Written by Toby Whithouse
Directed by Toby Haynes
Tully (to George): “How the hell do you get home? You’ve got no clothes, no transport. God only knows where you keep the change.”
If last week’s episode was about Mitchell and George trying to embrace their natures non destructively, then this week presents something of an interesting challenge for both characters.
Last week we saw that George had a mysterious man stalking him. The first few minutes of this episode, not only is the man identified as Tully but he’s a werewolf too and he wants to help George manage his condition. Well they do say never look a gift horse in the mouth.
Dean Lennox Kelly, formerly of Shameless is a fun choice for the role of Tully. Even though you get the feeling that Tully isn’t being completely honest with George, he’s pretty charming and convincing and doesn’t waste a lot of time in wowing both Mitchell and Annie over, the latter more easily.
Of course George, being somewhat repressed isn’t particularly enthusiastic about accepting Tully’s help. Instead because he once wolfed out in the house, he doesn’t want his home to be associated with him being a werewolf but Tully’s managed to wrangle himself an invite.
Tully is somewhat of a fast worker though. For all George’s protesting about not wanting him there, there is a benefit to having another werewolf around the place. First off all, Tully’s little overnight bag of stuff is a practical solution and his method of ensuring that George doesn’t hurt someone when in wolf mode is clever.
However the problem is that good werewolves are probably not likely to co-exist on this show, so there has to be a problem with Tully’s presence. Thanks to Tully, George makes a tit out of himself when he tries to ask the pithy out on a date and speaking in the same manner as his new pal is met with ridicule from Annie and Mitchell.
The big offence that Tully commits though is trying to drive a wedge between George, Mitchell and Annie. Constantly throughout the episode, Tully tries to paint a bad picture of Mitchell’s influence by making George believe that Mitchell is stunting him in some way.
To be fair, the things that Mitchell isn’t doing are things George himself has to learn. I mean Mitchell can’t make George more confident in his pursuit of women, that’s something George has to do himself. Plus I did get a laugh with George’s poor defence of Tully when Mitchell tried to evict the other werewolf.
Tully’s nastiest move though was trying it on with Annie. As a ghost he couldn’t physically hurt but Tully didn’t need to in order to be effective. Playing on Annie’s insecurities and the flirty banter they earlier shared was certainly enough to frighten her out of the house.
Although Annie’s role isn’t as big in this episode, hats off to Lenora Crichlow during the scenes outside and with Mitchell and Tully. I loved having Mitchell be the one that comforted her and the kiss between the two of them certainly surprised me. George’s apology however was also similarly well conveyed after he sided with Tully over her.
As for the resolution to Tully, it probably wasn’t that much of a shock to realise that Tully was the one who bit George. It certainly went a long way to explain his obsessive behaviour with George. Dean Lennox Kelly and Russell Tovey played a blinder during the last few scenes.
Tully might have been despicable but even I felt a twinge of sympathy when it was revealed that he lost his wife and son. Also I am so not the only person who must have spotted the homoerotic tension between him and George. I thought Arthur and Merlin were obvious but this was just as blatant, despite the heavy angst content.
Having Tully survive the episode was a smart move. He’s a good character and a clear shadow self to George and in a cynical way, he also serves as a good reminder that George is better off with friends like Annie and Mitchell, even if he is baffled by them from time to time.
Also if Tully’s a bad influence on George, then imagine what kind of an influence Lauren could be on Mitchell if the latter continued to give into her charms? He might have resisted here but I have to give Lauren some credit – she is one bloody determined lady.
Her little conversation in the house was one thing but sleeping with a guy to kill him was a good reminder to Mitchell that he can’t escape his darker nature. I should find Lauren massively irritating because according to Herrick, her reckless behaviour is ill advised but so far apart from the fact that she’s nuts, I think she’s a bloody hoot.
Plus it would totally take Lauren to send a DVD copy of the vampire porn directly to Mitchell in order to rub his nose in it. Mitchell certainly had the desire to drink and even purposely held onto the DVD as well. Maybe Lauren might not be that far off from tempting him back into Herrick’s fold.
In other plots, what’s the best way to get over a loss? In Mitchell’s case, it’s to invite all of the neighbours around so they can get to know each other. It’s a hilarious scene that gets George’s goat but Mitchell does raise a point though. They’re better off being seen as two nice neighbours than two strange guys. No-one can see Annie thanks to the events of the previous episode.
Also in “Episode 2”
The narration in this episode was about George becoming a werewolf. Some interesting facts about the heart and liver/kidney failure that I didn’t know.
George (to Tully, re being a werewolf): “I don’t want to make it easier. I don’t want it to be something that I accept and allow into my life.”
Tully had a thing for Origami. Annie also made the faux pas in referring to him as Owen when he tried it on with her.
George (to Annie, re Mitchell): “We have to put a stop to this. Doesn’t he understand? These people are British. You’re not allowed to talk to your neighbours until you’ve nodded at them for fifteen years. Look at them. This must be absolutely terrifying.”
Mitchell (to George): “You get twenty seven out of twenty eight days. That’s pretty good from where I’m standing.”
I’ve noticed in the past two episodes that Mitchell seems to wear either a lot of purple or those gloves with the holes in them.
Mitchell: “You are not coming in here.”
Lauren: “Yeah, I think I am because you don’t want this conversation on your doorstep.”
Lauren: “Mitchell! Jesus! I can’t breathe. You’re killing me. Oh no, wait, you already did that. I know what this is about. You’re still pissed off about me killing your friend.”
Mitchell: “She was twenty years old.”
Lauren: “So was I.”
Mitchell appeared as an extra in Casablanca and managed to knock over a chair.
Tully (to George, re Maggie): “She can smell the wolf. She’s helpless. It’s primeval. It’s about the confidence. It’s about being a predator.”
George: “George is as George does.”
Mitchell: “Did you really just say that? Did you actually use those words?”
Annie: “Oh my God. You’re Tully’s Mini-Me.”
Paul Kasey, who doubled as the wolf in this episode, also plays a variety of monsters on Doctor Who.
Annie: “Nothing fazes you, does it? You just never get scared.”
Mitchell: “I wish that was true.”
George (to Tully): “This isn’t a gift. This is God stamping on us with his boots.”
Standout music: Some interesting score music and I liked the final track that played with this episode.
George: “My name is George and I’m a werewolf.”
Mitchell: “Hello George.”
Chronology: Exactly a month since the first episode and because George was bitten in 2007, these episodes are based in 2009.
Yeah, it’s official. This series isn’t a fluke; it’s genuinely and utterly engrossing with each new instalment. There was so much to enjoy and with dialogue this brilliant, this series shouldn’t be relegated to BBC3 alone.
Rating: 9 out of 10.
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