MovieChat Forums > Ripper Street (2013) Discussion > Long Susan

Long Susan

posted 9 years ago by merej
23 replies | jump to latest

I just finnished season 3 and am a bit confused as to the writer's intentions with that character. Given all the time spent on her being cheritable, showing what a strong yet caring person she is and how she has supposedly no choice/the best intentions and/or is ignorant of the horrible results of her actions(not even mentioning Reid's bizzare explanation of her actions) - are we actually expected to sympathise with her?

Because quite frankly that woman could discover a cure for cancer, stop famine and bring about world peace while saving all the polar bears and I'd still be glad to slap her silly.

there better be coffee

[–] michelebruce26-1 9 years ago

I don't think we're so much supposed to sympathise with her, rather be as confused about her as it's left me.

I feel no sympathy towards her for what happened to Reid, but was not shocked by her actions either.

She is a strong woman, she has a dubious background of working as the Madame of the whorehouse/brothel, now she is trying to do good for the community of Whitechapel but didn't expect to find herself gaining the money required for this exploit at the cost of 55 lives in a rail disaster.

[–] michelebruce26-1 9 years ago

I think she is continuing to be as ruthless as ever in seeing the success of her current endeavour, as she earlier was in others of a less charitable nature.

[–] Jade_Falcon 9 years ago

I think she's been a pretty ruthless type in a lets face it, society where men hold most of the power. She's tried to go for a better path and went too far.

The locomotive crash was an unfortunate event that wasn't planned and I think she's been plagued with guilt ever since, but can't see a way out.

[–] kathquay1 9 years ago

I loved Series 1 & 2 and wanted to enjoy the current series; but it seems to me that the script is all over the place and sometimes does not gell. Has it been written by Amazon people and not BBC people? Cannot put my finger on it but something is not as good.

[–] merej 9 years ago

Isn't it the same writer for all three seasons?

MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD for those who have not watched season 3!

I actually quite like the direction things are going in season three, which for me is the strongest season so far, but for Susan who comes across as positively schizophrenic (as with shooting Reid and Capshaw, then trying to save Reid). Btw, are they insinuating later that she subconsciously didn't actually intend to kill Reid? If so, her subconscious mind must be a hell of a marksman intentionally putting a man in a temporary coma like that.

I don't really buy into her being a strong woman who got herself into an unfortunate situation without intending to do so, and who feels remorse at the outcome of her actions. A strong person would accept responsibility for their actions, and a remoreseful one would shy away from commmitting further misdeeds. She keeps blaming other people and circumstances, yet doesn's stop at anything.

Actually she could have just dismantled Obsidian right away, take the proceeds and either use them for her altruistic schemes or for starting a legitimate business with which to finance her dogoodery (admittedly on a less grand scale). Instead she choses to keep her evil empire running including the loan business which allows her to take from the poor in order to give to the poor which, let's face it, doesn't really turn her into Robin Hood.

Also if she had been really shook up by the rail disaster she could just have left evidence of Capshaw's actions with the police, and split. Instead she chooses to have the one witness silenced who can identify Capshaw, which makes her guilty of premeditated murder, and to further support and protect that man who has amply proven himself to be a certified phsycho. There is no excuse for her lying to Reid and ultimately shooting him either.

Incidentally, none of this has really anything to do with her being a woman who lives in a man's world. She's a viallain who plays a villain's game. Now I can deal with Evil Susan, but Susan the martyr to the cause of feminism and altruism really gets my goat. 

Obviously the contradictions make her more interesting as a character but for my taste they ought have toned it down a bit to keep her believable.

there better be coffee

[–] amorehl-93-99338 8 years ago

If you're posting "massive spoilers," I politely suggest you use the spoiler function.

[–] merej 8 years ago

or you could just politely skip over my post

After all is said and done, a lot more will have been said than done.

[–] seanraleigh 8 years ago

The spoiler function is here for a purpose, smart arse. Skipping over shouldn't be required.

[–] SrEditor 8 years ago

I think the warning in the text is sufficient here. The whole post would have to be blacked out, which seems over the top to me.

[–] alifeatthemovies 9 years ago

I have only gotten to episode 1 of series 3, but I think the change is supposed to be that she only looks out for herself. Her encounter with the revolutionist Raine opened her eyes to how men use women, and so Susan vowed to take all she should get for herself, and share the wealth as she sees fit. I also think that having to sleep with Duggan changed her forever, and she vowed to grab power where and how she could.

[–] merej 9 years ago

...only to then act all shocked that this kind of power comes at a price.

Btw - even her hairstyle gets more evil in series 3. 😈

there better be coffee

[–] Jade_Falcon 9 years ago

I think the actress is gorgeous but there's no doubt she's got a 'harder' look in Season 3.

[–] SrEditor 9 years ago

This is closer to the style that, well, came into style, during that period, but yes, it is a much harder look on her.

And here I was thinking that they just used an uglier wig! 😖

[–] Leskenn-843-779012 9 years ago

What I want to know is why Long Susan? As in tall? She doesn't seem to be tall either?

[–] merej 9 years ago

might be after a neck stretching 😀

there better be coffee

[–] alifeatthemovies 9 years ago

I think the "Long Liz" nickname is a nod to "Long Liz" the nickname of one of the Jack the Ripper victims, Elizabeth Stride. She was not especially tall by today standards, but she was tall in Britain than, and was actually from Sweden.

[–] Hillius 9 years ago

I'm not quite finished with the season, but I would say that were I her I might pause before threatening the powerful/wealthy construction men in the club after having alienated and angered all her one time allies on the police force. With the loss of Capshaw it doesn't at this point seem like she really has too many in her corner to protect her if things were to go south. Just a thought.

“The critic has to educate the public; the artist has to educate the critic.”

[–] katt-kongo 9 years ago

I think Susan is a person who knows she has done bad things and is trying to be different. But it's like a dog trying to be a cat. Every time the dog goes to meow, a bark comes out instead. Every time Susan tries to do something good, it ends up being something bad. Because that's just who she is. I can relate to her. Most people are a weird mix of good and bad. Think of Walter White on Breaking Bad. The only thing that redeemed him were his intentions. Susan is capable of a similar kind of love, but even then it's still a selfish kind... what can this person I love do for me. Anyway, I like her character.

[–] alifeatthemovies 9 years ago

What till you get to season 4. She completely changes. Again.

[–] Top_Shelf 9 years ago

I didn't see a change. Everything was still all about her and what she wanted at the risk of everyone near her, even those who care about her. Selfish, greedy and reckless.

[–] alifeatthemovies 9 years ago

I was speaking more in regards to her feelings for her husband. For a while she seemed to despise the look of him, and now she seems like she can't live without him. But maybe she is just using him to get free.

What ever happened to Mimi, Jackson's girl during their breakup?

[–] Top_Shelf 9 years ago

IF he wasn't so useful to her, I doubt he'd have meant anything to her.

Because even while she was on death row, she continued to berate and belittle him until he got her free. Then in hiding, she did everything he told her not to do and risked their lives once again. Jackson loved her -- like a heroin addiction, but Susan needed him.

The Saga of Jackson and Susan: I don't really remember them getting back together and asked essentially the same question in another thread:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2183641/board/thread/253666639?d=254233473#254233473

[–] strandkind 8 years ago

I agree she is selfish and self centered. She probably grew up feeling entitled. She can see good actions vs bad actions and maybe she tried to do good but since she doesn't really feel anything for anyone but herself, she just doesn't really succeed in being good. I enjoy having her character not be black and white, and Jackson's attachment to her even despite his judgement at times.