What's it about: Some describe it as the town at the edge of the
world. When Melody and Michael Devereux come to Collinsport
on their honeymoon, they don't know the secrets that are hidden behind closed
doors. But those secrets will be unearthed when an innocent is viciously
murdered. Collinsport will be a town
divided. One woman's rise to power will lead to further death and destruction.
Families will be ripped apart. Blood will be spilt. And the dark forces that wait in the shadows will wait
no more. For in Collinsport, death is never the end...
Unholy: Barnabas never had much of a taste for strong women.
He refuses to admit that he had anything to do with Melody's murder. It would
seem that she and Barnabas have swapped places; him the impulsive monster on
the hunt and her the calm voice of reason.
Standout Performance: Like Lalla Ward, Kathryn Leigh-Scott
getting bossy and angry is almost enough to make me question my sexuality. It
is that alluring. Alexandra Donnachie is no slouch either and Tate and Maggie
tear as each other like a pair of crazed cats.
Sparkling Dialogue: 'You can't just throw the word
supernatural at every problem you encounter, Maggie!'
'Quit pouring your poison in her ear, Collins...'
Great Ideas: Maggie Evans is a stronger, more vicious woman
than she used to be. Andrew Cunningham was found strangled with the markings of
a witch on his body. It seems that vigilante actions are the only actions being
taken - it appears that the police force are hanging back and allowing crazy
shit to happen in Collinsport and the townspeople have lost faith. Now it is
time for the Sheriff to speak and rouse the populace back in her favour.
Maggie's meeting appears to be the perfect forum for that, an attempt to stop
the violence and attacks that are going on what seems like a daily basis. Power
to the people and all that. But in a town where information is kept under lock
and key just what is it that Maggie and her cronies can actually do, even with
the law behind them? I have a feeling that the conflict between the people and
the supernatural forces might just tear this town apart. Not before the
mistrust between the law and the people has been dealt with. Maggie is called
an uppity inn owner who is trying to make herself feel special in the heat of
the moment - a vicious move on Tate's part and one that costs her. Collinsport
Town is within its rights using a democratic vote to exercise powers over
certain public officials. The people have lost faith in Sheriff Tate and are
calling for her head. Maggie Evans as Sheriff of Collinsport? What fresh
madness is this? If I were Tate, I would walk away from the whole ungrateful
lot of them too. People are never happy with those in authority...and those who
replace them usually do a worse job. Like the memorable Survivors episode Law
and Order there is a split vote amongst the town and Amy has to make a decision
that will affect the lives of everybody. I hope she doesn't live to regret it.
Audio Landscape: Water running, Maggie's excitable crowd,
applause, banging a gavel, the lights going snapping on and off.
Musical Cues: The music plays a massive role in the mood of
this instalment, growing in volume and drama as the dispute breaks out.
Isn't it Odd: The first half of episode seven feels like it
is keeping everything in a holding pattern and explaining again information
that was made perfectly clear in the last instalment. The Unholy Trinity are
watching. The people are angry. Maggie Evans is their spokesperson. The law is
impotent. The story fails to move on for at least half this episodes length.
However given that this is the first episode of the second set it might simply
be a recap for those people who have had trouble keeping up with the manifest of
threads that have been weaving through the series.
Standout Scene: Another attack, bloody and unexpected. Great
joy!
Result: 'I feel like we've hit breaking point...'
Time for something a bit different. Bloodlust has skipped along in a certain
formula for six episodes and now it is time to experiment. An episode staged in
real time with the paranoia running rife amongst the people of Collinsport. A
chance for all the secondary characters to have their say publicly. It is the
opportunity to indulge in a performance piece where all the actors can come
together in a crowd scene and strut their stuff, in a way that feels almost
improvisational. Midnight style, the tension spreads through the crowd until
they are all turning on each other. It's the ugliest form of conflict, one that
is seeded with suspicion and where nobody is behaving rationally because they
are scared. Where the episode ends up is quite interesting with the authority
in the town shifting considerably. What impressed me most of all was how many
characters were involved in these scenes and how vividly they have been written
and portrayed to this point so I had no trouble understanding who everybody
was, even when there was scrum of voices being thrown. Quite a few audios make
it through their running time without highlighting one interesting character
but Bloodlust has an entire cast of distinctive and fascinating personalities.
That is another thing for the creators to be proud of. Once again, all bets are
off. Time to vote, Amy: 8/10
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