Skip to content
Fortitude Season 2 Episode 5 is where I am this increasingly ridiculous series part ways.
I have tried, but while the first series was occasionally “so bad it’s good”, this one has stumbled along like a lame calf being led to the slaughter, desperate to be put down.
In case there was any hope, it opened with a new character, but one who didn’t stay long, as she was an unnamed female who wanted to speak to Governorless Sofie, but as the lead was out and about, she just placed a package on her bed before exiting stage left.
Meanwhile, PC Ingrid, Petra & Eric discuss trying to get into the head of a Shaman, since Tavrani has been found dead (as if anyone cares), but Eric explodes in a near Grand Theft Auto tertiary character-style acting, “I don’t even know what my own WIFE is thinking!!”
As for someone else we don’t care about, there’s a wake for Bianca… who we only saw her for two minutes in episode one. Then again, it does feature a singalong of Tavener’s The Lamb – one of my all-time favourite classical music pieces (and the only reason this episode gets a point!), and not something you can just acapella at the drop of a hat without a LOT of practice. You can see hear the song below.
Her head was eventually found, after being dropped by the mystery man who stole Tavrani’s tongue and showed up outside the pub window at that time, driving everyone mad, including Hong. However, why the panic since the the fake noggin looks nothing like her! I’ve seen better results in the fake Madame Tussauds!
Meanwhile Vincent’s blindness seems to be a result of ‘wasp trauma'(!) That causes Natalie to admit the insect issues to him, then while holding the jar that contains them, she goes long – like an American Football star – and launches it towards him, which he catches perfectly.
Sofie’s package contains old film reels showed film of a man being cut open who’s still alive – that ol’ tissue regeneration polava, so they have proof of what’s been done to Elena, hence Dr Neela knows more than she’s letting on, and she eventually admitted her part in it all, including letting some bo dies liqu efy… mmm… nice!
Without saying who did the deed to Bianca, the culprit or culprits were identified, and the jig was up for one of them, but in a gru esome way which made zero sense whatsoever.
As it was coming to an end, Dan went into the ‘hospital’ to switch off Elena’s life support and, with it, my last vestage of interest in this series. They really have no plot this time whatsoever.
And going back to that lame calf reference, when they try to put one down… Elena’s alive?? Do what?! And she’s reunited with Dan and they sail off into the sunset?!?! Pull the other one, it’s got knobs on! I’m outta here!
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: 1/10
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.