The first episode. Big expectations. It's got to be good, in order
to hook the viewing public, which apparently it did, in droves. I watched
this for the first time after I had seen several other episodes from Series
1-3, including the pivotal "The Day of Reckoning" and "Amongst Friends",
as well as much of Series 4 and 6. So I knew what was coming in terms of
quality and storyline, and I have to say that most of this episode was
a disappointment for me. Not a huge disappointment, but nevertheless. I
guess the main problem was, I felt exactly no chemistry between Assumpta
and Peter. It didn't look at all like she would end up being his love interest.
Clearly, she was interested in him at first, until she found out he was
a priest, but after that she was coolly impolite, and he was absolutely
correct in his behavior from the beginning, with no hint of any other undercurrents.
One might have thought that if a storyline were to evolve between Assumpta
and Peter, that perhaps he would be the one to soften her up on religion.
In all fairness, maybe there wasn't any plan to get them together until
after the actors began dating between the filming of Series 1 and 2. Then
maybe they thought to capitalize on the off-screen chemistry.
1. Peter's Arrival.
2. The Confessional.
3. Niamh and Ambrose.
4. Tommy Hassett.
We start off with a panorama of the Irish countryside. Maybe it's the colors on my set or the quality of the video, but there seemed to be a lot more brown and yellow than green hues. They filmed in summer, and apparently had great weather that first Series, which means it was hotter and sunnier than usual. Thus less green. The first words spoken on-screen in the series are reconstructible only by a lip reader...Liam said something inaudible to Donal as they were driving, before the crate broke free, but it was unimportant. The first scripted line was "Oh jeez!", which Liam said as the crate broke free. Timmy Joe got the honor of the second line, which was the inventive "Jeez!" as he sees the crate about to hit the bus.
We are shortly "introduced" to many of the regulars from Series 1, who conveniently all seem to have had business in Cilldargan that day (and no car): Timmy Joe, Kathleen, Brendan, Siobhan, Gerard, and of course Peter. As befits being the most learned among them, Brendan does us the first honours, relating the bus driver's name (Gerard), then that of the prim lady with the brown woolen tam and long, buttoned-up blue woolen coat (Kathleen). We get a clue to Kathleen's character not only from her costume, but also from her self-righteous attitude of announcing that she doesn't want to know what's in the crate, while at the same time standing where she has a good view of the proceedings. We might guess that Siobhan has something to do with animals, as her first line is, "Unless there's a heifer in it," although we don't find out her name yet.
Peter's first line is the brilliant, "Where did it come from?", followed soon thereafter by the highly astute, "Well do you think he knows that it's fallen off his lorry?" University education you say? Come on, even the bus driver can put 2 and 2 together faster than that. However, it sets him up as inquisitive, friendly, naive, and maybe slightly ignorant, although hopefully only about the local customs. Nothing about him says "priest", though. Not his demeanor, nor his clothing, nor his language. Does this mean that he is in fact more anchored in the world than in the heavens? Hmmmm.
Now we come to the crucial Peter-meets-Assumpta scene. As I said before, Peter isn't exactly broadcasting on the "celibate priest" channel. I know they're allowed to go out of uniform now, but aren't they at least supposed to wear sombre tones (dark blue, grey, black) and have a little gold cross pinned to their collar or something? Anyway, Assumpta, clueless, offers the poor lad a ride, and soon finds him to her liking. Until he springs it on her. The way he says it, he sounds like he regrets it. "I'm the new priest." (And sorry to have gotten your hopes up.) Aiden would have-- well, Aiden would have been wearing priestly clothes first of all. And then he might have said something innocuous and straitlaced like, "I'm the new priest. I'm really looking forward to serving you." Vincent would have been all upbeat, enthusiastic, and slightly irreverent about it. "I'm the new priest! Hope to be seeing you on Sunday...and any other day of the week!" But Peter doesn't seem to be entirely comfortable with his profession. I'm not saying he's questioning his vocation (yet...), I'm just wondering why he hems and haws, beats around the bush, and generally tries to put off telling Assumpta that he's not available for hanky panky until he absolutely has to. I mean, is he ashamed of it? And given what we know about his background (COUGH*jenny*COUGH), wouldn't you think he'd be a little quicker to make his position clear, and then do so proudly? After all, he CHOSE to continue with the priesthood.
Next comes the famous Annunciation. Of her name. You know. Assumpta. Now it's her turn to be ashamed of something. It's not like he's not going to find out. Say it loud and proud, girl! If you really don't like it, change it to Fionnuala or Una or LaShauna. Whatever. And when someone pays you a compliment, just say "Thank you" and go on about your business. I guess she's being introduced as uninterested in religion to the point of irreverence, possibly setting up a conflict with the new guy on those lines.
