma screwed up big time this time. And what about next episode? When is it coming back? I need one right now! "Please, please don't leave." That killed me.
I'm so sad Emma Approved has so much less views than the LBD, because, if we are being honest, the mains of this show are ten times the actors. They nailed it, and nothing felt stiff. I love LBD, but there were some rough acting moments. These two are flawless
That was so well done. From working in the infamous "badly done, Emma" to Knightley and Harriet's reactions. So well done. Special shoutout to Joanna for some kick ass acting.
As to the question of how Emma and Maddie will make up: if Alex has really left the company, Emma and Harriet are going to need some help with managing finances. And who do they know who's been trying to show Emma some accounting software for a while? YEP, Maddie Bates. I'm guessing Emma will be forced to humble herself and ask for Maddie's help, which will give her a chance to apologize and make amends for her behavior. Meanwhile, will Alex start his own company called Donwell Enterprises (or something like that)? And how will B-Mart reenter the picture? I love this adaptation and can't wait to see what they do next!
Pemberly Digital has been so on point with all the emotional gut punches of the series they're adapting, it's so incredible. First Lydia's arc, and then this, I just ... thank you so much for bringing all of it to light so well.
I don't know if anyone else experienced this. but this episode didn't come up in my email or my subscription feed. I knew it was meant to be up today. But thought maybe there might have been a break - like a lot of people are having - for Comic con. Glad I decided to look for this episode. Because it was stellar. I've watched it 3 times so far.
Jillian O'Keefe Oh no, that totally sucks. It must have been a bit confusing. Looks like the same thing happened for a fair few people. I wonder if it's a good thing or not that I went looking for the missing episode the moment I didn't see it that morning in my inbox. Maybe I'm a tad obsessed.
I don't get all the Jane hate. Jane actually goes out and helps people because it's the right thing to do. Emma helps people to feed her own ego. She has her own idea about how the world around her is supposed to go and she has consistently manipulated and hurt the people around her so that the world fits her ideal image. She deserved to get taken down a notch by both Jane and Alex.
Wow. I needed to take a few deep breaths after this one. Fantastically acted and well-written. Joanna as Emma cries really convincingly and Alex and Jane's respective disappointment in Emma, although different, are clearly conveyed. A few reactions (Warning: this is going to be long): 1 - I think while Jane was trying to be professional in her resignation, she should have given some specific reasons for quitting and for her disappointment in EA as a company and Emma as a boss and leader. As it is, she just confused Emma and didn't give herself the outlet that would have allowed herself to leave with a modicum of closure and a chance to actually let Emma know what she did wrong so that Emma can work on it and not just repeat past mistakes. Everything she said was true and she's angry at Emma for hurting Maddie and for being Frank's partner-in-snobbiness, but she has never been good with open communication (really, no one except Alex and Annie has been open). Writing her grievances in a letter could have been helpful. Then editing it down and either reading from it or handing it in. I've done that before to respond to office drama. It's also the equivalent of counting to 10 so you don't explode. 2 - Loved Alex's whole speech. Although like someone else said here, it seems a bit out of character for him to ignore her crying, although it makes sense if he thought she was only crying to get her way or because she was afraid of losing him, not because she felt regret. . . Which is true, at least until she processes things. 3- Poor Maddie. 4- Frank is an asshole. He doesn't deserve any of the women in this show. I don't know how he's going to atone unless he does some serious groveling and even then... 5- Emma needs some serious self-reflection and identity defining to go on. I wonder if Annie will be willing to help talk Emma through seeing and understanding not only everything she did wrong, but everything she's doing wrong in her approach to life and busines. Girl needs to figure out who she is, who she wants to be, and what her priorities are both personally and professionally.
This was fantastic. It was a reality check for Emma. She realized that her actions do, in fact, affect the people around her and could cost her relationships. Brilliant acting. Just amazing.
Oh man.. Out of ALL the adaptations I have seen, this is the one that got me swept up in all of the drama. In the other ones, I could relate to everyone being put off by Emma's horrible attitude towards Miss Bates, and applauded Knightley's response to her. But this one, dude.. You can see her heart break when she realizes that she's losing Alex, and has lost a potential friend in Jane (mostly the Alex thing, though). This Emma has a very hard couple of weeks ahead of her, and I hope she is ready for what will definitely test her faith in herself. :( This just got so good, though! :D
oh.mah.word. this was perfect. so perfect. you guys are doing such a good job on this series - it is a million times better than I could have ever imagined. Everything about this was spot on. I was torn between grinning wildly and sobbing the whole time.
I'm not a huge Jane fan but the hate on her needs to stop. Instead of directing the hate at her, direct it at Frank! I mean, it's technically all his fault. Instead of trying to make Jane jealous by giving Emma wrong advice and flirting with her, he should have straightened out whatever was going on in their relationship. Just because Jane was shy in front of the camera at first is not a reason for her to get unnecessary hate from people - I mean after all, Emma just insulted Jane's aunt and was unknowingly flirting with Frank, so Jane's behavior towards Emma is understandable. I'm surprised Jane didn't get even more mad, to be honest. Anyway, this was a fantastic episode. Great writing and acting from the crew and cast, respectively - especially Joanna Sotomura (Emma Woodhouse). Alex leaving obviously left me heartbroken, although I fully understood where he was coming from. Obviously, not all of his anger was because of Emma's treatment of Maddy Bates; some of it was because of Emma's behavior around Frank, but I'm not sure if Alex is aware of how he feels about Emma yet. But yeah, him leaving made me feel really sad (especially since I'm a huge Emma/Knightley shipper in this adaption). Emma made me sad too. I do agree what she did was totally wrong and there were definitely better ways to get Maddy's jams out of the picture, but I know how it feels to have the people closest to you abandon you (For Emma, it's Annie, Alex, etc), so I really felt bad for her. Harriet was so sweet when turning off the camera for her. I really can't wait for the new episodes. There's going to be so much angst, many revelations, and a little bit of romance. It's so sad to hear this web series ending so soon; it feels like the first episode just came out yesterday! I really hope Emma Approved gets a second season; it really deserves it!
