As I’ve said on numerous occasions, I have a thing for penultimate episodes. This might not be my favorite, but it’s still quite entertaining and exciting, and it takes some interesting zigs and zags. Plus, it’s quite a fine episode for David Tennant.
It’s coming down to the wire now. The apocalypse isn’t just nigh, it’s on the doorstep. Crowley and Aziraphale have been thrown unexpected curveballs, but as the Antichrist begins to wield the full extent of his power and the Four Horsemen descend, the demon and the angel are determined to make one final attempt to avert the end of the world. And they’re both willing to do just about anything to do so.
Non-Aziraphale-Crowley stuff first, as is my custom. I like the way things go with the Antichrist plot; there’s some good creepiness there, and the storyline brings it to a creative place. The stuff with Michael McKean’s Sgt. Shadwell and Miranda Richardson’s Madame Tracy is pretty fun, especially Shadwell’s reaction to his “magic finger.” Meanwhile, Anathema and Newton are mostly shunted off into their own thing out of the main action, which isn’t as interesting to me. I feel like Anathema is a character with a lot of intriguing potential that doesn’t get fully realized—I wonder if she fares better in the book. Also, I forgot to mention earlier that Bill Paterson shows up in a couple episodes as a minor character. This is by far his best outing, and he has a few great bits here.
As usual, though, it’s all about the angel and the demon. Aziraphale has been through the wringer since the last episode, but he very determinedly brushes himself off and muddles ahead despite not entirely knowing what he’s doing. Michael Sheen is sterling as always, although there are some scenes in the middle where the humor gets a little too broad for my tastes. Aziraphale’s best moment in this episode is during a splendid one-on-one with Crowley. I know I keep saying it, but the way that Sheen and Tennant play off of one another is simply gorgeous.
Speaking of Tennant, this is a terrific episode, Crowley-wise. Tennant gets to play quite a range of emotions, and it’s all excellent. The sad moments are affecting, the comic moments are funny, and the wild moments are completely bonkers. I love the bit about Crowley’s imagination being what sets him apart from other demons, and I adore how open and honest he is with Aziraphale after the harsh words of the previous episode. More than anything, Crowley/Tennant is probably the thing that gets me most pumped for the final installment.
Along with the music. I meant to mention it before, but I love the Queen soundtrack that so often follows Crowley around, especially in his Bentley. Every song is expertly chosen, whether it’s humorously on-the-nose, subtly revealing, or just bringing exactly the right energy to the scene. While using Queen songs might be an easy way to get the audience on its side, the series does not mess around, wielding its soundtrack to maximum effect.
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