Ep. 1 - 'Bad News'
Director: Eric Berger
Writers: David Nicholls and David St. Aubyn (based on the novels by)
Release Date: 12th May 2018
Hot Rating: 💥💥💥💥
The opening shots of 'Patrick Melrose' establish the moral conflicts of our protagonists' life. These battles include the abuse from Patrick's (Benedict Cumberbatch) sadistic father, David (Hugo Weaving), and also his struggle with drug and alcohol addiction. After discovering that his father has recently passed away, Patrick embarks on a chaotic journey to New York to collect his body for cremation. Unlike a traditional pilot episode, the brilliance of 'Bad News' is in its speedy pacing. As such, every instance of substance abuse is pursued with both intrigue and pity by director Eric Berger. A scene at a restaurant in a hotel midway through the episode perfectly reflects this pseudo-bohemian directorial style, and shares many similarities with Martin Scorsese's 'Wolf of Wall Street'. Furthermore, the tight-knit editing style ensures that each chaotic moment is coherently tied together, resulting in a pilot episode that is equal parts exciting as its terrifying.
Ep. 2 - 'Never Mind'
Director: Eric Berger
Writers: David Nicholls and David St. Aubyn (based on the novels by)
Release Date: 19th May 2018
Hot Rating: 💥💥💥💥
'Never Mind' is an emotionally stipulated journey back in time to Patrick's childhood. It focuses on Patrick's abusive relationship with his father during his time at their family villa in France, 1967. Jennifer Jason Leigh is equally mesmerising as Patrick's alcoholic mother, Eleanor, as she plays this role with a frantic desperation. Where the action of the pilot is typified by Cumberbatch's lavish performance, 'Never Mind' showcases the talents of these two actors, who act as foils to Patrick's innocence as a child. The acting duo foreground emotional angst over controlled temperament, and highlight the toxicity of Patrick's childhood through their inability to care for their son. Furthermore, the episode builds on the aesthetic beauty of its pilot with a collection of wide shots showcasing the gorgeous landscapes that occupy the French countryside setting. As such, this visuality acts as a contrast to the psychological sadness that continues throughout Patrick's biography.
Director: Eric Berger
Writers: David Nicholls and David St. Aubyn (based on the novels by)
Release Date: 12th May 2018
Hot Rating: 💥💥💥💥
The opening shots of 'Patrick Melrose' establish the moral conflicts of our protagonists' life. These battles include the abuse from Patrick's (Benedict Cumberbatch) sadistic father, David (Hugo Weaving), and also his struggle with drug and alcohol addiction. After discovering that his father has recently passed away, Patrick embarks on a chaotic journey to New York to collect his body for cremation. Unlike a traditional pilot episode, the brilliance of 'Bad News' is in its speedy pacing. As such, every instance of substance abuse is pursued with both intrigue and pity by director Eric Berger. A scene at a restaurant in a hotel midway through the episode perfectly reflects this pseudo-bohemian directorial style, and shares many similarities with Martin Scorsese's 'Wolf of Wall Street'. Furthermore, the tight-knit editing style ensures that each chaotic moment is coherently tied together, resulting in a pilot episode that is equal parts exciting as its terrifying.
Ep. 2 - 'Never Mind'
Director: Eric Berger
Writers: David Nicholls and David St. Aubyn (based on the novels by)
Release Date: 19th May 2018
Hot Rating: 💥💥💥💥
'Never Mind' is an emotionally stipulated journey back in time to Patrick's childhood. It focuses on Patrick's abusive relationship with his father during his time at their family villa in France, 1967. Jennifer Jason Leigh is equally mesmerising as Patrick's alcoholic mother, Eleanor, as she plays this role with a frantic desperation. Where the action of the pilot is typified by Cumberbatch's lavish performance, 'Never Mind' showcases the talents of these two actors, who act as foils to Patrick's innocence as a child. The acting duo foreground emotional angst over controlled temperament, and highlight the toxicity of Patrick's childhood through their inability to care for their son. Furthermore, the episode builds on the aesthetic beauty of its pilot with a collection of wide shots showcasing the gorgeous landscapes that occupy the French countryside setting. As such, this visuality acts as a contrast to the psychological sadness that continues throughout Patrick's biography.
Ep. 3 - 'Some Hope'
Director: Eric Berger
Writers: David Nicholls and David St. Aubyn (based on the novels by)
Release Date: 26th May 2018
Hot Rating: 💥💥💥
In this episode, we return to Patrick's adulthood and jump forward eight years from his father's death. Patrick reluctantly makes a return to the upper-class social spheres that his family have been so engrossed in throughout his life. As such, Berger and Nicholls portray aristocracy in a hyper-snobbish manner through the lavish symbol of the house party. While the guests at this event appear equally over the top and condescending, they all serve to accentuate Patrick's alienation from upper-class society, despite the overlapping villainy between the greed and addiction that both groups share. The proposed 'action' of the episode is supplied through vicious verbal interactions rather than physical violence. In consequence, audiences are as equally enticed as they are separated from a character's social hierarchy. As such, while we leave this episode with a knowledge of Patrick's flexible social mobility, audiences remain suspicious to the benefits of his confessions.
