Eee, that Crimson Petal and the White were good, weren't it? Based on the Michael Faber novel, it's a dark and saucy jaunt through Victorian London's Seedy underworld and EVERYONE was in it, acting brilliantly and everything.
There's a plethora costume dramas on the telly so what's so good about this one? Well first of all it looks bloody brilliant. Victorian London's underbelly is more terrifying than I have ever seen it, screams that ring out down the foul streets are met with indifference by the toothless, drunken, pox ridden inhabitants. The soundtrack adds to the nightmarish, claustrophobic atmosphere, muffled as though it were being listened to underwater, it gives the feeling you are drowning in this filthy underworld. This eerie setting is where we find Mrs. Castaway's brothel where our heroine, Sugar (Romola Garai), earns her keep.
Articulate Sugar writes of the bloody revenge she would reek on the disgusting men who come to the brothel and I am intrigued as to the reason why such a bright girl should have had to turn to prostitution. When privileged perfume magnate, William Rackham (the lovely Chris O'Dowd) arrives at Mrs. Castaway's he is like all the others, there to escape from financial woes and a troubled home-life but he becomes entranced by Sugar and pays to have her services exclusively, eventually moving her into a flat away from the slums she grew up in.
It's all happening in Victorian London as we find out that Rackham is a bit of a cunt, selfishly indulging in his pleasures while his wife loses the plot at home. It's not been revealed yet exactly what is wrong with Agnes Rackham (Amanda Hale) but whatever terrible trauma she's suffered, it has turned her barmy. Seeing Sugar from her window one day, Agnes believes that she is her guardian angel sent to save her. Sugar becomes very protective of Agnes, rushing to her aid when she collapses of malnutrition and when William casually mentions that he and Agnes have a child together, the resentment for William creeps back in as Sugar begins to see how self-absorbed he is.
Having only seen O'Dowd in comedy before it was a happy surprise to see him in a dramatic role. Also, good English accent. Garai plays Sugar other-worldly yet powerful while Hale does crazy very well. The rest of the cast are as fantastic, playing the sub plots beautifully. Mark Gatiss plays William Rackham's sexually repressed brother who finds himself having lustful feelings for philanthropic widow, Mrs. Fox (Shirley Henderson). However, he set himself on fire and she's probably just died of consumption at the end of last weeks episode so disappointingly we probably won't be seeing much of them this week. Richard E. Grant pops up as the creepy Dr. Curlew and Gillian Anderson is excellent as wretched hag and Madame, Mrs. Castaway, who it turns out is Sugar's mother! Jings. It's like a mini-soap with nice frocks.
At the end of last weeks episode, Sugar suggests taking up the role of governess to William and Agnes' thus far unseen daughter. How will Agnes react when her guardian angel comes to live with her? Will we finally find out the cause of her mental delusions? Will Sugar carry out her acts of revenge on William? Will we get to see Chris O'Dowd's balls again? Tune in tomorrow night, BBC2 at 9, to find out...
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