Thoughts on Malory Towers - 1 - The First Day
So, clearly I have many thoughts about this and feel obliged to share them. Out of sheer boredom if nothing else. Spoiler warnings and such like, all beneath the cut below. These are thoughts in a non-ordered and slightly chaotic sort of way mostly.
The young actors playing a lot of these characters are really expressive in that slightly overdone way that kid's shows do. Sienna Arif-Knights (Sally) and Ella Bright (Darrell) are particularly expressive and it does make me laugh in some of the scenes, especially Darrell's "grumpy face" from later on in the episode.
The over-dramatic goodbye scene and introduction of Gwen are just right on that edge of being too hammy for the show and it works well. Especially when it's combined with Miss Pott's facial expressions as she corrects Gwen's name in her notepad.
Some of the cuts/edits are quite blatant in parts of this - when Alicia says, “Introductions, Jean, good egg. Irene...Mary Lou”, it’s clear that there have been cuts in the final stage. I suspect that both Irene and Mary-Lou had some kind of descriptor like Jean’s “good egg” and the editing isn’t as smooth as it could be.
I didn’t notice the first time but when Alicia is quizzing them on why they’re moving schools, Mary Lou asleep on Gwen and then being woken up by Gwen shouting is amusing and sweet. I wouldn't fall asleep on Gwen though.
Will return to this thought a few times I suspect throughout the series, but there aren’t really enough kids on that minibus for the scale of the school.
[Thoughts referencing future episodes] This didn't occur to me until after I watched all 13 episodes but if Alicia’s full board and her parents are very absent then it doesn’t really make sense her parents would take her for Easter and not for Summer so where has she been to be coming back on the train? It doesn't make sense for it to be Betty's house because we learn in Episode 3 that she's been away overseas on vacation. Maybe Miss Potts takes Alicia with her to collect on the train at the beginning of each term so that she has something to do? Which is kind of sad really, god...sympathy for Alicia...who would have thought!
Anyway, the scale of student numbers improves a bit once they're at school when Darrell, Sally and Gwen are lost looking for the San. Then these sheer numbers of students just kind of...vanish for later episodes. If you're using the book as reference (and the numbers we see in Darrell's form and at the West Tower midnight feast) then there's 4 towers, 6 year groups, and 9/10 girls per dorm. Which means you're looking at around 216-240 students at Malory Towers, with 54-60 in North Tower. There are many occasions where this scope of numbers falls kind of flat. Though interestingly not in this getting lost scene.
The scene in the science lab is pretty good at demonstrating their characters in a very short scene, including Sally’s alignment on Darrell’s side so early on. Again her facial expressions (rolling her eyes at Gwen) are spot-on in this scene.
Matron is a nightmare (I know some people on social media were quite upset that she's not the kindly Matron from the book but I'm all for changing that kind of thing up, I think she plays two important roles in the series - conversely comedy relief and the fact that there are often serious power imbalances that are abused in boarding schools). Happier thought, the woman playing Miss Grayling is well-cast.
[Thoughts referencing future episodes] I am a tad confused by this first meeting scene because later on in the series, we learn that there has been some kind of interaction between Miss Grayling and Darrell prior to this meeting, where Miss Grayling promised Darrell a new start. I suppose this interaction could have been in writing? Because it doesn't seem like they're met before here.
Exasperated Katherine chasing the rest of the form about is brilliant.
I noticed on the rewatch that we see Sally take a photo out of her trunk at the same time as Darrell takes hers out but I don’t know if we ever see it on her bedside table. I think it probably fits her character if she hides it in a drawer? Especially if her baby sister is in the photograph.
I am not hugely sure what I think about the whole ghost being Alicia's thing throughout the series. I get conflicting thoughts on it throughout.
It is amusing that Sally is already telling Darrell to be careful with her antics and they met like 4 or 5 hours ago. Kids, that will be the dynamic of your friendship for years to come!
