This is more like it! Right from the start, with Catherine's monologue explaining the situation, I got the impression that this would be a classy episode quite different from the disappointing ones which we've been getting lately. This is the first episode of a new season after all, with both new OP and ED sequences. It just seemed that significantly more effort was employed in numerous aspects, most noticeably in selecting an intriguing story and completing it skillfully in the space of one episode. Character designs seemed much better than usual as well. Whereas in the past there seemed to be little mystery or suspense in episodes, this one had a lot. Who have the British hired Duke to kill--Pamela or Catherine? For all their relatively close relationship, it's always possible that he will turn on Catherine at any moment. One thing which confused me was Catherine's statement that she had married Duke "because I don't believe in premarital sexual relations"--she clearly knows very little about him! One other minor error was a mortally wounded person explaining Duke's shooting tactic at the end--you'd think such a person would have something else on his- or her mind. Since Duke seldom says anything and we are not allowed to know what he's thinking, it's often difficult to present the explanation to the viewer. But all things considered, this was a great episode which has strongly revived my enthusiasm regarding this show.
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