The episode opens with Liza Hardacre (Shannon Lavelle) scorching her hair with a hot iron. Mrs. Dryden (Ingrid Craigie) stokes the fire and turns to see a valuable piece missing from the cabinet. At breakfast, Ma Hardacre (Julie Graham) fills her cup with tea utilizing an antique teapot. Mary Hardacre (Claire Cooper) urges her to be careful. Sam Hardacre (Liam McMahon) complains about Harry Hardacre’s (Zak Ford-Williams) letters providing nothing of substance only big words. Mary is impressed with Liza’s new look but suggests oil to tame her hair. Liza says it didn’t work. Mary informs them of her invitation to attend a Theosophical Society lecture with the Charitable Ladies Circle. Ma assures her that the ladies are vipers, not charitable. Beesley (Mark Doherty) arrives with a dress that Liza loaned to Betsy Temple (Sarah Agha). He warns Sam that Tinny is chasing Lord George Fitzherbert’s (Owen Roe) wolfhound again. Joe Hardacre (Adam Little) leaves to take care of it. Ma defends Tinny’s actions and reaches for something, sending the valuable teapot to the floor. Lena Temple (Siobhan O’Kelly) urges Mary to not forget where she came from. Mary claims to be proud of her background. Lena invites her to tea but Mary is already engaged. Dryden shows Beesley the empty spot where the 100-year-old teapot used to sit and accuses the old witch (Ma) of stealing it. He reminds her that the Hardacres pay her wages, not the deceased Sir William.

Lady Adella Fitzherbert (Holly Struton) listens with boredom as Lord Hugo Bathurst (Denis Grendel) talks about his impending trip to Buenos Aires for polo season. Lady Emma Fitzherbert (Cathy Belton) tells him that Adella speaks affluent French. Ignoring her, he continues to rant about horses. Emma asks how long he will be gone. He says six months. Adella pretends to be disappointed with his extended departure. George tries to end the visit but Emma forces him to sit back down. Looking at Adella, Hugo expresses the pleasure of having someone waiting for him when he returns. Upon leaving, he kisses her hand. Delighted, Emma assures Adella that he is hers. Adella sarcastically says Hugo likes himself first and foremost. Emma suggests she will rarely see him once they are married which is how she and George have managed all these years. Once alone, Adella screams under her breath when she sees Joe approaching. George suggests his wolfhound doesn’t like Hugo because she fled when he arrived. He says it hardly matters because Adella is to marry him. At the Hardacre estate, Ma asks Victor Ward (Connor Byrne) to get rid of the broken teapot. He agrees on one condition, a poker rematch. After reluctantly accepting, she informs him of her plan to accompany Mary to a lecture but she doesn’t yet.

Adella complains about Hugo and questions if there is someone rich and fun out there. They are about to kiss when she pulls back and urges him to find a nice girl who will appreciate him. At the Hardacre estate, Emma and Lady Prudence Beaumont (Michele Moran) arrive to pick up Mary. As she boards the carriage, Ma races to join them. Beaumont and Emma discuss Clara and Adella’s courtships. Ma says Liza is too smart to saddle herself with a man. Mary insists she needs more time to blossom. In a whisper, Emma tells Beaumont that if Liza blossoms much more, she will bust through her stays. Elsewhere, Liza apologizes to Adella with fresh flowers. Adella recognizes them from her garden. Liza pleads for her help in becoming a lady. Looking her over, Adella agrees and sends her away. In Leeds, Beaumont informs the ladies that they are going to visit one of their charitable causes. Ma takes a swig from her flask. Upon arrival at the Chapel Street Workhouse, Beaumont warns them of the foul odor. Mary voices concern about being recognized but refuses to go home. Master Knaggs (David McSavage), a Workhouse custodian, believes he recognizes Ma but she insists they never met. Emma says it isn’t a good idea to donate too much because some people tend to take advantage of it. A short time later, the ladies are entertained by a group of girls. As Nellie (Molly McCann) sings, Knaggs bangs his cane on the floor every time she forgets the verse. Mary’s eyes fill with tears. Smirking, Emma suggests she read a Bible verse in forgetfulness.

Joe becomes frustrated while trying to learn bookkeeping. Callum Saunders (Taheen Modak) assures him that he will get the hang of it. Sam says Joe and Callum are the only people he can trust after Fred Holdsworth (Conor Deane) stole their money. Joe suggests giving Fred another chance. Sam fears the workers would lose respect for him if he rehired Fred. While giving Mr. Hugill (Nick Dunning) a tour of the operation, Sam explains his plan to improve work conditions. Hugill becomes irate when he sees the steam crane and scolds Sam for not going through the proper procedures before buying it. Sam vows that it will pay for itself over time. Hugill gives him 30 days to prove it. Elsewhere, Mary is still upset about the Chapel Street Workhouse. Ma says it has improved. Mary argues that the fancy décor is all for show but Ma wouldn’t know it because she was absent. Ma urges her to forget about it. Elsewhere, Emma stews on Clara’s marriage to a duke. George says Hugo appears interested in marrying Adella. She suggests they find ways to publicize them together and host a lavish drawing room soiree. She admits to being sick of the Hardacre “fishmongers.” He insists the expense is pointless. She asks if he cares about Adella’s future. He relents but doesn’t want to utilize a venue that he already owes money to.

