Examination of Second 30-Second Trailer

Twitter broke again this week with Entertainment Weekly posting an “exclusive” thirty-second trailer. We all thought it would be a long one, like season one’s two-minute preview. Alas, we were given another thirty seconds to add to our viewing. It’s time to dissect every second, for a second time!

Released by PBS we begin with the logo and then Masterpiece, focusing upon the seaside, and Tom Parker’s voice declaring, “All who set foot in Sanditon fall in love on the spot.” A woman in a flowing black dress, blowing in the wind, with a man approaching around the circular gazebo meets our eyes, with a few red bathing machines strategically placed on the sandy beach. The town scene was no doubt shot in Bristol at The Bottle Yard Studios, as mentioned in a previous post.

The next frame is a repeat of Charlotte entering the foyer of Trafalgar House, which quickly shifts to the formidable Colonel Lennox, looking at Charlotte and asking, “Was that your experience, Miss Heywood?” as if he’s asking after Tom’s declaration about people setting foot in Sanditon and falling in love. Tom Weston-Jones comes across a bit abrupt, and instantly you wonder if he has knowledge of Charlotte’s previous feelings regarding Sidney Parker. Only time will tell, as the next frame shows our brokenhearted Charlotte glancing at him forlornly. If he does know, strike one for the insensitivity on his part for bringing up the subject and putting her in such an uncomfortable position.

Gloriously and wisely, the next frame says, “Inspired by Jane Austen,” to let audiences know that seasons two and three are written in kind to Jane Austen’s work with strong heroines and romance. Frankly, that’s a brilliant move. Unfortunately, the Jane Austen purists continue in social media platforms to declare their disagreeable attitudes that Jane is rolling over in her grave, the story is now a soap opera and has nothing to do with her, and the writers should be ashamed of themselves. Yes, the few still rant their discontent. As the frame plays, you see a young boy running across the field, and someone looking like Charlotte running after him!

Then we hear Lady Denham’s familiar voice declaring to Charlotte, “You remain stubbornly unwed, I see,” which shifts to a scene of Charlotte walking on the beach and a man on a white horse (which we know Lennox rides) trotting back to three other redcoats off in the distance. Charlotte looks thoughtful and not necessarily impressed.

The next frame has Charlotte running to Georgiana’s arms, which we witnessed in the first thirty seconds. Charlotte declares, “I believe independence is something to be encouraged,” as we see her sitting in a chair, in a front of the desk, supposedly (as fans speculate) to be the home of Alexander Colbourne. Is Charlotte applying for the job of governess in this scene?

Allison and Georgiana are laughing and having fun, riding circles around the militia. The next frame pops up a second later, with Lady Denham declaring, “Oh, don’t be absurd.” I’m assuming it’s Charlotte, as Esther and Allison are also in the frame sitting in the gazebo with her.

Then comes the shot of Edward walking away from the grand house, with the word in yellow SCANDAL, as we hear his voice declare, “I will not let you destroy my reputation.” He’s returned now as Captain Edward Denham, having no doubt purchased a commission. After being the poor baronet disowned by Lady Denham, one must conclude the man needed a roof (or tent) over his head and food in his belly. The militia would at least provide that stability. In the next frame as he growls his words, which makes you wonder if he’s still the same Edward or a redeemed version. Does he declare it to Lady Denham? Esther? Clara? We have two frames that follow. One is Esther looking at someone straight-faced and without emotion. It is difficult to tell if she feels pity, anger, sadness, or disdain at who she is looking at, which I must assume is Edward. The next frame is a swift second of Clara, again with her classic look, glancing as well at someone. One wonders what she will be up to in season two and if she somehow weaseled her way back into Lady Denhamn’s favor. I’ve always wondered if she returns with a child in tow, the scandal, as a result of her snaky encounter with Edward on the drawing-room floor.

Then we are flashed to a dinner party in a grand room with GREED across the frame. We see familiar faces of Charlotte, Reverend Hankins, Tom Parker, plus many men in redcoats and unrecognizable dinner guests. The frame quickly shifts to Georgiana, declaring “I am besieged by fortune hunters.” She looks happy, free, and relaxed. It’s wonderful to see that freedom has returned to her life. If Tom Parker is now her guardian, no doubt he has a loose leash upon Georgiana compared to Sidney. Tom, after all, can’t handle his own affairs let alone lookout for another human being.

Then as swiftly as the seconds pass, we are thrown into the ballroom with soldiers dancing. We spy Alison and a few other familiar faces, having a merry time until the next face is that of disgruntled Edward along the sidelines. His downturned mustache makes him look even more grumpy (sorry Jack Fox). Then it’s a shot of the militia doing target practice, which makes me wonder if Edward would like to shoot someone.

Ah, now ROMANCE is the next frame, once again with Charlotte walking on the beach, and we see Lennox on his white horse trotting around with three other men by his side not far behind. Alison’s voice declares, “I have a plan for us both to find husbands here in Sanditon.” Then Charles Lockhart fills the frame, looking dapper and handsome as ever, as a slight smile upturns his lips. Oh, Alexander Vlahos is going to be great in this series. I feel it in my bones. He’s going to be the spice to shake things up. Will he flirt with Alison, Charlotte, Georgiana, or Arthur? Fans seem to think after seeing the glances exchanged in the first thirty-second trailer that Georgiana and he may strike a friendship or perhaps even more.

Once again we see Lennox swirl Charlotte around in a waltz, while Charlotte’s voice declares, “Love is not as simple as you seem to think.” Does the handsome Lennox tempt Charlotte to love? Do his edge and earlier abruptness remind her of someone else?

Then alas, we are faced with Alexander Colbourne, holding cornflower in his hand, reaching toward Charlotte with an amorous look in his eye. Unfortunately, we don’t hear any words spoken by Colbourne in these thirty seconds or in the first teaser. His voice is being hidden from the audience, but his mysterious aura remains. As spoken about by the fans, we’ve already analyzed the meaning behind the blue cornflower, termed Bachelor Buttons, that with a simple gesture say to Charlotte, I’m available and unencumbered. Romantic, or what?

These PBS Masterpiece spoon-fed sessions of thirty seconds are merely teasers to our senses. They arouse in us as fans speculation and stir the endless possibilities for the story ahead. I sincerely hope, however, that PBS will give us a full two minutes of a long trailer to sink our imaginations into before March 20, 2022. So far, everything looks delicious! It’s beautiful. The cast is stellar. And I know the story will be heartwarming, and filled with scandal, greed, and above all – romance.