A Small Light : Legacy – Season 1 – Episode 8 – RECAP

September 22, 2023 SkipTvAds

Episode 8, Legacy, puts an end to the mini series A Small Light, I really enjoy it, the cast and production was awesome with stars like Liev Schreiber, Ian McElhinney the ones I recognize but Bel Powley doing Miep was the star of the show, she was awesome been funny and such a good friend to the Frank’s, so loyal always giving the extra mile to the point of constantly putting her life on the line for her friends, now days is very rare to see those qualities on a friend.

I’m not going to pretend I know much about World War II or any other war but I have learn a few things from this series, for the most part is a very moving series and Episode 8 in my opinion is the one that will bring some tears out, I cant imagine Mr. Frank’s suffering after loosing everyone and everything, his friends and family who stayed hiding with him for over two years, from the series perspective they were arrested very close to the end of the war between two to six months, but at the time just getting arrested was a death sentence, the Frank’s and friends were all send to different camps, probably lucky for many didn’t have to suffer as long as others that were caught earlier and end up surviving but still that short time was enough to take everything from Mr. Frank, even though it was probably less than a year he lost his entire family, ironically he was the head of the house and did everything he could to keep safe his wife and daughters but end up loosing them and he survive.

Miep stay in front of the business in Mr. Frank absence, so she was not even a good friend but also a loyal employee, she was once told to sell the business, she didn’t owe anything to Mr. Frank but she didn’t and kept pushing, even though there were times when she loose all hope she keep bring it back and kept saying some day they will return home, this episode is mostly about Miep but also is a combination of many people who ran away from the city hiding in the countryside, many who after the ware recognize Jan as the guy who safe them, safe their children and family, he did felt like a hero but he went through rough times too, close to the end of the war the city was in lock down by the remaining German Officers who were taking all Dutch man to work camps so now Miep was the only one going out, she was in charge of bringing food to the table since Jan couldn’t even go out, the worst part of such situation is not knowing when its going to end.

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Episode 8 of A Small Light starts with Miep at the German’s HQ, she tries to bribe German Officer Karl Silberbauer after he took the Frank’s but even though he wanted since the moment he arrested them he knew there was nothing he could do to stop it since there were other officers present, there was not much to bribe them all, during those times if he get caught trying to let them go most likely he would get killed and probably on the spot, when Miep confront him another officer probably with higher rank ask him to hurry up the paper work, Officer Kurt, Miep tried to go over Karl but it end up worst for her, Kurt took the money and ask officers to throw her out of the building, at that moment Miep understood there was nothing she could do about it, from that moment she start living just with the hope one day the would come back home alive.

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The book is very famous for bringing the memories of Anne Frank, the series brings a more graphic explanation of this, during the entire series Anne kept telling Miep all her dreams and plans she had, goals she wanted to achieve once they war was over and they go out again, for Anne getting caught was never an option, Miep was aware of all this and broke her heart when she went back into the room they were staying and say Anne’s diary all over the floor, she pick up all the remaining sheets and so other books of her, all Anne’s memories, during the war citizens where told to collect letters and safe them as those will be the memories of many who didn’t make it.

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Close to the end of the war things got very very tight, there was no food, no money and mostly women and old men were aloud to go out, Germans who remain in the city were taking all Dutch men to working camps, Germans knew they were about to loose the war so they were doing what ever they could to grasp as much as they could, for some who got arrested close to the end they were lucky enough to survive and not suffer for much time, in the case of Jan and Miep they stay together through all this time, that says a lot from both and Miep was now the head of the house, on the series they were always together, had a few arguments but always together during good and bad times, like on this picture they almost had nothing to eat and no wood for the fire, they had to brake a chair to make fire.

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Not all heroes wear capes, Jan and Miep became war heroes, not everyone knew but Jan work with the resistance at first to help Miep and the Franks but latter on end up saving a lot of people, sneaking kids out of the city to the country side, when the war was over looks like a good amount of people recognize him on the streets, at least if it was two or three he must have felt very proud same for Miep, what they did for others was an act of heroism, putting their life on the lines for those who didn’t have a voice and could not defend themselves.

