As the second episode of The Confessions Of Frannie Langton begins, Sal (Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn) tells Frannie (Karla-Simone Spence) that she is worth saving. Frannie admits she can’t prove it wasn’t her. She says Madame Marguerite Benham (Sophie Cookson) hurt her and it made her so angry. Although Sal says they were always in an argument, Frannie says not always. After the intro, Linux (Pooky Quesnel) tells Frannie that the Madame wants her to carry the buckets up because she always has to have a pet.

Since Linux saw her prowling around last night, she spoke to the master about it. Frannie knows Linux didn’t get her way because she is still there. As Frannie adds water to the bath, Marguerite asks how she is settling in. Frannie promises not to step on her toes next time before admitting she never danced in Jamaica. Marguerite sometimes believes the books tether her there. She doubts she could live without them. Marguerite tells Frannie she can tidy up after she goes downstairs if she must. Once Marguerite leaves, Frannie uses her bath water and plays with herself.

At that moment, Frannie realized the feelings Marguerite had stirred in her. When George Benham (Stephen Campbell Moore) sent for her, Frannie decided to use it to her advantage. He says they’re getting it right about him and Paradise. George would like to set the record straight. Frannie finds out that he is arguing the slaves on his estate are contented because he allows them a little religion, a little education, and a little land of their own. George admits he wants her testimony since the testimony of a former slave would help. Frannie argues there is no such thing as a happy slave before saying they should speak frankly.

She says it wouldn’t hurt for the naysayers to see her flourishing under his roof in a position more in keeping with the education he arranged for her. George made her a lady’s maid and the lady was his wife. Marguerite asks her if she has read Rousseau’s Confessions. She was planning on writing her own autobiography and was thinking Frannie could help her. Frannie agrees to help although she suspects Linux will not be pleased. When Marguerite asks her to promise not to hang her, Frannie promises to keep her alive. They begin working on her book with Marguerite talking about her life in Paris.

Frannie finds a drawing of Olaudah. At one time, the boy and Marguerite were the saddest creatures in the house. It was after she lost a child. A week after the loss, Marguerite sent word to Mr. Benham who was visiting his estate in Antigua. He came home with a 4-year-old boy who kept saying his name was Olaudah. Mr. Benham insisted that the boy be called Laddie. Marguerite tried to look after Laddie (Patrick Martins) and be a friend to him. Frannie thinks they had done to Laddie what they did to her at Paradise. She thought she wanted it and that it was a stroke of luck. In the past, Frannie is told to mind herself because there is nothing more dangerous than a bored white woman.

Frannie remembers the day she met Miss Bella Langton (Lou Broadbent). In the present, Frannie tells Marguerite that she was also taken from her mother. Marguerite believes she is fortunate to get an education since most women do not. Frannie explains that minds also suffered because of John Langton (Steven Mackintosh). She saw things in that house that she can’t stop seeing now. Frannie still sees Phibbah and what happened to her. One night, Frannie finds out that Marguerite is up because she can’t sleep either. When asked why she can’t sleep, Marguerite says she spoke to her husband at dinner and it seems she misunderstood him.

Although she can write, she will never be able to publish. Marguerite admits she wishes she’d never married him. Before she can go to sleep, they end up getting intimate. They kiss briefly until Marguerite stops and tells her goodnight. That night opened something up in Frannie that would not stay closed, but Marguerite didn’t say anything about it. Instead, she reminds Frannie that they have to pack because they’re going to see Percy tomorrow. Marguerite thinks it’ll be much better with Frannie there. Sir Percy Benham (Martin Fisher) greets them when they arrive. Marguerite says hello to Hep Elliot (Jodhi May) who is Mr. Benham’s cousin.

