Review: In The Flesh Season 2, Episode 4

It is halfway through season 2, and I can only imagine that the way In the Flesh is going to end is not going to be good for everyone.

Episode 4 is dark, and there are a lot of twists and turns in the story. The music used in this episode reflects this change. The series has a low budget, but this continues to be made up for by the brilliant writing. There is a lot of focus on Philip, the lackey of the new Councillor. He has a secret; he has been visiting the brothel which has workers who are PDS sufferers. A nosy neighbour is filming the visits to the brothel by people of Roarton. The neighbour goes to the local Councillor, Philip’s boss. This leads to a situation where the Councillor tries to blackmail Philip. This backfires, as Philip elects to side with the brothel and PDS sufferers.

The mysterious figure of Simon still continues to intrigue us. The writers have created him as an almost godlike figure with disciples who want to follow his lead. Main character Kieren is drawn to Simon romantically, and the feeling is mutual. In a tense scene Kieren takes Simon to dinner with his parents, and is joined by Jem and now her lover Gary. You could cut the atmosphere with a knife.

Gary boasts about killing the PDS sufferers (or Rabids) during the rising. Kieren then tells his story about waking up in his own grave and feeling a hunger and getting out seeing no one else around. Simon seems interested in this, and this scene may hint at the possibility of Kieren being the first dead person to rise from the grave. At the end of the episode Simon is seen ringing someone to say he may have found the ‘First Risen’.

Meanwhile Philip’s love for the PDS sufferer Amy goes to the next level. Amy witnesses Kieren and Simon (who she thought she was in a relationship with) kissing. She finds Philip drinking in a bus stop  and Philip reveals his feelings.

This series isn’t always dark; there are often moments of light-heartedness, particularly from Kieren’s parents, who try to go about everyday life even though their son died and came back as half dead. There are only two episodes left of this season, and it looks as though tensions are about to reach boiling point.