Okay I'm honestly confused and disgusted by the amount of hatred for Jane right now. Why do so many people have such a big problem with her? I really don't understand.
So when did it become okay to hate a character simply because they don't worship the main character? Because I've noticed it happens a lot and i'm really not okay with it.
I agree. Maybe there was something distasteful about Jane in the book but I don't think most of this hate is coming from book readers. Emma is 100% dead wrong. WTF, people.
I think a lot of it is becaus people didn't like the fact that she didnt let Emma pry into her personal life like everyone else,and to them her introversion seems rude or unapproachable. As an introvert myself, I disagree,but not everyone gets it! And why SHOULDN'T Jane quit??? Emma completely insulted maddie!
Seriously. At first, I was a little turned off by Jane; she seemed really frosty. But as things went on, I realized she was acting the exact same way I would act if I found myself working in a place where the boss makes me film everything and acts as if she knows more about what I need for myself than I do. I have not yet read the book, but I know enough to spot a person in a damaging situation when I see one.
I am so impressed by everyone in this, and the arc of this series in general. Remember the tone from the first episode compared to this one? Amazing! And I love that they kept the "badly done" as well.
Have you noticed that in the earliest episodes Emma's make up makes her look, I don't know, almost harsh and brittle?. As the series progresses the make up is softer, more natural, even. Joanna's natural freckles are visible in more and more episodes. I like that it seems to reflect her inner journey and gradual development into a more honest and empathetic human being.
This episode...wow. I understand why Emma did what she did, and why Jane and Alex are upset. I don't think Emma doesn't care, she just goes about things the wrong way. But Jane was unprofessional with how she approached Emma. And poor Emma when Alex walked away
It's kind of hypocritical to accuse Jane of being unprofessional when Emma not only breaks promises without telling anybody, but then she humiliates her friends at a high-profile event in front of clients.
I never said Emma was unprofessional, i did say she went about things the wrong way (i may have not used the word "unprofessional" here but it was implied). Plus we have no idea what really happened at that event, unless there is a video i missed.
P3acexL0veScr1be If you look at the linked photos from the opening (password is "boxxhill"), you can get a pretty good idea of how it went. It looks like it got pretty awkward after the jams came out.
Somebody get ALL of today's cast an award! FANTASTICALLY done, all of them! Also, I lost it when Alex said "Yeah, badly done, Emma." Oh, how I was waiting to hear how they'd incorporate that line!
Wow. Why is it that everyone is attacking and blaming Jane?! And calling her and Maddy opportunistic and tacky...whats that about? Sure, if Emma didn't know either one of them and Jane had CONSTANTLY INSISTED then perhaps if would have seemed opportunistic and tasteless. Like Alex said, Maddy has known Emma since she was a little girl. And hey, all Emma had to say to Jane was "no." People are acting as if Jane just outright attacked Emma for no legitimate reason and in an unprofessional manner. Jane approached Emma calmly and asked to speak with her in private. Its Emma's behavior at the party and her apparent lack of understanding/awareness of others' feelings that causes Jane's frustrations in the conversation. And yes, it probably also had to do with Frank openly flirting with Emma (though she should not be taking out her anger on part of her jealousy out on Emma as Emma is unaware of that too). And to know that Frank was a part of it...well that would piss anybody off. Frank is not a part of the company and Emma should not be discussing and making decisions so openly with him. Emma should have talked to both Jane and Maddy about the jams before the party, instead of leaving them both clueless at the party and embarrassing Maddy in front of the party guests. Both Jane and Emma worked together on this project, and yes, while Emma might be the lead and authority in the company and Jane could have been more coherent as to why she was angry to Emma, it does not make Jane's ideas or problems with Emma's direction any less warranted. And obviously they are as Alex came in and admonished her on her behavior as well. Heck, Alex comes in and talks to her all the time about things or projects that he doesn't agree with or is hesitant of, but suddenly Jane is in the wrong for bringing it up? I wonder why..... I have a feeling that if a different actress had been chosen to play her, more people would be sympathetic and understanding of Jane's view. Also, pushing a camera in somebody's face and constantly trying to gossip or talk about non-business things while they are working is not trying to understand or get to know someone really and truly, its trying to push them into someting they don't want to do. Emma as we already know can easily steamroll over reserved and quiet people and was just miffed that she couldn't do that with Jane, Emma doesn't know how to adapt her poersonality to others. She just sees her way and thats it. Just because Jane is quiet and not as socially boisterous, does not mean she was annoyed with Emma or being mean to her, its just not her thing. Alex, in the beginning didn't care for it either. Jeez, why so much hate for quiet and reserved people?! She's just being professional in her way. Alright, I'm done.
Oh my gosh. Yesterday I commented on a video about how rewatching this made me connect with Harriet on a deeper level and today rewatching this episode makes me connect with Emma on a deeper level. The raw emotion of Alex leaving and her only request of Harriet being "please don't leave me" is something I have experienced. I really wish the newer Pemberley Digital shows had as much heart and lovable characters of this and the Lizzie Bennet Diaries because these have both touched my heart which is why I have watched them both multiple times now.
They pulled the silent end card. Guys that's not good. Silent end cards are bad. I am a f---ing mess right now.
Silent end cards were only used during the worst bits of The Lydia Fiasco. This is not good. Abort feels! I repeat, ABORT THE FEELS!
I think we all are.
This episode was FLAWLESS. Every actor was fantastic. I wanted to cry with Emma, but be mad at her like Jane and disappointed like Alex.
At least we are at rock bottom, it can only get better.
agreeeed. it was SO good. i was on emma's side but also on jane and knightley's side... how is that possible??
Well we're not exactly at ROCK bottom...
