Episode 68: ‘The Boy Is Mine’
In a reverse of the standard dynamic displayed over the course of the season, Harriet was on her way up while Emma dropped down. After turning to Emma for advice on, well, everything, it was refreshing to see Harriet’s newfound confidence – even if it was for all the wrong reasons. Harriet had taken on everything that Emma had taught her, but possibly too well. Emma’s realisation of her own feelings for Knightley is always one of my favourite parts of any Emma adaptation, and Sotomura plays it here perfectly. Her mistakes regarding Elton and Frank have all led her to this single moment, and it is the one that truly matters. If you weren’t sold on the Emma/Knightley relationship by this point, the look on Sotomura’s face at the close of the episode will have you hooked. – Marama Whyte
Episode 70: ‘At Last’
As someone with a particular fondness for Emma in most forms, this episode was one I’d been anticipating since the series began. There isn’t an adaption that hasn’t managed to get me all choked up at their variation of the “if I loved you less, I could talk about it more” confession, and Emma Approved certainly wasn’t the exception. My emotions were running high from the moment Alex appeared in the doorway, all the way through to their kiss. The throwback to the beginning of the series was a beautiful touch too, with Alex bringing flowers for Emma, and the resulting “flowers are romantic” likely brought a quivering lip to even the most hardened hearts. As most people who follow my twitter can attest to, I regressed into a sub-vocal version of myself during this episode, using keysmash to communicate. If that isn’t a sure sign of investment in Emma and Alex’s relationship, I’m not sure what is. – Donya Abramo
Episode 71: ‘A Little Less Conversation’
Sure, part of the joy of this episode was seeing Alex and Emma finally relax with each other and be the adorable couple we were all waiting for. But I love this episode for a slightly less popular reason – the return of Frank Churchill. Emma Approved‘s Frank was a complex character who was wonderfully brought to the screen by Stephen Chang. His treatment of Emma could, and should, be criticised, and if Emma had been in love with him rather than Alex, I am sure we would take more issue with it. But in “A Little Less Conversation,” we can finally see Frank and Emma interact simply as friends, without the subterfuge and confusion. Surprise! Their similarities make them a perfect pair (of friends), and I was relieved to see that although Emma was happy to forgive him, she was still quick to hold him to account for his actions against herself, and Jane. – Marama Whyte
Episode 72: ‘After All’
Finales are hard. Adaptations like Emma Approved have an advantage in that they have a designated end point – the final page in the book that they are constantly working towards. That said, it can be difficult for a finale to both satisfy the requirements of the story, and of the fan base. Emma Approved managed to do both. The sweet ending to Harriet and Martin’s storyline completed the plot, with an added bonus of involving the fans (who helped to fold all of those paper cranes at Vidcon). Enough resolution was given to Alex and Emma’s relationship for it to feel satisfactory, while still leaving open an option for further development, if the show is brought back. We might not like that the series is over, but if this ends up being the last we see of Emma and her team, it was a nice way to say goodbye. – Marama Whyte
Bonus content: ‘Martin’s Crane Video’
Okay, so. This wasn’t an episode in the strictest sense, but it still falls under the Emma Approved umbrella, so I’m making it count. Martin’s confession of his feelings through this video for Harriet was so heartfelt and romantic, anyone would be hard pressed to refuse him. Even the smallest of episodes has a ripple effect in this series, and this one comes back in a big way by the end, so seeing the origins of that huge, finale moment… Well, that puts this right up there in my favourite “episodes” of the entire series. The finale of Emma Approved wouldn’t have packed nearly as much of an emotional wallop if not for this. You can’t help but root for Martin following this clip, even though it doesn’t immediately work out in his favour… – Donya Abramo
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