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Misfits Series Five Episode Four TV REVIEW
Writer: Jon Brown
Director: Lawrence Gough
THE ONE WHERE Rudy and the gang get a shock when Rudy 2 goes missing but then turns up as a confused old man. Meanwhile, Abby finds a new animal friend, Alex uses his power for good and Rudy and Jess get closer.
VERDICT Family matters once more in Misfits . Whereas old Rudy 2 may be Rudy, the way he's handled in the story essentially makes him a father, or at the very least an elderly relative. Just a couple of weeks ago the show did the Rudy dad episode so they couldn't do it again so soon, and this is the result. Because Rudy is Misfits ' best character they bring him to the front whenever they can; it inevitably involves his double, and here he's aged practically to the grave.
Does it work? Pretty much. But the main question on our lips during the episode is how did Rudy 2 get like this? There doesn't seem to be that much urgency in discovering the answer - I realise Rudy 2 is dazed and confused but wouldn't it at least be worth grilling him a bit to try and find out? As is often the case with Misfits , the first half is zippier, the pace dropping a little in the second. To be fair, the reveal about the old man stealing Rudy 2's youth isn't as telegraphed in advance as Rudy's dad being doubled a couple of weeks back, and the tussle with the pillow and the rushing-in Rudy are suitably dramatic.
Elsewhere, there are more laughs (again, most of the guffaws come in the first half). Probation worker Greg puts in another inspired cameo - "Cat got your tongue?" - while Finn's superpower is given out by Rudy as milky nipples. Funniest of all has to be the fella who vanishes in a, um, puff of smoke when he falsely denies that he's gay; seconds later he's quite literally in the closet. When it's suggested by Finn that Alex will be able to help out we roar with laughter envisaging what might occur, although the eventual resolution is for it to be played out sensitively.
There's plenty more to ensure the episode doesn't become too soapy, including cutely kooky Abby adopting Mark the tortoise and Tim who sometimes thinks life is a videogame (love those computer versions of characters they flash up). Tim is, in some way, Misfits ' most satirical character: it's saying that out there, there are kids who play too many videogames and have difficulties with reality. There are kids out there who watch too much television too - but here's hoping they haven't dumped Misfits from their watch list just yet.
IT'S WOSSISNAME! Old Rudy 2 is played by veteran actor Kenneth Colley. His main claim to genre fame is that he's the only actor to play an Imperial officer in more than one Star Wars film.
LINES YOU WOULDN'T GET ON ANY OTHER TV SHOW... include "I have a cat. She may try to drink from your nipples" and "Will you f*ck my tortoise?" Gotta love this show sometimes.
SO WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TURTLE AND A TORTOISE? A tortoise dwells on land whereas turtles are found in water. Tortoises have a thicker shell and tend to live much longer.
LAUGHING GIRL Jess really is cheering up. Following her first laugh last week, she's all smiles again during several scenes. That's the Rudy tonic for you...
TOP TUNE A cover of Echo and the Bunnymen's "The Killing Moon" is on the soundtrack towards the end of the episode. Previously in Misfits the song was heard when Alisha listened to some of Simon's music (remember them?). Alisha declared it "really depressing".
BEST LINE
Finn: "There's honour in killing people. There's no honour in fly-tipping."
Russell Lewin
Misfits is broadcast on E4 on Wednesday nights.
