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The Sister opens in the present day when we see Nathan (Russell Tovey – Years And Years) weighing up the option of swigging back a load of pills with some booze, before we head back to 2013 where a young woman, Elise Fox (Simone Ashley), has disappeared. Her sister, Holly (Amrita Acharia – Welcome To Curiosity, The Good Karma Hospital), is on TV at a police press conference, asking for anything that can bring news of her return.
Fast-forward back to 2020 and Bob (Bertie Carvel – The Pale Horse), a wild-eyed, long-haired man is on Nathan’s doorstep. They agreed never to meet again, but the woods are about to be dug up for a housing development, and you get the impression that this will put the pair of them up the creek. However, Bob had better be off again before he discovers that Nathan’s married to Holly… oops, they meet.
Yes, that’s the premise: A man who has killed a woman at a party in 2009 – accidentally or otherwise, which I expect will come about during the course of the series, as I’m only one episode into it out of four – marries her sister, and now he’s in a bit of trub because he believes his secret is about to be discovered. And his mate – who claims he can record the voices of the dead – looks as dodgy as the day is long.
The Sister immediately loses points for plausibility, since why would you go anywhere near the sister of a woman for whom ended up dead? It makes no sense!
So, a first episode which starts with being incredibly dull, slow and implausible – with a lead male character who comes off as very creepy, just leads to hearing things go bump in the night. I know it’s almost Halloween, and the time for that sort of thing, but it needs anything to make me care about any of the main characters.
And as for the rest… ugh… plus, with a final moment that was just weird for the sake of being weird.
The Sister is on ITV from Monday October 26th at 9pm, and is shown over four consecutive nights. It is available to pre-order on DVD, ahead of its release on November 2nd.
After broadcast, each episode will be on the ITV Hub.
Series Score: 1/10
Director: Niall MacCormick
Writer: Neil Cross
Music: Ruth Barrett
Cast:
Nathan Redman: Russell Tovey
Holly Fox: Amrita Acharia
Bob Morrow: Bertie Carvel
Graham Fox: Paul Bazely
June Fox: Amanda Root
Brian Weatherall: James Doherty
Elise Fox: Simone Ashley
Salesperson: Fleur Keith
Nathan’s PA: Angela Terence
Trainee Estate Agent: Sam Henderson
Newsreader: Adam Morris
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.