SPOILER FREE

Vimes has problems with his situation.

This review is spoiler free. I anticipate the review of the season finale will be the same. The reason? The show is writing its own story, at once deeply Pratchett but at the same time something entirely its own. It feels right to leave discussion of story specifics until more people have had a chance to see the show. However, the story has the same heart, the same strength of character as anything Pratchett wrote and once again I’m going to find it hard not to talk in a non-stop stream of superlatives.

We are presented with a single moral quandary this week – if you were landed with the right set of circumstances would you commit evil?

I’m not in agreement with the show – I think history has shown us again and again that all of us, every single one, can do evil if only we’re in the ‘right’ set of circumstances. Yet here’s why the show wins – because it puts both sides of this argument to us. It asks us to see both answers from different perspectives. We see it from the perspective of the character who chose evil and we see it unfold in real time for a character given the choice.

The dilemma is fascinating, and with his best piece of work yet, Samuel Adewunmi’s delivery is heart breaking as well. If we knew it could be different, if we knew some people wouldn’t break their principles no matter what, where does that leave those of us who choose otherwise? What if the other person was us – running through our life but choosing differently?

Carcer Dun sees how his life might have unfolded, how friendships might have survived if only he’d chosen differently. All the injustice turning out differently if only his situation had been reversed with Vimes and it frightens and angers him. I understand and admire the way the labyrinth of choosing to do right is explored here because no one gets out of it looking great. Every single character is put in a position where they could do the wrong thing, could choose to make other humans objects and treat them accordingly.

What’s amazing to me is the moral depth of the show which takes it one step further and suggests it’s only in community we have any chance of making those right choices and even then…we’re all still capable of failing.

Around this central narrative thread remains the McGuffin of how to control the Dragon summoned by Carcer in episode 1. It flips around a little – and the twists are interesting but not quite as impactful as the character work done by Vimes and the crew.

I feel for Carrot – who appears to have lost a central component of his character and is still searching for something to fill that void. Without spilling over into spoilers, I can see why it was done and I approve of the subversion, but my heart loved the Carrot of the books and I’m not yet sure what these changes deliver to the series. Having said that, there’s one episode yet and a lot to play for, so I’m hoping Carrot has more to give the show before the end.

Speaking of characters who are underutilised – Wonse remains for me the only misstep. It’s partly because Wonse is female and in many ways her grievances are the same as Carcer’s but she’s both smarter, more adept and yet, somehow, less visible – existing in some cases only to provide him with the next step or piece of information. I want more from Wonse. Bianca Simone Mannie has a coldness and bright intelligence in Wonse which I’d love to see developed further.

The goblin subplot is back this week and it provides one of several laugh out loud moments, because amid the tension and excitement the show continues to be funny. Proper funny. Did I already say I wanted a second season? I’m pretty sure I did. Someone please make it happen.

 

Rating? 9 moral quandaries out of 10.

Stewart Hotston