The 'Outrageous' Premiere Introduces the Mitford Sisters
Most American viewers are probably not very familiar with England's Mitford sisters. The family, which comprised individuals ranging from Nazis and communists to journalists and satirists, was essentially the tabloid stars of their day. The headline-grabbing antics of the six Mitford sisters have since spawned a range of media, including documentaries, biographies, and even a stage musical. BritBox's latest period drama, Outrageous, aims to bring their often stranger-than-fiction family saga to life. Although the series' initial episodes are slower going than one might expect given the outlandish nature of its subject matter, it's still a fascinating dive into a group of women who, almost uniformly, chose to reject the idea that they owed the world anything other than being fully and simply themselves. (For good or very ill, as the case may be.)
Eldest sister Nancy (Bessie Carter) is the primary narrator of our story. This makes sense, in a way, given that she herself was an author and adept at telling stories. (Not to mention the fact that at least two of her books, The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate, were semi-autobiographical works based on her family's exploits.) Perhaps this is why we learn so little about Nancy's interior or emotional state, despite hearing her voice most frequently throughout these episodes.
Instead, the bulk of the series' first episode is devoted to table-setting, introducing us to the sisters and their places within the family and the world at large. If it occasionally feels like this premiere is doing little more than proceeding down a checklist of necessary exposition topics, well, that's because it is. But thankfully, things pick up significantly in its second hour, which likely explains why BritBox chose to release the first two installments as a block. (Though you'll still likely find yourself more interested in Nancy's sisters than our narrator.)
