Wayne and Charlie finally arrive in Christmasland, but Vic and Maggie are in hot pursuit, having been shown its secrets by Millie.

It’s been a long time coming, but finally Vic looks like she’s making progress in her battle to reclaim her son and destroy the evil vampire Charlie Manx. It’s an action-packed episode, with Vic and Maggie packing and detonating explosives to break Charlie’s reign of terror in his festive inscape.

Every time some dynamite goes off he is visibly shaken, this being the first time that adults have credibly fought back – the others previously being unprepared ‘drifters’ who were set upon by the predatory pack of children. Charlie is further weakened by the damning retorts of his murdered wife, who is turning Millie against him.

Wayne is still under Charlie’s charm – what will break the spell? – and Maggie loses her magic Scrabble tiles. It’s a strong hour, concluding in an ice maze (shades of Kubrick’s The Shining?) and Maggie does a great job in pulling Vic from the edge.

Verdict: With just one episode left, there’s everything to play for, and I’m going to miss this smart show which has taken Joe Hill’s novel and made it a superior fantasy horror show. Christmas is over, but what will follow? 9/10

Nick Joy