WRITER: Steven Moffat DIRECTOR: Neil Mackinnon
CAST: James Nesbitt (Dr Tom Jackman/Mr Hyde), Gina Bellman (Claire Jackman), Michelle Ryan (Katherine Reimer), Denis Lawson (Peter Syme), Paterson Joseph (Benjamin), Meera Syal (Miranda Callender), Jason Hall (Waiter), Virginia Emmery (Sophia), Fenella Woolgar (Min), Linda Marlowe (Ms Utterson), Al Hunter Ashton (Christopher), Andrew Byrne (Eddie Jackman), Christopher Day (Harry Jackman), Matt King (Freeman), Bruce Mackinnon (Malcolm), Victor Power (Pete) & Suzanne Proctor (Nurse)
The Institute plot to capture Mr Hyde using Dr Jackman's children as bait at a local zoo...After a superb setting up of the characters and relationships in Episode 1, it's disappointing to see Episode 2 occassionally lose itself with some redundant sequences (prime candidate: Hyde's unconvincing stalking of Katherine, climaxing with a "Heeere's Johnny" jump-scare even Jack Nicholson would cringe at).
Steven Moffat continues to develop the ongoing story nicely enough, although now we're accustomed to the fun Jackman/Hyde dynamic, this episode is content to cruise along on Episode 1's fumes. Jackman is very concerned about the safety of his wife and children now that alter-ego Hyde is aware of his secret family. There are even hints Hyde may be about to break free of Jackman's subconscious, as Jackman uncharacteristically shouts at his son in a cafe.
Episode 2's focus is on a trip to the zoo, wherein Jackman takes his kids (Eddie and Harry) for a bit of fatherly bonding, under the surveillance of Peter Syme (Denis Lawson, doing his best sourpuss face).
Of course, unbeknownst to Jackman, he's also under surveillance by the shadowy Institude. In an uncharacteristic cliche from Moffat, said secret society are prone to signposting their presence by travelling in black SUV's with tinted windows. When will bad guys learn the art of stealth, eh?
After one of Jackman's children is placed inside the lion's den, the threat to his son unleashes his Hyde persona, who proceeds to wrestle with said lion (offscreen, thankfully). Lead villain Benjamin (Paterson Joseph) then engages in a tense exchange of dialogue with Hyde, who stands atop a boulder in a blood-stained shirt, striking macho poses, having turned the remaining lions into submissive pussycats.
It's very silly stuff, as you can tell. On the page it probably read as very exciting, original and dramatic. However, once made reality by director Neil Mackinnon, it's just laughable hokum. We fortunately aren't subjected to the sight of James Nesbitt fighting a stuffed animal, in true Tarzan-style, but the bad greenscreening of Nesbitt into shots with prowling lions is punishment enough for viewers.
The sheer dumbness of this sequence, together with Paterson Joseph's increasingly irritating Yankie villain, almost ruins Episode 2 entirely. Thankfully, mostly everything beyond the misguided zoo sequence is competent stuff and serves to nudge Jekyll's storyline forward an increment or two.
Overall, Episode 2 is enjoyable in parts, but contains the sort of lazy wafflings the first episode managed to masterfully avoid. All said, it's a sad misstep for Steven Moffat's six-part serial, but there's plenty of time to set things straight...
