Picture from Channel 4.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Cast: Peter Mullan, Anastasia Hille, Harry Lloyd, Paul Nicholls, Richard E. Grant, Demosthenes Chrysan, Dragos Bucar, Shaban Arifi, Julia Ragnarsson, Danny Sapani, Nigel Lindsay, Osy Ikhile, Sidney Kean, Lisa McAllister, Catherine Winter, Amarildo Kola.
The tension that had been building in the framework of The Fear reaches almost fever pitch proportions as the escalating war between the Kosovan’s and Richie’s family starts to mirror the war going on inside his head.
The penultimate episode of this absorbing 21st century film noir like series sees the streets of Brighton becoming a vision of hell for its residents as the Kosovan family that has been slowly moving into Richie and his family’s live explode like vengeful spectres as they carry out their plan to take over the south coast town.
The mirroring of the war between the two families and the rage inside Richie’s head has been so well written so far that even with a finale still to air it is possible to call The Fear the finest programme to air on Channel Four during 2012. The Fear is a programme of vicious macabre appeal; so much so, the underlying violence that haunts almost every scene is captured in its truest artistic and intense form. The focus, whilst still sharply on Peter Mullan now spreads, as does his onset Alzheimer’s disease, to the rest of the family and how the fall out of the two conflicting scenarios are having devastating results.
In this the almost Cain and Abel stance of the two sons, portrayed by Harry Lloyd and Paul Nicholls, in perhaps his best role since his debut film, The Trench, threatens to tear the family even further apart as they begin to take sides on which way they believe the family should deal with the damaging problems. Harry Lloyd has had a great run of success over the last few years with interesting characters and as the more convivial son in this brilliant crime drama he is just as compelling to watch as in any other.
The actors playing the members of the Kosovan family as well must take some plaudits for their portrayal. It certainly cannot be easy to play parts that in other circles would lead them to be remonstrated with. In perhaps the most telling scene of the episode as far they are concerned is the sound of a running gun fight in the quiet streets of suburban Brighton tells on their faces as they find they have swapped one battle in their homeland for another on the Sussex coast.
The drama has been well worth keeping back for the dark nights of winter and should be lauded as a masterpiece of British television.
The Fear concludes on Thursday 6th December.
Ian D. Hall