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The train lines were reactivated and those that were taken as prisoners out of the city start coming back home, some like Mr. Frank lost everything including their houses, at first he still had hope his daughters and wife would come back, visit their apartment now occupied by a young couple, he didn’t ask for his apartment back but only to let his family know he is with Miep in case they come back but one day the answer to his questions arrive, Jan, Miep and the other employees at the office start sending letters and putting up signs looking for the girls and Mrs. Frank until a women who knew them form the working camps arrive and let her know they didn’t make it, this was probably the worst moment of the episode, it was the end of a long wait, not the answer they were looking for but at least their suspense and suffering ended on that moment.

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Miep and Jan had a kid called Paul, Mr. Frank stay close to them, he probably move out to another place but they always stay together until his last day alive, Miep lived until she was a hundred years old, Miep was a women who was blessed, she went through all this experiences and had the strength to live for so long, proud, telling her stories of war, how an ordinary secretary did everything she could to safe his friends and family, for Miep nationality or beliefs didn’t mean anything, it was about the quality of the of the person, even when someone was not of her liking she still was fair to everyone, even with German Officer Karl she felt how he knew it was not right what he was doing when he raid Mr. Frank office and arrest them, trust others during the war was hard but she always had this sense to identify those telling the truth and been fair.

I found the Small Light fantastic, not only me but a lot of people seem to like it, an 8.4/10 on IMDB is no joke, I never read the book so I do not know how much it follows the real story but anyone who watch this mini series should know the ending, its very sad how Mr. Frank ends up alone, his daughters and wife died at the camps but at the same time is comforting how they mention that he stay with Miep and Jan, I think Miep could even see him as a father considering that her relationship with her family was very vague after she had to be send out of Germany because of the war and poverty, this series makes you wonder or at least made me ask myself why are humans not this loyal and good to each other, it all comes down to money, fame and power, during those times that I think barely exist, there was no internet, social network, branding clothe I think was not such hype so people concentrate more on each other for who they were and not what they had, I wish I was born prior the 80’s because every time I watch a series from those eras makes me envy and I would trade all the tech we have now to make those times come back, I was born in the 80’s without internet or cellphones, I saw all that tech emerge and how it has devalue society, it will never be the same.

Episode 1: https://peakd.com/hive-121744/@skiptvads/a-small-light-pilot-episode
Episode 2: https://peakd.com/hive-121744/@skiptvads/a-small-light-welcome-to
Episode 3: https://peakd.com/hive-121744/@skiptvads/a-small-light-motherland-episode
Episode 4: https://peakd.com/hive-121744/@skiptvads/a-small-light-the-butterfly
Episode 5: https://peakd.com/hive-121744/@skiptvads/a-small-light-scheissfeld-season
Episode 6: https://peakd.com/hive-121744/@skiptvads/a-small-light-boiling-point
Episode 7: https://peakd.com/hive-121744/@skiptvads/a-small-light-what-can

#skiptvads #tvseries #tvaddicts #tvseriesblog #cinetv #hive #asmalllight #ottofrank #backhome #miep #jangies #worldwarii

A Small Light : The Butterfly – Season 1 – Episode 4 – RECAP

June 2, 2023 SkipTvAds

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The struggle for Miep and Jan continues, it just wont stop it never will until either they die or the war is over they both have taking a responsibility so big that is starting to tear them apart from each other but they have no other option to cope and survive. On episode four one of my suspicions have been confirm and that is Miep best friend Tess is either a spy or some how working with the Germans, well it is not necessarily 100% exact but her boyfriend is working with the Germans, Tess’s boyfriend has an auto parts shop who do business with the Germans although how deep they are into the War its not been said, Miep and Jan find out at a party Tess threw out and invite them, Jan notice how they were wearing NSB pin meaning they support the Germans in some way besides Tess gave Miep a necklace that Mr. Frank latter on confirm its a Jewish jewelry piece and most likely was stolen from a jew.

Now that we know how war went down during those days its sad to see how brave people like Miep and Jan did what ever they could to help others and most of the time I think it was without waiting for anything in return, they did it because it was the right thing to do, things have change through time and this kind of quality in people you rarely see this days, someone that helps you without knowing you and even risking their lives is something almost extinct, most people don’t have basic manners like good morning or thank you imagine how difficult is to find people who behave certain way or help others just because its the right thing to do, I remember one day someone seriously got mad because I constantly say thank you when ever I see its needed to please, he told me “Stop it, don’t me like that all the time” it felt so weird like I was wrong by doing something right and that’s just a detail of the many things I see every day since I have to deal with more than ten people every day out side of my work, I think if there was a World War III right now more people would die than in the first two but probably because of how we humans would abandon our own people, very extensive topic but makes me sad most of the time when I finish an episode knowing that they will all probably die before the series is over.

