History Series / GentlemanJack

* AbhorrentAdmirer: Reverend Ainsworth to Ann. The seemingly respectable Reverend is actually a sexual predator who has raped the defenseless Ann. Anne Lister figures this out and hates him for it.

* TheAlcoholic: Sam Sowden is a particularly nasty one. [[spoiler:To the extent that, after Sam's death, his oldest son Thomas outright bans all alcohol from the family home, seeing it as a root cause of all the family's struggles.]]
** It’s strongly implied that Christopher Rawson is, too. He was apparently drunk when he viciously and publicly insulted Marian in the bank branch, and several characters hint that he’s been drunk on the magistrate’s bench before. Anne later all but accuses him of drink-driving the carriage that hit Henry Hardcastle - after she’s offered him two glasses of Madeira and he helped himself to a very large third. At ten AM.

* BaitTheDog: [[spoiler:Ann's brother-in-law at first comes off as at least well-meaning and genuinely concerned for Ann's health. Then we find out he not only ignored Anne's advice, but also hid Anne's letters from both women, conspires to marry Ann off to a relative of his for financial purposes, and is most likely abusing his wife.]]
* BasedOnATrueStory: The writers stay remarkably true to the facts of Anne Lister's life, even if some of the more risque bits from the diary are left out (although that was due to BBC ExecutiveMeddling, not the writer's choice).

* BetaCouple: In one of the subplots, Thomas Sowden falls in love with and proposes to Suzannah Washington, and it's mostly smooth sailing for them. [[spoiler:Until the first season finale, when Suzannah's father begins to suspect that Thomas killed Sam.]]
* BreakingTheFourthWall: Done throughout the series, as a deliberate stylistic choice; on-screen Anne directly addresses the camera to include material from the real Anne's diaries. Showrunner Sally Wainwright stated in an interview that she preferred the method to using voiceover, finding the latter boring and overdone. Also PlayedForLaughs during a makeout session between Anne and Ann.

* DefiledForever: Discussed in episode four. Ann Walker feels that she cannot [[spoiler:turn down the proposal of the man who raped her]] due to societal attitudes relating to sex and marriage. Ultimately subverted though, as Anne Lister stays with her and also tells her that she is under no such obligation.

* DidYouThinkICantFeel: Anne Lister says this almost verbatim when [[spoiler:Ann Walker ends their relationship and says it's sinful]].

* DomesticAbuse: [[spoiler:Ann Walker begins to suspect this is the case with her sister's marriage, and all evidence suggests that she's right.]]
* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler:Ann Walker, after realizing she may have permanently damaged her relationship with Anne Lister, and may never see her again. Fortunately, she fails.]]

* FedToPigs: [[spoiler:Thomas Sowden, fearing that his drunken and abusive father will upset Anne and get them evicted, cuts his throat and feeds him to the family pigs.]]
* ForcedOutOfTheCloset: [[spoiler: Mrs Priestley spreads vicious statements about Anne Lister's relationship with Ann Walker after catching them in the act.]]

* GeniusBonus: After the election in Halifax, which led to mass rioting, Anne quotes Saint Francis of Assisi ("Where there is discord may we bring harmony. Where there is error, may we bring truth. Where there is doubt, may we bring faith. Where there is despair, may we bring hope"). Those with a strong knowledge of 20th century British politics will recall that this was quoted by UsefulNotes/MargaretThatcher when she became PM in 1979, appropriate for a Tory like Anne.

* GayngstInducedSuicide: Throughout the first season, [[spoiler:Ann Walker]] struggles to reconcile her devout Christian faith with her sexuality. This dilemma generates quite a bit of internalized homophobia, exacerbates [[spoiler: her already fragile mental issues]], and eventually [[spoiler: pushes her to slit her wrists.]]
* IJustWantToBeLoved: Anne wants to find happiness and love with a woman who is unafraid to commit to her, and is unashamed of Anne and all her eccentricities. She also worries that such a woman might not exist.

* INeverGotAnyLetters: [[spoiler:Thanks to Miss Walker's brother-in-law, neither Miss Walker nor Miss Lister ''nor'' Miss Walker's sister have been able to communicate properly, with Miss Walker and Miss Lister both thinking the other no longer cares of them. Fortunately, it gets all straightened out in the end.]]

* MasculineFeminineGayCouple: Anne is confident, straightforward and often brash while Ann is more subdued, quiet and graceful.
* MetaphoricalMarriage: Anne and Ann's wedding isn't legal, due to England not allowing same-sex marriage at the time, but everything else about it is a marriage.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[spoiler:After badly hurting Anne and ending their relationship, Ann is overcome with regret, but can't bring herself to commit to Anne, thanks to her mental health problems and fear of backlash from her family and society. She finally gets over it and resolves to be true to herself in the first season finale.]]

* OfCorsetsSexy: The opening credits with Anne getting dressed, with close-ups on the busk being inserted into her corset and the laces being tightened.

* OneSteveLimit: Averted. The main characters are Anne Lister and Ann Walker. Anne's aunt is also named Anne (and is likely who she was named after). Justified, as the show is based on Anne Lister's real life diary. There's also a Marian and a Mariana, both of whom are sometimes called "Mary."

* PoorCommunicationKills: [[spoiler:A combination of SanitySlippage and INeverGotAnyLetters results in Miss Walker nearly killing herself. Luckily, she fails.]]

* SanitySlippage: [[spoiler:Ann Walker begins to have terrible nightmares and hear voices telling her she'll go to Hell, and grows deeply depressed, eventually attempting suicide. Luckily, she seems to be recovering by the end of the first season.]]
* ShipperOnDeck: Aunt Lister and Jeremy are both in favor of Anne/Ann. [[spoiler:The first season finale implies that Ann's sister has caught on to the true nature of their "friendship," and also approves, basically telling Ann to go make up with her.]]

* TallDarkAndSnarky: Anne, in spades. When she’s not snarking in story, she’s snarking to the [[BreakingTheFourthWall viewer at home]]. Indeed, the series could just as well be titled ''GentlemanSnarker''.

* WarShip: Christopher Rawson publicly insults Marian at one point by offering to marry her in order to claim title to Shibden. Anne later gets him back with a YourMom quip - which is even funnier for the audience, who has already seen Mrs. Rawson gleefully cheering on Anne’s raunchier exploits to her social circle. The episode never quite makes clear whether Anne was just trying to take the piss, or if she and Rawson ''mère'' really ''did'' once have a fling. (The diaries give no such indication, alas.)

** The final scenes of the season finale feature Anne in a Prussian blue tailcoat with a cream and blue waistcoat, the first time she wears any clothing that’s not monochrome. Of course she’s no longer in mourning -- she’s about to get married.

** Anne Lister meticulously logged how often she shat and how often she masturbated. This was understandably not included in the show.

* IllGirl: [[spoiler: Ann Walker has back problems that limit her mobility. She's also prone to bouts of hysteria and auditory hallucinations.]] These issues, however, only seem to make her more endearing to Anne.
-->'''Anne:''' How I long to be credibly free from all this madness. And yet, whenever I see the girl she always manages to unhinge me.