Ji-ah lives for American movies and dreams of being like Judy Garland. She’s also a spirit that devours the souls of men.

Wow. The best episode of Lovecraft Country to date is the one that deviates most from the novel, and could be the best of hour of genre TV this year. Having seen Jamie Chang’s (Big Hero 6) Ji-ah on the fringe of episodes this season, she now gets to be the star, and it’s a compelling performance.

Daegu is a city in South Korea where Ji-ah preys on men to meet a quota of 100 souls. She’s been transformed into a nine-tailed fox spirit and during coitus she impales her lovers on multiple tails that spring from her orifices into theirs. Having had their souls and memories sucked out of them, the husks explode into liquid viscera, ready for mother to clear them up. As Ji-ah notches up number 99, she prepares to choose her hundredth victim, which will turn her human again. It also happens to be our hero, Atticus.

Unfortunately, Atticus is not the hero we expect him to be, colluding with fellow soldiers in killing innocent nurses to discover a Communist spy. Both Tic and Ji-ah are monsters, created by their parents, but they both have the opportunity to show their humanity again. As love grows between them, Ji-ah tries to push Tic away, and in a moment of passion she sees his future – it’s not good.

Beautifully directed by Helen Shaver, who you may recall as female lead in Poltergeist: The Legacy, this hour boasts the scale of a mini movie, while also daring to be mainly in Korean and not pulling any punches in the sexual horror. It gives Tic an added layer of interest, brings Ji-ah out of the shadows and even explains those Count of Monte Cristo references.

Verdict: A break from the main storyline, Lovecraft Country continues to have the confidence to do its own thing when it wants to. One of this year’s best shows, this instalment is the one to beat. Superb. 10/10

Nick Joy

Click here for our earlier reviews and commentaries on the series.