OK, now that we've got some ground rules established (Peter is a foreigner, Assumpta is feisty, weird things happen in Ballykissangel), we enter the town itself. Our entry is watched by dozens of people, all lined up on the bridge. I'm not actually sure whether they're supposed to be tourists who are just hanging out there waiting for their bus to pick them up, or if they're locals who wanted to get on camera. The director was otherwise so careful about keeping gawkers out of the shot, so this is a real puzzler. It looks unnatural in any case.
We soon get introduced to Father MacAnally, the parish priest. He is older than Peter, but still quite spry, as evidenced by the way he scrambles up and down that scaffolding. Boy, does he age in the course of six years. He is set up here as worried more about finances and propriety than spiritual matters, an absentee lord of the manor who expects his underlings to toe his line or feel the bite of his tongue. From Peter's conversations with Father Mac, we also learn that Peter might have a bit of a back story. Why did he get transferred? We'll find out more in the next episode.
They make a big deal of the fact that Peter is English, which might
not make much sense to the non-English or -Irish viewer. So what? Do they
not like his accent? By way of the briefest of explanations, think Northern
Ireland.
On the other hand, what have we learned from this little exchange between Peter and the reporter?
1. Peter is a sucker for a pretty face.
2. Peter will roll over and play dead if the bitch is pretty enough.
3. Not even Brendan can save Peter from shooting himself in the foot
(or a more vital organ) if a pretty woman asks him to.
Now, just as an experiment, replay this excerpt from their conversation in your head, taken word for word from the script, but imagine the participants naked and with a throaty, purring lilt to their voices:
Reporter: That's a good man.Oh yeah baby, and how about over here?
Peter: Right.
Reporter: Kay if you'll just position yourself here, just move in a little bit to your right.
Peter: Yeah.
Reporter: Kay just a little bit here okay? All right.
The confessional story also serves to show that Ballykissangel might be out in the middle of nowhere (or "in the back of beyond", as we will hear in a future episode), but the twentieth century sure hasn't passed it by. This is Ireland in the Information Age, not Paddy in the Potato Patch. Peter is "out of [his] depth" not because he is from England, but because he isn't from Ireland. The locals would take the belief out of his faith if he'd let them, and he probably will.
This story ends up roundly putting Brian in his place, in several ways.
First of all, he is publicly humiliated during Sunday Mass, not only by
the confessional acting up, but by Peter's hammering the point home with
sarcasm that could strip the paint off Fitzgerald's sign better than Oonagh's
blowtorch (see "Paul Dooley Sleeps With The Fishes"). Sorry for the mixed
metaphor. Second, Father Mac does a neat about-face and comes down hard
on Brian for causing the church so much embarrassment on television. Once
again, where was this defender of the faith during Peter's interview? Passing
the buck as usual. The third and final blow to Brian's ego and dignity
of course came when the confessional malfunctioned, trapping Peter and
Brian inside. Personally, I thought it was just that other guy who Brian
had pushed aside who pulled the plug. But no matter, whether it was a technical
defect or a prank, Peter got his way in the end and the monstrosity was
removed. You've gotta feel sorry for the man (Brian, not Peter! Not Peter
yet, anyway...). No matter how well-intentioned nor well-orchestrated his
plan, it will blow up in his face.
Before delving into the meat, let's take as an appetizer Peter's frantic attempts at getting transportation up the mountain. His first, logical, attempt is at Padraig's, and he does make a good go of it, if only he'd banged at Padraig's door as much as he did at Assumpta's, someone might have answered. On the other hand, Padraig must have been pretty knocked out not to hear someone breaking open his shed and stealing one of his motorbikes.
Instead of heading to the guard station next, though, or Brendan's (who, as the friendliest one so far, would have been the least likely to mind being torn out of a deep sleep), or Brian's (who had been the most helpful to Peter thus far), or phoning another priest, or doing something else reasonable, Peter makes a bee line for Assumpta's. Sure, she gave him a ride before, but that was before she knew who he was. Sure, she's better looking than Ambrose, Brendan, or Brian, but that's not a recommendation for being willing to drive Peter out to a "mountainy man's" (don't you just love that idiom?) deathbed. Sure, she's got a working van, lives just down the street, and sleeps lightly, but...OK, you've got me. Maybe it wasn't so dumb to knock on her door.
Now we get to the second crucial conversation between Assumpta and Peter, (after the one when they met) not only to further their difference of opinion on religious matters, but also to set up their final, tragic scene. *SOB*
Peter: I'd do the same for you.Now when I first heard this, I thought he meant he'd have driven her up the mountain in the middle of the night if their roles had been reversed. Assumpta has something else in mind, though. And maybe he really did mean what she thought, it just seems less obvious.
Assumpta: Give me the last rites?This could also be taken two ways: Assumpta is accusing Peter of wishing that she would die; or she is telling him he's just whistling in the wind if he thinks she'd want him to come to her deathbed.
Peter: I wasn't being facetious.
Assumpta: You're a bit bloody hopeful.
