15th September, 2023: the Introduction.
Right …
It’s officially Friday.
And … ?
Potatoes have just been chopped up: then boiled … and shoved into the oven.
Fridays, for the past few months have taken a vague form.
Make and eat dinner.
Watching a video whilst having dinner: and old friend is doing some interesting stuff about Judge Dredd.
Then … ?
Once I’ve eaten, washed up, cleaned my teeth, done the hoovering, conquered the world, and ensured a meaningful peace in the Middle East … ?
Or, at least, washed up … ?
I’ll be watching the next episode of Good Omens’ second series: and telling you about it tomorrow night.
I’ll be back, then!
16th September, 2023: “The Hitchhiker”.
Episode 4 — “The Hitchhiker” — opens not with a summary of earlier episodes … but with a long shot of Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) driving back from Edinburgh: only to pick up a strange hitchhiker.
A hitchhiker that turns out to be Shax (Miranda Richardson), Hell’s representative on Earth.
A representative, who only needs confirmation of what she believes: that Gabriel is hiding in Aziraphale’s bookshop!
~≈😈≈~
Once the opening credits have rolled … ?
In a flashback to series one, we find ourselves in London, in 1941*: where Aziraphale is dealing with some seriously menacing Nazi agents.
Nazi agents who are thankfully killed when a bomb hits where they, and Aziraphale, and Crowley (David Tennent), are standing.
The scene shifts to the part of hell where the three Nazis — Harmony, Glozier and Kleinschmidt (Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton and Niamh Walsh) — are being interrogated by a demon called Furfur (Reece Sheersmith), a demon who needs a promotion.
And who’s happy to cut the trio a deal … when he hears they have some very handy information about a certain supernatural pair …
~≈😈≈~
Now …
What DID I make of “The Hitchhiker”?
What did I see?
Pick up … ?
Notice, even?
There is quite a few bits: bits that got me chasing references, grabbing links and flicking desperately through my 1990s edition of Pratchett and Gaiman’s original novel.
And, if you’ve been following these reviews of mine?
You’ll possibly have realised I’m a one for … let’s call it textural authenticity.
The idea that whatever is in the the film/show of the book should be justified by what’s on the page.
It’s a bit of a bugaboo for me: and part of the reason I hated Will Smith’s version of I, Robot.
The film’s good: but had little to do with the novel.
The original series of Good Omens? Much like Peter Jackson’s version of The Lord of the Rings?
Wasn’t perfect: it missed my favourite joke of the entire book.
But everything you saw on screen, you could connect to what was in the book.
Series two of Good Omens?
Has a difference from the first: there’s no parallel Pratchett and Gaiman novel we can point to, as reference.
But … ?
The series, thus far, uses some key references from the book.
The scene at the park, in episode one springs to mind.
As does Crowley and Aziraphale’s discussion about choice, in episode 3.
Those scenes reassured me the series has some reverence for the source text.
It’s been done, again, in this episode.
Much like he has in the novel, we see that Aziraphale — despite being capable of using powers most magicians would drop their knickers for — has learnt stage magic.
Granted, in the novel, he learns from the real world John Nevil Maskelyn, and in the show, from a fictional Professor Hoffman.
But we still see his rather sad efforts.
That?
Is all to the good, as far as I’m concerned.
There’s a couple of other things.
Aziraphale makes a rash promise to theatre owner, Mrs Henderson (Siân Phillips), to distract her audience: an incredible pice of magic!
The deadly Bullet Catch!
Yes: it’s a genuine magic trick.
One person — Crowley in the episode — has a gun loaded with a (fake!!!!) bullet: and shoots it at the other person — Aziraphale — who, miraculously, appeared to catch a real bullet in his mouth.
The trick’s supposed to be the deadliest one you can perform, and has killed at least three people, to my knowledge.
After a gun misfired.
Four: if you include Brandon Lee, in The Crow.
Knowing quite how dangerous the stunt could be?
Made that scene was riveting to watch.
On top of that?
The theatre this takes place in … ?
Was a fictional version of The Windmill: the Soho theatre that presented a whole series of … um … tableaux vivants during World War Two, and never closed whilst bombs dropped all around it.
The real-world owner, Mrs Laura Henderson?
Is just known as Mrs Henderson in this episode: and played by Siân Phillips.
Siân Phillips is very well cast in this piece.
Ever though hearing her voice sent chills down my spine.
Oh, not because her performance is or isn’t good: it’s very good!
But?
Because I still remember hearing that voice, hearing and seeing her as Livia: in the BBC’s version of I, Claudius, many years ago.
The woman played the screen villain.
So hearing her in this was both wonderful, and unnerving!
~≈😈≈~
There are possibly a million other things to say.
I could say how the Bullet Catch trick reminded me of the death of Brandon Lee: and of a similar scene in an old, Tom Baker era, Dr Who story.
How Miranda Richardson’s performance as the scheming Shax was, and is, very watchable.
How the zombie Nazis were both very silly, and very entertaining.
And how outright riveting this episode was.
It’s a superb piece of work: in a series that’s equally superb!
Frankly?
I’m going to be watching the next episode — “The Ball” — on Friday, 22nd September: and will have my written and video reviews up on the 23rd.
Hopefully?
I’ll see you then!
“The Hitchhiker”.★★★★
* Episode three of series one: “Hard Times”.
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