Fascism Takes Hold Among the Mitford Family In 'Outrageous's' Third Episode

It is March of 1934 as the third episode of Outrageous begins, and darkness is brewing in England, around the world, and within the Mitford family itself. From Nancy and her new husband's financial struggles to an unplanned pregnancy that leaves Diana searching for abortion care, not much is going well for most of the sisters. (Except Deborah, who is apparently a winner by simple virtue of barely appearing onscreen.)

Despite some other vague subplots involving Nancy's marriage and the larger Mitford family's financial woes, the bulk of this third installment is heavily focused on the rise of fascism in Europe during the mid-1930s and how two of the sisters infamously did their best to aid it. On some level, it makes sense for the series to focus so heavily on Diana and Unity's interconnected descents into darkness. They're certainly the most salacious and shocking plots, particularly when compared to, say, the barely-mentioned Pamela buying a car to road trip around Europe. But it's not exactly light and escapist viewing, as Oswald Mosley's rallies descend into violence, Nancy decides her next novel should poke fun at the rise of his movement, and Hitler himself steps onto the stage.

Outrageous does its best to add thematic heft to all the Nazi and Communist stuff by framing it as each of the girls' search for a purpose of their own, and many of them finding that voice in the world of politics. Of course, this whole family is extremely extra, so none of them could just support Labour or something normal, and here we are. But, on the plus side, this hour does a much better job of focusing on characters beyond just Diana and Nancy, and while at least two of the Mitford sisters remain little more than afterthoughts, at least they get a scene or two!