So we return again to
ghost central! And within 5 minutes of the episode starting I am
given my reason for watching this programme – Theo James in a
towel. What? I need something to encourage me to keep watching. Alas,
Kate wants him to put some clothes on to do some handyman work...
hmm... maybe a toolbelt.
Anyway, I digress.
Molly's friend Zoe is still missing and Molly is going on blind
dates, Kate is still sleep walking and hallucinating and being a
not-very-pleasant person and Ryan's upset about his brother's killer
coming up for parole. I dunno, not doing much but this episode
follows the much distracted Leah (I don't blame it the 4 main
characters of this programme don't exactly lead fascinating lives),
another resident of Bedlam heights and Molly's new friend – who
keeps seeing spooky tire tracks, ghosts in her car and spectral car
trouble. Her car keeps breaking down but she daren't take it to a
garage because it belongs to an abusive ex who has probably reported
it stolen – if it goes into a garage, he can probably find Leah.
So Jed is looking for the ghost while pretending to fix Leah's car that its haunting – and Ryan is playing research assistant. And in their research they find there's a terrible thing in her past she's running from – and the deaths that are the real reason the ghost is pursuing her. And Molly's friendship with her is sorely tested with the revelation – as well as some pointed questions as to the reason for the friendship in the first place.
And, of course, there's
the secondary question – what to do about the vengeful ghost,
especially if, to some degree, you agree with the ghost's actions?
We learn more about
Ryan's brother's death – and the full tragedy of it. How pointless
it was. How malicious it was and how empty and meaningless it was.
Not a crime of gain or passion or greed or even spite – but just
empty, targetless, malice.
Social justicewise,
there are still a couple of mental health jokes continue from last
episodes – including an electro-shock joke that's really not funny
from Warren – who is about as pleasant as Kate, his daughter.
I will say this for
Bedlam, while it clearly has a very low budget, it is extremely good
at creating a tense, spooky atmosphere with just a few effects – a
song played, a stereo starting up that shouldn't, the sound of
dripping water, a figure on a CCTV camera – even haunted satnavs.
Even the death incidents – a seat belt that suffocates you, a
necklace caught in the plug pulling you under water... the menace in
the mundane is very well done. There is someone on staff who has a
very good idea of atmosphere.
On the whole, the show
continues to not bore me. I won't say I'm fascinated and eager to see
each episode, but nor is it dull or enraging.
