Review: PENNYWORTH 1×08 – “SANDIE SHAW”
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Director: Jon East
Writer: Danny Cannon
Starring: Jack Bannon, Emma Paetz, Ben Aldridge, Ryan Fletcher, Salóme Gunnarsdóttir, Hainsley Lloyd Bennett, Polly Walker, Dorothy Atkinson, Ian Puleston-Davies, Paloma Faith, and Jason Flemyng.
Reviewed by: Tony Farina
Summary
Pennyworth Episode 8 starts out with viewers catching their collective breaths from the big reveal last week.
The Prime Minister and the Queen are having an argument over how best to deal with the fact that the Raven Society are having a public rally. They don’t know what it will be about, but no worried, it will be shown on live TV. Viewers know that the rally is about the comeback of Lord Harwood. We see he and Dr. Gaunt working out the plans.
Meanwhile, Alfred and Bet Sykes plan on how to catch Esme’s killer. Together. Well. Sort of. That is complicated. I really do not want to give too much away here. Just know that Alfred and Bet are on screen together.
Thomas and Martha are coming together over how they both were messed up by Crowley. They establish that Thomas is maybe, possibly in the CIA (he is) and that Martha may or may not be a good agent (she would be).
Positives
Pennyworth Episode 8 has proven two things. First, anything is possible in this universe. Bet and Alfred go to a coffee shop where they are serving foamed cappuccino. Of course they are. Secondly, putting Paloma Faith and Jack Bannon on screen together is magic. The sparks fly. They are just both so engaging. Alfred clearly hates her and yet, she simply does not understand why. Faith is so convincing as Sykes that we start to question things that we know to be true. If awards were given to shows like this, Faith should start clearing off some space on her mantle. Maybe, she will earn a Saturn next year because that is the only award that will notice. Everyone should take notice.
Alfred’s mum is way smarter than we ever imagined she was. There is a touching moment with she and Alfred early and it comes back around at the end. She is a great character and Dorothy Atkinson has really given that character a whole life that I was not expecting.
I would say the best thing that happens on this episode is when Alfred pulls a full on Batman on Inspector Aziz. It is beautifully scripted and shot. However, as I already mentioned Bet and Alfred share screen time, so this is a close second.
Negatives
Honestly, there was no fat in this episode. At no point did I think, “Hurry up and get back to Alfred.” The pacing was spot on. Everyone who was in this episode has something to do. There has been some plot filler going on lately, but not here.
Verdict
The show is back on the rails after a few diversions. If you like yourself and if you like good TV, get on this. What is wrong with you? We don’t want it to be cancelled. Hurry. Go. Watch. Binge.
