The English Amazon Prime Show
Season 1
Episode Number 1 Preview And Review
In episode 1 of The English, Lady Cornelia Locke recalls her time with a pawnbroker named Eli Whipp. Once upon a time, they had two different goals: to kill a man for the murder of his child and to recover the land he had stolen. But what one wants is not always what one needs.
In 1890, 13 years earlier, after serving as a cavalry scout in the US Army, Eli travels to his native Nebraska to buy a land claim. But he stopped in Kansas, where a man named Richard hooked him up.
When Cornelia arrives in Kansas with her luggage and cash, Richard is there to meet her. Well… knocking him out, that is.
Planning to frame Eli for her murder, Richard sends her away handcuffed and chauffeured. But Eli manages to escape and returns to Cornelia to retrieve his personal belongings.
As he returns, Richard and Cornelia are seated across from each other at a long dinner table. Cornelia is horrified to learn that “he” (the man who killed her child) knew he was coming to kill her. Now she will be killed by Richard as she tries to carry out her revenge plan.
But when Eli throws a dagger at Richard’s head, he saves him from this fate and kills him. He then goes out to tend to Richard’s men. He makes a device for one of them, so if his horse goes forward, he will drown in a bucket of water. Surprised Eli, Cornelia leads the horse forward and kills the man.
Eli takes his bag (which he claims contains medicine) and starts to ride his horse. Cornelia stops him. She goes to Powder River, Wyoming to kill her son’s killer and asks him to help her.
Eli is resistant, but gives in when he pleads with her on his knees. They were brought together like magic; Cornelia is sure of it.
He says he will take her as far as Kearney, but she must be prepared for difficult journeys.
Episode Review
It’s clear from the start that creator Hugo Blick’s The English is not your classic western. For one, it has a central focus: Women and Native Americans aren’t usually the protagonists in movies’ depictions of the “Old West.” But the white men were not really the heroes; The British make it clear from the start.
Eli Whipp (Chaske Spencer) and Cornelia Locke (Emily Blunt) are quite attractive as the main characters in this new take on the classic genre. One is regarded as a traitor to his people; another is shaken by a personal loss; both seek different forms of justice. Looks like the couple has a deal for now. But how long can it last when survival—rather than loyalty—is the law in this country?
With its brutal and violent atmosphere and subversive revenge premise, the British premiere offers a compelling story and stunning visuals.