Many Sanditon fans have been left angry by the death of Sidney Parker in the opening scenes of the second series of the Jane Austen drama.
Sanditon looked at first like it would only last for one season, but a combination of high ratings in the US and a fan campaign led to it getting a second series.
But many viewers wanted a second series so they could see what was next for the period drama’s heroine, Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams), and brooding leading man Sidney (Theo James).
However, they’ve now been robbed of that chance as Sidney is killed off in the first few moments of the new series.
The first scenes of Sanditon season 2 show a coffin being carried. It then cuts to scenes of an oblivious Charlotte happily dancing away only then to be told Sidney is dead. Just to make sure no one is in any doubt Sidney has passed away we then see written on a coffin: “Sidney J Parker 1788-1820.”
One fan wrote: "If there was no hope for a Sidney & Charlotte HEA, I and many, many others would not have bothered campaigning for more Sanditon."
Another wrote: "Sidlotte. The reason we fell in love with Sanditon. The reason there are any more seasons at all. The only way it should ever be. We all know it," wrote one fan.
If there was no hope for a Sidney & Charlotte HEA, I and many, many others would not have bothered campaigning for more Sanditon.@masterpiecepbs, @RedPlanetTV& @BritBox_UK, you need to fix this.For Sidlotte. 🎩❤👒#SidlotteForever #LastAustenHero #SaveSidneyParker #JASanditon pic.twitter.com/NtLmyxJFLMMarch 20, 2022
Sidlotte.The reason we fell in love with Sanditon.The reason there are any more seasons at all.The only way it should ever be.We all know it.#SidlotteForever pic.twitter.com/xMW4kCAlpSMarch 20, 2022
#SidneyParkerLivesForever In Austen, they will always 💞 each other, Charlotte will keep him in her ❤️ impossible for her to move on. I believe in Andrew Davies Version - reuniting them, Sidney emerging from that Cocoon, into the ☀️Otherwise it’s UnAusten#SidlotteForever pic.twitter.com/8FsZ2vpbJLMarch 21, 2022
I do wish the head writer had actually used the wise words of our dear #JaneAusten when writing a continuation of #JASanditon It should’ve been #SidlotteForever or nothing at all https://t.co/2E1OpXvda7March 20, 2022
Sidney and Charlotte almost got together at the end of the first series. However, their potential courtship was thwarted by the fact Sidney had to marry another woman to rescue his brother from financial ruin.
But Sidney’s death in Antigua has ensured that the will they/won’t they plotline is now over.
Explaining his exit, Theo James, who played Sidney, said : “Although I relished playing Sidney, for me, I’ve always maintained that his journey concluded as I wanted it to. The broken fairy-tale ending between Charlotte and Sidney is different, unique and so interesting to me and I wish the cast and crew of Sanditon every success with future series.”
So, Charlotte will have to find love elsewhere in the second series. And there’s plenty of potential suitors in Sanditon. But will fans be able to engage in her new romances? Or was Sanditon essentially Charlotte and Sidney’s story?
One thing for sure is Anne Reid still gets all the best lines as the poisonous Lady Denham.
“A new husband should retain his lustre for a year at least. Occasionally two.” Ouch!
Sanditon season 2 is on PBS in the US and is available on BritBox in the UK. It will be shown on ITV in the UK at a later date.
