S01E02

Two episodes in and Jekyll has yet to hit its stride, with much of the narrative bogged down in explaining the back-story instead of providing any sustained thrills, a sense of immediacy or excitement.

The opening scenes between Hyde and Katherine give the episode a promising start, as both James Nesbitt and Michelle Ryan have a certain chemistry together. The plot device of the Dictaphone allowing Tom to communicate messages to Hyde is a clever narrative invention, helping to build the intrigue towards the later development that Hyde is active inside Tom.

It’s a shame that the face-off between Hyde and the lions was off-screen, as it could have provided a visually stunning sequence that would have given the show a much-needed shot in the arm. For away from the occasional slice of witty dialogue and sporadic moments of inspiration, the narrative feels sadly lacking and uninvolving. It lacks a coherent hook, feels a bit flat and the non-diegetic music has become annoyingly repetitive. Let’s hope things start to perk up in the third episode now some of the background exposition is out of the way…