The Sister is a spooky good thriller that plays with your sense of reality, and just in time for Halloween.
Just in time for Halloween, British broadcaster ITV is releasing a four-episode mini-series sure to have you sleeping with the lights on. Created by Neil Cross (Luther), The Sister is a non-traditional ghost story centered on the hapless and seemingly wholesome Nathan (Russell Tovey), and his oh-so-creepy mate Bob (Bertie Carvel). Nathan and Bob share a dark secret that is coming back to haunt them both.
Co-starring Game of Thrones alum Amrita Acharia as Nathan’s loving wife Holly, The Sister is an understated thriller that keeps you guessing until the series’ final frame. Below the break you’ll find our light SPOILER-filled review, but if you want to go into it completely unspoiled, suffice it to say we highly recommend this masterful thriller.
From the start, we’re made aware that Nathan and Bob are responsible for the death of Elise (Simone Ashley). Bob shows up late at Nathan’s house one night after 10 years without contact, insisting that her body needs to be moved. How Elise was killed isn’t explicitly revealed until later in the show, but we also learn in the same conversation that Nathan has married Elise’s sister Holly. This revelation stuns Bob, but it isn’t until much later that we learn why. From there, the series alternates between scenes set in the past and the present, and we’re off to the races.
Bob is a bit of a ghost guru, and originally met Nathan while promoting his views on Nathan’s radio show. Unlike other so-called-experts we see in film and TV, Bob is not presented as a quack. Sure, he’s creepy is all get out, especially in the present, but he makes reasoned arguments backed up by a lifetime of research.
That makes it a little unsettling when he suggests the two of them are being haunted by Elise, but while there are some creepy close calls, we never actually see her. The ambiguity — are ghosts actually after them, or are they imagining things? — is a great source of tension throughout?
Initially, we’re led to believe Elise’s body needs to be moved due to upcoming construction occurring near the burial site, but ultimately we discover Bob has an ulterior motive. And although Carvel’s performance as Bob sets off all kinds of red flags, his motive isn’t as sinister as you might think.
At just four episodes, The Sister is a fairly quick watch, but it moves at a languid pace, building carefully to each reveal. When it comes to scares, I’ve always been in the “less is more” camp. Once the ghost/demon/monster shows ups on screen, I tend to get less frightened. But give me a small noise offscreen or a quick glimpse here or there, and I’m watching through my hands. The Sister never approaches that level of fear, but you don’t get the sense it was trying to.
Bob is the only character who seems to believe that ghosts are real; Nathan is skeptical no matter how many things go bump in the night. But before the end, we’re left no doubt. Along the way, Nathan’s secret is partially exposed to his wife, who is scarred by the death of her sister. Amrita Acharia stands out in all of her scenes.
If you’re looking for jump scares or monsters under the bed, The Sister will leave you wanting. However it does deliver on the psychological front, and will have you wondering whether ghosts are real or not. It’s a slow burn, but well worth it.
The Sister premieres on ITV on October 26.
Final Grade: A
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