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Miep got scared to death after some robbers got into Mr. Frank office and tear the place apart, they took the money, took the ration books so now the Frank’s are out of money and food, for Miep this is a big problem since she will have to hustle hard but for Jan is like nothing now that he has this connections with the resistance, when Miep arrives the office everything was turn down a complete mess but her worst fear was that this was the Germans who find the Frank’s hiding place but it was not the case, everyone was safe although when she brake the news to the Frank’s about the money all the girls start complaining when they find out that was Hanukkah’s money, a Jewish celebration they were waiting for but the worst part is that this also created panic in terms of security mostly for Dr. Pfeffer who was thinking about going back home since it was the same thing either the Germans find him at home or at this hiding place that had no special security, Mr. Otto had to step in and calm everyone the F down before someone hear them, all this happen during a Sunday when there is not suppose to be people at the office.

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Miep and Jan relationship hit a rough patch since he has been going to church when he said he was going to visit his brother, Miep follow him and find out, its not going to church the problem but that he lied to her although he lied to protect her, the resistance is hiding people at catholic church risking their congregation but in religion doing the right thing is above anything else, keeping this people alive is the main priority and Jan is working with them for now doing small errands after the first big mission he had without knowing having to rescue a baby that was left on a drawer lol. Jan still cant come clean with Miep because that would put her in danger so he apologize for going to church without telling her.

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Tess though about throwing an ice skating party at her boyfriend parent house to take a brake from war and everything that was stressful in her life, Tess was a women who doesn’t work and her mother has cancer she now have got herself a rich boyfriend who is giving her enough to survive plus a few gifts here and there, one of those gift end up been a necklace that she gave Miep for the party, they both thought it was a butterfly shape but it was really the Star of David open, a Jewish jewelry piece that was giving to Tess by her boyfriend who is making business with the Germans, Tess knows that much or at least that is what she have said so far, during those times you couldn’t fully trust anyone and worst now that it has been confirm their relationship with the German party, Miep got furious after Jan told her they were basically surrounded by NSB at the party, there were even German officers and could not believe Tess knew about it but there was nothing she could do, Tess was just trying to survive by been on the side of the bad ones during war, she had no job, no money, her mom had cancer and she didn’t want to see her die so she go with the flow and got her a rich boyfriend who makes business with Germans, you can argue that’s the wrong decision and that there is always the option to say no but every brain is a different universe and for her that was the right decision to survive.

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After Jan and Miep got out of the party knowing they could not do anything to change Tess and all they could do is stay away from this people who they though were friends both go to visit the Frank’s who were celebrating Hanukkah, they didn’t have much but at least they were alive and healthy but for their luck Jan brought some food and champagne from the party and light up a few faces, it was Mr. Frank who told Miep about the necklace and she freak out running to the canal to throw it away but she was making too much noise, also start to argue with Jan about him lying to her about church and this is when he told her a bit more, not everything he have done but just that same as her, he is helping people who need his help to stay alive and that he cant tell her more than that because it would put her in danger, this cool her down.

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Talking about danger, the resistance is planing an attack to fight back and I think Jan is going to offer himself to help with it, if he does that its not too smart and was probably better to tell Miep everything.

Episode four felt a bit dull, it was mainly about Miep and Tess, how and why Tess at times look like living this great life but in reality she is in bed with the enemy, the only moment I felt this fear of someone dying or getting caught was at the start when Miep found the office upside down but for sure the series is setting up for something big, we now know that they can brake in easy into the Frank’s hiding place although now the door has been covered with a book shelf, but this last scene with Jan and Willem and all those grenades make me curious of what facility are they planing to attack, after all the series only talk about hiding people and there has not been much contact with German officers other than the one who brought home the two kids and this other men who is looking for Mr. Frank because he owe him money I think he is the one that will keep pushing until he finds their hiding place, I give this episode in particular a 6.5/10.

Episode 1: https://skiptvads.blog/a-small-light-pilot-episode-1-personal-thoughts/
Episode 2: https://skiptvads.blog/a-small-light-welcome-to-switzerland-season-1-episode-2-recap/
Episode 3: https://skiptvads.blog/a-small-light-motherland-season-1-episode-3-recap/

#skiptvads #tvseries #tvaddicts #tvseriesblog #cinetv #hive #asmalllight #miep #episode4