Gold Digger SPOILERS

[IHaveBrilloHair]

For those who have seen it all, or don't mind spoilers.
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I really like the first half of the series. I thought the end was annoying. I think a second series would be unwise, a bit like Keeping Faith which should have stayed as a one series drama imo,
On the other thread, lots of people saying she didn’t look 60. She really did. Attractive but believable as 60. I loved Martha’s slinky outfits.

Totally disagree about the 'smirk' in the mirror. I think that was him seeing if he could manage a smiley face for the outside world despite how he was feeling. It was obviously false and as soon as he stopped, his face went back to a sad expression.

Also thought - and still do think - that he may have got his brother to say he committed the murder in front of Julia so the wedding could go ahead.

I don't think he was a particularly likeable character (but none of them were, including Julia). And yes, the money and lifestyle clearly meant a great deal to him. But I think he genuinely loved her and I didn't see anything to suggest otherwise.

^MrsPelligrinoPetrichor* he wasnt a murderer, his brother was. He took the blame as he was only 15 and the sentence was lighter than it would have been for his brother who was 21

The first episode opened on the day of the wedding. We then had a flashback, captioned "12 months earlier", to Julia's 60th birthday, her kids not going to the planned meal in London and her heading out to the museum. So the whole thing played out over a year.

I don't think he got the brother to lie - the scenes between them when the truth was revealed were too emotional.

I think he did want status, money and the lifestyle that goes with this in order to leave where he'd come from far behind him. He probably did want someone who would mother him too and I think this is why he loves. Julia. She in turn wants someone who will put her first and cherish her.

They are an odd couple, but they each meet the other's needs.

I think the scene where the brother tried to strangle Benjamin without the latter retaliating was to confirm that the murder happened as Benjamin had said, and that it was his brother who was the violent one.

That's not to say he wasn't a gold digger, mind you!

Was it just me who thought Julia Ormond has aged very badly? She's only 54 and obviously was once very beautiful but she easily passed for 60 in this! And before you say "that's what 54 really looks like, she hasn't had any work done" etc, I know plenty of women in their 50s who don't look that old. Crikey, my mum is in her 70s and doesn't have as many lines on her face!

I also thought JO has aged badly - or has been "aged up" to look like a 60 year old who has aged badly.

I wasn't convinced by her at all.

It's as if the part was written by someone trying to portray a 60 year old who'd - in the words of my old granny - let herself go.

Did someone say upthread that this was written by a young woman?

Younger people sometimes have some very odd ideas of what "older women" are like.

Agree SheStoops. I am 60 and don't have as many lines. I wondered if the vertical ones on her top lip were due to smoking.

I was also intrigued by her figure which we never really saw. I couldn't work out if she was a little on the large size - like me, and therefore that there's hope for me to find a stylish look too. Or if it was just because she was always swathed in oversized jumpers and coats. If I dressed like that my face would be beetroot red and sweaty! But she did look very stylish.

Am relieved to see a few posters think similarly to me about how Julia Ormond has aged. Just four years ago she was in Mad Men playing Marie (Megan's mother), and she looked incredible. I wonder if she's hit menopause hard? In this time, I know I have and gained a similar amount of weight as JO seems to have. I also have the same vertical lines above my top lip which is due to loss of collagen rather than smoking. I must confess I've found her ageing to be of great comfort to me! She is still very beautiful though.

Anyway. I though Gold Digger was great nonsense. No second series needed at all.

Gosh is JO 54? I look a lot younger than her.

We really don't know much about Benjamin - there were a few furtive phone calls etc. and no explanation really.
A lot is ambiguous.
There could be a second series. As there are a lot of questions.

I also wondered from quite early on if Ted started the affair with Marsha as another way to hurt Julia. Julia probably never knew (unlike Banjamin) how the affair started - I bet she had got a message to Ted, but he went around because he knew Marsha was vulnerable.

I really enjoyed it. A bit ridiculous but like others have said beautifully shot. JO is beautiful and seemed to look older in some scenes than others.

No need for another series.

