Renegade Nell 1×02 “Tracks Less Well Trod” sees Nell and her family on the run and a bounty not being the only thing they have to worry about. It also sees the addition of a new companion in Rasselas. He, like the other supporting characters, adds something fantastic to this cast. In addition, we get to see more about why Sofia is choosing her path and why the Earl of Poynton is truly dangerous. All together, this was another step into Nell fully realizing her power and making the best out of a really bad situation with impossible odds. Because after all, Nell was never going to die in bed. Truly a badass* line, if I’ve ever heard one.
So let’s dive into Renegade Nell 1×02 “Tracks Less Well Trod”!
Nell’s bravado becomes very evident in the second episode of the premiere season. She has no qualms about holding up a carriage and starting her life as a highwaywoman. Because it’s what she needs to do to support her siblings. She also has no problem telling Rasselas that he needs to go and find his own way in life. The same thing goes when they get held up by Charles Devereaux. She’s not afraid to confront every single challenge that comes her way, even if she’s not sure what comes afterward. Of course, that will get her into some foolishness, as evidenced by the warning from Billy at the end of this episode. But I can appreciate that she knows who she is. Characters like that, especially ones that are women, are rare and desperately needed.
Another woman in this episode that we got to know a little bit more about was Sofia Wilmot. In the previous episode, I wasn’t sure why she said that Nell shot Lord Blancheford. But this episode makes it abundantly clear that she did it to not take scraps from a cousin up north. And I can’t really fault her, well I can, but I can understand her. In the 1700s, things were completely different and she would have had to depend on the good graces of men to survive. She’s literally trying to control this situation as best as she can because her brother is useless. So she bids her time and takes calculated steps to not end up someplace worse. This means putting a bounty on Nell’s head, putting her brother in place, and beseeching help from the Earl of Poynton because she knows he can be useful to her. Trust me on that.
Then there are Nell’s sisters, Roxy and George. I really like that in the middle of all this craziness, this show affords these young women moments of calm. They are on the run but there are still moments where Nell makes fun of Roxy and there’s a conversation on whether she’s kissing Rasselas. But there are also moments like when they were on the dock, just lazing about and having a moment where they could just be sisters or when Roxy was talking to Rasselas in the carriage. For some people, the small moments might seem like a waste of time, but like I said in my previous review, it feels like there’s intentionality behind every moment. And giving these young women moments to laugh, talk, or take in the world, shows that it’s not all doom and gloom. They’re still living.
“Tracks Less Well Trod” also sets up the blossoming of what could be romantic interests within the show. The difference is that the men (Charles Devereaux, Rasselas, and the Earl of Poynton) aren’t just the romantic interests. As a seasoned TV/film viewer, I’m used to women coming onto the scene of a male-led show or movie and they’re just the love interest. There’s nothing else about them that matters. On this show, that doesn’t happen. While the women are the main focus, their possible romantic interests, have their own fleshed-out stories. Rasselas is trying to find a place to belong and who he is after it was all stolen from him. Charles Devereaux is a swindler who only has an address to his name and the ability to make people believe what he wants. And even the Earl of Poynton has this dark and powerful magic within him that enables him to create scary monsters that are definitely going after Nell.
Everything has a purpose.
Another thing I wanted to point out about Renegade Nell 1×02, is that we’re learning more about what Billy’s mission is. And the show is doing it in a way that doesn’t feel like it’s too fantastical. Billy feels grounded. There are set rules as to what Billy can and cannot do. But I do feel like Billy is also starting to really like Nell and is on the track to bend some of his rules. That’s what happens with found family. And that includes fairies. Billy is part of this found family just like Rasselas will surely be by the end of this show and maybe even Charles Devereaux. Definitely not Sofia or the Earl of Poynton. Those last two are going to cause so much trouble in the next episode. But I have no doubt that Nell will end up on top. That’s how sure I am due to everything that the creators of the show have set up masterfully.
Renegade Nell season 1 is available now on Disney+.