So, it was Strangers on a Train after all (and so much more besides). A huge shout-out to Nevagray for calling that one as early as episode three. Any fears that this show would pull a Broadchurch with its second series were quickly dispelled. Unforgotten’s first run was a tough act to follow, but they have easily surpassed it. It feels like we have known Sara, Colin, Marion and Tessa far longer than six weeks and much of tonight’s episode was devastating. The themes – how people reinvent themselves, how the past writes the present, whether we can stop it – have been consistent across both series. Cassie and Sonny diligently excavating the past as the suspects desperately scramble to keep it buried provides the procedural cat-and-mouse here, but its power comes from its faithful recreation of the ugly, tangled messiness of life.
The investigation
Cassie gathers her troops for a final briefing that will twist their minds beyond repair. She shows them the paper trail Sara left in Italy. It is indisputable, remarkable even.
“The question is: is it too good?” she says, having clearly read iharsten’s post last week. It is the evidence of a woman who knew she might one day need an alibi. Sterling plod work from her team backs up Cassie’s theory: Sara, Colin and Marion met at an Ealing psychiatric unit and hatched a plan to murder their three abusers. Marion killed Sara’s abuser, David Walker, Sara killed Colin’s abuser, Len Paxton, and Colin killed Marion’s abuser, her father.
DI Tessa Nixon
Alone among the four suspects, Tessa killed no one – which is not to say that she is innocent. She knew about David’s abuse of Ellen Price but chose to believe his rationalisations: that it was only the once, that she was 16 and a willing partner. Tessa says they were different times even as she acknowledges how inadequate it sounds.
“We all bought into that – until we didn’t.”
It’s been difficult to get a handle on Tessa this series, but tonight at least there is no doubt that her shame and regret are genuine.
Sara Mahmoud
Even among the four most patient and understanding husbands on TV, Hassan stands out. His own humiliation couldn’t matter less to him. He is willing to never mention the abuse again or talk about it daily – whatever Sara wants. Sara always had the most to lose. She’s lied and killed and now has her sex work past known to everyone at her conservative gender-segregated mosque. It is likely that shame culture is not done with her yet, but she will always have one person fighting her corner.
Marion Kelsey
Joy Dunphy’s moral cowardice in ignoring her daughter’s abuse is unforgivable. Elise does not hold back. “You’re an evil fucking witch!” she says. “We have wondered all our lives why she is so angry.”
Targeting his daughter from the age of 11 when they moved to County Cork, Marion’s father met his end in 1991 when Colin dragged him into the woods and strung him up from a tree. With no history of depression, the suicide verdict that was returned must have been baffling but Colin clearly covered his tracks well enough to leave no indications of foul play.
Colin Osborne
Cassie travels to Scotland to uncover the past of the most complex and fascinating of the suspects. Colin’s abuse began aged nine at the hands of family friend Len Paxton, who ran the local platoon of Club Rangers. His father tells of a happy, lively boy gradually becoming withdrawn, sullen and aggressive. Cassie now has everything she needs to confront Colin with the truth.
And what a scene it is. After gatecrashing the pub rendezvous between Colin, Sara and Marion she lets him know that she knows everything about Ealing, about Paxton, Dunphy and Walker and about their trifecta of perfect crimes. Calm and measured, he gives his response.
“You might put me in prison but let me tell you this: you can’t judge me unless you’ve had it done to you.”
Colin’s monologue is a very brave piece of writing. Most dramas that deal with abuse spare the details, but Colin will not let Cassie or us off the hook. He goes into the fact that many survivors experience arousal during the abuse, exacerbating the shame, and that some are permanently physically damaged. He tells her about the suicide attempts, the rage and the depression, self-medicated with alcohol. His testimony is brutal but if he’s going to be judged, he will first be heard.
Mark Bonnar is stunning here. It’s a matter-of-fact speech showing incredible restraint from a man who has spent a lifetime struggling with his violent temper. It’s not an easy watch, but why should it be?
The verdict
Cassie is shaken by Colin’s story and calls a meeting with Sunny. She tells him they have everything they need to put the case forward to the CPS – but that she wants no part of it. She’s going to turn a blind eye, just like Tessa all those years ago. Dragging model citizens like Sara, Marion and Colin through the courts serves neither the public, the dead nor the survivors.
“I think their whole lives have been one long indescribably brutal punishment.” Sunny can’t disagree. It is settled. No further action will be taken. Cassie knew she could rely on her sidekick.
Final thoughts
On one level, it was base revenge that killed David Walker – but it was never that simple. Walker was doomed the moment he fell into the clutches of a predator. His tailspin into manic behaviour, sundry addictions and becoming an abuser himself was set in motion during childhood. If Marion hadn’t driven that knife through his heart, any combination of drink, drugs and depression could have taken him at any point. He was a man who lived like he wanted to die. That Cassie could feel for him despite his horrific crimes let us know that we were not watching some exploitative one-dimensional revenge thriller.
“I wasn’t interested in apologies, I didn’t want contrition. What I wanted was to understand,” said Martin on confronting his wife’s lover and it could very easily have been said by Cassie. Because justice at its heart is about giving people what they deserve – victim, offender and society. To gauge what people deserve you need empathy; that ability to see things from someone else’s perspective, however flawed, is what Unforgotten excels at.
Notes and observations
Cath wants Jason to warm up her spag bol. Tragically, that’s not a euphemism but in a related development they will be having that date after all. Cath confesses her feelings for him just as Jason was preparing to step in front of a train. Southern Rail’s tardiness may just have saved his life.
Martin receives a letter his wife sent finishing with her lover, affirming her love for Martin. It’s a great vindication for him. Even Cassie admits she called this one wrong.
We got nothing solid on Ken the social worker’s involvement in the Brentford house parties but nothing exonerating him either.
Considering how bad things could have been, there remains hope for all our core four. Tessa is cleared, Sara has Hassan, Marion has finally opened up to Tony and there is still a chance that Colin and Simon’s adoption of Flora will go ahead.
The prospect of Sara hiding on board a yacht, blade between her teeth, to kill Len Paxton and throw him overboard then presumably swim ashore is certainly intriguing, but does stretch credibility somewhat.
“I’m gonna leave now before you try and snog me.” Cassie’s not going to let Sunny forget that is she?
How did the finale work for you? Are you satisfied with the endings? Would you be up for a third series? Please let me know below.
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