I was really disappointed it started off so good and then was quite rubbish. Didn’t enjoy the ending.

Did anyone catch the phone call he had on the train? I thought he said “Anna, I’m working on it” and something about not wanting to hurt her. I did wonder st first if he already had a young girlfriend elsewhere and was just marrying Julia to get cash for him and the young girlfriend, but after Julia’s trip to Sunderland I wondered if it might actually have been his probation officer he had been talking to.

And the ex fiancé (can’t remember her name?), did she decide not to marry him because she found out who he was?)

I also wondered if Marshas dead husband might be Leo’s dad and Ted suspected which was why he’d run off with Marsha as there was a lot of mention of “revenge” at the end. Also because they focused quite a lot on him sleeping with Marshas daughter

The phone call was to Ali according to my subtitles but didn't see the point of it. If I was getting engaged I wouldn't ring an ex who'd dumped me to tell them unless it was to make them jealous. But that story line never came to anything

I really enjoyed it. I thought it showed two people who had been damaged by life, finding love, in a slightly dysfunctional way. I think what helped it to work (for me) was Benjamin clearly hiding something, which implied he was a gold digger. I enjoyed the bit with his brother, when Julia understood by his brother's actions that Benjamin was innocent due to her own experience of living with a controlling and violent partner. Kids were annoying though, but that just made me want Julia and Benjamin to have a happy ending!

The timeline was a year but Patrick's baby didn't age at all!

I know it's difficult but I wish they'd try and film in the right seasons. They met in summertime but the wedding a year later was in winter and the Christmas scenes were obviously filmed September time.

I've just finished watching it and agree that none of the characters were particularly likeable. I didn't mind Julia until the last episode and then I found all that flouncing around in a wedding dress and coat in the forest really cringe inducing.

Anyway, I think the brother did kill the shopkeeper. He showed he had a temper and could snap quickly. I also think the brother was right when he said that Benjamin wanted Julia's money and lifestyle, as well as wanting a mother figure. I think Benjamin genuinely ended up caring for Julia but I don't think that this was what he was initially looking for when he first met her, and it was pure luck that the rich woman he was pursuing happened to be someone that he could care for.

At the end, I think him standing all lord of the manor gazing out of the window and smirking showed that money/lifestyle was always his primary motivation. Julia was a pleasant by-product of this.

Rushed. Episode 6 was rushed. Poorly done.

Plus the timings? She got the train and was back before anyone noticed? Please!

And then they both drove to the beach, he convinced her, and she managed to get to the church in her muddy dress, within about an hour! I think not.

@BloggersBlog - yes the later phone call in the vine house after they’d got engaged, but I’m talking about 1 in either episode 1or 2 when they were on one of their back and forths on the train - I rewound it and listened again and he said “Anna, I’m working on it, I don’t want to hurt you”

I don't see them together as a couple at all! There is no way that Benjamin would ever had been interested in Julia if she had been a dinner lady or whatever, staying in a premier inn, without all of the trappings of wealth. To me, he definitely was a gold digger. Living rent free with Julia, all expenses paid for, not doing any work to pay for anything. It really grated on me!

Also, she tore up the pre nuptial agreement on the beach, but then they did get married, so I think there will be a series 2 where he will try and shaft her for everything. I'm so cynical!

Burntpinky - I'd need to look again, but my impression with the train phone call was that he was probably being hassled for money or in some sort of trouble and he covered it up as a work call when he saw Julia approaching.

Would def be interesting to know!

In the last episode, they suddenly went from loads of angst to her children being all smiley and accepting of him?

The train to Sunderland was utterly ridiculous - obviously they have no idea of geography (or should have included hints of Newquay airport at least).

I don't think Julia is as straightforward as we're supposed to think, forging his signature on the Pre Nup, although it wouldn't have been worth anything unless there was evidence that Benjamin had obtained independent legal advice. Something I'm shocked that the hot shot lawyer son didn't realise.
I wondered if Julia made a Will in advance of the marriage or just after, limiting what Benjamin would inherit. (I certainly would as a minimum.) Afterall he does make her happy.