Recap of episode four of Les Miserables – Les Coincidences, you mean? | Television and radio

Spoiler alert: this summary concerns Les Miserables viewers on the BBC. Please do not read if you are not up to date.

What episode of crack, action, syphilitic pbadion, hot pokers and leaks on the roofs. And what a really miserable place, Paris is full of people who prostitute themselves, die in the street and wear rags at the shoulder that showcase their brands. The interweaving of the strands was wonderful here, culminating in Pontmercy looking at the sign representing his father's rescue and Javert turning to the piece of the puzzle that could bring him back to his prey. Meanwhile, the political context began to unfold: "Paris is a powder keg. It will only take a spark …

Screenwriter Andrew Davies paced the story brilliantly during these six episodes. And with Dominic West's wonderful distraction, it's easy to ignore certain moments of "Say What?". Victor Hugo is a great storyteller and Davies knows how to turn this story into an extremely captivating screen time. But, in fact, I argue that this should be called Les Coincidences instead of Les Misérables.

Of course, of all the boarding schools in Paris, Marius goes to the house managed by the same known main tenant of Cosette and Jean Valjean. And the child coming out of the building in which Marius is about to move must be the son of Thenardiers, the innkeeper who saved Marius' father in action, the same man who fed Cosette. And the prostitute who attracts Marius must be the daughter of Thenardier … And they turn out to be his neighbors … And the policeman who is on duty when Marius shows up at the police station must be Javert … And so on …

I do not complain or say that this is false in relation to the original – these coincidences greatly underlie the novel – but it recalls the contradiction inherent in this type of clbadic literature of the nineteenth century. There is a heavy claim on "reality" (that it is "true to life", a representation of true injustice) and yet it is told through a meticulously constructed narrative that can only exist in fiction. "How do you live in this place?" "I live like that. I get what I can where I can. And we come to the point by all the coincidences that Hugo wants to include.

Javert's refusal to renounce the longest and most gloomy rancor in the history of humanity never ceases to amuse him. No matter how many years past, he never gives up looking for Valjean, the man who had once stolen a crust of stale bread and a tiny little penny. "A man on hundreds. It was ten years ago. He could have been dead for years. But no, Javert hears Valjean make fun of him through the gulf of time. It must be brought to justice, even if it takes a better century and about 1,900 pages.

The action scene with Valjean posing as the popular poker was great. He is surely too old to escape through the windows? And when will Javert remember that he has already seen these people before? The lighting in the 19th century had to be terrible. Do people really have a hard time recognizing themselves when they have such memorable faces? "Did you recognize it? Whoever took the girl … "Oh, whatever, let's go for" im anyway. A complaint: no hair and teeth dealer this week. Favorite moment? "Look through the peephole, sir." Here is the lo-fi webcam of the century! No internet connection required: just a candle and a crack in the wall. Oh, that was the good old days.

The least convincing romantic encounter

Finally an interest of appropriate love! But not for Eponine (beautifully interpreted by Erin Kellyman in a role that I still think poorly sketched) who does his best to attract Marius but who repels with his feet extremely dirty. I am a big fan of Josh O'Connor (Marius Pontmercy) and he really illuminated this episode, portraying a mixture of young challenge and noble morality. In the dark place of lost women with greasy faces and hair in battle! "For you, I'm doing a special prize!" "Kiss him, you know what you want!" Venereal disease and broken glbad all around. In this messy world, Marius is as uncomfortable as Valjean and it is important that we see him as a man of principle who wants better things for himself and for others. O'Connor glanced at him.

Onion Gwyneth Paltrow to cry on demand

The tenderness between Valjean (West) and Cosette (the beautiful fondant Ellie Bamber) caused a tear to the eye. At first glance, Valjean can be a nerdy and unbelievable character: the He-Man houlking with the strength of a thousand men, Gandhi's altruism and the emotional intelligence of his life. ; Oprah. But West brings something special that makes him feel real. In the relationship with Cosette, he shows that he is innocent and 99.9% perfect: he is the father in whom she can trust, love and respect. But he brilliantly injected a barely perceptible suspicion of something more sinister. She is not really her daughter. He is not related to her. He'll have to lose it. It was act par excellence.

"Listen and repeat!" Clbadic miserable lines

• "There is anger and troubles in the streets! What about this police officer, the one who came here … "What a memory! I like the fact that people who had a lively meeting 10 years ago can meet face to face without remembering absolutely, but a nun who has not even really seen Javert the dark night where Cosette and Valjean came to the convent still remembers him. about a decade later.

• "This girl … I have a bad feeling towards her …" Yes, Cosette, it's she who was naughty with you when you were little! (This is the only case where I accept that, yes, they are unlikely to recognize each other.)

• "I think if I crossed one of these men, I would die, just looking at him in the face." Cosette completely misses Valjean's empathy lesson.

• "I have dedicated myself to pursuing not only obvious mistakes, but also hidden mistakes." We understand that, Javert. You really are not one to let the past be pbaded.

• "Lies, violence, cruelty … it's the world." You said it, Valjean!