Neverwhere: Episode 2 - “Knightsbridge” (1996)

Neverwhere was one of the first PC projects I had my eye on, although I didn't have a chance to get to it right away. The show is an urban fantasy penned by Neil Gaiman, who is of course a genre-writing juggernaut in a number of arenas. However, I'll confess right off the bat that I only know Gaiman through his excellent contributions to Who: “The Doctor's Wife” and “Nightmare in Silver.”

Until now. Two episodes into his wonderfully odd Neverwhere, and I'm definitely hooked. (Note: PC's character isn't in the first episode, but he appears in the rest of the series. I opted to watch the whole thing, which is decidedly the way to go.) It's sly and imaginative and very British – I'm a big fan.

Neverwhere is part of the subsection of fantasy that begins with an ordinary man's world being turned on its head by a fantastical encounter. The ordinary man in this story is Richard Mayhew, a nice Scottish fellow living in London with a basic flat, a typical job, and a standard-issue fiancee. The fantastical encounter kicks off when he stumbles upon Door, an otherworldly young woman being pursued by the pair of strange, off-putting toughs who killed her family.

Through Door, Richard is introduced to London Below, which is exactly what the name suggests: a mirror city operating beneath the streets of London, one with its own customs, beliefs, and troubles. Unable to return home, Richard accompanies Door, who is desperate to find out who wants her dead.

You might notice that I have yet to mention PC. Well, his character, Islington, is introduced in “Knightsbridge,” but that doesn't exactly mean he introduces himself. You can tell by the buildup that he's an important character – Door is given a vital message to find the angel Islington, and other characters discuss him as a legend – but you don't get more than a glimpse of him here. Be patient, grasshoppers. Be patient.

Watching multiple episodes of the same series is going to mean a change-up to my usual end-of-review routine. I haven't seen enough of Islington to tell his accent, and it probably won't make sense to include a recommendation at the end of each episode. I think I'll just give first and final impressions, throwing in additional bits if it's especially relevant. So, if you don't see accent watches, recommendations, or warnings in some of the coming days, assume the previous ones for the series carry over.

Recommend?

In General – Off the bat, yes. It's a bit like a dark, inventive cross between Miyazaki (maybe Spirited Away) and Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Delicatessen and The City of Lost Children.) I can't wait to see where it's going.

Warnings

Violence, general scariness, and brief swearing.