Take a Look at the Lawmen

_*****

Sam comes to believe that he will wake from his coma in 2006 if he can stop his father from running off in 1973, but his father's criminal record also attracts Gene's attention.

The review for "Internal Investigation" can be read here.

Sam (John Simm) has come a long way to acclimate himself to his situation, but never for a moment did he forget his goal of getting home and that's evident here as he sees everything as a clue to his escape and everyone, friend or foe, is a potential obstacle.

As Sam walks into the hotel room and recognizes his father Vic (Lee Ingleby,) it's clear that there area  myriad of things going through Sam's head. On the one hand, his connection with Vic could mean an end to his hallucination, a chance to wake up from his coma in 2006 should he repair whatever mistake Vic had made in the past. This is also a story about Sam reconnecting with his father, potentially never having another chance should he return to the present day, and he wants to take full advantage of the situation before disappearing. Sam recalls a story to his mother Ruth (Joanne Froggatt) about looking for his father's coat hanging on the banister, and excuses himself shortly thereafter to go and smell Vic's jacket, taking in everything that his father was and reliving the excitement of his parental reunion. As the investigation wears on, Sam starts making excuses to come by his family home, taking this as an opportunity to spend time with his dad playing football and reliving the childhood experiences he only wishes he had had, only to then find himself giving his mother the words she would use to tell him that his father was never coming back, and having to relive through that moment all over again with the knowledge of what his dad truly is.

Vic is determined to repeat history by leaving his family and disappearing without a trace, leaving Sam convinced that he needs to keep his father with his family in order to change history and return home. Sam reasons that, should Vic leave his family it would mean he had already lost them, and in that moment seems to have convinced his father to stay and begins to hear the sounds of life support and coming to believe that he's waking up. The tension of the scene is so well done and continues to build until the sound just stops, leaving Sam stranded in the past and confused about his future; if there ever was an indication that he was hallucinating, that he was, as Annie (Liz White) claims, a victim of head trauma, then this moment might confirm that theory.

As he worries about his father's involvement in the crime, Sam begins trying to cover up evidence, convinced that being fingered for a crime is what likely forced him to disappear in the first place. He attempts to wrest control of the investigation from Gene (Philip Glenister,) though Gene pushes back just as hard to maintain authority, eventually resulting in Sam turning a gun on both Gene and Annie and allowing Vic to escape from the premises. Sam's actions here, while completely understandable given his situation, fly in the face of everything he did in the previous episode, nearly destroying Annie's career in the process.

Having been in 1973 for quite some time now, Sam should be well aware of why he shouldn't talk about being from 2006, and his trying to convince Annie that Vic and Ruth are his parents, despite being younger than he is, only serves to make him look insane. Annie already is convinced that he's suffering from head trauma, and going on in this way is doing him no favors, and seems fabricated only to serve Annie's distress. She asks him to see a psychiatrist, convinced that he never recovered from his accident, and to watch him suffer so much hurts her because she genuinely cares for him and he doesn't appear to care as much about his safety as she does. Annie feels that she's fighting a losing battle against Sam, and he's the kind of character that should be self-aware enough that he hides his theories from her if only to protect her emotionally.

Liz White is phenomenal in this series, but her scenes here as she pleads for Sam to seek help are absolutely heartbreaking. White is incredible at subtle acting, conveying so much emotion with a simple nod or smile, and her work in this story steals every scene she's in. Simm, likewise, does an amazing job here as his character finally reconnects with a father he had long ago lost and comes to terms with the fact that he had disappeared for a reason. The rest of the cast are all great here, but everyone is overshadowed by the duo of Simm and White, who make the story entirely about them.

John Alexander directs with finale flawlessly, blending humor and action without growing dependent on either and allowing an incredible amount of emotion, all of which is perfectly earned. The lighter moments of the story, such as Sam asking for volunteers to "go through these [pornographies] with a fine-toothed comb" with all the men in the office raising their hands and Sam's glee at playing a game of football with his dad help to ease the tension of the story without breaking the narrative in any way. Hints to Sam's condition are cleverly done as his doctor talking about his vitals is disguised as an on-radio baseball game and his auditory hallucinations come to abrupt stops every time he thinks he's solved his mystery. The use of David Bowie's "Life on Mars" is used masterfully as Sam watches his parents dance at the wedding, then watches his father disappear into the woods, and finally comes to realize that Annie is the woman in red from his dream. The recreated shots from Sam's dream, reframed with his adult self in place of his child self, are beautifully done, and the ultimate revelation that Sam had, as a child, witnessed Annie's murder at the hands of his own father is stunning.

Matthew Graham writes a very strong episode here as Sam grows more and more convinced that he is there for a reason and that his recurring dream, as seen in previous episodes, is likely the key to his return home. Gene's reveal to Sam that Vic is, in fact, the Morton Brothers, one man pretending to be two, is a very effective plot twist, and harder to watch due to Sam's guttural reaction. Sam begins to hear his mother's voice as Vic is asking for the gun, and while the audience remains keenly aware that Sam is going to do the stupid thing, seeing the situation from his perspective there's no other choice if he wants to wake up, and it plays out absolutely beautifully. Sam hands over the gun only to have Vic quickly point it at him and shoot, and in that moment Sam's life is shattered; he had removed the bullets, because he had needed to know whether or not Gene was right about his father, but the moment will forever haunt him as he now knows that his father is a murderer.

Having been forced to say goodbye to his father, and instruct his mother on how to best break bad news to his younger self, Sam has created a sense of closure to his relationship with his family, unlikely to intrude on their lives again now that they seem not to be his ticket home; instead it seems as though his connection with Annie is what will trigger his return, though whether or not he'll be able to part ways with her is still in question.

The overview for Series 01 can be read here, and the review for "Bring Me Sunshine" can be read here.