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Saint Cecilia and Pastor Lawrence (TV).


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Harleyquin



Joined: 29 May 2014
Posts: 2887
PostPosted: Wed Sep 20, 2023 8:44 pm Reply with quote
#11

Leaving aside the current relationship between Cecilia and Lawrence, one of the biggest questions posed by the series was how Cecilia ended up in the village and why Lawrence is taking care of her. At long last, viewers get the answer to that question. Whether or not viewers will cut Lawrence more slack for his emotional denseness after seeing this episode is up for debate.

Abel has always drawn a line between himself and Lawrence, but even he can't contemplate the idea of the main pair bumbling along in their current relationship for another decade. Hazelita would never forgive him if it really happened, and he wouldn't forgive himself for not doing more when he knows full well he can do so given how easy it is to influence Lawrence as his best friend. He's already noted the changes with Lawrence compared to pre-Cecilia, so he's happy to keep an eye on him for now and push harder if he thinks the time is right.

There's a few prerequisites which had to be met before Cecilia got her way. The first was having someone like Lawrence take her side (after he'd taken the time to do homework to check if her claims were a possible reality), the second was Lawrence's grandfather Oswell having the standing he had when he was alive that the villagers were willing to put aside their considerable misgivings and allow Lawrence to accept full liability had Cecilia been wrong. Once she got over the two hurdles, it was just a matter of how quickly the villagers could work to demolish the bridge. They clearly finished in time, with Lawrence's church serving as the best flood evacuation centre because of its location on the hill. Having saved the village from destruction, it is no wonder the villagers are eternally grateful to their new-found Saint and proposed Lawrence to be her guardian. Lawrence can't say no to his congregation, so things just developed from there. I actually prefer Cecilia's interaction with Lawrence right at this start, since she's less lazy and more earnest.

Cecilia's background is remarkedly similar to Lawrence's in that their grandparents had a huge say in how they developed. In Cecilia's case, her learning was cut short and because of her circumstances she is far less educated than "conventional" Saints. Divine revelation literally gets radioed into her head early on, so her role is fixed from the beginning. Not sure if the other Saints have the same divine initiation rite, and it's no wonder the Great Saint cannot accurately protect everyone under her care because of how random the process is and how it can affect the most remote individuals.

Next week should be the finale, so it's a toss-up on whether Lawrence is finally about to overcome his own misgivings about changing the current relationship he has with her. Emotional denseness aside, he has always taken his pastor duties very seriously and that has ironically been one of the stumbling blocks keeping their relationship static. If he can't reconcile that contradiction, it won't matter how much Cecilia wants her wish to come true as Lawrence cannot move past his own self-imposed restrictions. As far as Abel is concerned, the current relationship is enough to keep Lawrence safe against the supernatural elements of the world so it's not a complete lost cause. Now to see how the animators deliver the ending for this adaptation.
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Harleyquin



Joined: 29 May 2014
Posts: 2887
PostPosted: Wed Sep 27, 2023 8:09 pm Reply with quote
#12

I suspected the series wouldn't go the way the archetype dictates, since the male lead is a pastor after all. Still, it's the only compromise that comes to mind when describing the relationship between the pair at present. Hazelita might have a fit each time she thinks of the way the two of them conduct themselves because it's only a compromise, but they have more or less everything a married couple has except the paperwork, ceremony and children.

Three more neutral viewpoints about the pair's relationship presented to us in the final episode. Elric would rather tell it to them directly, but the fortune teller Mell convinced him not to as their village is very happy with the relationship as it is and they love having Lawrence as their pastor so progressing beyond what they have would be a loss to them. Everyone else loves having Cecilia as their dress-up doll, so it's more or less a win-win for everyone involved.

The last skit with Lily was very cute. Even little children who adore the pastor know when they're beaten, so unless something drastic happens (like a second season with the Great Saint personally intervening) this looks like the equilibrium for as long as Lawrence can accommodate Cecilia.

I didn't start watching this series expecting to see the show of the season, and it's delivered exactly what I expected it to do for its runtime. Shows like this help people forget about real-life troubles, and this one's colourful palette and cozy atmosphere accomplish that role exceptionally well. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, but anyone looking for a weekly emotional glucose shot can give this a go if they like this genre.
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smurky turkey



Joined: 30 Jan 2022
Posts: 2040
PostPosted: Thu Sep 28, 2023 4:31 am Reply with quote
Yeah, the show delivered exactly in what was promised. A cozy tale about a lovely town with a saint and pastor that are slowly growing closer (very slowly). There are moments of seriousness to keep it from being too fluffy though, it is also interesting to learn more about the world and the saint system. People into slice of life will enjoy the series, that said, I am unsure on whether I would want a second season or not.
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