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Thursday, March 21, 2013

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries Episode #98 "Gratitude": AKA: And Then Their Fandom EXPLODED



From the very beginning, it was clear how Lizzie and Darcy's story would end. It had to end with them together, although other details of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice were altered in this cleverly modern adaptation, this one plot point we all knew would remain the same. And yet, that did not stop the fandom from salivating over every detail of how it could possibly go down. Fan Fiction was written, theories were made, and after Monday's tease of an episode, to say that viewers were chomping at the bit for today's installment would be quite the understatement.

So after a brief tease, by a very happy looking Lizzie, we finally get to see just what went down on Lizzie's birthday. I just want to thank the writers for having the first words out of Lizzie's mouth be "I thought you were Chinese." Even more thanks for Darcy's calm and collected response of "I can understand the confusion." I can not think of a more perfect way to illustrate how beautifully awkward they are together.

Let's face it folks today's episode was all about the looks. The way Lizzie looks longingly at Darcy, the way, as usual he can't stop looking at her. Seriously folks, it's enough to make a girl go weak in the knees. You can actually see Darcy's heart fall when Lizzie says she wants to be friends. Then of course, there is the hope that lights up across Lizzie's face as Darcy tells her his feelings for her have not only not dulled, but in fact, intensified since the fall. Major props must be given to Ashley Clements and Daniel Vincent Gordh.

But let's get to the good stuff people, today after 97 and 1/2 episodes, Lizzie Bennet and William Darcy finally kissed! And what a set of kisses it was. The first one, was impulsive, slightly awkward, as it should have been. In an attempt to clarify the situation, Lizzie impulsively puts her hand on Darcy's neck, to turn him towards her and kisses him full on the lips while he is in the middle of explaining how he wants to be more than just friends. He stiffens at first, and you can see that this was not where he thought the conversation was headed.

Lizzie opens her eye first and pulls back slightly, you can see the shock over what she has done all over her face. While its hard to really tell from the angle of the camera, it's pretty safe to say that Darcy keeps his eyes closed a bit longer. It's as if he is afraid that if he opens them it won't be real. He's savoring this moment. Then of course comes the REAL KISS. He pulls he back in, close his hands roaming her back. This is what he has been wanting, waiting for since back in the fall. The feel of Lizzie in his arms, the taste of her lips, and the fact that she wants to be with him. This is not some perfectly angled, sweet romantic kiss, no, this folks is the real deal, well as real as it gets in the realm of entertainment that is.

What's really interesting to notice is up till the first kiss, Lizzie and Darcy very rarely had any physical contact with each other, at least as far as we were shown. For the most part they have only ever been shown standing/sitting awkwardly across/beside one another. The exceptions being when Lizzie awkwardly touches his arm in Episode #78 "The Lizzie Trap" when she is flustered by Gigi throwing her and Darcy in a room together, when she touches his shoulder to get by him in Episode #83 "Corporate Interview" and when Darcy lays his hand upon her shoulder/back to comfort her when she receives the Lydia news in Episode #84 "Ugh".

After that first kiss though, the awkward no touching spell is broken and now they can't seem to stop touching each other. Their foreheads resting against each other when they break apart, the way Lizzie plays with his tie, or how Darcy leaves his hand resting on her back, it's as if neither of them can fully believe that what they have wanted for so long has finally come to be.

So what's going to happen next? After Monday's video I was curious as to what would happen in Episode #99, well according to the preview for Monday's video, Darcy is talking to the camera. ALONE. This is gonna be good.

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