Matron screaming and jumping about is ridiculous and over the top and yes, I was entertained even though it is utterly daft.
Darrell’s angry face just makes me laugh
I think the swimming pool reveal was very much as much for the audience (and original readers) as the character, and Gwen’s position as a slightly more sympathetic and lonely child starts now. The highs and lows of just how sorry you feel for Gwen over the series are a trip.
Gwen’s whole: “I thought we new girls would stick together, but Sally never talks and you’re off with Alicia the whole time” feels a bit weird because it’s been what, like 12 hours? Less? The timelines in the first and second episode don't make a whole load of sense when you stop and work out when events are actually occurring. This is their very first day at Malory Towers, so it feels a bit of an odd comment.
Noooo, more editing issues with Katherine being sat on (I think) Jean's bed and then vanishing in the next shot.
Darrell’s letter also doesn’t make sense in the context of this being her first day...especially with the shots of playing and being in the pool being in-between the scenes.
In hindsight, with what happens later on in the series, Darrell’s clumsiness, carelessness, impulsiveness and difficulty spelling all make sense but they're unusual here the first time watching as someone who's read the books.
I swear throughout the series, Alicia just makes up shit about Lady Jane and her love depending on where she is at any given moment. It’s so childishly silly and I still cannot decide where I come down on it.
You genuinely feel sorry for Gwen after the midnight feast scene...until the end of the next one at the pool that is.
The scene at the pool would probably have showcased Darrell’s temper better if she had actually pushed Gwen. I think (from how the incident is discussed in later scenes) she’s is meant to have pushed her but the way it’s filmed comes off as a complete accident. Also, Darrell’s temper fades very quickly. Again, when we learn that she is terrified of being kicked out of school again later this makes sense in a way but it doesn't fit with the version of her temper that is seen in the book.
Ooh, exciting. Miss Grayling gets a back story in this one, she's not just an authority figure with no life.
Aaaw, Darrell saying to Miss Grayling, “Please don’t ask me to leave” is kind of heartbreaking.
Danya Griver should get a prize for that sly facial expression on Gwen's face at the end of the episode.
The young actors playing a lot of these characters are really expressive in that slightly overdone way that kid's shows do. Sienna Arif-Knights (Sally) and Ella Bright (Darrell) are particularly expressive and it does make me laugh in some of the scenes, especially Darrell's "grumpy face" from later on in the episode.
The over-dramatic goodbye scene and introduction of Gwen are just right on that edge of being too hammy for the show and it works well. Especially when it's combined with Miss Pott's facial expressions as she corrects Gwen's name in her notepad.
Some of the cuts/edits are quite blatant in parts of this - when Alicia says, “Introductions, Jean, good egg. Irene...Mary Lou”, it’s clear that there have been cuts in the final stage. I suspect that both Irene and Mary-Lou had some kind of descriptor like Jean’s “good egg” and the editing isn’t as smooth as it could be.
I didn’t notice the first time but when Alicia is quizzing them on why they’re moving schools, Mary Lou asleep on Gwen and then being woken up by Gwen shouting is amusing and sweet. I wouldn't fall asleep on Gwen though.
Will return to this thought a few times I suspect throughout the series, but there aren’t really enough kids on that minibus for the scale of the school.
[Thoughts referencing future episodes] This didn't occur to me until after I watched all 13 episodes but if Alicia’s full board and her parents are very absent then it doesn’t really make sense her parents would take her for Easter and not for Summer so where has she been to be coming back on the train? It doesn't make sense for it to be Betty's house because we learn in Episode 3 that she's been away overseas on vacation. Maybe Miss Potts takes Alicia with her to collect on the train at the beginning of each term so that she has something to do? Which is kind of sad really, god...sympathy for Alicia...who would have thought!
