As the first episode of The Pursuit of Love begins, we see Linda Radlett (Lily James) sunbathing on the roof with her dog. She climbs inside and lays down on the bed. We hear what sounds like a missile and bomb before we’re told it is Chelsea London in 1941. Moments later, Linda and Plon-Plon run into Fanny Logan (Emily Beecham) among the rubble and Linda reminds her she said air raids do not kill people. We hear a narration from Fanny who says Linda was her favorite cousin and favorite human being for a long time. As they ride along, Linda encourages Fanny not to pity her since she had five months of perfect and unalloyed happiness. Fanny wonders whether those five months were worth the confusion and chaos of the other 29 years.

They agree it feels like Christmas coming home since Fanny was always sent to spend Christmas with Linda in a large, ugly house high on a hill in Oxfordshire. We learn about the violent events that often occurred during Fanny’s stays. Of all of those Christmases, Fanny remembers the one when she was 17 the most when Linda decided her life had to begin. We immediately jump back to Christmas of 1927. Fanny steps inside and finds Aunt Sadie (Dolly Wells) having tea with the kids. Then, we’re introduced to Uncle Matthew (Dominic West) and the tool he used to attack Germans. We learn that Uncle Matthew loved to hate and hated his children. Fanny believes he would’ve been sent to prison for abusing them and refusing to educate them if he had been poor. He loathed educated females and that included Fanny.

We jump back and the kids greet Fanny before she approaches Linda. When she learns about the mouse dying, Linda begins to cry as she often does. We learn that Linda was the chairman of a secret club called the Hons Society. They go up to the cupboard and measure their bodies. Fanny explains they were both in love with people they hadn’t met. A coming out party was being held for Linda’s older sister Louisa. They joke about Uncle Matthew before the kids bust in the door. Linda tells everyone that Aunt Emily (Annabel Mullion) is engaged and she has a letter to prove it. Aunt Emily had brought Fanny up since she was a baby and it was always them. Aunt Sadie had two sisters, Fanny’s mother and Aunt Emily. Her mother left her father for another man at 19 and Aunt Emily was there to care for her.

They started calling her mother The Bolter because she would come back and leave with so many different men. Fanny knew she was lucky to have Emily care for her. Fanny finds Emily in bed with a man before Linda encourages her to get dressed. The Radletts loved hunting foxes so Fanny goes with them. However, she has an accident. Then, Josh the Groom (Steve Garti) asks Fanny about her mother. He says Linda takes after her. She reminds him that her mother is supposed to be wicked or something so that might not be a good thing. When Fanny returns, she is introduced to Davey (John Heffernan) or Captain Warbeck who will be marrying Emily. Fanny and Linda take a bath while they discuss the marriage and how Fanny feels about it. Fanny says Emily copulated last night and Linda wants to know more. Fanny says she is sex obsessed and Linda doesn’t deny it.

They have dinner together that night and Matthew tells the kids they’re lucky to have Davey as family. Linda tells him about the Hon Society before Davey says he is honored to be a Hon. Matthew wonders if Davey can inform Emily about female education since he doesn’t think it has done Fanny any good. Matthew is worried about Fanny’s husband if she ever gets one and that creates an argument between him and Emily. He isn’t impressed with Fanny’s explanation of who George III was and doesn’t think her education was worth losing her feminine charm. When Linda chimes in, Fanny gets upset and rushes from the dining table. Emily talks to Fanny in private and says she is better off not being like Linda. Emily says Linda reminds her of the Bolter and could easily come to nothing. In the morning, Fanny pleads with Linda to never bolt and leave her.

Linda admits she doesn’t have a reason to leave since she is going to be marrying the Prince of Wales. Linda says she’d be lost without Fanny and claims she won’t die. They joke around sexually before Matthew is warned that no men will be coming to Louisa’s coming out party. He doesn’t believe that since Josh will be there. We jump forward to the day of Louisa’s ball and her dance partners are Matthew’s friends from the House of Lords and Josh the Groom. Linda and Fanny aren’t impressed with the men, but the night was saved by a late arrival. Lord Merlin (Andrew Scott) enters and causes a scene. We learn he was an artist and musician. Matthew didn’t like him. Davey offers to introduce Fanny and Linda to him but Linda says no because their dresses are too bad.

Once the night ends, Linda gives up on the Price and wants to devote herself to becoming one of the girls with Merlin. Linda says she aches for life to be exciting like that, but Fanny says she’d like to observe exciting things. Fanny is told that they’re exciting and Linda would be lost without her. Linda gets bored and tired of waiting for her life to begin while arguing it is forever before they come out. When Fanny asks what she wants, Linda says she wants to have fun, wear heels, and go to the cinema. She wants to have sex and be adored by men. Louisa’s dance had an unexpected sequel and she gets proposed to by an older man. They talk to Louisa later about her decision to marry the old man. Louisa (Beattie Edmondson) says she is happy for the first time in her life since she is getting out.