I completely agree. They caught the emotions of the book perfect...you are mad and (mainly) disappointed with Emma, but still empathize with her. Mostly I blame Frank! He instigated it...his perfect hair isn't going to save him now :)
Alesia Staskiewicz
Yeah, that one friend Emma has left, whom she just asked not to leave her? Things are going to get rocky there soon.
Amy A Well if they stay true to the book, Harriet won't be in that much pain....not like this. Still, I'm scared Harriet's storyline might be worse than the book version. But I think about Martin's two tickets to the fair and I feel better. It's all gonna be okay....eventually.....
"Badly done Emma" is one of my all time favorite Knightley lines. But gawd yhis made me cry...
Same. Something broke in me.
Yep one of my favourite lines from the book and movies and now this :)
I think Jane is mostly angry at Frank, but is taking out most of it out anger on Emma. At leasts that what it sounded like with some of the things Jane was saying. He's supposed to love her right? Him humiliating Maddy in front of everyone would be like a slap in the face to Jane. I felt so badly for Emma, but what she did to Maddy was was awful and she definitely needed to be reproached for for it.
I agree, but I do think it was within her rights to not want them in the baskets or for her to not to sponsor them. However, if that was the case, she should have said so immediately and in a kind way instead of how she did. Emma does not seem to handle interpersonal problems well at all. There is just so much she doesn't see or take into account before she acts.
So true but I have to agree with @MitsyCat as well.
HE SAID THE THING
Tearssssss
SO perfect
I feel like someone has punched all the air out of my body. That was amazing. The way Brent Bailey delivered his lines so starkly, so shockingly, even though I knew it was coming... A+. I'm so glad that they kept in "Badly done". Joanna Sototmura was great, as well. The yelling out for Alex and saying to Harriet, "Please don't leave me." could've been so overdone, but they weren't. A+ again. So great. AHHHH. HIATUS??? WHY??? CURSE YOU, BERNIE SU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't think there's a hiatus because the video still sats Monday, my guess is that they don't want to reveal anything from the next episode. Maybe they change location?
It was better than what we imagined! This was brilliantly done :)
It's not a hiatus!!!! The "?" is what they always use when they don't want to spoil the next episode.
Brent Bailey responded to someone on Twitter confirming that there's an episode next Monday
Thank God!!! I wouldn't have been able to handle a hiatus.
I love when Alex says bullshit, it's like Emma suddenly takes him seriously and the entire tone changes. Awesome job to the actors like seriously, this was incredible
First of, HOLY JOANNA SOTOMURA that was good. Seriously. The way her eyes teared up so quickly!!! Tyra and Brent did their roles so well. And i'm so glad they kept the "Badly done, Emma" line.
I see a ? for the next video. Does this mean another hiatus? :(
It still says it will be up on Monday. I just don't think they wanted to give anything away.
"BADLY DONE, EMMA." UGH OMG THEY WORKED IT IN AND MY HEART IS BROKEN
And Harriet was so sweet in this episode, thinking that she will be sad and will suffer soon enough is making me even more sad :(
I really gotta stop reading the comments. x_x
i don't think it's Harriet who is going to suffer. it's Emma who will suffer even more when she discovers Harriet's secret .
Amal Samir But in this version Harriet has a deeper sensibility and a more complex personality, I'm afraid she could be really hurt after she discovers about Emma and Alex.
SophieEve88 yes, i was wondering how are they going to handle Harriet finding out about Alex and Emma , in the book Emma didn't even tell her ,she just found out that Harriet married Robert martin . i hope here she accepts going out with martin before she finds out about Emma and Alex so that way she realizes her feelings for Alex weren't that deep and doesn't get hurt much.
Amal Samir I hope so too! And I hope that maybe she might have mistaken love and gratitude, as Emma suggested at the time
And I love how the writers translated the impact of Emma's actions in Mrs Bates's life, from "how the rest of the people will treat her, because they saw you treating her bad" to the "you encouraged her to put herself out there " . Maybe im overthinking the whole scene but the impact in Maddie's life is greater in this adaptation, I think, because it involves her business and it is a little bit more difficult to fix than just going to her house and pay visits and bring her food, as in the book. Love how all this worked.
Yes, exactly! It was more than just taking the jams out of the gift bags. She mocked Maddy in front of a lot of influential people, even though she was supposed to be helping her with her business.
TheKD108 I was worried that the jams would make the impact less serious but it was so well done. Im really pleased
+TheKD108 Thank you for saying that!
Some commenters in other threads are brushing off Emma's bad behavior like it was nothing or like Maddie deserved it. Excuse me? Adults do not go around loudly insulting each other in large public settings; it's in extremely bad taste. The fact that the Woodhouses and Bateses are old family friends makes it even worse.
What Emma literally did was publicly humiliate an old friend. I wonder how she's going to ever make it up to Maddie...
I am glad that Emma got told down, but at the same time, I just want to hug her and tell her everything will work out. Jane is understandable, not just because of Emma, but Frank as well. When you love someone, you don't humiliate their family. Knightley did the Badly Done perfectly. I just want to hug all of them, even Harriet.
RE: Jane--I see a lot of people saying that Emma went out of her way to be nice to Jane. I beg it differ. Emma went out of her way to satisfy her own curiosity about Jane's life, and kept trying even after it was obvious Jane didn't want to talk about it. She wasn't being nice; she was being nosy.
And I say that with much love for the original Emma and Joanna's version, both of whom are amazing.
As for Jane yelling at Emma: I'm not saying it's professional, but it is understandable. All I have to do is look at Maddy's face in the photos to know that the jibe hit home, and in that situation I'd yell too, boss or no.
That was SO GOOD!
Best episode so far. Everything was pulled off beautifully - Jane's leaving, Alex's disapproval, Emma's shift from forced cheerfulness to having to deal with her actions square-on.
Calling Maddie's jams "disgusting" in front of everyone and laughing with Frank about it, is even worse than we imagined with her just leaving them out of the gift boxes.
I don't think the adaptation has ever been more spot-on than in this episode. Well done, all!
