I haven't had time to properly review part 2 of ITV1's copycat Jack The Ripper thriller, but broadly speaking... I thought it was fine. It certainly wasn't as good as part 1, but it was a solid enough bridge to a hopefully stunning final part. My main concerns right now are:- the background cops are paper-thin, bigoted clichés.
- it's not gruesome enough, considering the grizzly subject-matter.
- we don't see enough from the killer's perspective, to really make us fear for The Ripper and everyone in Whitechapel.
- there's no tension over any suspects being interviewed or followed, as it's clear we should only care about the Ripperlogist's theories, not DS Miles' (Phil Daniels) snout.
- my fear that the Ripper's identity will be a disappointment because it will be someone we won't meet until part 3, or one of the cops for the sake of an unconvincing shock. Still, at least they explored the obvious twist of making the Ripperologist the new-Ripper -- unless that's all a double-bluff?
- the directing has been good from S.J Clarkson, but it fell apart in that slo-mo sequence with Buchan unwittingly providing the Ripper with a diversion at Mitre Square.
Still, I loved Chandler's (Rupert Penry-Jones) dinner scene with his peers (who don't really care about catching The Ripper, just how it affects their careers), and Steve Pemberton is great fun to watch. But I can't help thinking that a story about a modern-day Jack The Ripper should be far, far more exciting and... well, hardcore. This still has some hallmarks of an ITV detective drama; admittedly their best in a long time, but still tethered to a safety-line.
9 February 2009
ITV1, 9pm
Writers: Ben Court & Caroline Ip
Director: S.J Clarkson
Cast: Rupert Penry-Jones (DI Joseph Chandler), Phil Davis (DS Ray Miles), Steve Pemberton (Edward Buchan), Alex Jennings (Cdr Anderson), Christopher Fulford (DC Fitzgerald), Johnny Harris (DC Sanders), George Rossi (DC McCormack), Sam Stockman (DC Kent), Claire Rushbrook (Dr Llewellyn), Jane Riley (Sarah Smith), Ben Loyd-Holmes (Pte Leary), Paul Hickey (Dr Cohen), Sophie Stanton (Mary Bousfield), Patricia Kensley (Mrs Buchan), Constantine Gregory (Mr Maduro), Mason Beaumont (Liam Miles), Matthew Payne (James Miles), Janice Acquah (Leary's Counsel) & Daniel Caren (Leary's Journalist)
