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Carnival Row “Grieve no more” Philo

EPISODE 105: “GRIEVE NO MORE”

Philo consults a Haruspex in and effort to find clues about the killer. Vignette grows closer with her newfound family. Upon Jonah’s return home, his parents cast a more watchful eye over him as a new player makes a splash in Parliament. Imogen brings Agreus into her circle.

What happened?

As McBurney entertains a mixed Row crowd with his kobold theater, the Fae Madame Moira (Leanne Best) arrives just as he’s harassed by a Constable. Philo returns to the Haruspex to learn the Darkasher has been raised by someone possessing immense Fae magical power. As Ezra struggles with the family finances, the determined Imogen moves on her own to secure a partnership with Agreus.

With Jonah home safe and sound, the Breakspear parents establish new ground rules for their recalcitrant son. Hot on the crime trail, Philo returns to the Light of the Martyr Foundling Home and experiences memories of his time there. Imogen introduces Agreus to the high society Gilfoys (Leon Herbert and Robinah Kironde) and Pembrokes (Ross Green and Issy Stewart) at tea.

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Philo learns that his former Headmaster Finch had fallen from grace by succumbing to the pleasures of a Fae brothel on the Row. Imogen’s failing party is rescued by Ezra’s inclusive arrival. Sophie Longerbane arrives in Parliament, a formality requiring her to occupy her dead father’s seat until the next election, but causes chaos by amping up the racist campaign against the Fae.

Philo’s investigation leads him to the Tetterby, where Vignette is currently staying with Tourmaline. Philo learns that Finch was actually having a hidden homosexual affair with the grieving Dr. Morange (Gregory Gudgeon), who reveals that Finch and Aisling had long been friends. McBurney’s kobolds are accidentally deported. The Spurnroses despair over their new, publicly humiliating association with Agreus, but they can’t do without his loan.

We learn that Dr. Morange (soon to be murdered by the Darkasher) was the one who removed Philo’s Fae wings as an infant. Philo wakes from a nightmare and realizes that Aisling’s songs hold some key to the mystery he’s investigating, and discovers that she was his Fae mother.

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Was it Good?

“Grieve No More” starts out wonderfully creepy with Philo visiting the Haruspex, but we get little more than a taste of that fun stuff. Having supplied us with lots of Philo and Vignette in the previous episodes, the show turns to develop its other many storylines, including the family intrigues of the Breakspears, the societal maneuverings of the Spurnroses and Agreus, the legal woes of McBurney and his kobold theater and the political grandstanding of Sophie Longerbane (Caroline Ford).

Carnival Row slows things down in this installment, but it doesn’t plod. Lots of interesting story tidbits pop here and there, and the show has the confidence to spend quiet time in long, moody and introspective sequences, often plugged into Philo’s memories. The expansion of the various storylines means the introduction of more characters, and Vignette is temporarily sidelined as a result.

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Both the Spurnrose and Breakspear narratives are finally being given time to beef up and get rolling; they’re more enjoyable now that the actors have space to explore their characters. It’s especially fun to see Thrones veteran Indira Varma and Jared Harris (The Terror) display their acting chops, and David Gyasi makes for an intriguing Agreus.

Despite all the attention given to the flanking narratives, “Grieve No More” is quite Philo-centric; his personal journey draws us closer to him, and his discovery in the final scene delivers a seriously emotional gut-punch. Carnival Row is very good at finding powerful endings to each episode.

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While it successfully enriches its accompanying storylines in “Grieve No More,” Carnival Row does lose some momentum whenever it spends too much time away from Philo and Vignette’s relationship and the shadowy mysteries of the Row; one suspects the showrunners won’t stray this far for this long very often.