Liza catches Joe writing Adella a love letter. He says she is special. She suggests he gift Adella something expensive. Mary has a nightmare about having her hair chopped off. A woman trying to save her is carted off the women’s unit. She wakes in a start and cannot go back to sleep. The next day, she tells Sam about the Workhouse visit and admits to being angry at Ma for putting her there. He assures her that Ma loves her. Elsewhere, Adella helps Liza into a corset and puts a hairpiece on the top of her head. Liza screeches in pain and refuses to wear the corset. Adella says men love rescuing women. At Hardacre & Son Herring, Betsy gives Joe a slice of parkin. He tells her that he wants a wife and children of his own. She says it sounds lovely before leaving. Callum tells Joe that Betsy admires him and they would make a good couple. Elsewhere, Liza continues to learn how to be a lady. Adella demonstrates how to utilize body language to tell men how you feel. She vows to not stop until she makes Liza a lady. Emma makes out invitations for her impending soiree when she hears Adella talking to Liza. Adella claims to have enjoyed herself. After Liza leaves, Emma orders Adella to avoid the Hardacres until after the soiree. When Emma isn’t looking, Adella makes out an invitation for the Hardcare family.

Ma tells Mary that the people at the Workhouse kept them apart. Mary says she should have tried to protect her, instead of making her go back there. Ma explains how difficult it was to be poor with a daughter to raise. She assures her that she will never fit in with the elite. Sam arrives with Adella’s invitation. Reading it, Mary asks how is this for not fitting in. Ma calls her a fool. Later Joe opens a box to reveal a broach. Mary and Sam compliment Liza’s new look. Callum says she always looks well. Ma stays at home. Emma is greeting her guests when Sam, Mary, Joe, and Liza arrive. She immediately gets over the shock when Hugo arrives. Adella walks away. At the Hardacre estate, Dryden has Maggie (Ella Maria Carmen) put what is left of Sir William’s treasures in safekeeping. Back at the soiree, Liza accidentally drops her fan into the punch. Adella says to pretend all mistakes are intentional and drops her fan into the punch to make it a fashion. Joe gives Adella the broach. He offers to pin it on but she refuses. Emma scolds Adella for being alone with Joe. Elsewhere, Ma joins Victor, Chinny the Butcher (Stuart Wolfenden), and Big Jonesey (Eddie Capil) in a game of poker.

Liza tries to impress Hugo but fails miserably when she bites into a pastry with caviar. She spits it into her hand. Repulsed by her, he walks away to join Adella. As he is about to tell her about his summer adventure, Joe takes a seat beside Adella. Hugo tells him to find his own filly and recommends the “mad carthorse” (Liza). Joe demands he take it back and invites him outside to settle it. George invites Sam to invest in his win business when a servant alerts them of a disturbance. While toying with Joe, Hugo boasts of his boxing at Cambridge. Liza urges Joe to stop. Hugo calls her a mule and Joe clocks him. Sam intervenes to stop the fight. Hugo claims Joe provoked him. Emma orders Mary to keep Joe away from Adella and says they weren’t invited to the soiree. Irate, Mary calls Joe and Liza a disgrace. Elsewhere, an intoxicated Ma folds. Victor sarcastically says she is finding it hard to win without cheating. She denies the accusation and falls into someone’s lap. He assures her that he was only teasing before escorting her home. Elsewhere, Adella tells Joe that Emma would never agree to let them wed. He reminds her that he is rich. She says it is about class which he doesn’t have. He leaves without responding. At the Hardacre estate, Victor warns Beesley against telling anyone about Ma who he insists isn’t as bulletproof as she believes. Liza vows to never visit the Fitzherbert estate again. Sam tells Mary to look at herself, all for the sake of fitting in. She accuses him of leaving her alone while he returned to the docks. Callum tries to talk to a distraught Eliza but she tells him to shove off. Ma has Mary’s hair from the Workhouse.

Betsy sets a pail outside when she sees Joe walk past. She follows him to the shed and asks if he is okay. He kisses her as the episode ends.

 

The Hardacres Review

Emma is determined to marry Adella to Lord Bathurst. She throws a soiree, so people can see them together. Adella goes behind her back and invites the Hardacres. On Liza’s advice, Joe gives Adella a broach which doesn’t impress her in the least. Bathurst insults Eliza. Joe challenges him to a fight. He slips in a blow while Bathurst insults Eliza again. Emma tells Mary to keep Joe away from Adella.

The highlight of the episode was the Chapel Street Workhouse where Mary stayed when she was young. She recalls the abuse and blames Ma for not protecting her. Ma is unable to stop them from cutting off Mary’s braids which she kept.

The story conveys an important message. Money cannot buy happiness, social acceptance, or class. The episode deserves a 5.6 out of 10.

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