by Hayley Charlesworth
The darkness in Inspector Reid’s soul continues to grow, as the search for his daughter leads to dark and harrowing circumstances. In a show that thrives on complexity and tension, Your Father, My Friend is a masterclass in the slow build resulting in a shocking cliffhanger that has been the trademark of this series so far.
The darkness in Inspector Reid’s soul continues to grow, as the search for his daughter leads to dark and harrowing circumstances. In a show that thrives on complexity and tension, Your Father, My Friend is a masterclass in the slow build resulting in a shocking cliffhanger that has been the trademark of this series so far.
With Rose having spotted Mathilda Reid in Susan’s care in the previous episode, Inspector Drake takes it upon himself to bring the missing Reid back to Whitechapel. But after Mathilda escapes the clutches of Miss Susan and the villainous Capshaw, her troubled mind and naive innocence lead her on a journey that connects the show back to the Jack the Ripper investigation that gives the show its name. Haunted by discovering Reid’s case file on the murders, which lead to her own fear of Reid, Mathilda is retracing the steps of the Ripper’s victims to find them a safe haven, guided by the young, manipulative Harry, who instead has intentions of forcing Mathilda into prostitution. Mathilda’s obsession is all-encompassing, from wearing the same neckscarf as one victim, to keeping a shard of glass in her purse just like another, and it is this that allows Reid to find and reconnect with his daughter. But just because the hunt for Mathilda is over, it doesn’t mean the story is. Realising the identity of the man who died in the locomotive disaster, Captain Jackson finally begins to pursue his idea that Susan and Capshaw were involved. When the information is handed over to Reid, it results in a terrible shootout that takes Susan beyond the point of no return.
With such a Drake-heavy episode last week, Jerome Flynn takes a back-seat as Matthew McFadyen’s Reid is given the chance to shine. Reid’s all-encompassing desire to find his daughter, already seen with his remorseless murder of the man who held her captive in episode two, is a stunning and complex watch. There is a darkness in Reid, but a darkness born out of love and grief, not greed. Perhaps the only character so morally complex in this series is Susan. As Captain Jackson observes when getting the truth of their lies out of Doctor Freyn, they are both fundamentally good women. But Freyn only told one lie; Susan now has blood on her hands. And yet, this whole storyline began because Susan wanted the money to build a better life for women in Whitechapel. Unlike Capshaw, who is driven by greed and cunning, it is still possible to support Susan’s actions. But with the seeds of doubt now in the minds of Reid, Jackson and Fred Best, the remaining episodes may see her take even more drastic action.
With Mathilda now a presence in the world of Ripper Street, we get to see Reid reconcile his policing with being a father, adding a new dimension to the character. Alongside the show’s attention to detail and beautiful use of language, this is Ripper Street’s strength. The characters in the show are never stagnant and constantly evolving in the most gripping and interesting of ways. Every week, this show proves why the BBC were to wrong to cancel it, and why Amazon Prime made an incredibly smart decision in giving Ripper Street a new lease of life.
With Mathilda now a presence in the world of Ripper Street, we get to see Reid reconcile his policing with being a father, adding a new dimension to the character. Alongside the show’s attention to detail and beautiful use of language, this is Ripper Street’s strength. The characters in the show are never stagnant and constantly evolving in the most gripping and interesting of ways. Every week, this show proves why the BBC were to wrong to cancel it, and why Amazon Prime made an incredibly smart decision in giving Ripper Street a new lease of life.
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