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Could you have loved someone your entire life, based on who they become once they are 36?
| Aired (HBO) | 5/15/2022 |
| Created or Developed By | Steven Moffat |
| Directed By | David Nutter |
| Written By | Steven Moffat |
| Genre | Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult |
| Introduced This Episode | |
| Clare (34, 20, and 28) | Rose Leslie |
| Henry (36, 28 and senior) | Theo James |
| Henry (7) | Jason David |
| Clare (6) | Everleigh McDonell |
This content contains pertinent spoilers.
Summary
Since Clare was 6 years old, Henry has popped up in her life, and with him being a time traveler, he knows that she is the one he’ll marry. Because of this, his 36-year-old self is comfortable around her and talks to her for long periods of time. She even says, 14 years later, while he was always a gentleman and recognized the age difference, she longed for him in romantic and sexual ways. However, he wouldn’t touch her, for the person who belongs to her is his 28-year-old self. The age when he first meets her.
The problem is when she is 20 and he is 28, Henry is an ass. One who doesn’t fit the attractive 36-year-old Clare has long been infatuated with, and she seems tasked to help his 28-year-old self grow up. All for the promise that he’ll become the man she loves in due time.
Things To Note
- Unexpected Content Advisory: Cursing (nothing too vulgar), Violence (minor), Sexual Content (Theo James’ backside, constantly), Miscellaneous (Vomiting)
Question(s) Left Unanswered
- So the farthest back Henry can go is to when he is 7?
- Did Clare’s parents ever catch a strange man talking to their 6-year-old?
- How old is the senior version of Harry?
- Why is Harry allowed to not only talk but interact with his younger self without causing a time paradox?
What Could Happen Next
- A weird display of Henry making Clare into the woman she is at 20, and 20-year-old Clare making Henry into the man he is at 36
Review
Highlights
It’s Cute, Once Clare Stops Talking about Waiting 14 Years To Have Sex With Henry
Leslie and James make a cute match. She has the same charm and appeal as many saw in Game of Thrones and James carries over what made him a star of the Divergent series. The only difference is they are a little older, but with that comes experience. Now they really know how to hold someone’s glance and use it to seduce the actor across from them and the audience. They can make themselves charming, even in moments that have them looking like an ass (Henry) or when they raise a red flag (Clare).
But, as long as Clare doesn’t remind you that a grown man has been visiting his future wife since she was 6, which raises all kinds of red flags, you can get into this relationship. Oh, and her not reminding you, while they are having sex, how she has wanted a full-grown man decades older than her for years.
On The Fence
Is This Considered Creepy?
So one of the things you may hear about when looking up this show is the concept of “Grooming.” After all, if Henry is visiting, multiple times, a 6-year-old Clare, while he is 30 years her senior, and implanting the idea that they’ll end up together, that’s creepy. For as shown, Clare held onto that, and it made it so when she meets 28-year-old Henry, she is all excited to jump his bones. Mainly because 36-year-old Henry knew where the line was, and while he revealed way too much of Clare’s potential future to her, he seemingly never got intimate with her.
Yet, just because he didn’t cross the line, does that make this less creepy? Even if the show seemingly wants to push the idea that as much as Henry made Clare into the woman she is, Clare will make Henry the man he is at 36? There is a delicate tight rope here that will heavily rely on you setting aside what can raise an eyebrow for, as much as Leslie and James make a cute on-screen match, the backstory of Clare and Henry opens itself up to a lot of criticism.
Initial Impression
I think at this point, I lean more towards watching because of the actors than because of the story. Mainly due to the whole idea of Henry molding his wife when she was 6, seeming a bit odd to bear. Which could just be because we know the language for what that is now, so it makes it hard to dismiss how creepy that can come off. But, who knows? Maybe it sounds worse hearing Clare and Henry talk about it versus us seeing how the two interact in the past?
One could only hope.
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