Gender bending Michael/a would have worked better if they stuck to the book
Potentially unpopular opinion(?)
Just rewatched season 4 after reading WHWW. I really think there are some aspects that had worked better if they kept them.
In the book Francesca realizes Michael is her best friend and that it’s weird that her best friend is a man. They go on these evening walks where she asks him to tell her of his romantic pursuits (“tell me something wicked!”)
Why not just do that? The 3 of them living together and enjoying each other’s company from the get-go makes much more sense with a woman than a man in this era.
Why not have Fran know Michaela is gay, and be intrigued, and ask her about her Gentleman Jack-style pursuits?
Why not establish a bit more of Michaela’s story in season 4, throwing a flashback in, to show how in love she is with Fran?
Then when John dies, explicitly pass the title to Michaela in season 4, show Michaela crushed under all the shame that Michael had in the books PLUS the shame of this FORBIDDEN, sapphic love, and take off?
I also think in the books Fran is quiet around her family but she’s very self assured, and Michael is less chaotic. I think making them opposites makes the story worse and their friendship less explainable.
The two of them turning into friends in the show after Michaela says pretty harsh stuff is just less believable.
Also yeah all the pinnacle stuff and being more obsessed with not having become pregnant a mere few months into the relationship… Why have that? Just why? Can’t she have two great and satisfying loves, and be content with who she is? Fran in the books only wants kids a while after John dies. It’s going to be tougher in a 1800’s sapphic relationship. She could have been completely uninterested in having children and it would have been more consistent.