THIS WAS SO GOOD.
I loved everything about this. Brent's usage of profanity and the way he delivered the lines was absolutely spot on. I loved how Joanna absolutely made me believe her world was crumbling. Tyra's whole reason for leaving was a little vague (though we all know it is because of Frank), but her acting was superb.
As for the might be hiatus: PLEASE PLEASE *PLEASE* DONT DO THAT.
No worries. There is no hiatus. If you roll over that, you'll see it says Monday :)
OH GOD! BOX HILL IS HERE. First: I actually cried. When I saw Alex at the door, I knew my heart was about to be broken along with Emma's. What a perfect job of the whole crew. What a perfect episode, even though is so painful to watch. Alex was perfect! You can see how hurt he is... The way he says "that's bullshit"... I just had to get back to that line, it was even more surprising than "badly done, Emma". And Emma, OMG!!! The way her eyes were already tearing during the conversation. It broke my heart. I must say this is one of the best adaptations of the Box Hill incident ever.
By the way, the execution of the "badly done, emma" line was flawless.
And cue me crying.
I think with Jane, it's hard to feel an impact because she really didn't open up to Emma at all, and if she was having these issues she should have said something sooner. Also, I think some of Jane's anger is misplaced. I don't remember the specifics of the book, but hello Frank.
But following that with Alex's explanation of events makes Jane's feelings much more understandable.
Oh God, when she asked Alex where he was going...just, that vulnerability. Nicely done, Joanna! SOMEBODY HUG HER PLEASE
I agree. It shows how much Alex means to her even if she doesn't care to admit it.
Harriet hugged her!
UGH WHO ELSE CRIED? Btw I highly appreciate that Harriet still held Emma's hand while trying to turn the camera off. I love Harriet. BUT WOW THIS EPISODE WAS INTENSE
I am sure to say this is my favorite "Badly Done, Emma" of all.
Same. Definitely the most emotional. It was a total sucker punch!
Agent Callisto I cant be more happy and sad at the same time ):)
Lorena Piliado Pretty much.
When Knightley said bullshit, I felt awful, the swear word was really unexpected
Yeah, I don't like cusing, but I feel like this was one time it felt appropriate and well-placed
Really showed the power and effect that little language changes like that can have. Knightley using it was really telling for sure.
I agree with you. The writers kept it pretty clean until they threw that word in. Kind of a bummer. :/
Nicole Nixon
It's not a bad thing. It illustrated how frustrated Knightley is and how badly Emma behaved. Cursing is fine once in awhile like this. If there had been more, then I don't think I would like it as much. And I say this as someone who swears regularly.
You see Emma's face drop so thoroughly and quickly that I think Alex doesn't swear often. I think when he swears, something is a BIG deal. I think Emma's reaction shows us that Knightley is not just upset. He. Is. Angry.
That question mark feels like a slap on the face...
The line! "Badly done" woot! Made me smile even during the sads.
Joanna deserves ALL the awards!
ALL of them do! They all did such a good job!
Okay, I love Pride and Prejudice and all the drama that was in it more than Emma as stories, but no LBD episode--not even the one when Lydia finds out about what George did to her--can compare to how visceral and gut wrenchingly beautiful this episode is. One could clearly see how Emma's heart broke in two while Alex was chastising her. And those tears, those tears were real. Kudos to Joanna and Brent. At the last moment before Alex left, his voice broke while he was speaking and it looked as if it was killing him to hurt Emma. While that moment in itself was a great touch, perhaps what actually made it as great was the fact that it was killing Brent as a person and not as Alex Knightley to see Joanna hurting as Emma was hurting. That touch of realness that comes with Joanna and Brent's relationship transcending this show is what made this scene one of the best ever in terms of Pemberley Digital and this whole thing. Bravo to Joanna Sotomura for a beautiful performance.
Nina D. I agree with you wholeheartedly. A wonderful episode. Great performances.
I still think Lizzy's "I love you" to Lydia is my favorite moment in Pemberley Digital but I understand what you're saying. They nailed it.
I'd say the Lydia finding out about George episode was pretty amazing too. The way she breathed out all shakily and started crying before running out was impressive
That "Please don't leave me" was so HEARTBREAKING. It needed to happen and I hate it, but it was PERFECT.
Oh my gosh. Tears. Many tears. And can we talk for a minute about what a great adaptation this was of the scene in the book? A bit more anger than the book, but it really captured the true feelings of Knightly's frustrations with Emma that have been building up. Also, perfection in acting from both Joanna and Brent.
Wow, my eyes definitely teared up at the end. She cares so much what Alex thinks of her, it hurts to watch her go through this.
I am so happy with the way this episode worked out. Despite currently crying tears, as I have in every adaptation at this very moment. I am mixed with feelings of sadness for Emma, and a part of me is so torn because of how broken her friendship with Alex is.
I am so proud of you Pemberley Digital. This couldn't be any better than it was.
I am just so upset this video didn't show up on my subscription box when it was uploaded...
Same here! Haha the next episode did show up, so I was pretty confused when Emma was sulking eating ice cream.
Right?! I was like whaaaaa???
theuglyzone
Same here! I was like "Wait...did Boxx Hill already happen??!!! Why didn't they show it?"
This is the first time I've missed a video, and it had to be one of the most important ones of the entire series. I started watching the next video and I had no clue why Emma was crying!
Yeah I just noticed I missed it to, and man the pictures on the Boxx site... Oof.
I've watch many adaptations of this book, and I'm confident to say that this is the first one to make me cry!
SAME! In some adaptations I don't start tearing up until the resolution! But this moment should really be that point of emotional turmoil!
Same here!
A+ acting AMAZING JOB EVERYONE!!
I must repeat to myself: "it WILL get better, it WILL get better, IT WILL GET BETTER".
It's just too sad,and the acting was AMAZING.
This has always been my absolute favorite part of Emma. Everyone knows how it feels to be this ashamed of themselves, to be in a party, get carried away by the excitement, do something stupid, then go to bed hating themselves.