Assumpta: You'd come anyway wouldn't you? Knowing you weren't wanted?This is to me a crucial point. Peter is absolutely right. So many things happen over the course of the next three years. Even though Peter remembers this conversation on the night of Assumpta's death, he only recalls the part about being "bloody hopeful", not the end of the conversation. Assumpta may in fact have changed her mind about having the last rites, not because she'd "gotten religion", but because she knew how much the ritual would have meant to Peter and the others. I don't think she really would have minded, at that point. Even by the end of this evening, Assumpta begins to realize that religion isn't just senseless words, empty of meaning.
Peter: I may not know that.
Assumpta: I just told you.
Peter sighs: Things change. You may not be able to speak.
Assumpta: What difference does ten minutes make?Assumpta looks stricken and thoughtful after this exchange, and even apologizes to Peter afterwards. She may not believe in the salvation of the dead, but she certainly is sensitive to the needs of the living.
Peter: It makes a difference...to his wife.
2. The weather! Within a supposedly continuous scene, the weather changes from bright and sunny to grey and cloudy depending on what angle the camera is shooting from, giving a poor feeling of continuity. I have the same nitpick about Teletubbies, incidentally. That's what you get for filming in the British Isles. Guess that's why filmmakers moved out to California in the early part of the 20th century.
3. What was the man in the red car doing to that horse? It looked awfully dangerous.
4. What made that rope snap? It was clearly sabotaged. It wasn't even in contact with the edge of the crate. The Italian Mafia must be behind it. Foreshadowing episode 6.5 "Paul Dooley Sleeps With The Fishes".
5. Note to wardrobe department: Big jumper tucked into loose-fitting,
belted jeans is not a good look for Assumpta. Looks like she's retaining
water.
Scenes with both Peter and Assumpta: 9
Scenes in which Peter and Assumpta speak to each other: 9
Scenes with Peter and Assumpta alone together: 5
Scenes with both Niamh and Ambrose: 1
Seconds during which Niamh and Ambrose so much as acknowledge each
other's presence: 0
Times Peter is welcomed to Ballykissangel: 1 (by Brian)
Times Peter is put down to his face for being an Englishman: 2 (Assumpta
and Father Mac)
2. Assumpta: If there's one thing this country
needs it's priests from England.
Peter: We have enough
of yours.
Assumpta: We have enough
of ours.
3. Assumpta: He's English. He looks about twelve.
Niamh: Oh God!
Assumpta: See if you
can find him a train set.
You know, I don't think he looks that young at all. There are adults who look like kids (Björk, Gary Coleman, Michael J. Fox), but Stephen Tompkinson is just not one of them.
4. "That's what the last fellow said and he was gone in three weeks. I swear he only came here for the suit." (Fr Mac, regarding Peter's predecessor.)
Now I'm interested. Three weeks. Must be a new record. We never hear anything else about the curate who was there before Peter. But now remember also Brendan's line in "Smoke Signals" (ep. 6.8) when he found Vincent and Avril cozying up together on his sofa: "What is it about priests in this town?" Doesn't that make you think that maybe there was a little tete-a-tete going on with Peter's predecessor, too? Hmmm.
5. Peter: Where am I Assumpta? The Twilight Zone?
Assumpta: No Father.
You're just out of your depth.
6. Peter: I'd do the same for you.
Assumpta: Give me the
last rites?
Peter: I wasn't being
facetious.
Assumpta: You're a bit
bloody hopeful.
Peter: I don't want an
argument.
Assumpta: Oh read my
lips.
Peter: OK.
Assumpta: You'd come
anyway wouldn't you? Knowing you weren't wanted?
Peter: I may not know
that.
Assumpta: I just told
you.
Peter sighs: Things change.
You may not be able to speak.
Assumpta: I'm speechless
already.
It's long, but key to the climax of The Day of Reckoning.
7. "For every three Hail Marys, a course of aromatherapy."
(Peter during his sermon on his first Sunday in BallyK.)
So that's what happened to it!
2. "She makes a good pot of tea. I like to watch her seethe at my presence." (Fr Mac about Assumpta.)
Everyone sing: "I'm a little teapot, short and stout..."
3. Brian: Where have you been?
Liam: Sure I told you,
the train was late.
Donal: Leaves on the
line.
Brian demands: In spring?
Donal: Global warming.
Quick thinking, my man! Donal: Clueless boob or closet genius? You decide.
4. Assumpta: Would you fancy a pint, Father?
Peter: Thanks. They've
probably got it on draft in the confessional.
That'd be convenient for Father Sheahan. Maybe he can get one of those confessionals now that he's back on the bottle (oh sorry, that's one of my fan fic pieces ;-) ).
5. "Not everything is so black and white. You see, I think God is sometimes more understanding than we sometimes give him credit for." (Peter to Ambrose in the confessional.)
Peter could use this bit of sage advice in his final episode, don't you think?
6. "Let's hope God is not as severe as he's said to be." (Assumpta to Dr. Ryan, on the occasion of Tommy Hassett's passing.)
Another useful quote for analysis of The Reckoning.