The Cry (Episode 3 Review)

 

The Cry thrives on a claustrophobic form of suspense and does so with conviction but not all the designated shocks hit the mark. It’s no surprise that Noah died as a result of the wrong medication on the plane but it is horrible to see Alistair carrying out his dead child in a bag in order to bury him. It’s certainly no surprise either when it’s revealed that Joanna is in court for the murder of Alistair but it’s still a mystery if Noah’s body was ever discovered or if they actually got away with it.

Where The Cry shines most is in the softer, more human touches. The moment where they discover Noah dead is brutal in its simplicity. There’s a long shot of the car as the parents panic. You can hear their pain and it paints a thousand bleak pictures. When Jo runs towards an incoming lorry it sets hearts racing and is very well done. No doubt Jenna Coleman’s insurance went up just that little bit more too. The pay offs don’t live up to the expectation but the joy (if that’s the right word) is in the expectation.

The third installment traces Alistair’s journey from Mr Nasty to complete monster. Ewen Leslie is the star of the show, serving up his most engaging hour yet. The circle of lies drawing in Jo, Alex, the police and the media. His cold, bloody minded intensity shows a man falling apart at the seams. Joanna is at breaking point too but for different reasons, her guilty conscience threatening everything. While her personal shame grows so too does her confidence to stand up to her man.

Did Jo realise her quest to tell the truth before she murdered Alistair? Actually, did she even murder him? Maybe Alex did? Were a few of them in on it? Let’s not rule Chloe out because she’s been under the radar so far. Finally, was it really Jo that administered the lethal dose or is it simply a case of Alistair manipulating again and covering his own back? Lots of questions and only an hour left to cover it all. The answers may not be where the entertainment is but for the finale they really have to be.