I have no idea why I madly refreshed for what will certainly be sadness.
This one is the best episode in terms of acting so far. Bravo.
Joanna's acting was absolutely amazing in this episode. It broke my heart.
Well, that was perfect. That is all. Well, that and he said The Line, and it was flawless.
Joanna was spot on in this. Watching her face as the episode progressed was heart-wrenching. Absolutely powerful. The writing was brilliant and the execution from everyone was perfection.
Oh how my heart hurts, right now. I feel like I've been stabbed.
You can especially see Knightley's effect on her, how much his opinion means to her.
I AM SERIOUSLY CRYING RIGHT NOW I DID NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS
"Badly done, Emma..." AAAAAND there's my heart, in a million pieces.
NO BUT WHEN ALEX'S VOICE CRACKS WHEN HE SAYS THE THING OFMG
I don't care for profanity, but it was done well for Alex to say what he said. It sort of snapped Emma out of her perfect-ish world. "Badly done" thank you do much for putting that line in here!!
YES!! I was so surprised when he said it. It definitely got her attention, and brought her back down to reality.
The profanity was a welcome addition, kind of intensified everything
Yes, I don't care for profanity either, and that's what makes this so great. People who use that kind of language all the time don't understand how powerful it can be when used by someone who normally doesn't.
Her voice as she cries out to him... Ooof. Killed me.
Oh my god, the emotion in Alex's voice while telling off Emma... and the way Emma just breaks down knowing that Alex is seriously mad at her... god this made me cry :-(. Still so glad they pulled off like in the book :-). And the pics are just so awesome, they kind of fill the gaps for us!!!
The hardest part about watching this video was seeing Emma beg Alex not to leave. And yes, I watched it to the end and was horrified by her total breakdown, but that scene when she runs after him was almost unbearable in its emotional brokenness. I only wonder how much Emma can take once Harriet has her own confession to make.
"Badly done, Emma."
Wonderfully done, Emma Approved!! This episode hit it out of the park. The writing and acting were pitch *perfect*. Seriously, omg THE FEELS. Bravo, all!
this was perfectly executed! im so happy with how they are turning one of my favorite books into a perfect modernization, the cast and crew are doing an amazing job
This made me cry. So sad. :(
This is flawless. Also there are tears streaming down my face. ACTING.
MY FEELINGS CANNOT HANDLE THIS.
NO.
WHY.
Such amazing acting!!
Heartbreaking though it was, I LOVE what they did with the "badly done" line!
The writing, stage direction, and acting are outstanding in this episode. Every decision feels perfectly deliberate in the best possible way: the camera changes, the word placement ("bullshit," the natural "badly done"), the perfect amount of time to leave the office empty and give the audience space to fill it up with their own emotions...Emma Approved may be different from LBD, but I was never one to say it was worse, and I think this episode made it better. Well done, EA.
"If this is the way you make the world better, I don't want to be in any part of it." Oh. My gosh. Nothing he could have said would have hurt Emma harder then that. *tears well up* Bravo, guys. This was amazing.
This episode was amazing. I was tearing up the whole time. Emma calling out to Alex was heartbreaking! The badly done line (which I've been hoping they kept) was flawlessly worked in and didn't sound awkward. Daymn well done all.
This episode was so intense! AND SO GOOD!
I knew you were all good actors, but today you proved you were AMAZING actors! Those tears felt so real, Joanna! And Tyra and Brent were so good too!
Well done. Really. Good job everybody!
No one else is saying it, but for this adaptation I think Alex shouting "bull shit" was far harsher and more shocking than "badly done" I think for the era "badly done" was the equivalent of him swearing at her. However its great the line was still used because its so iconic.
On a side note his anger and the argument seemed real enough that I even pulled back a little with Emma when he swore.
Bravo you were all so amazing!
I hate seeing Emma all broken down like this. It's like we've taken a step back to the senator scumbag incident.
This influence Frank has over her is controlling, and he is changing her for the worst. Alex needs to come back and help Emma back to the person she used to be, bright, happy and maybe slightly less nosy.
Come on Snarky knightly, she needs you...
#emmaandalex
Emma did this herself. Emma is her own person and Emma made this awful choices. Not Frank. Let her take some responsibility.
Mia I know that, but it was Franks influence. Sometimes, when your around the wrong people, you can end up as someone you never thought you would be...do things you never thought you would do.
Elise Johnston
This. I'd say a theme of the novel is how we let ourselves be influenced by others, and how we influence others, and the knock-on effect that can have. Very much about how to function as an interconnected community and to be aware of ourselves and those around us. There's a reason the setting of Highbury village is so insular compared to the travels undertaken in other Austen novels. It's about the pressures and dynamics within that contained environment, where the forces are people's personalities, goals and desires.
Mia It can be both; she can take responsibility all the while acknowledging Frank's influence had a big part in it.
What he said was good advice. The Jams were not Emma Approved but she could have spoken to Maddie before hand or have been more discreet.
You guys! I managed to NOT cry during the episode. But your comments are making me weepy. I want to give you all hugs.
I hope Annie has gotten over her hurt to be there for Emma and Alex. ;(
Caroline Prince
We'll see. Annie was awfully disappointed...
Well, even though I knew this was coming, it still effectively tore my heart out. I cannot wait for monday now. This show and all the actors are amazing!
Brent and Joanna did amazing in this episode. I like the theory that Alex stormed off in order to not cry in front of Emma. He looked so hurt :(
Hitting the "like" button was almost ironic, since "like" is not exactly what I feel towards this episode. Can anyone love something and still hate it to the guts? It was so perfect, but that just means my heart was torn apart :'(
Wow. This was so well done. I am completely blown away. "Badly done, Emma" has always been one of my favorite parts of Emma's story because it's exactly what needs to happen for Emma to realize what she's done AND for her relationship with Knightley to move forward. GOOD JOB, ALL! WOO
OH MY GOD. Best episode of the series so far: dramatic, great rhythm, the actors were tremendous, and the writing honoured the original text.
