Atlantis: Review: Series 2 Episode 10: The Dying of the Light

Learning his heritage has pushed Jason over the edge, and Pythagoras ends up in the shit…

We’re really into the dark side with this week’s episode – in fact, so much so that Sarah Parish’s Pasiphae channels Darth Vader towards the end of the episode, choking a minion remotely in a very similar fashion, although not quite providing the object lesson that the Dark Lord did. Parish otherwise hasn’t got much to do this week, with events out of her character’s hands, although Amy Manson’s Medea is being given rather more to do, and becoming rather more than just a sidekick.

With Jack Donnelly giving vent to Jason’s anger, the spotlight turns to Robert Emms’ Pythagoras, and less than subtle hints about his relationship with Icarus (in what seems a slightly desperate attempt to recreate the Merlin/Arthur bromance of that series). Emms always grabs opportunities for his character to be more than the pivot point between Jason and Hercules, and does so here – his scenes with John Hannah aren’t overplayed.

With Pythagoras gone, it’s Ariadne who has to come between Herc and Jason, sometimes literally. Gone is the jovial blustering Hercules of the first – and even parts of the second – series: this is a man grieving not just for his lost love but also for the friendships that have been destroyed along the way. His eventual decision to walk away is totally credible.

Verdict: With Jason forming a new alliance at the end of the episode, it’s ironic that the show is finally firing creatively now that its lack of future is confirmed. 7/10

Paul Simpson