Hep believes Marguerite will never guess who she invited. Later, Hep surprises her by saying she invited Laddie who is nearby. Once he comes over, Laddie tells them that he uses the name Olaudah unless he is in the ring. He does more than box because he is the cleverest speaker too. Olaudah is introduced to Frances Langton. George joins them moments later. He hopes Olaudah can understand that no man can be expected to employ a footman whom his wife once cuddled on her lap. When George addresses the crowd, he suggests any man can put aside his differences if the wine is good enough. He says they must answer the emancipation question in a way that allows them to repair the rifts.

The compensation to planters is what is holding things up. Olaudah asks if he is a model of his success. George thinks he is a model of success. Marguerite tells Frannie it was a shock to see him again. Frannie agrees to take a note to him. Once Olaudah reads the note, he learns that Marguerite would be delighted to know him again. She knows she has a lot to atone for because of the way they treated him. Olaudah doesn’t seem to care. He admits he despises them. Frannie asks him what he meant when he said her reputation precedes her. He knows that John Langton purchased an albino boy from Barbados last year. It is all over the gossip rags so George must be finding it difficult to pretend he has no idea about the things that have been done in his name.

Olaudah believes George lets people like Frannie and Langton do his dirty work. He wants to know what happened to the boy and whether he can still be helped. Frannie says he doesn’t have to worry about that. They argue about whether she is Benham’s pet. Frannie claims the hardest job he had was being an ornament and a plaything. She says he doesn’t know a thing about any of it. Frannie thinks he was no different than the others since they only want to know what happened at Paradise. She admits she became Langton’s creature. He was doing experiments to prove a man’s potential is seeded in his skull.

Frannie told herself she had no choice but to help him. She goes inside to ask John Langton why he came there, but he refuses to tell her. Frannie warns him that people are talking about the albino boy. She calls him a monster and says she never wants to see him again. John reveals that he is dying. After slapping him, Frannie says she should’ve been the one to kill him. Marguerite finds Frannie outside later. Frannie admits it is making her mad that they haven’t spoken about what they did. Although Marguerite says it was wrong, Frannie thinks it would be different if they both said they wanted it. Frannie asks if she has done it before with one of those quality ladies.

Marguerite calls her a quality lady before they kiss again. They stop when they hear a noise nearby. Marguerite says he’ll have him invite her to dinner tonight. During dinner, George talks about the people on his estate. Olaudah says he makes it sound so bucolic. He is asked to tell one of his stories. He agrees to tell them the story his mother told him on the last night he spent with her. Olaudah tells them about the Asiki who were human children and were snatched by witches. The witches took them away and cut out their tongues. They changed their skin from black to gold. The next morning, the Asiki woke with no memory.

Olaudah says a toast to George and all the men in Antigua who make his manhood possible. He asks what the women do for him and whether his mother is still among them. Frannie and Marguerite are quiet on the ride back home. Once they get back, George wants the servants to tell Olaudah they’re not home if he visits. Linux tells Frannie that their cat Homer is missing. Frannie insists she doesn’t know where he is. When Frannie runs into Marguerite, she tells her that she was coming to find her. Frannie agrees to stay in the dark if that’s where Marguerite is.

They make out and get undressed. After going to bed together, Frannie says they loved each other. There are things about that love she cannot talk about. In the present, she tells Sal that she hurt her. Frannie says Marguerite wanted her to do something.

 

The Confessions Of Frannie Langton Review

The second episode of The Confessions of Frannie Langton was okay although the story moves glacially slow. Although the story is interesting, I haven’t formed a genuine connection to any of the characters. Marguerite Benham can be intriguing and even mesmerizing sometimes while the performances are good for the most part. Certain accents sound a bit iffy sometimes, but viewers will be able to overlook that if they really enjoy the story.

There is nothing spectacular here, but the show does enough to faithfully tell the story and remain interesting throughout. It may pick up more as the truth about what happened is revealed. Otherwise, this is just a good time killer that will likely be forgotten when something slightly better comes along. The episode scores a 6 out of 10. Recaps of The Confessions of Frannie Langton can be found on Reel Mockery here.

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