‘The Forsytes’: Soames Makes His Move — Against Jo and for Irene

How do you solve a problem like Jo (Danny Griffin)? Just a few days ago, he was the shining beacon of the Forsyte clan, with the perfect wife, a devoted daughter, and a future guaranteed by his father at Forsyte & Co. Now, he’s the father of two illegitimate children, his emotions are in disarray, his wife is in despair, his daughter is forlorn, and the company is on the brink of upheaval as his personal scandal threatens to unravel everything he was meant to inherit.

In Episode 3 of Masterpiece: The Forsytes, while poor Jo attempts to pick up the pieces of his shattered life, his cousin Soames (Joshua Orpin) swoops in like a vulture, circling the wreckage and seizing the opportunity to dismantle both Jo’s standing in the family and his control of the company.

Ain’t family grand?

In Episode 3, Soames makes his move — both in business and in love — tightening his grip on the company while setting his sights firmly on Irene (Millie Gibson). Warning: Spoilers for The Forsytes Season 1 Episode 3 ahead!

What is happening with Soames?

James (Jack Davenport) conspires with Soames, revealing his plan to have Jo expelled from Forsyte & Co. at the next board meeting on the grounds that he is “unfit.” Though Soames agrees he may be better suited to lead the firm, he hesitates to use his cousin’s past dalliances as leverage. James, however, assures him that the means don’t matter, only the outcome. Soon, the two are in cahoots to overthrow Jo and Jolyon (Stephen Moyer).

Meanwhile, Soames does something completely out of character and proposes to Irene. Clearly smitten with her beauty and completely taken with her, there is no doubt he is under her spell. Irene doubts his feelings for her, because she isn’t of his station, but he promises her the world. “You are all nature, and to me that is perfection.”

Keep in mind, she still has no idea that he financially ruined her.

Sean Gleason/PBS

Soames announces to the family that they will marry in just two weeks, stunning the entire clan — particularly his father, James. Soames adds that they will honeymoon in Europe.

Needless to say, James is less than pleased by this sudden turn of events.

By the end of the episode, while the business is still in flux, Soames is happily married to Irene on a handful of promises.

And what happened at the meeting? Did Jo get thrown off the board?

During the board meeting, James warns the other members of the firm about the implications if clients learn that Jo had relations with a “serving maid.” Jo attempts to stand up for himself, but the board and his own cousin dismiss the affair with Louisa (Eleanor Tomlinson) as “distasteful” and “scandalous.”

Matriarch Ann (Francesca Annis) storms in, shocking the board, and mocks their outrage at Jo, as if such things have never happened in respectable families. She is told that women are not permitted into the “inner sanctum” of the firm, but Ann reminds them that the only reason the company exists is because of her money. That quiets the lot of them.

James makes it clear they plan to give Jo the boot for the “good of the family name,” sparking a clash between him and Jolyon. James insists Jo’s behavior puts the firm at risk and argues the only solution is to replace him with Soames, while Jolyon counters that Louisa can simply be paid off.

Jo ultimately owns his actions, acknowledges his illegitimate children, and walks out without apology. Seizing the moment, James pushes for his expulsion. However, despite all the maneuvering, the plan fails, and the board votes in Jo’s favor. He is not removed, and the board refuses to back James’s full push. Still, the damage is done, exposing just how far James and Soames are willing to go to force him out.

Where does this leave Jo?

Professionally, Jo survives another day as the board backs him, so he keeps his position at the firm, but his standing is weakened, and his reputation is hanging by a thread. And his homelife is in shambles. His marriage to Frances (Tuppence Middleton) is strained, his stepdaughter June (Justine Moore) is disillusioned with the stepfather she once adored, and Louisa makes it clear she will raise the children on her own and doesn’t need rescuing.

Frances is trying her best to be a rock for her husband, but her father-in-law Jolyon doesn’t quite have the faith she does in her hubby.

Sean Gleason/PBS

In the end, Frances encourages Jo to move on from Louisa and the children. And while Jo insists that his commitment to Frances is “beyond doubt,” he admits that the children were conceived in love.

“Then let us be clear,” says Frances. “That love, as you call it, has no place in this house. So kill it. Once and for all. Or face the consequences.”

When speaking with TV Insider, actress Tuppence Middleton explained that in these scenes, Frances is doing everything she can to hold her marriage together, and at times, she feels like she’s the only one trying.

“I think we tried really hard to make sure that the audience understood that, before all of this happens and Louisa comes into their life and sort of throws this hand grenade into their family, that there was a really solid foundation,” said the star. “This couple did love each other, and they had a good life despite their differences.”

Middleton reminds us exactly what is at risk for Frances if Jo continues on this path: “The security of her home life, but also her reputation in society, is at risk, and that’s without her relationship. And with that, she has nothing because she’s been married into the family by blood and without she remains a member of that family, but the thing that ties it to her most strongly is slipping away from her and she will do anything to prevent that from happening, because it means everything that she loves could be lost, and the future that she so desperately wants for her daughter could disappear, and she worked too hard and too long for that to happen.”

Is Irene happy about her wedding?

Irene is a Forsyte now, for better or for worse. As Soames maneuvers to take control of the business, she is positioned as part of his ideal life package: status, beauty, stability. The Forsytes already have their doubts about her, particularly James, who fears she might be a distraction from the family business.

Ann and Irene share a brief bonding moment, with Ann congratulating her for catching the clan off guard, not an easy feat, and noting that Irene is Soames’ first love, which is a feat just as rare.

Related

‘The Forsytes’: What’s at Stake for Frances After That Major Reveal? Tuppence Middleton Explains

At the wedding, there’s a strange air of expectation. Soames appears uneasy during the ceremony, and there’s a fleeting sense that Irene may have had a change of heart. But she arrives, and the ceremony goes forward. Irene wants this to be a true love match and leans into the promises Soames has made. They consummate the marriage and share an intimate moment that suggests real passion, but something still feels off.

Across her scenes, Irene doesn’t seem to trust her emotions. Shocked at the engagement and nervous of the Forsyte family, Irene displays a growing sense of doubt about her relationship. When asked by her stepmother, Clarissa (Fiona Button) if it is a love match, she states, “I don’t know what to call it. He told me it would be all that I dreamt of and more.”

Irene is banking her future on Soames’ promises. She longs for love and passion, and while Soames clearly loves her, it is unknown if he truly understands her. It is a disconnect that could become a much bigger problem down the line.

Masterpiece: The Forsytes, Sundays, 9/8c, PBS (check local listings at pbs.org)