Lovecraft Country — Series 1 Episode 3 — Holy Ghost: A Review

21st September, 2021.

Right … 

It’s Tuesday, again.

And, frankly?

Yes: I’m still stuck indoors.

You HAVE to love coronavirus testing, don’t you?

However, being stuck indoors does not mean I can’t do things.

Even if it’s something simple, like … um … watching a film.

Watch I did, a couple of days ago.

I’d suggest watching Candyman, by the way: it’s rather good.

Tonight?

I’ve had a plateful of goulash: and seen episode three of Lovecraft Country.

And will tell you more, once I’ve had a good nights sleep.

~≈🐙≈~

22nd September, 2021.

Right … it’s officially the day after I saw Holy Ghost: the third episode of Lovecraft Country.

And — much like the intro video I made for today’s post — I’m cooking dinner, as I write.

Beef pie, home made roast potatoes,  and assorted vegetables.

Including carrots.

Which is possibly the most riveting thing I’ve said to someone all day: self isolation being what it is.

I’m assuming you’d rather not know that.

No: you’re here because you’re vaguely interested in what I’ve been watching for the past few weeks.

The tv series, Lovecraft Country.

~≈🐙≈~

Episode 3 — Holy Ghost — opens with a brief summary of last week’s episode.

And briefly shows us a flashback, of Leti (Jurnee Smollett) and Ruby (Wunmi Mosaku) at a church meeting: where Ruby is happily testifying, but Leti is hanging back.

It briefly shows us title cards: warning us that three people had gone missing in and African-American* owned house.

Then shows us Leti showing Ruby he new acquisition: a dilapidated house in an area of Chicago’s north side that doesn’t usually welcome African-Americans.

It seems Leti’s bought it with an inheritance: and is intent on renovating the place, and using it as a boarding house for her community.

Meanwhile … ?   Tic (Jonathan Majors) is having problems of his own.

Since he, Leti, and his father, Montrose (Michael K. Williams), got back from Devon County with George’s dead body?

Hippolyte (Aunjanue Ellis) is becoming increasingly suspicious: that’s she’s not been told everything about George’s death.

And takes ’Tic up on his offer to move out.

Given Leti’s opening a boarding house that needs decorating … ?

’Tic’s happy to help.

And, given Leti’s boarders are moved in, that the house warming party on the go … ?

Is the time that; 

• Leti finds a lot of ghosts in the cellar†.
• Leti finds a burning cross on the front lawn.

Ever get the feeling there’s going to be trouble … ?

~≈🐙≈~

Now … ?

Do I know things?

Do I know stuff?

Do I know HBO has cancelled Lovecraft Country?

Yes, I did: I saw the news go past a couple of days ago.

I think that HBO are making a mistake there.

Going on what I’ve seen so far, it’s a superb little series: and Holy Ghost a great, standalone, episode of the show.

And I do mean superb.

Holy Ghost tells us a riveting little story that has both danger — from the ghosts infesting the house, and the neighbours infesting the area — and shows us the troubled relation between Leti and Ruby that forms part of the show’s heart.

It’s … 

Well, I think HBO cancelling this series is on a par with Showtime cancelling Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, and BBC Three’s cancelling The Fades‡.

A bad movie.

Good TV is rare: and, thus far, Lovecraft Country is superb.

*        I know the word ‘negro’ was much used in 1950s America.   But I’ve also feel it’s as outdated as, and as mildly offensive as, ‘West Indian.’

†        Ohhh … the cellar … 

‡        The Fades was the first thing I saw Natalie Dormer, and Daniel Kaluuya in.   And … ?   Was cancelled scandalously early.