BBC War and Peace: Episode 4

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ar and Peace: Episode 4 revolves entirely around Andrei, Natasha, and Anatole’s burgeoning relationship, despite Andrei having only a few minutes of screen time. Prince Bolkonsky disapproves of Natasha as a prospective wife for Andrei, and they agree to compromise: Andrei is free to marry Natasha, but only if he goes to Switzerland for a year to test their affections for one another. Wide-eyed Natasha is reluctant, but would do anything for Andrei, so off he goes. The events of the episode play out in the year of his absence.

Natasha finds that her capacity to wait for Andrei is not so strong after all, and somehow manages to be charmed by Anatole, of all people. Helene is (as always) involved in this manipulation, and tries to engineer her brother’s corruption of Natasha’s innocence.

Natasha and the creepy Anatole. Image: BBC and Laurie Sparham

I can’t help but wonder at how Natasha can fall for such a man; I get the appeal of the “bad boy”, but Callum Turner plays Anatole with all the charisma of a predatory creep.

It doesn’t help that Natasha has a disastrous meeting with Andrei’s father and sister, and concludes that they hate her.

Pierre’s frustration with Anatole is exacerbated by last week’s revelation that he too is in love with Natasha.

He pithily summarises the opinion of us viewers, saying to both Anatole and Helene: “Wherever you are, there is depravity and evil.”

I am impressed that Pierre manages to summon this moral outrage, despite being otherwise engaged downing shots of vodka as part of his continuing experiments with the Freemasons

He seems to be in an odd place at the moment, and I hope he gets more screen time next week.

Nikolai rocks a rather fetching outfit. Image: BBC and Laurie Sparham

The war remains off-screen yet again, though this may change next week, as Nikolai is shown travelling back to the front. But this is not before he manages to upset his family by declaring his love for his cousin, Sonya. Nikolai’s mother sees this as a betrayal; in her mind, he should marry for money to help rescue the family’s financial situation (much of which, remember, is Nikolai’s fault).  

Happily, Rebecca Front’s character is back, and is once again desperate to find a wife for her son, Boris, who is fast becoming a favourite character of mine.

This week, he is seen attempting to court Julie Karagina. “Just make her laugh” might be sufficient advice for most men, but not Boris – he decides that the key to seduction is to talk loftily of wilting willows and the inevitable decay of nature, punctuating it with lengthy and profound sighs.

There are now only two hours left, and while I am as keen as anyone to see how things work out for Andrei, Natasha and Anatole, Pierre’s fate interests me most.