I loved the way Jane was referring to her dubious relationship with Frank Churchill (who seems to be more unforgivable in this scenario than he is in the novel - especially since there doesn't seem to be any reason for him to be upset and vengeful, AND why the hell would he force Jane to keep their relationship a secret? I don't see any plausible reason in this day and age) while speaking on what doesn't work at EA.
AND ALEX. ALEX. GOD. I've been waiting for this conversation for almost a year now. 'BADLY DONE, EMMA' AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Yes! Good! And Joanna Sotomura was fantastic, she broke my heart - her voice suddenly went very small, as if coming from far far away, as if the ground had been swept off her feet. When she ran after Alex my throat began to ache from the EMOTION.
I CAN'T WAIT.
I love this theory! And it makes a lot of sense - she wants to make it on her own, she doesn't want his job to influence hers...especially given that he's a corporation mogul and she works for non-profits.
THIS WAS ONE OF THE BEST AND SADDEST EPISODES OF ALL EA.
ACTUAL TEARS IN MY EYES WHEN SHE WAS SHOUTING AT ALEX TO COME BACK
Woah. I need a moment or two after that...
Then I'm gonna watch it again.
OMG. I knew this video would be heartbreaking...but...but...but.. :(
That was so intense huhuhu. Impeccable acting. And I loved how Joanna's mascara was getting ruined from the tears.
And Knightley's 'Badly done, Emma!' was spot on.
I just wish we could have actually seen how Emma humiliated Maddie, but I guess the Boxx pictures should suffice. Good adaptation from talkativeness --> jams
Go look at the pictures. You see it all
Clare May Go to boxxhill.com and use the e-mail there.
Clare May Or just use the password boxxhill. I think everyone gets the same one.
The Boxx pictures were so well done! The actors were really on their A game in this episode and in the storytelling of the pictures.
TabChesson
I agree. The pictures were beautiful, such high quality! I love how we have more than just the videos to interact with in knowing the story. It makes everything seem so much more realistic.
I have tears, ACTUAL TEARS, in my eyes! That episode was POWERFUL! Well done to the writers, actors, and especially Joanna for giving that amazing performance. And they managed to do all this while staying true to the original text work. I am completely blown away by how wonderful this episode was.
Wow. I have to say, well done to everyone in this episode, especially Joanna and Brent.
I just realized something: why is no one mad at Frank Churchill? Pretty giant piece of latent sexism in that, isn't there? Like Jane is behaving irrationally, but Frank is just, what, high spirited? Not cool, folks.
SPOILERS.
Jane's very pissed off at Frank right now (that's a big reason why she's taking a job in NY--to get away from him). In the book, she sent him a letter basically telling him to go to hell in a polite, 19th century way. I'm sure this Jane has had a confrontation with him; we just didn't get to see it.
MORE SPOILERS
Aside from what Amy said above, Mr Knightley also gets really mad at Frank. He's just afraid to hurt Emma's feelings, because he thinks she's in love with Mr. Churchill. The problem is, even though Knightley is pissed off at Frank, he holds no consideration for the latter - he knows Emma is better than what she has been showing, but he really doesn't expect any good coming out of Frank.
No need to throw around accusations of sexism. If you look at Frank-heavy episodes, you'll see quite a lot of Frank-bashing, but in this episode it's Jane who's more featured which is why people are mad at her. I don't think anyone bashing Jane isn't mad at Frank, but they're focusing on her since she and not he was the one whom we saw in this episode.
Amy A You're spot on!
SPOILERS
If you look at the pictures from the opening, you can just see the jealousy and mistrust of Frank seething from Jane in her expression and body language. Especially in the group photos.
Amy A DudsCampos Very true statements, both. I was thinking more "why are the commenters on this video not mad at Frank?" than "why aren't the characters mad?"
People keep commenting that Jane's behavior (yelling at her boss isn't "professional" but isn't that the point? Her grievance isn't professional, it's personal. Emma humiliated her Aunt, and if my boss treated any one of my acquaintances the way Emma treated Maddie, boy would they hear about it and not in a professional manner. I feel sorry for Emma, but she brought this upon herself by being cruel, and Jane and Alex losing respect for her is kind of a testament to her character (they had come to expect better) and to theirs (they are willing to speak their minds when they see something amiss). "Emma" is the only book published by Jane Austen during her lifetime that uses the heroine's name as the title, because more than anything else, I think the novel is the story of Emma's growth. and here you can see how badly she needs to do some growing up. She NEEDS to come to grips with her failings before she can get together with Knightly. Jane is right: she doesn't value people enough. Not Maddie, not Harriet (maybe she really starts to value Harriet as a friend and not just as an accessory in this episode), not Martin, and not Alex, whose steadiness and unfailing kindness she perceives as "boring". And how could Alex respect her after watching her being needlessly horrible to someone so sweet? It's not that I don't "like" Emma, but she, like me and 99.99999% of humanity, is a deeply flawed person. The question is whether or not she can come to grips with that and change herself for the better.
I knew it was coming - I was waiting for it - but it's still a sock to the gut.
Kudos to the writers for keeping in the "badly done Emma."
I agree that Joanna Sotomura did a great job.
Oh my God...the acting was amazing, I cried, I couldn't hold it. I can't believe this is all happening and so fast...
Emma screwed up big time this time. And what about next episode? When is it coming back? I need one right now!
"Please, please don't leave." That killed me.
I'm so sad Emma Approved has so much less views than the LBD, because, if we are being honest, the mains of this show are ten times the actors. They nailed it, and nothing felt stiff. I love LBD, but there were some rough acting moments. These two are flawless
Well done on the "Badly done!" Perfection.
That was so well done. From working in the infamous "badly done, Emma" to Knightley and Harriet's reactions. So well done. Special shoutout to Joanna for some kick ass acting.