Anyway, the scale of student numbers improves a bit once they're at school when Darrell, Sally and Gwen are lost looking for the San. Then these sheer numbers of students just kind of...vanish for later episodes. If you're using the book as reference (and the numbers we see in Darrell's form and at the West Tower midnight feast) then there's 4 towers, 6 year groups, and 9/10 girls per dorm. Which means you're looking at around 216-240 students at Malory Towers, with 54-60 in North Tower. There are many occasions where this scope of numbers falls kind of flat. Though interestingly not in this getting lost scene.
The scene in the science lab is pretty good at demonstrating their characters in a very short scene, including Sally’s alignment on Darrell’s side so early on. Again her facial expressions (rolling her eyes at Gwen) are spot-on in this scene.
Matron is a nightmare (I know some people on social media were quite upset that she's not the kindly Matron from the book but I'm all for changing that kind of thing up, I think she plays two important roles in the series - conversely comedy relief and the fact that there are often serious power imbalances that are abused in boarding schools). Happier thought, the woman playing Miss Grayling is well-cast.
[Thoughts referencing future episodes] I am a tad confused by this first meeting scene because later on in the series, we learn that there has been some kind of interaction between Miss Grayling and Darrell prior to this meeting, where Miss Grayling promised Darrell a new start. I suppose this interaction could have been in writing? Because it doesn't seem like they're met before here.
Exasperated Katherine chasing the rest of the form about is brilliant.
I noticed on the rewatch that we see Sally take a photo out of her trunk at the same time as Darrell takes hers out but I don’t know if we ever see it on her bedside table. I think it probably fits her character if she hides it in a drawer? Especially if her baby sister is in the photograph.
I am not hugely sure what I think about the whole ghost being Alicia's thing throughout the series. I get conflicting thoughts on it throughout.
It is amusing that Sally is already telling Darrell to be careful with her antics and they met like 4 or 5 hours ago. Kids, that will be the dynamic of your friendship for years to come!
Matron screaming and jumping about is ridiculous and over the top and yes, I was entertained even though it is utterly daft.
Darrell’s angry face just makes me laugh
I think the swimming pool reveal was very much as much for the audience (and original readers) as the character, and Gwen’s position as a slightly more sympathetic and lonely child starts now. The highs and lows of just how sorry you feel for Gwen over the series are a trip.
Gwen’s whole: “I thought we new girls would stick together, but Sally never talks and you’re off with Alicia the whole time” feels a bit weird because it’s been what, like 12 hours? Less? The timelines in the first and second episode don't make a whole load of sense when you stop and work out when events are actually occurring. This is their very first day at Malory Towers, so it feels a bit of an odd comment.
Noooo, more editing issues with Katherine being sat on (I think) Jean's bed and then vanishing in the next shot.
Darrell’s letter also doesn’t make sense in the context of this being her first day...especially with the shots of playing and being in the pool being in-between the scenes.
In hindsight, with what happens later on in the series, Darrell’s clumsiness, carelessness, impulsiveness and difficulty spelling all make sense but they're unusual here the first time watching as someone who's read the books.
I swear throughout the series, Alicia just makes up shit about Lady Jane and her love depending on where she is at any given moment. It’s so childishly silly and I still cannot decide where I come down on it.
You genuinely feel sorry for Gwen after the midnight feast scene...until the end of the next one at the pool that is.
The scene at the pool would probably have showcased Darrell’s temper better if she had actually pushed Gwen. I think (from how the incident is discussed in later scenes) she’s is meant to have pushed her but the way it’s filmed comes off as a complete accident. Also, Darrell’s temper fades very quickly. Again, when we learn that she is terrified of being kicked out of school again later this makes sense in a way but it doesn't fit with the version of her temper that is seen in the book.
Ooh, exciting. Miss Grayling gets a back story in this one, she's not just an authority figure with no life.
Aaaw, Darrell saying to Miss Grayling, “Please don’t ask me to leave” is kind of heartbreaking.
Danya Griver should get a prize for that sly facial expression on Gwen's face at the end of the episode.