Andrew Veyette gave a lovely sinuousness to his “Sarabande” solo, and Ellen Bar was coolly seductive in her “Bransle Gay” solo and the subsequent pas de trois, balancing unworriedly in arabesque as her two partners switched sides.

But Chae said it didn't matter, he'd bring his melodeon and Long Rob his fiddle; and faith! if that didn't content the folk they were looking for a church parade of the Gordons, not a wedding.

Individual episodes are still thrilling and often quite striking, give or take some pitch-black battle scenes. But the gradual ramping up of the plotting that has grown steadily in the past three seasons crossed some invisible Maginot line this year, where the formerly acceptable trade-offs of focus for fun are no longer quite so taken for granted.

Melissa wiped her glasses with her shirt.