John finds life under Virginia’s rule agrees with him. But Virginia does not.

It’s a mark of how versatile this show has become now that this is in essence noir classic Chinatown, just on a smaller, undead scale. John, a man who has built his life on the principles of honesty, courage and decency, finds that suddenly his childhood fantasies are directly applicable to the world. He’s a ranger, he stands watch so others can sleep well. He is, literally, one of the good guys.

But John’s black and white morals run him headlong into trouble when a colleague is killed and a friend takes the fall. Garret Dillahunt, a frighteningly prolific character actor, has never had one iconic role but rather a legion of them. John, especially here, is his definitive best work. Dogged, polite, idealistic and utterly innocent, he’s a ranger who finds himself walking meaner streets than he dared think possible.

The genius of the episode is twofold here; firstly showing us Ginnie’s idea of justice and secondly showing how little it matters to so many. Holly Curran’s work as Janis is great throughout but it’s the moment where, exhausted, she explains she’s okay with being a sacrificial lamb. ‘I’ve got no one left,’ she says and you see it hit John like a hammer. People are ready to die even if it’s for the wrong reasons. Survival is exhausting and, much like the toothache he refuses to do anything about until the end, he’s chosen not to see that. By the time he does, in a scene which set this long term dentophobe’s entire mouth on edge, he’s had a knockdown dragout fistfight with Strand (who has very much joined Ginnie), discovered how little his life means and possibly hallucinated June. He’s on the edge and Dillahunt’s quiet, precise, mournful presence makes that clear with the effortless skill of this extraordinarily talented actor.

Rounded out by a literal collision between Morgan and the mysterious new folks, this is an episode which is simultaneously a great showcase, a great standalone and just really good drama.

Verdict: Another strong entry in a hell of a season. 10/10

Alasdair Stuart