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Misfits 4.07 TV REVIEW
4.07
Writer: Jon Brown
Director: Dušan Lazarević
THE ONE WHERE Abbey gets pregnant, Alex finds his cock and Rudy discovers he’s in love with a nun.
VERDICT For a show that prides itself on pushing the boundaries of good taste, this episode of Misfits plays it awfully safe. Sure, there are hairy manginas and cock-a-plenty on show, but it takes no risks, fails to push any buttons, and ends up a bit dull as a result.
So Nadine’s secret is that she’s a nun? It sets up next week’s Four-Horseman-of-the-Apocalypse-starring finale nicely, but it feels like a story that’s been told hundreds of times before. We much preferred Abbey’s suggestion that Nadine might be a sexy psycho werewolf. The show’s limited budget might have put such flights of fancy out of reach, but what we’re presented with doesn’t even compare to missing members. Despite this creeping disappointment, the scenes she shares with Rudy are loin-warmingly sweet.
Abbey’s whirlwind pregnancy plot is a little undercooked too. It’s an interesting use of powers (one that parallels Alex’s dilemma) and Abbey stumbling around with such a big bump is a great sight gag, but it doesn’t really go anywhere. Tara gets her baby back and that’s that. We discover Abbey has lost her memory, but you never really buy that she would be so attached to a life that’s been forced on her after such a brief time, and the fact she’s willing to give the baby up so readily makes you question her attachment even more.
Matt Stokoe is impressive in what’s easily Alex’s best scene all series, threatening to blow his brains out in front of lady boy James rather than go on without a wang, all while Greg bellows Frankie Goes To Hollywood in the background. But the mystery of Alex’s missing appendage is wrapped up a little too neatly, and too quickly for an investigation that only really got going a few weeks back.
The episode in general lacks belly laughs. Rudy has some brilliant moments, nearly bursting a blood vessel while barely able to contain the news Jess has told him about Alex, but even he isn't firing on all cylinders this week. The scene where he “impersonates” Alex in the bathroom isn’t funny, just a little painful to watch, or perhaps that’s our bias against staring at men’s crotches on-screen for significant periods of time.
The direction and pacing are missing a bit of energy too. It’s still a gorgeous show to look at, but all the flair and flourish of previous years is missing this series. Where are the tilt-shift lenses and odd framing conventions? It all feels very traditional for a show that has always been on the cutting edge.
SPECULATION So Abbey lost her memory in the storm? Further proof her power is alcohol-related, she does act perma-drunk after all.
CHARACTER We’re warming to Abbey much more quickly than we ever did with Jess, and another female in the group is doing wonders for the dynamic. At the moment she feels a little too much like a collection of quirks rather than a fully realised personality, but we’re sure that will come in time.
CRY BABY We can appreciate a man in touch with his emotions (lord knows, we get weepy at the drop of a hat nowadays) but Rudy seems to well-up an awful lot this week. GET A GRIP, MAN.
JUST WRONG OF THE WEEK Abbey’s got some even more garish leggings on display at the end of this week’s episode and narcissistic Alex staring at himself in the mirror mid-intercourse is a bit Patrick Bateman, but this week’s award goes to the disgustingly runny poo Abbey cleans off the floor in the episodes final scene (a melted Mars Bar apparently!)
NITPICK Seeing as Abbey became INSTANTLY pregnant, you’d expect her to be in a bit more pain, at least at the beginning. She must have some nasty stretch marks too, or maybe Tara’s power took care of all that. Also, can people really be put on community service for impersonating someone on community service?
THE POWER HOUR Tara can swap babies and James can swap genitalia! Finn and Rudy get to use their powers this week too. Huzzah!
FEATURED MUSIC Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s “ The Power Of Love ” and Human League’s “ Don’t You Want Me ” are Greg and Rudy’s Karaoke hits.
RUDY’S BEST LINE
“It’s the first time I wanna see a girl for the second time and I don’t know where to find her, do I? Let’s go shove a baby up a girl’s arse shall we? For fuck’s sake.”
BEST LINE BY ANYONE ELSE
Abbey: “It’s a design flaw. Why didn’t they give us bigger vaginas? You know, How are you supposed to get something so big out of something so small? Apparently they suck the life out of your tits, so you can kiss them goodbye.”
Misfits series 4 airs in the UK on E4, Sundays at 10pm.
• All our Misfits series four reviews on one handy page
• Read a preview of our series four feature and meet the new gang
• Misfits: What Is Wrong With The Youth Of Today? Book review
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