What do people think after episode 2?
I'd say the second episode was so much better than the first that it was like watching a different show; the grub has become a butterfly.
To a limited extent this has made me rethink my reaction to episode 1. Much of the absurd and anachronistic sexism dialogue ("women aren't allowed in there" etc) should maybe not be regarded as 2011 preaching, but just as setting the scene. The Kennedys had a similar problem for which it too was criticized, people given lines no real person would ever have said - but how do you give historical background except through dialogue? You're hardly going to use silent era style title cards.
I still think the scene setting was misjudged and overdone. The producers should have given a 9 p.m. BBC2 audience a bit more credit than they would have done for Blue Peter or MTV viewers. I also feel the murder/secret service subplot was not well integrated and not well handled in itself in the first episode.
Episode 2 wasn't perfect and you can see this sexism thing is a bit of an obsession for those involved. How likely is it that a 1956 producer would tell a secretary not to make tea for her boss? Still, the vast improvement means I'll actually be looking forward to this in the weeks to come, not just hoping it'll get better.