"Better a fallen rocket than never a burst of light."
~ Tom Stoppard, The Invention of Love

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Neverwhere: Episode 4 - “Blackfriars” (1996)


Another great episode.  I love the way this story takes ordinary elements of London – underground stations, pigeons, homeless people on the street – and weaves them into legends.  “Blackfriars” also has a fantastic bit about the city's lingering history.  “There's a lot of time in London, and it has to go somewhere.”  What a line!

You may notice that I'm getting stingier with the details.  A necessity, I'm afraid.  I may wind up needing to be cautious describing any multi-episode appearances by PC, but especially with a miniseries like this, a self-contained story that's plainly building to a dramatic finish.  I'll do what I can to keep spoilers at a minimum.

But if you're reading my accounts of Capaldi Fall, you want to know about PC, and you might be getting antsy after the last two meager offerings.  Well, “Blackfriars” gives you a nice long look at Islington to make up for the glimpses of earlier episodes.

First impressions show him to be an angel in a gentle, unassuming way.  Richard, a skeptic about all things London Below but especially about Islington, quizzes him on his angel cred.  Islington, however, doesn't rise to it.  He is merely an angel, and Richard's cynicism doesn't concern him.  After Door's efforts to find him, Islington quietly points her in the next direction on her quest.

PC is pretty excellent here.  It's such a soft performance, but it carries a lot of weight.  There's an undercurrent of weary pain running through Islington's scenes, whether he's comforting Door on the loss of her family or remembering the city that had been in his care before London Below.  You can feel the years he’s live, the things he’s seen.  If anyone has doubts about PC's ability to carry off the 1000+-year-old aspect of the Doctor, send them here.

Accent Watch

No emendations needed, I'm pleased to report.  Definitely RP, probably the best I've heard from PC so far. 

Warnings

In addition to the previous warnings for Neverwhere, “Blackfriars” includes some implied torture.

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