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

Monday, September 30, 2013

Psychos: Episode 6 (1999)

 
Dropping in cold on the final episode of a miniseries is risky business.  I considered watching the first five episodes before this installment of Capaldi Fall, but I ultimately decided to just go for it.  Overall, not too much fallout; while it probably would have been better not to see the ending first, and I obviously wasn't getting all the details of the interpersonal dynamics between the main characters, I could still follow what was going on and enjoy it a lot.
 
Psychos focuses on the doctors in a Glasgow psychiatric hospital:  their work, their goals, their relationships, and so on.  Episode 6 begins on Thursday the 12th, and Valerie, an inpatient and severe triskaidekaphobe, is extremely agitated about the day to come.  The story is like a game of Jenga played inside a pressure cooker, continually adding new potential disasters to the mix.  Which block will topple the tower is anyone's guess.
 
One of said blocks is new arrival Mark Collins, played by PC.  Mark is a mathematician who's resistant to the idea that he might be bipolar.  A man enthusiastically intent on working himself to exhaustion, he immediately gets down to business exasperating the staff and whipping patients into a frenzy.
 
I'm a big fan of this performance.  Mark is an infinitely watchable character, and PC plays him so deftly.  It's not the typical portrayal of someone in a manic cycle; he has his thoughtful moments, even his still moments, and yet you can see that his mind is constantly careening at breakneck speed.
 
And Whovians, if you're curious as to what Neve McIntosh (Madame Vastra, everyone's favorite Silurian detective) really looks like, now's your chance!  If I hadn't seen her name in the credits, I'd have had no idea it was her.  Even knowing, I could just barely tell.  Also, for the Torchwood fans, look out for Naoko Mori and Indira Varma as well.
 
Accent Watch
 
Another entry in the Scottish column (understandable, since it takes place in Glasgow.)
 
Recommend?
 
In General – Yeah.  Admittedly, I tend to enjoy mental-health-related premises, but I'd be interested in going back and watching the earlier episodes.  The doctor characters seem worth exploring further, and I really enjoyed the various psych-ward plots.
 
PC-wise – Oh yeah.  PC's really great here.
 
Warnings
 
Some violence and disturbing scenes.  Also, there's a bit with a catheter.

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