HE SAID IT! HE SAID THE LINE! And Now I think I have to find a corner to cry in D:
As to the question of how Emma and Maddie will make up: if Alex has really left the company, Emma and Harriet are going to need some help with managing finances. And who do they know who's been trying to show Emma some accounting software for a while? YEP, Maddie Bates. I'm guessing Emma will be forced to humble herself and ask for Maddie's help, which will give her a chance to apologize and make amends for her behavior.
Meanwhile, will Alex start his own company called Donwell Enterprises (or something like that)? And how will B-Mart reenter the picture? I love this adaptation and can't wait to see what they do next!
Hey, you nailed it!
Crying and the tears won't stop. Didn't expect this episode to go down so perfectly. Well done, Bernie Su and team!
Pemberly Digital has been so on point with all the emotional gut punches of the series they're adapting, it's so incredible. First Lydia's arc, and then this, I just ... thank you so much for bringing all of it to light so well.
I don't know if anyone else experienced this. but this episode didn't come up in my email or my subscription feed. I knew it was meant to be up today. But thought maybe there might have been a break - like a lot of people are having - for Comic con. Glad I decided to look for this episode. Because it was stellar. I've watched it 3 times so far.
It didn't come up in mine either. I had seen people post on facebook about it so I knew it was up but I had to search for it.
TheKD108 Cheers, thanks for the reply. At least I know it's not my settings.
I didn't get it either I was watching thw newest one and Im like I think I missed something....such enough I had
Jillian O'Keefe Oh no, that totally sucks. It must have been a bit confusing.
Looks like the same thing happened for a fair few people.
I wonder if it's a good thing or not that I went looking for the missing episode the moment I didn't see it that morning in my inbox. Maybe I'm a tad obsessed.
I don't get all the Jane hate. Jane actually goes out and helps people because it's the right thing to do. Emma helps people to feed her own ego. She has her own idea about how the world around her is supposed to go and she has consistently manipulated and hurt the people around her so that the world fits her ideal image. She deserved to get taken down a notch by both Jane and Alex.
Wow. I needed to take a few deep breaths after this one. Fantastically acted and well-written. Joanna as Emma cries really convincingly and Alex and Jane's respective disappointment in Emma, although different, are clearly conveyed.
A few reactions (Warning: this is going to be long):
1 - I think while Jane was trying to be professional in her resignation, she should have given some specific reasons for quitting and for her disappointment in EA as a company and Emma as a boss and leader. As it is, she just confused Emma and didn't give herself the outlet that would have allowed herself to leave with a modicum of closure and a chance to actually let Emma know what she did wrong so that Emma can work on it and not just repeat past mistakes. Everything she said was true and she's angry at Emma for hurting Maddie and for being Frank's partner-in-snobbiness, but she has never been good with open communication (really, no one except Alex and Annie has been open).
Writing her grievances in a letter could have been helpful. Then editing it down and either reading from it or handing it in. I've done that before to respond to office drama. It's also the equivalent of counting to 10 so you don't explode.
2 - Loved Alex's whole speech. Although like someone else said here, it seems a bit out of character for him to ignore her crying, although it makes sense if he thought she was only crying to get her way or because she was afraid of losing him, not because she felt regret. . . Which is true, at least until she processes things.
3- Poor Maddie.
4- Frank is an asshole. He doesn't deserve any of the women in this show. I don't know how he's going to atone unless he does some serious groveling and even then...
5- Emma needs some serious self-reflection and identity defining to go on. I wonder if Annie will be willing to help talk Emma through seeing and understanding not only everything she did wrong, but everything she's doing wrong in her approach to life and busines. Girl needs to figure out who she is, who she wants to be, and what her priorities are both personally and professionally.
You always have very insightful comments!
This was fantastic. It was a reality check for Emma. She realized that her actions do, in fact, affect the people around her and could cost her relationships. Brilliant acting. Just amazing.
Oh man.. Out of ALL the adaptations I have seen, this is the one that got me swept up in all of the drama. In the other ones, I could relate to everyone being put off by Emma's horrible attitude towards Miss Bates, and applauded Knightley's response to her.
But this one, dude.. You can see her heart break when she realizes that she's losing Alex, and has lost a potential friend in Jane (mostly the Alex thing, though). This Emma has a very hard couple of weeks ahead of her, and I hope she is ready for what will definitely test her faith in herself. :(
This just got so good, though! :D
oh.mah.word. this was perfect. so perfect. you guys are doing such a good job on this series - it is a million times better than I could have ever imagined. Everything about this was spot on. I was torn between grinning wildly and sobbing the whole time.
I'm not a huge Jane fan but the hate on her needs to stop. Instead of directing the hate at her, direct it at Frank! I mean, it's technically all his fault. Instead of trying to make Jane jealous by giving Emma wrong advice and flirting with her, he should have straightened out whatever was going on in their relationship. Just because Jane was shy in front of the camera at first is not a reason for her to get unnecessary hate from people - I mean after all, Emma just insulted Jane's aunt and was unknowingly flirting with Frank, so Jane's behavior towards Emma is understandable. I'm surprised Jane didn't get even more mad, to be honest.
Anyway, this was a fantastic episode. Great writing and acting from the crew and cast, respectively - especially Joanna Sotomura (Emma Woodhouse). Alex leaving obviously left me heartbroken, although I fully understood where he was coming from. Obviously, not all of his anger was because of Emma's treatment of Maddy Bates; some of it was because of Emma's behavior around Frank, but I'm not sure if Alex is aware of how he feels about Emma yet. But yeah, him leaving made me feel really sad (especially since I'm a huge Emma/Knightley shipper in this adaption).
Emma made me sad too. I do agree what she did was totally wrong and there were definitely better ways to get Maddy's jams out of the picture, but I know how it feels to have the people closest to you abandon you (For Emma, it's Annie, Alex, etc), so I really felt bad for her. Harriet was so sweet when turning off the camera for her.