They get upset when they learn that Louisa isn’t going to have any bridesmaids. Fanny believes Linda would’ve changed places with Louisa even if it meant spending life with John Fort-William. Later, Linda tries to throw herself through the window because she wants to die unless life begins. They hear Matthew saying he won’t have his house filled with Merlin’s dago friends. They talk to Merlin about the pigeons that he dyed and he says they like it. Merlin learns that Linda isn’t taking any lessons at all because Matthew doesn’t want her to. Merlin and Fanny agree that she needs educating so Merlin takes her around and shows her his work and other things. He tells her he sees she is a romantic character and he sees trouble ahead. He urges her to get an intellectual background. He fears it might be too late.

Linda followed his advice for a few days and kept reading books until the impossible happened. The girls had grown up. They attend a party and Tony Kroesig (Freddie Fox) enters. He steps over to Linda and asks her to dance. She says yes so Fanny is left alone. Tony was in his last year at Oxford and a member of Bullingdon. Matthew soon learns from Davey that Tony is the son of the Governor of the Bank of England. He isn’t happy that Linda is hanging out with a Hun. He complains that Merlin has brought them an actual German. They continue hanging out until Tony saves a rabbit for Linda and Fanny calls it the one romantic gesture of Tony’s life. When Tony returned to Oxford, Linda sat around and waited for him to call. He eventually does and invites Linda to lunch with him.

She agrees to go but Fanny warns her Matthew will punish her if he finds out. They decide to escape the fortress using a very dull girl named Lavender Davis (Kitty Archer). Linda tries to convince Jassy to give up her runaway money and claims Tony will pay it back. Jassy doesn’t believe it. They eventually take the vehicle in hopes of meeting Tony. They make it to Oxford and join the guys for bath time. Linda convinces Fanny to get a haircut before they meet Tony. They talk about hunting briefly before Tony’s friends join them. The girls soon find out that Tony’s games aren’t as fun as they thought they would be. They’re also worried that Matthew will catch them. They decided to leave and Fanny has to comfort Linda once they return home. Linda claims she loves him.

In the morning, Matthew yells for Linda and wakes her. Matthew says he received a phone call that someone left a scarf in Tony’s room at Oxford. He calls Fanny a scarlet woman and says she’ll be sent home immediately. Linda says they’re almost middle-aged women and can’t be locked away forever. Then, he blames Merlin and calls him depraved, but Linda takes up for him. He says Fanny is never coming back and Linda is lucky not to get a thrashing. He also claims they won’t get a London season. Linda screams goodbye out of her window as Fanny gets into a vehicle outside and leaves. Then, we learn that they did get a London season. They came out into the world at 18 and ready for a husband. Several guys try to talk to Fanny but she isn’t interested.

As for Linda, she is still dreaming about Tony. Surprisingly, he shows up at the party and tells Linda he has been looking everywhere for her. Tony takes her out onto the balcony while Fanny runs into her mother the bolter. She tells Fanny about her new friend Colin before admitting her white hunter was shot dead. When they leave, Fanny emulates her mother. Next, Matthew tells Linda that Tony just called and he told him to get the heck out of here. He goes ballistic when Linda says she is engaged to Tony. Davey doesn’t like the engagement either. He thinks Linda will be in trouble but Fanny will be okay. Linda tells Lord Merlin about her engagement and he admits he doesn’t like it. He tells her that love is for grown ups and it has nothing to do with marriage.

He also says he doesn’t want her to marry a bore like Tony. In the bathroom, Linda claims Tony knows everything. Fanny agrees but says he only thinks he knows everything. Linda gets upset and says she is afraid she’ll have to make Lavender Davis the chief bridesmaid and Fanny will be second. After a photo shoot for Linda’s wedding, Fanny runs into Alfred Winchman (Shazad Latif). Their conversation is interrupted by Linda who pulls Fanny aside. Linda wants to hide and doesn’t seem eager to get married. She is worried about growing up and not being able to have Christmas together like they used to. She is pulled out from her hiding place seconds later. They step inside and Linda’s wedding begins. Linda sits down next to Tony as he speaks to the crowd. She doesn’t look thrilled.

 

The Pursuit Of Love Review

Ultimately, there were things I enjoyed about the first episode of The Pursuit of Love, including the acting, costumes, and the soundtrack. I understand that the music doesn’t fit the supposed time period, but I liked them anyway. My biggest issues were a lack of interest and authenticity. I genuinely didn’t find the scenes humorous or even engaging for that matter.

Unfortunately, I didn’t find it fun as some reviewers have put it. The episode was a bit all over the place and it was lacking personality. I did like the relationship between Linda and Fanny though, and I’d like to see more about the relationship between Fanny and Emily. The episode really never got going so I hope things pick up in the next.

I’ll likely watch the last episodes anyway since there is a chance it’ll get better. At the very least, the cast is pretty darn spectacular. The opening episode was mostly forgettable so I’d give it a 6.5 out of 10. Future recaps of The Pursuit of Love will be available on Reel Mockery here.