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Fortitude Season 2 Episode 4 is the point where I’m still wondering why I’m bothering and I’m going to give this show one more episode after this before I consider calling it a day. Series 1 was similarly (and to coin a term from Dame Denise van Outen) “Mental, mental, chicken oriental”, but at least the characters in the episodes felt connected to each other, whereas in series 2, each group feels like they’re performing in an entirely differnt show from the other.
This week (and there will be spoilers) so if you haven’t yet seen it, you’ve had your warning, last week’s headless corpse was identified as student Bianca, yet no sooner had her father identified her body than he was back at work in the store (yeah, right!)
For all the fanfare Dennis Quaid has had being in this show, he’s been given absolutely nothing to do since shooting the bear in episode 2. There was a predictable chat with his wife, this week, about how they should go away for some experimental treatment, but she’d rather put her health in the hands of a Shaman.
Eric: “How does she smell?”
Hong: “Terrible!”
Ken Stott’s dialogue and accent gets more ridiculous as every minute passes, but at least he was bang-on about the fact that Governorless Sofie has been spending more time in her old office than when she still had that job. And as for her – and especially since she and Eric seem to have very little to say to each other – she has the offer of a better-paid job in Oslo, yet still prefers to fight for reinstatement in her old job.
Tavrani was said to have had a heart attack and not be in a position to talk (well, write) about what he knows about all the weird shit going on, yet still seems able to escape from the hospital because anyone can pick handcuffs with a paperclip(!)
Vincent and Natalie are still outside in a tent in the middle of nowhere and I still haven’t figured out why! He still can’t see, so it must’ve been kismet when he received a visit from the man with no eyes!
The dumbest moment of episode 4, though, came at Dr Neela’s house. Guess who’s coming to dinner? It’s Dan! He’s brandishing a knife, making dinner, saying “You’re early” in a not-quite-menacing tone, before the meal continues in ways that make absolutely no sense whatsoever.
I really can’t see where they’re going with this, but I know they’re doing it more slowly than a tortoise. Hence, I will give it one more shot and if it doesn’t buck its ideas up, I’m leaving Fortitude!
(And I haven’t even begun on the narcotic drink made from feeding poisonous mushrooms to a reindeer, then drinking their resultant urine… Yum! So appetising)
Fortitude Season 2 is available to pre-order on DVD, but the release date is yet to be confirmed (I doubt it’s December 31st, as Amazon currently claims – that’s just a placeholder)
Score: 2/10
Director: Kieron Hawkes
Producer: Trevor Hopkins
Screenplay: Simon Donald
Music: Ben Frost
Cast:
Hildur Odegard: Sofie Gråbøl
Michael Lennox: Dennis Quaid
Natalie Yelburton: Sienna Guillory
Vincent Rattrey: Luke Treadaway
Eric Odegard: Björn Hlynur Haraldsson
PC Ingrid Witry: Mia Jexen
Elena Ledesma: Verónica Echegui
Petra: Alexandra Moen
Freya Lennox: Michelle Fairley
Rune Lennox: Edvin Endre
Dan Anderssen: Richard Dormer
Tavrani: Luke Treadaway
Vladek Klimov: Robert Sheehan
The Fiend: Mark Field
Bianca: Jessica Henwick
Dr. Sarinda Khatri: Parminder Nagra
Axel Fersen: Joi Johannsson
Yeva: Eloise Smyth
Erling Munk: Ken Stott
Lars Ulvinaune: Rune Temte
Dr Adebimpe: Jude Akuwudike
Lamont Bailey: Steve Toussaint
Lars Ulvinaune: Rune Temte
Tomak Bowzyk: Gershwyn Eustach Jnr
Yeva Podnikov: Eloise Smith
Peggy Nan: India Brown
Harald: Jaiden Keen
Dag Tannar: Gilly Gilchrist
Dimitri Podnikov: Daniel Cerqueira
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.