Director: Eric Berger
Writers: David Nicholls and David St. Aubyn (based on the novels by)
Release Date: 26th May 2018
Hot Rating: 💥💥💥
In this episode, we return to Patrick's adulthood and jump forward eight years from his father's death. Patrick reluctantly makes a return to the upper-class social spheres that his family have been so engrossed in throughout his life. As such, Berger and Nicholls portray aristocracy in a hyper-snobbish manner through the lavish symbol of the house party. While the guests at this event appear equally over the top and condescending, they all serve to accentuate Patrick's alienation from upper-class society, despite the overlapping villainy between the greed and addiction that both groups share. The proposed 'action' of the episode is supplied through vicious verbal interactions rather than physical violence. In consequence, audiences are as equally enticed as they are separated from a character's social hierarchy. As such, while we leave this episode with a knowledge of Patrick's flexible social mobility, audiences remain suspicious to the benefits of his confessions.
Ep. 4 - 'Mother's Milk'
Director: Eric Berger
Writers: David Nicholls and David St. Aubyn (based on the novels by)
Release Date: 2nd June 2018
Hot Rating: 💥💥💥
If, by the penultimate episode, we are able to envisage a picture of the disjointed Melrose family, so does 'Mother's Milk' provide a divisive portrayal of Patrick's mother, Eleanor, and her descent into illness. In many ways, the episode's treatment of maternity and family is reminiscent of episode 2 thanks to the repeated French countryside setting. However, the picturesque landscapes of 'Never Mind' serve less to polarise the broken relationships inhabiting this scenery as they do simply provide a visually pleasing aesthetic for the episode. Similarly, the addition of Seamus, an irritating missionary and supposed heir to the villa, provides little interesting vocal points but instead provides a backboard for Patrick to further illustrate his destructive behaviour. Beyond these distractions, Berger and Nicholls supplement Patrick's childhood angst with a further sense of realism through their use of time and coherent editing and thus set the foundations for an affecting finale.
Director: Eric Berger
Writers: David Nicholls and David St. Aubyn (based on the novels by)
Release Date: 2nd June 2018
Hot Rating: 💥💥💥
If, by the penultimate episode, we are able to envisage a picture of the disjointed Melrose family, so does 'Mother's Milk' provide a divisive portrayal of Patrick's mother, Eleanor, and her descent into illness. In many ways, the episode's treatment of maternity and family is reminiscent of episode 2 thanks to the repeated French countryside setting. However, the picturesque landscapes of 'Never Mind' serve less to polarise the broken relationships inhabiting this scenery as they do simply provide a visually pleasing aesthetic for the episode. Similarly, the addition of Seamus, an irritating missionary and supposed heir to the villa, provides little interesting vocal points but instead provides a backboard for Patrick to further illustrate his destructive behaviour. Beyond these distractions, Berger and Nicholls supplement Patrick's childhood angst with a further sense of realism through their use of time and coherent editing and thus set the foundations for an affecting finale.
Ep. 5 - 'At Last'
Director: Eric Berger
Director: Eric Berger
Writers: David Nicholls and David St. Aubyn (based on the novels by)
Release Date: 9th June 2018
Hot Rating: 💥💥💥💥💥
The final instalment of 'Patrick Melrose' is a poignant conclusion to the emotional drama of foregoing weeks. Unlike these previous episodes, 'Some Hope' delves into the show's main reoccurring topics such as addiction, class and family. This eclectic approach to the narrative allows Berger to underpin Patrick's own journey into rehab with a sense of bedlam, as we often crosscut from the past to the present day, and from the AA meetings to Eleanor's funeral. This disorientating experience pays off through the superb performances from all the lead cast members. These moments are brilliantly tied together in the final scene, where a flashback to Patrick's childhood identifies our protagonist's spiritual progression to authority. Where much of the show's criticism has come from its supposedly stylised portrayal of drug abuse, this sequence reflects the vulnerability of substance addiction, and further showcases how this reliance often stems from a loss of safety.
Release Date: 9th June 2018
Hot Rating: 💥💥💥💥💥
The final instalment of 'Patrick Melrose' is a poignant conclusion to the emotional drama of foregoing weeks. Unlike these previous episodes, 'Some Hope' delves into the show's main reoccurring topics such as addiction, class and family. This eclectic approach to the narrative allows Berger to underpin Patrick's own journey into rehab with a sense of bedlam, as we often crosscut from the past to the present day, and from the AA meetings to Eleanor's funeral. This disorientating experience pays off through the superb performances from all the lead cast members. These moments are brilliantly tied together in the final scene, where a flashback to Patrick's childhood identifies our protagonist's spiritual progression to authority. Where much of the show's criticism has come from its supposedly stylised portrayal of drug abuse, this sequence reflects the vulnerability of substance addiction, and further showcases how this reliance often stems from a loss of safety.
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| Benedict Cumberbatch as 'Patrick Melrose'. Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6586318/mediaviewer/rm3030141696 |
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