Review - Demons - Episode 02 - "The Whole Enchilada"

Hopefully you heeded my advice to stick with our little Buffy knockoff because, hey, it actually got better and it managed to do so in one episode. Better pacing, a new character, creepy kids, and general improvements overall all tied up in a little bow. Here's ITV's synopsis.

"In the second episode, six-year-old Madge might think her sister has been ‘taken up to heaven by an angel’ but Galvin suspects otherwise. Everything points to half-life involvement and he thinks it’s the perfect project for Luke.

A visit to zombie priest, Father Simeon (guest star Richard Wilson) confirms Galvin’s suspicions. Gilgamel is no angel – he’s a demon, a travesty demon, a Type 9 entity attracted by the odour of sanctity. Can Luke rise to the challenge?"

Click through for the trailer, review, and promo for episode 3.

Continue Reading...



The Review:

If the previous episode played out like an episode of Buffy Season One, then this one takes it's cue from the first season of Angel. The Whole Enchilada, while possessed of the simplest of mysteries, tells its story well. The children are equal parts cute and creepy, the monster of the week is actually pretty scary looking, there's even a twist and a turn in there just in case you like to be surprised.

Mina and Ruby show marked improvement. We get a little more insight into Mina's supernatural extra sensory perception and some much needed snark. Ruby is actually useful and, dare I say it, full of cuteness and even a little moxy. The sole holdout remains in Rupert whose American accent is so bothersome and wrong that it makes anything coming out of his mouth sound completely disingenuous and false. That's a travesty considering what a fine actor Philip Glenister is.

Easily making up for that is the first appearance of Father Simeon, a zombie priest as portrayed by the great Richard Wilson who recently had a turn on BBC One's Merlin. His macabre turn in this role brings some much needed depth and drama to the episode in the form of some cryptic commentary regarding Luke's father's death and Rupert's part in it. Wilson does a fine job of giving Glenister someone to work off of, a foil that finally gives just enough meat to Galvin that the accent finally starts to bug a little less.

At the heart of the episode though is Luke having to learn the all important lesson: heroes don't have personal lives. No matter how fast he might run, his destiny will always catch up to him. There's just enough resistance on Luke's part to make his reluctant acceptance come episode's end feel earned.

All in all a big step up from last episode and more than reason enough to keep watching. And because you're appetite needs whetting, here's a promo for episode three. Enjoy!