TV Review: Requiem – Episode 3: The Necklace

Requiem – Episode 3: The Necklace

Starring: Lydia Wilson, Joel Fry, Joana Scanlan, James Frecheville, Claire Rushbrook, Clare Calbraith
Director: Mahalia Belo
Writers: Kris Mrksa

Reviewed by Sidney Morgan

This review CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS.

Matilda is now confident she has enough evidence to prove there’s a link between herself and Carys Howell. She possesses the two halves of the necklace, one given to her by her mother Janice and the other by a man she assumes to be Sean Howell, Carys’ father, who disappeared shortly after the young girl’s disappearance. But police constable Graves doesn’t buy it and is more concerned about Matilda’s harassment of the Morgans, especially David. Her skepticism is shared by retired detective Kendrick who claims that while investigating Carys’ disappearance, nobody ever brought up the necklace. So as far as they’re concerned, it’s a dead end. But not for Matilda, who is more resolved than ever to get to the bottom of this.

Secrets continue to dominate the show. Ed knows more about Ewan’s death than he’s told the police, who suspect something is off. Meredith knows more than she lets on and wants to speak alone with Matilda. Kendrick holds back information about Sean Howell in front of the police and acted suspiciously when he met with Aron. Trudy’s father has asked her to keep things from her mother. And somehow, Aron is actively involved in many of these, manipulating events for some yet to be revealed end game. But the problem with secrets is that they eventually come out.

We are finally shown part of what happened on the day Carlys disappeared. Trudy was there, supposed to be watching, while her mother was on the phone. Needless to say, the guilt both felt as a result was suffocating. And it’s been a heavy burden that Trudy has carried around, like Jacob Marley’s chains. Her scene with Matilda is an emotional one, as she’s finally able to deal with the issue after all those years. Her performance outshines that of Wilson’s in this episode.

Another outstanding performance is that of Claire Rushbrook. When she confronts Matilda, she explains what it’s like to have strangers come up and tell her they know where her daughter is. But the hope, the joy, the elation she feels is cruelly shattered because they were false leads or straight out lies. And it’s unbearable. She’s an incredibly strong woman who’s just had enough. It doesn’t help that she’s also with a manipulative and abusive husband who takes advantage of her frail state of mind. Rushbrook’s delivery made me wonder if she hadn’t lived those moments herself.

Meanwhile, the residents of Penllynith are faced with Matilda’s blunt and aggressive approach to discovering the truth. And though it’s easy to sympathize with them as opening old wounds isn’t fun, it’s also understandable that Matilda would want to know who she is. What’s odd though is how many times she’s told to leave it alone and to leave town. If Ewan’s sister Meredith (Jane Thorne) is to be believed, Matilda’s safety is clearly at stake, and it’s only a matter of time before the reasons for all these warnings are revealed.

Requiem continues to tease us with its numerous supernatural elements. According to Sylvia, the symbol Matilda saw in the bathroom has a devil worshipping backstory, which can’t be a coincidence, can it? While playing her cello and losing herself in the music, Matilda hears a menacing moan. Royce can’t make any sense of what is happening to his sheep. And Hal, who’s been exiled to the local tavern and inn, can’t get a tune out of his head. After transcribing it and doing a little research, he finds out that it was composed for ceremonial use in devil-worshipping rituals. The sense of danger and evil is getting stronger. Is it a coincidence that the show is called Requiem, a word that can refer to a mass for the dead? Is this foreshadowing someone’s death?

Verdict: Continue to Watch!

The strong performances alone make this a must watch show. The mystery of the abduction makes it addictive. What did happen all those years ago and why are so many people keeping secrets? And the supernatural elements are a bonus, just to keep viewers on edge. The introduction of devil worshippers can’t be a coincidence and raises some questions, especially about the presence in the house. Matilda has so many questions, but should she continue searching for the answers? Halfway through the series and only hints of what happened in the past. But it’s great! Keep watching!