Gentleman Jack Season 1 finale recap: God I’ve missed you.

The Gentleman Jack season finale gives us one of the most romantic lesbian love stories in television and cinema history.

After episodes of heartache as our two Ann(e)s struggle with their love for each other, countries apart, they finally come together in the most beautiful episode of Gentleman Jack. The amount of times I screamed or cried and scared my dog while watching the episode is more than I can count on two hands. I still have yet to recover from all its perfection and will probably be talking about this episode as a gold standard every day for years to come.

The episode opens with Gentleman Jack herself, Anne Lister, on her way to Copenhagen, traveling with a cute girl who refused to marry a rich man 20 years her senior. The girl wastes no time and flirts with Miss Lister right out of the gate, asking what woman broke her heart for her to be running.

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Copenhagen is evidently pretty gay, and even the Queen of Denmark herself seems to be fascinated by Miss Lister. After curtsying to the wrong person, Anne apologizes and the queen asks about her black attire and learns of her broken heart. She says, “I can see that any number of colors would suit you” and invites Lister to her white attire only Birthday Ball. Very subtle, Your Majesty.

Meanwhile, back in Scotland, Ann finds her voice! She is almost resigned to be married off to Captain Sutherland’s fortune hunter nephew when her sister Elizabeth reminds her to “dig her heels in” and only do what she wants from now on. She learns that Anne has been writing and she finally learns to stand up for herself, with her sister’s help. She’s going home to Crow’s Nest! She stood up to both the Priestleys and Captain Sutherland and proclaimed, “everything from now on when it comes to me is my decision!” I’m so proud of her! This is a major turning point, Ann finally finds her confidence.

The ball scene is a highlight of the episode, with Lister marching into the ballroom in her white satin gown at light speed. Obviously, she asks the cute girl from the beginning of the episode to dance and we get a delightful gay scene of the two of them dancing just as fast and exuberantly as Anne walks.

With Aunt Anne’s (I guess we know which baby name was most popular in Yorkshire in the 1700s-1800s) health taking a turn, Anne Lister heads back to Shibden. Yup, that’s right, they’re both heading back to Halifax and neither knows it yet! They still love and want each other and neither know that yet either!

Everything about the second half of the episode is exactly what we needed, but even better and more beautiful than we ever could have hoped for! Anne leaves Shibden after returning home and finding out her pit sinking isn’t going according to plan and screams out at the top of the hill.

Cue Anne Walker. She romantically races out to meet her as soon as she realizes she’s in town and explains everything. Both of them look at each other with puppy dog eyes full of love. As soon as Lister says, “God I’ve missed you,” I’m in tears that don’t stop for the remainder of the show. They still love each other and they’re here with their beautiful golden hour lighting and perfect skin, crying and smiling at each other.

Ann says she will marry her, she will mean it, take the sacrament in church and move in. We get amazing dialogue from both as they profess their love for one another. Anne says, “Don’t hurt me, I’m not as strong as you think… Well I am obviously, but sometimes I’m not.”

More tears, from Anne and me! And a sweeping, beautiful, romantic hillside kiss! And the best part is this love story is all historical fact documented in Lister’s diaries. How perfect can one show possibly be?

The incognito gay church wedding is the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen. The eye contact and giddy smiles in the carriage as they drive into York make my heart melt, as does the quick kiss they steal when no one can see. They exchange rings and we get a final fourth wall break with Anne’s beaming smile as they walk into the church.

The dialogue as they walk away from church is hilarious and lovely as they already act like a married couple: “Not just a pretty face.” “Are you being patronizing?” I don’t think this episode could have been any more perfect.

Gentleman Jack has been renewed for a second season! I can’t wait to be reunited with my favorite Ann(e)s as they settle into married life, and hopefully, they will finally sink their mining pit and tear down Christopher Rawson.

What do you think Gentleman Jack Season 2 will bring? Let us know in the comments below!