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Great Expectations, based on Charles Dickens' famous literary work, premiered on FX on March 26, 2023, with two episodes. The latest reboot of the series follows the familiar storyline of Pip (Fionn Whitehead), an orphan attempting to become a full-fledged gentleman with the help of the mysterious Mistress Havisham (Olivia Colman) and Estella (Shalom Brune-Franklin).
The first two episodes focused on Pip's childhood and the pressure he felt from others' high expectations, which is also the inspiration for the story's title. In the first episode, Pip meets Magwitch and Compeyson, two convicted criminals who set him on the path that ultimately brings him to Miss Havisham.
The first two episodes of Great Expectations are streaming on Hulu.
Great Expectations episode 1 and 2: The path taken
The series begins in 1839 London with Pip trying to kill himself. The episode rewinds to seven years earlier, where a young Pip is working hard. The scene then shifts to depict two convicts, Maywitch and Compeyson, fighting each other. After being calmed down by a guard, Compeyson manages to set the cell on fire and escape the prison, leaving Maywitch to die.
After a fight at home with Sara (Hayley Squires), Pip sneaks out at night to visit his parent's grave site. He encounters Maywitch there, who asks the young Pip to bring food to him. Maywitch also threatens him that if he told anyone about this or did not comply, he would also kill his sister. Pip reluctantly complies with the request.
Right after Pip follows through on his promise, Compeyson appears and questions Pip, prompting Pip to deny seeing Maywitch.
Back at home, Mr. Pumblechuck (Matt Berry) arrives for dinner with Sara and reveals that Miss Havisham had asked for Pip. Miss Havisham had adopted a girl who needed company. Since they did not find a boy of the appropriate class, he had picked Pip for this. Sara gets excited over the idea of getting paid for Pip to head to Miss Havisham’s, but soon guards burst into the house in search of the escaped convicts. Eventually, they find the two convicts fighting each other in the mud.
After this ordeal, Pip goes to meet with Miss Havisham with Mr. Pumblechuck.
The second episode begins with Miss Havisham making Estella and Pip play a game. Pip and Estella soon start talking amongst themselves and Estella mentions that she needs a rich man to get out of the house. She calls another kid named Herbert and tells him that Pip was in love with her, inadvertently causing them to fight for her.
After this, Estella lectures Pip on becoming a gentleman in the future. After a brief scene of a lawyer trying to get his client free before an execution, Pip explains his day with Estella to Sara.
Great Expectations episode 2 soon moves to introduce Biddy properly. She is the smart girl Pip plans on using to impress Estella. At Miss Havisham’s house, she teaches Pip how to treat a lady with respect. It turns out that it was Pip's 18th birthday and Havisham has a special gift for him.
She soon takes him upstairs and tells him that Mrs. Givens will make love to him. She also tells him that to be a gentleman, he has to be good at certain things like horseriding, boxing, dancing, and love-making.
Later that day, Miss Havisham asks Pip to attend a society ball and asks out the French woman there. At the ball, however, Pip stays with Estella and dances with her. Miss Havisham asks Pip towards the end of Great Expectations episode 2 if he loves Estella.
The ending of this episode of Great Expectations sees Pip return to Miss Havisham's home, only to be told by Estella that his education was complete. This leaves a young Pip befuddled and expressing his feelings for her.
The upcoming episodes of Great Expectations will continue the tale and the further developments.