I really can't wait for the new episodes. There's going to be so much angst, many revelations, and a little bit of romance. It's so sad to hear this web series ending so soon; it feels like the first episode just came out yesterday! I really hope Emma Approved gets a second season; it really deserves it!
Easily one of the best episodes! Ugh, such great acting. And the Boxx photos are fantastic!
Okay I'm honestly confused and disgusted by the amount of hatred for Jane right now. Why do so many people have such a big problem with her? I really don't understand.
I have no idea either, my guess could be because she doesn't adore and praise Emma like the rest of them do.
So when did it become okay to hate a character simply because they don't worship the main character? Because I've noticed it happens a lot and i'm really not okay with it.
I agree. Maybe there was something distasteful about Jane in the book but I don't think most of this hate is coming from book readers. Emma is 100% dead wrong. WTF, people.
I think a lot of it is becaus people didn't like the fact that she didnt let Emma pry into her personal life like everyone else,and to them her introversion seems rude or unapproachable. As an introvert myself, I disagree,but not everyone gets it! And why SHOULDN'T Jane quit??? Emma completely insulted maddie!
Seriously. At first, I was a little turned off by Jane; she seemed really frosty. But as things went on, I realized she was acting the exact same way I would act if I found myself working in a place where the boss makes me film everything and acts as if she knows more about what I need for myself than I do. I have not yet read the book, but I know enough to spot a person in a damaging situation when I see one.
So good. Love that the line "badly done" was worked in flawlessly.
God, I've been waiting for this episode for ten thousand years and I loved it. Sweet lord. I love Knightley. I love him.
'BADLY DONE EMMA!' I have been waiting and I'm so glad they included this line, it's my fave
I am so impressed by everyone in this, and the arc of this series in general. Remember the tone from the first episode compared to this one? Amazing! And I love that they kept the "badly done" as well.
Have you noticed that in the earliest episodes Emma's make up makes her look, I don't know, almost harsh and brittle?. As the series progresses the make up is softer, more natural, even. Joanna's natural freckles are visible in more and more episodes. I like that it seems to reflect her inner journey and gradual development into a more honest and empathetic human being.
Awesome! Bernie Su and all the team have an amazing gift for adaptations. It is unbelievable how all perfect this is.
This episode...wow. I understand why Emma did what she did, and why Jane and Alex are upset. I don't think Emma doesn't care, she just goes about things the wrong way. But Jane was unprofessional with how she approached Emma. And poor Emma when Alex walked away
It's kind of hypocritical to accuse Jane of being unprofessional when Emma not only breaks promises without telling anybody, but then she humiliates her friends at a high-profile event in front of clients.
I never said Emma was unprofessional, i did say she went about things the wrong way (i may have not used the word "unprofessional" here but it was implied). Plus we have no idea what really happened at that event, unless there is a video i missed.
P3acexL0veScr1be If you look at the linked photos from the opening (password is "boxxhill"), you can get a pretty good idea of how it went. It looks like it got pretty awkward after the jams came out.
i know! Emma's heart totally broke!
Somebody get ALL of today's cast an award! FANTASTICALLY done, all of them!
Also, I lost it when Alex said "Yeah, badly done, Emma." Oh, how I was waiting to hear how they'd incorporate that line!
Wow. Why is it that everyone is attacking and blaming Jane?! And calling her and Maddy opportunistic and tacky...whats that about? Sure, if Emma didn't know either one of them and Jane had CONSTANTLY INSISTED then perhaps if would have seemed opportunistic and tasteless. Like Alex said, Maddy has known Emma since she was a little girl. And hey, all Emma had to say to Jane was "no." People are acting as if Jane just outright attacked Emma for no legitimate reason and in an unprofessional manner. Jane approached Emma calmly and asked to speak with her in private. Its Emma's behavior at the party and her apparent lack of understanding/awareness of others' feelings that causes Jane's frustrations in the conversation. And yes, it probably also had to do with Frank openly flirting with Emma (though she should not be taking out her anger on part of her jealousy out on Emma as Emma is unaware of that too). And to know that Frank was a part of it...well that would piss anybody off. Frank is not a part of the company and Emma should not be discussing and making decisions so openly with him. Emma should have talked to both Jane and Maddy about the jams before the party, instead of leaving them both clueless at the party and embarrassing Maddy in front of the party guests. Both Jane and Emma worked together on this project, and yes, while Emma might be the lead and authority in the company and Jane could have been more coherent as to why she was angry to Emma, it does not make Jane's ideas or problems with Emma's direction any less warranted. And obviously they are as Alex came in and admonished her on her behavior as well. Heck, Alex comes in and talks to her all the time about things or projects that he doesn't agree with or is hesitant of, but suddenly Jane is in the wrong for bringing it up? I wonder why.....
I have a feeling that if a different actress had been chosen to play her, more people would be sympathetic and understanding of Jane's view. Also, pushing a camera in somebody's face and constantly trying to gossip or talk about non-business things while they are working is not trying to understand or get to know someone really and truly, its trying to push them into someting they don't want to do. Emma as we already know can easily steamroll over reserved and quiet people and was just miffed that she couldn't do that with Jane, Emma doesn't know how to adapt her poersonality to others. She just sees her way and thats it. Just because Jane is quiet and not as socially boisterous, does not mean she was annoyed with Emma or being mean to her, its just not her thing. Alex, in the beginning didn't care for it either. Jeez, why so much hate for quiet and reserved people?! She's just being professional in her way.
Alright, I'm done.
100% agree, thank you!!
Oh my gosh. Yesterday I commented on a video about how rewatching this made me connect with Harriet on a deeper level and today rewatching this episode makes me connect with Emma on a deeper level. The raw emotion of Alex leaving and her only request of Harriet being "please don't leave me" is something I have experienced. I really wish the newer Pemberley Digital shows had as much heart and lovable characters of this and the Lizzie Bennet Diaries because these have both touched my heart which is why I have watched them both multiple times now.
Monday, where are you with my new episode? I need to stop rewatching this one!