SJA: Eye of the Gorgon

Another two-parter from SJA. Can't remember if they are all two parters. Hope not as it'll be nice to see a condensed story without a cliffhanger that is immediately given away by the next week trailer...


First of all, I want to give props (although she has a neat one already) to Phyllida Law for her performance as Bea Nelson-Stanley. She put in an absolutely brilliant performance, and I enjoyed every scene that she was in. More, I say, more! If nothing else, you should definitely watch this for her appearances.

But, unfortunately, watching will entail taking notice of the story. Yep, I'm complaining about that again. The plot is very, very thin on the ground. A shopping list for this episode would be "gorgons, nuns and some random alien device thingy". I could see how they would have a hard enough time stretching this over one episode, but when it gets to two, we get treated to lots of "going to the old people home, then the nunnery, then SJ's house, then over to the nunnery again, back over the old people's home, and over to the nunnery... back to SJ's house..." and so on.

(You can also spot the padding by the inclusion of Chrissie Jackson (more annoying than Jackie!) in a sub-plot that has to be ignored to be believed.)

And then to wrap it up with Maria arriving with... well, it had to happen, but it was very badly structured.

Luke and Clyde were rather sidelined in this story, but with Tommy and Daniel phoning in their performances, I can see why. Or perhaps they just went low-key because they weren't doing much in these episodes? Either way: pick it up or throw 'em out. As for Elizabeth, Yasmin and guest star Beth Goddard (Sister Helena) - strong performances in spite of the rather ridiculous plot.

I am going to continue to watch this show, but it is the performances, not the story, that is keeping me going. Next week reminds me already of Winner Takes All, but shall wait and see...

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