Titmuss Regained: Episode 2 – “Tomorrow” (1991)

 

Because Titmuss isn’t in enough of a quandary over the whole “shall I take a cement mixer to my old stomping grounds?” thing, episode 2 drops a few more issues on his head.  First, he’s moved back to the country with his new wife (Jenny, a widow – their courtship was sweetly awkward,) and she’s expressed an interest in joining the local group of anti-development protestors.  The press is all too quick to catch whiffs of the story, and Jenny doesn’t exactly appreciate the putting down of Titmuss’s foot.

 

Meanwhile, Titmuss is far from amused by Cracken, his own would-be Brutus.  Cracken has all sorts of schemes that he plots, either in his office or out rabbit-hunting, with Mr.-Burns-ian delight.  But Titmuss has been at the political game a lot longer, and he’s put up with entitled Oxbridge types before.  There’s one episode left in the miniseries – I imagine that, by the time the dust settles, Cracken will realize he’s not quite ready to play with the big boys.

 

We see a direct clash between the two this episode, something beyond condescending remarks about Titmuss’s less refined tastes and brusque manner.  Cracken is self-assured enough to show his hand, and Titmuss in turn shows him what he’s made of.  It’s fun to see Cracken on the ropes, twisting in the wind a bit before he goes underground to plan his next move.

 

Also, here’s an interesting side-story.  Each episode spends some time on the villagers, their protest movement, and the everyday goings-on of their lives.  Today, there’s a scene in which a mother has sent her adult daughter to marriage counseling.  Why?  She has no interest in having sex with her “intended.”  Granted, for her, it’s a personal issue (she grew up on a rabbit farm, knows full well where the phrase “at it like rabbits” came from, and is now sick of the idea,) but I was still intrigued.  The counseling session ends with her having to decide between once-a-week sex or once-a-week therapy.  Darn prescriptive attitudes.