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666 Park Avenue 1.07 “Downward Spiral” TV REVIEW
Episode 1.07
Writers: Leigh Dana Jackson, Mimi Won Techentin
Director: J Miller Tobi
THE ONE WHERE Jane decides to leave New York and Henry receives an award.
VERDICT I’ve been hoping the show would move away from its formulaic Deal Of The Week structure, and indeed it has. Such a shame then, that the scripting seems to have suffered – let’s hope it’s an anomaly, and that the show will be back to its middling-but-watchable quality next week.
The flashback with Nona’s mother (pregnant with Nona at the time) is effective, if a little predictable – and it’s nice to see Nona’s gran getting some screen time, even if it is just to warn her daughter to stay away from the Drake until little Nona is born.
Jane has decided to leave the Drake – and New York – at last! It’s a testament to Rachael Taylor’s performance that we’ve not questioned her decisions too closely until now. She’s willing to sacrifice her relationship, too, which is a nice touch; she believes that Henry belongs in New York, and that his future is there, but despite wanting to be part of that future she’s too afraid to stay. When Henry tells this to Gavin, his advice is to propose to Jane, presumably under the impression that Jane is shallow enough to forget all her fears and concerns in exchange for a ring.
Meanwhile, Kandinsky escapes from hospital after cutting his bonds with a scalpel that Doctor Sexy has left inside him. The scene where he pushes it would through his skin is one of the most effective scenes in the episode. The show should embrace the gruesome more often – it would be the better for it.
Nona exhibits a new talent when she steps inside Jane’s dream, and shows her that Jane lived as a child at the Drake, and that the two of them are special because of it.
And – finally – Brian succumbs to Alexis’s charms. The man must have more willpower than all the members of the Green Lantern Corps combined! When Dr Sexy tells him that Alexis gave him his phone after he lost it, though, Brian starts to wonder about her motives. As do we; does she have an agenda other than fancying Brian? And when he confronts her, she casually informs him that she lives in the Drake now. Oo-err.
The scene in which Olivia kisses Shaw while wearing poisoned lipstick, however, is a step too far, even for this show!
The final scene promises much – let’s hope it delivers. When Jane places her pendant in the centre of the mosaic floor it opens up to reveal an enormous spiral staircase that goes down further than we can see, the episode finally pays off. Apparently, the “downward spiral” of the title refers to this, and not the general quality of the writing.
COOL EFFECT OF THE WEEK The mosaic floor in the basement of the Drake slots back together in a pleasing clockwork effect.
BEST LINE
Henry: “Your boyfriend’s getting a commendation from the mayor for being a badass.”
Lee Harris
666 Park Avenue will air in the UK on ITV2, but no confirmed air date as yet
• Read our other 666 Park Avenue reviews
