Damien: Review: Series 1 Episode 4: The Number of a Man

damien_seerDespite everything, Detective Shay pursues his case…

How long is Detective Shay’s luck going to hold? That’s the biggest question you come away with from this week’s episode of Damien, as for the second time, the black dogs fail to do their job properly. It’s not Shay himself who’s the target this time – it’s his young son – in a scene that is reminiscent of one of the best deaths in the Omen film series (Bill Atherton’s demise beneath the ice in the second movie) but which charts its own path, with a spectral appearance that adds a different level to the horror.

There’s a lot of movement on other fronts: Damien’s photographer buddy Amani makes a new friend, but one suspects that’s not going to end well; Ann Rutledge plays with Shay and his perception of Damien, as well as with her colleague at Armitage – Barbara Hershey nailing the false grin and fake grief in the relevant scenes. And then there’s the ceremony that’s carried out on Kelly’s possessions and the return of a certain number.

All of this puts more pressure on Damien, and Bradley James once again convinces both in the scene where he bluntly explains to Shay that threatening him is not the world’s brightest idea, and when he’s dealing with Simone in the aftermath of the ceremony. This Damien isn’t out and out evil – at least not yet – and watching James portraying the struggle is one of the great strengths of the show.

Verdict: An episode in which you can feel the screws turning on the various characters. 8/10

Paul Simpson

 

The artwork accompanying this is by UrmelMal and used with kind permission