empressnagata:

I’ve been thinking about how different the two main relationships in this show are, and it’s so very intriguing and different and entertaining. What’s interesting about the main couples in this show is how different they are. Not just physically, but internally, as well.

Here you have Seth & Amelia, who represent the wholesome, pure couple of Middle America; you have a preacher and his wife who everyone loves and respects. On the other hand, you have Bessie & Creeley, who for all intents and purposes, are seen as this scandalous, abnormal, even unusual pairing. It’s important to make note of how the outsiders within the world of Damnation see them because it’s an interesting juxtaposition of what these couples are actually like internally.

This is not meant as a dig against Seth or Amelia, or even them as a couple, but it’s interesting to note how they know absolutely nothing about each other. They’ve been together for at least 2 years running around the rural Midwest trying to get the underdog to demand their respect and they don’t know anything about each other. Even now, Amelia is slowly but surely finding things about Seth and usually by accident or from other people and vise versa. The issue is they’re not finding these things out from each other, at least not everything.. Even with everything happening right now, they still refuse to sit down and just hash all this stuff out with each other. And when the topic comes up, they’re both stubborn and defensive and willing to point the finger at the other about how ‘I didn’t say anything about my past just like you didn’t.’ But it’s been stated many times now – this was the first time their plan to galvanize a rural town to stand up and fight back has actually succeeded. With all that downtime they had prior to now, what did they do with it? The question is simple – why don’t they feel comfortable enough to talk about their pasts with each other? With this type of arrangement, there should be a significant amount of trust between them and there doesn’t seem to be any. Why is that?

On the flip side, you have Bessie and Creeley, who haven’t quite known each other as long as Seth and Amelia, yet they already know quite a bit about each other. They know all the deep, dark, dangerous bits about each other. As the show progresses, we can tell they’re fairly open with each other about almost everything. From Creeley knowing about Bessie’s parentage to Bessie knowing about the real story behind Creeley’s unlawful imprisonment. With the latter, the conversation wasn’t shown on-screen but we know that she knows the truth about what happened. From an outsider’s perspective, they shouldn’t make sense. She’s a sex worker and he’s a criminal. What on Earth would the two of these people have in common that would cause them to connect with each other in this way? Especially outside of physical gratification. The townspeople don’t see either one of them as human beings because the town is so puritanical & insular as is, so it’s completely outlandish to an outsider that these two individuals would have real feelings, hopes, and dreams. Yet, they do. Even with the two of them constantly reminding each other (and themselves, let’s be honest) that their arrangement is ‘just business’, we all know it stopped being ‘just business’ a long time ago. We know that they probably started trusting each other a long time ago, even though they haven’t known each other as long as their counterparts.

I’m just rambling now, but I just needed to get this out. It’s an interesting approach on the contrast of these two relationships, and not in the way people would think at first glance, especially in a period drama. I’m just surprised no one has talked about this, or at least not from what I’ve seen. 

I’ve notice this too. My first gifset was kinda about this because I noticed difference in how there sex scenes were shot. With Seth and Amelia it was very ‘I must have you now’ and with Creeley and Bessie it was it was soft and sweet which was quite a contrast when you think about their arrangement. You could tell from the very start that it was more with them. The only time they’re any semblance of rough together was when he was putting on a show.

Also you noted how their relationship has been based on honesty from the very start, even when Bessie was “grifting” him she told him the truth every time and vice versa, no wonder he was never worried about her taking advantage of him, she was upfront with him from the very start which is new for him. And I’m sure the about of respect he has for her in the begin and demands others have toward her is new for her too. I mean he had to tell her own father to ask her if she wanted to leave the room instead of demand like every other person does to her.

And again you compare that to Seth and Amelia who are bonded through similar ideals but it seems not much else because they can barely have an honest conversation without having to be forced by some new bit of information they learn about each other through outside forces.