A Jon Brown penned episode this week. His stuff isn't quite as quotable as Howard Overman's, but after two seasons of active duty, Brown knows these characters inside out, and he certainly didn't disappoint. I cringed and laughed as much at tonight's episode as any other. He also managed to make Rudy look vaguely human—which is no mean feat.
There's been a real focus on character development this season. With the end of the series just around the corner, there's been a real emphasis on the old Spiderman adage: with great power comes great responsibility. (Or Voltaire, if you're going to be picky about it.) Even Alex seems to have got the message. Earlier in the season I wondered whether he would exploit his new ability to sate his own carnal desires, yet so far, this hasn't happened. He helped Stuart tonight without using his power at all. (Thank God!) I was impressed, too, that Alex saw right through Stuart's request to be de-powered. He didn't want rid of his power, he was simply ashamed of being gay.
Obviously, Alex's willingness to help didn't extend to screwing reptiles, but that has to come, right? How else will Mark regain his human form? Assuming he has one, of course. Abbey seems totally smitten with him. Maybe a tortoise isn't a bad first companion for an ex-invisible friend. I'm glad that Abbey seems to be developing a personality after last week's big reveal. She's nowhere near as vacant as she once was, and it's good to see her developing relationships outside of the group—even if that 'group' is humankind.
The big development this episode was Rudy and Jess finally getting together. Jess got to see Rudy's softer side tonight—not to mention his love spuds and pasty arse. Rudy saw his own mortality in his aged other-self, and dealt with it in the only way he knew how, by locking him away. Rudy fears being alone. He knows his own weaknesses, yet there's a man underneath who desperately wants to be loved—which makes Jess the natural choice. She's already looked after him once. She seem to be the only one who can reign him in. Her tears at Rudy Two's mistreatment really seemed to make him stop and think. Maybe being with her will be good for him. Assuming he doesn't screw it up.
It goes without saying that Rudy's undercover work was dreadful. I have no idea why someone didn't realise who he was right away—they already know of Rudy One's existence, and the two Rudys are like chalk and cheese. Rudy One's visit to the support group did however give him a brutal insight into how Rudy Two views him. Which, at first, manifested itself in rage, before turning to tears, and by the end of the episode, they had quite the bromance going. Rudy Two is such a good egg. Despite having no useful powers of his own, he seems willing to help anyone: Tim, Maggie, the young Mr. Johnson. His patience seems to be having a positive effect on Rudy One, too. He behaved almost decently at times tonight.
Now we know the identity of the girl on Maggie's jumper—electrician Helen, played by genre TV favourite, Ellie Kendrick (Being Human, Game of Thrones, etc.)—there's only the invisible girl left to identify. And the guy on top of the building, of course. Is the black-jacketed figure Rudy? To me, Rudy looks more like the guy on the second jumper (too tall to be Finn, too dark to be Alex), with the other two characters being Jess (long, dark hair) and Abbey (red hair). Do Alex and Finn feature anywhere in Maggie's winter knitwear collection? Gah!! Why are her jumpers so maddeningly low-res?
Other Thoughts:
—There have been some hilariously poignant powers over the years, but a power which keeps a gay man trapped in the closet is nigh on perfect.
—Rudy was all over Finn with praise tonight. What the eff is going on?
—The actor who played Stuart (Oliver Lansley), looks like a cross between Aaron Ashmore and a young Hugh Bonneville.
—And out comes the Cornetto. That's virtually every episode, isn't it? Was there one in last week's?
—Episode five is now available to watch a week early through 4OD.
Quotes:
Abbey: "You're the only one out of us who can actually change people's lives."
Rudy: "Why the fuck does he help these people, and he doesn't even go on about it, doesn't tell anyone? I gave 20p to Cancer Research and I'm still going on about it."
Abbey: "Alex, will you do me a quick favour? Will you fuck my tortoise?"
Rudy: "Who'd want to settle down with me?"
Abby: "That is a really pale arse."
Rudy: "What if we all became superheroes. Huh! I mean like, proper superheroes. Maybe it's our destiny."
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