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| Luke Treadaway, Anna Calder-Marshall, Gemma Jones, Geraldine James. Pics: ITV |
ITV1: Monday, 13 August, 9pm
Story: Mix is a trainer-wearing, fitness-machine repairman who has sex with bored rich women and fantasises about the serial killer John Reginald Christie. He is also stalking a catwalk model, Nerissa Nash. His obsessive fantasy world eventually opens up his potential for real-life murder.
Great to see Ruth Rendell's work back on prime time. The author behind the Wexford stories has a far more interesting and unsettling line in psychological whydunits, and 13 Steps Down is one of these.
It is a macabre journey in the company of Mix Cellini, young repairman and bit of a charmer, who at the same time is a loathsome creep. We first meet him visiting the site of what was once Rillington Place, the scene of the horrific murders of Mix's hero, John Reginald Christie.
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| Stalker's victim Nerissa |
When Mix (Luke Treadaway) is not servicing fitness machines, he is servicing one or two bored rich women who own them. He rents a flat from Gwendolen Chawcer – a rather 'irrational old bag', as Geraldine James, who plays her, explains – and Mix's place is packed with novels about serial killers.
His other obsession is a supermodel called Nerissa Nash (Elarica Gallacher), whom he stalks obsessively. His life spins into violence when a young woman he is sleeping with, Danila, criticises Nerissa while at Mix's flat.
It's a strange and compelling tale, with Mix's neurosis mirroring the bitterness and delusions of his landlady, Gwen, who is sad and repellent at the same time. Add in Mix's feeling that Christie is watching over him and you have an unsettling drama.
Luke Treadaway is compelling as Mix
Luke Treadaway, who we've seen in Attack the Block and Clash of the Titans, convincingly portrays Mix's unnerving descent from reality, reaching a crisis in the second and final episode, in which he finally breaks the bubble of his fantasy world and approaches Nerissa. You feel a tinge of sadness for someone so out on their own.
Gemma Jones and Anna Calder-Marshall are wonderful as Gwen's long-suffering friends, Olive and Queenie, who gradually become suspicious of her lodger.
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| Mix and Danila |
Cast: Luke Treadaway Mix Cellini, Geraldine James Gwendolen, Elarica Gallacher Nerissa Nash, Gemma Jones Olive, Anna Calder-Marshall Queenie, Victoria Bewick Danila, Sam O'Mahony Darel, Maryam D'Abo Madame Odette, Laura Pyper Kayleigh, Ben Shafik Abba, Brian Bovell Tom
South Bank Show clip with Ruth Rendell talking about her novel
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FYI, TVRage and other sites report that this show premieres on Aug 13. Might want to check your date.
ReplyDeleteYou're right! The TV companies updated their schedules and ITV1 shifted it.
DeleteThanks for pointing that out.
When did they move it to?
ReplyDeleteMonday 13 9pm. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteYou have got to be kidding with that 4 stars rating - there is nothing special about this story, nor there is any reason for it to be seen on 21st century TV (we all have seen more and better stories than this one so far); Cheers
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed it but expected there to be more of a twist at the end. Wanted to know more about his childhood .
ReplyDeleteI think you're right. I haven't read the novel but I'd bet there is more about his back story, which they left out.
ReplyDeleteSadly this petered out very badly in the second half and became laughable. A Reggie Christie lookey-likey who is an asylum seeker living in the loft that no-one knew was there? Utter tosh.
ReplyDelete