The Season 2 finale was an interesting affair, a strong storyline which served to show us each character's moral standpoint, in a world where fame and fortune beckoned. Simon showed he was the right-minded one, and the other showed their own weaknesses. We also, for the first time ever, really felt sorry for Nathan, and realised that he was actually, one of the best things about the show. His death was easily the most tragic affair, in an episode with an ending so predictable, that it almost felt like an alternative reality. Curtis' time travel power was clearly the get-out clause, but the charge of seeing all our favourite characters bite the dust, in a well observed take on modern super powers, was something it was difficult to forget. The villain was the most tongue in cheek yet, and still possessed his own threat, by compensating for his seemingly feeble "lactokinesis", one of the most beloved powers in the show's run. And, we were granted another of the most unforgettably awesome moments in the show's history, as Simon left his dead girlfriend's side, and vengefully strode out, and flicked up his hood, and turned invisible in one movement. This, we could see, was the beginning of Superhoodie. Rheon's emoting was never better than in these scenes.
The ending was surprising, simply because, it was the ending. It seemed as though there was nothing else left to be done. There was that moment of panic, as it was all over, when we felt adrift, because we didn't know where anything would go afterwards, and it was not until 3.2, that order was again restored. Season 2 had been phenomenal, a great refinement of the first season, which had re-shaped its' characters subtly, and taken us on an emotional gamut. We had some of the best new music yet, primarily the unforgettable "Simon and Alisha Forever", by composer Vince Pope, which rocked the world of Misfits like nothing else did. Pope's music had always been a valuable part of the fabric of this universe, never more so than in this series. The tragic, "They're all dead", in episode 6, summed everything up nicely.
And then, came one of the most ill-conceived concepts up until this point, and that it features all the proper gang, and is still one of the worst episodes says something; this was the Misfits Christmas special, and idea which was supposed to be funny purely because of its' incongruity, and the chance to say things like; "I'm going to kill Jesus." Because the Christmas special was awful like nothing before. It did so much house-cleaning, in such a careless, haphazard fashion. Nikki was killed, and never again mentioned. Nathan met a pregnant girl, and sort of fell in love with her, and became the godfather of her son, and, as we would later find out, go on to live with her as her partner, which, if you'd been sticking with Nathan's character up until this point, was so out of character it was amazing. Not to mention the fact that the episode itself was rubbish, with maybe only one decent line (Lauren Socha's "Can you tell her to stop that? It's really distracting"). And then, there was the worst change in history; All the cast gave up their powers completely, even Simon. By the end of the episode, they're preparing to get new ones, but still. Half the point here was that every character's power was somehow an extension of themselves, and after 12 episodes, Overman was finally getting to understand the ins and outs of each character's abilities, and their place in the group. The only possible excuse I can see, is that he felt Curtis' time travel power was too easy an escape switch, and he thought that he could give the whole gang new powers while he was at it. Because it's a really shoddy idea.
So, by the end of this turbulent 45 minutes, everyone had lost their powers. Nathan had a son, and a sort of partner. Nikki was gone, and totally forgotten. No-one was in an orange boiler suit, and their lives away from community service seemed rather rubbish. And, they were just about to get new powers. Seth had been introduced, and Matthew McNulty's performance would be one of the best things about this festive farrago. Howard Overman had the chance here to breathe new life into the show, once he'd sorted out some unashamedly contrived way of getting the gang back on community service. But no. Instead, he dredged up a bunch of comedically ridiculous powers, none of which were ever anywhere near as good as the previous ones, and which began the change towards a show which seemed to shy more and more away from showing superpowers of any description. It all became a lot tawdrier after the classic gang lost their original powers.
And, just for the record, Robert Sheehan leaving was both a disastrous affair, and an unexpected one. In an interview given on 21.12.2010, Sheehan, and the rest of the cast had no idea whether they would be returning or not, prior to receiving their scripts, and beginning shooting, in May/June of the next year. Perhaps, then, there was a chance for Sheehan to return, because his send-off feels all wrong. Maybe it was because he just had better offers elsewhere. Who knows, but his absence was felt, because, as funny as he may have been, Joseph Gilgun was never a decent replacement for him, and it was the introduction of the admittedly very funny Rudy Wade, which made the show slip further, and further down the path of silliness, and stereotypes.
(See episode 4.1 for Part 4)
The ending was surprising, simply because, it was the ending. It seemed as though there was nothing else left to be done. There was that moment of panic, as it was all over, when we felt adrift, because we didn't know where anything would go afterwards, and it was not until 3.2, that order was again restored. Season 2 had been phenomenal, a great refinement of the first season, which had re-shaped its' characters subtly, and taken us on an emotional gamut. We had some of the best new music yet, primarily the unforgettable "Simon and Alisha Forever", by composer Vince Pope, which rocked the world of Misfits like nothing else did. Pope's music had always been a valuable part of the fabric of this universe, never more so than in this series. The tragic, "They're all dead", in episode 6, summed everything up nicely.
And then, came one of the most ill-conceived concepts up until this point, and that it features all the proper gang, and is still one of the worst episodes says something; this was the Misfits Christmas special, and idea which was supposed to be funny purely because of its' incongruity, and the chance to say things like; "I'm going to kill Jesus." Because the Christmas special was awful like nothing before. It did so much house-cleaning, in such a careless, haphazard fashion. Nikki was killed, and never again mentioned. Nathan met a pregnant girl, and sort of fell in love with her, and became the godfather of her son, and, as we would later find out, go on to live with her as her partner, which, if you'd been sticking with Nathan's character up until this point, was so out of character it was amazing. Not to mention the fact that the episode itself was rubbish, with maybe only one decent line (Lauren Socha's "Can you tell her to stop that? It's really distracting"). And then, there was the worst change in history; All the cast gave up their powers completely, even Simon. By the end of the episode, they're preparing to get new ones, but still. Half the point here was that every character's power was somehow an extension of themselves, and after 12 episodes, Overman was finally getting to understand the ins and outs of each character's abilities, and their place in the group. The only possible excuse I can see, is that he felt Curtis' time travel power was too easy an escape switch, and he thought that he could give the whole gang new powers while he was at it. Because it's a really shoddy idea.
So, by the end of this turbulent 45 minutes, everyone had lost their powers. Nathan had a son, and a sort of partner. Nikki was gone, and totally forgotten. No-one was in an orange boiler suit, and their lives away from community service seemed rather rubbish. And, they were just about to get new powers. Seth had been introduced, and Matthew McNulty's performance would be one of the best things about this festive farrago. Howard Overman had the chance here to breathe new life into the show, once he'd sorted out some unashamedly contrived way of getting the gang back on community service. But no. Instead, he dredged up a bunch of comedically ridiculous powers, none of which were ever anywhere near as good as the previous ones, and which began the change towards a show which seemed to shy more and more away from showing superpowers of any description. It all became a lot tawdrier after the classic gang lost their original powers.
And, just for the record, Robert Sheehan leaving was both a disastrous affair, and an unexpected one. In an interview given on 21.12.2010, Sheehan, and the rest of the cast had no idea whether they would be returning or not, prior to receiving their scripts, and beginning shooting, in May/June of the next year. Perhaps, then, there was a chance for Sheehan to return, because his send-off feels all wrong. Maybe it was because he just had better offers elsewhere. Who knows, but his absence was felt, because, as funny as he may have been, Joseph Gilgun was never a decent replacement for him, and it was the introduction of the admittedly very funny Rudy Wade, which made the show slip further, and further down the path of silliness, and stereotypes.
(See episode 4.1 for Part 4)
