Brilliant episode this week, I am loving that the show can be this chilling without having any deaths this season, fantastic work from Cubitt and the cast. So many highlights, but the top one has to be Valene Kane's monologue as the desperate and trapped Rose Stagg, with Gillian Anderson's genuine reaction to watching it on the screen. It was gut wrenching, and I've not been moved like that by a performance on TV for a long time.
Burn's interview with the unrepentant defrocked Father was also chilling, he is such a monster that my skin crawls just thinking about it! Who knew that surveillance scenes could become so tense either, the team losing Spector was gripping stuff. I wonder what his actual plan is here, there has to be some sort of twist going on that he's set up with Katie for the 90 minute finale next week I imagine.
Colin Morgan only had a small roles again, but it was a clever one. So Stella wasn't lusting after him at all, that was a cool twist. She wanted to use Spector's own parlour tricks against him by using a young, tall, good-looking, intelligent cop to be the one to arrest him. Mirroring and using a 'junior' member of staff to make Paul feel inferior was just a head f*ck. As was getting McNally to arrest him, with her hair down, for murder/attack on the Brawleys.
It was a terrific scene I can't help but wonder what on earth the twist is going to be next week after that. I mean, it's obvious that he knew Stella was going to watch it from the editing and the way he appeared at the end of it. Next week can't come soon enough!
I think part of his arrogance after being arrested is him covering the fact that he can't mirror Tom Anderson properly, Stella picked him for exactly that reason after all. It's thrown him slightly that she's so good at the mind games and he's not so sure how to respond. I think he does have a big twist up his sleeve, but what it is is anyone's guess at the moment, lol.
Just read something that really put a slant on things: What if Tom is Paul's inside man in the police? What if Paul made sure Tom was there to meet Stella at the crimes scene? What if Tom is actually helping Paul to get away?
That would tie in with the suspicions from Tom's first episode that we had. The girl who was found in the woods that looked like she had hanged herself was a regular caller to a suicide hotline a few months previous to her death. That could tie her to Paul before he quit the job there perhaps too?
It would be surprising if they had not discovered a relationship between them with how deep they have been digging into Paul's background, but I guess that it is possible. It could even be that Tom is some sort of obsessive that has inserted himself into the investigation without Paul's knowledge maybe? I dunno, I don't entirely trust Colin's character though, so I wouldn't be surprised if was involved in the twist somehow.
The problem with Tom Anderson's character is that he does feel a bit like a Chekhov's Gun still at present. Like there is more use of him to be had in the story, but I can't think what it would be at present.
I agree that making him a partner would be a bit of an odd move - we've seen Paul laying plans, yet not have any contact with him so it would be strange for him to be suddenly relying on a new contact, especially one in the police force. That would go against what we know of him as a character so far and as you say be a bit of a cop out in the writing.
I wonder if perhaps Anderson's past is tied into Spector's somehow though? Either through the murders his father committed or they attended the same foster homes, and Tom feels that Spector owes him somehow. Or it could be that Tom is crooked and tied in through the Munroe connection, or to Jimmy Tyler. I just feel as though there has to be something more there to his character, lol.
My guess is that it will be Stella via Tom vs Paul in the first 30-40 minutes. If written well that could be really good, maybe Tom cracking under the pressure or something and then Stella will take over.
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Brilliant episode this week, I am loving that the show can be this chilling without having any deaths this season, fantastic work from Cubitt and the cast. So many highlights, but the top one has to be Valene Kane's monologue as the desperate and trapped Rose Stagg, with Gillian Anderson's genuine reaction to watching it on the screen. It was gut wrenching, and I've not been moved like that by a performance on TV for a long time.
ReplyDeleteBurn's interview with the unrepentant defrocked Father was also chilling, he is such a monster that my skin crawls just thinking about it! Who knew that surveillance scenes could become so tense either, the team losing Spector was gripping stuff. I wonder what his actual plan is here, there has to be some sort of twist going on that he's set up with Katie for the 90 minute finale next week I imagine.
Colin Morgan only had a small roles again, but it was a clever one. So Stella wasn't lusting after him at all, that was a cool twist. She wanted to use Spector's own parlour tricks against him by using a young, tall, good-looking, intelligent cop to be the one to arrest him. Mirroring and using a 'junior' member of staff to make Paul feel inferior was just a head f*ck. As was getting McNally to arrest him, with her hair down, for murder/attack on the Brawleys.
Can't wait to see the finale next week!
Completely agree with you, I couldn't look away from the screen when Stella was watching those videos of Rose. Completely and utterly captivating.
ReplyDeleteIt was a terrific scene I can't help but wonder what on earth the twist is going to be next week after that. I mean, it's obvious that he knew Stella was going to watch it from the editing and the way he appeared at the end of it. Next week can't come soon enough!
ReplyDeleteI think part of his arrogance after being arrested is him covering the fact that he can't mirror Tom Anderson properly, Stella picked him for exactly that reason after all. It's thrown him slightly that she's so good at the mind games and he's not so sure how to respond. I think he does have a big twist up his sleeve, but what it is is anyone's guess at the moment, lol.
ReplyDeleteJust read something that really put a slant on things: What if Tom is Paul's inside man in the police? What if Paul made sure Tom was there to meet Stella at the crimes scene? What if Tom is actually helping Paul to get away?
ReplyDeleteThat would tie in with the suspicions from Tom's first episode that we had. The girl who was found in the woods that looked like she had hanged herself was a regular caller to a suicide hotline a few months previous to her death. That could tie her to Paul before he quit the job there perhaps too?
ReplyDeleteIf this was the case I wonder why Tom would help Paul? A shared past history? Are the y related somehow?
ReplyDeleteIt would be surprising if they had not discovered a relationship between them with how deep they have been digging into Paul's background, but I guess that it is possible. It could even be that Tom is some sort of obsessive that has inserted himself into the investigation without Paul's knowledge maybe? I dunno, I don't entirely trust Colin's character though, so I wouldn't be surprised if was involved in the twist somehow.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with Tom Anderson's character is that he does feel a bit like a Chekhov's Gun still at present. Like there is more use of him to be had in the story, but I can't think what it would be at present.
ReplyDeleteI agree that making him a partner would be a bit of an odd move - we've seen Paul laying plans, yet not have any contact with him so it would be strange for him to be suddenly relying on a new contact, especially one in the police force. That would go against what we know of him as a character so far and as you say be a bit of a cop out in the writing.
I wonder if perhaps Anderson's past is tied into Spector's somehow though? Either through the murders his father committed or they attended the same foster homes, and Tom feels that Spector owes him somehow. Or it could be that Tom is crooked and tied in through the Munroe connection, or to Jimmy Tyler. I just feel as though there has to be something more there to his character, lol.
My guess is that it will be Stella via Tom vs Paul in the first 30-40 minutes. If written well that could be really good, maybe Tom cracking under the pressure or something and then Stella will take over.
ReplyDelete