Review of the BBC's The Ink Black Heart, Episode 2: The One with all the Creeps

Episode 2 opens with Robin as Jessica, on her tour of Highgate Cemetery.  She gets much more direct evidence that Anomie is the killer than in the book when she calls Murphy to find out where Josh and Edie were found, and discovers it is exactly the same spot in the game where Anomie took her for his "confession." This call also sets the scene for Murphy's initial attempt to ask her out, and her botched response to it. That bit of awkwardness is very true to the way it unfolds in the book. 

After my visit to Highgate in summer 2023, the tour scenes were among my favorite in the series so far. We don't have the obnoxious selfie-snapping fans of the book, but a fellow tourist  does tell Robin she quit Drek's Game because the creator was a "total control freak." Creepy Pez Pierce shows up, suggests drawing Robin nude in the cemetery (of course) then takes a major deviation from the book by first referring to Anomie as "she," then telling Robin that he suspects Kea Niven; the book Pez suspects Wally. He also gives more credence to Kea's plagiarism claims, telling Robin that Kea and Edie were "working on the exact same idea" for a cartoon, but only Edie's was successful. Kea as a would-be animator also apparently writing about a disembodied heart is a far cry from the delusional spoonie who thought she could patent the ideas that ghosts are pale and magpies can talk, and that Edie somehow magically divined and copied the shadow of a picture she had never seen. While this serves to make Kea a more credible suspect, I prefer the more misguided book version of the character, where there was no hint that Edie was any sort of plagiarist. 

Robin agrees to a drink with Creepy Pez after her class, but then returns to Denmark Street, where Strike is laid up in his flat with his leg hurting after the pub debacle. Pat has brought him fruitcake, and offers to get him groceries, but, according to Robin, is concerned Strike is concussed because of his sudden request for salad. This leads to one of the funniest lines in the show that is not in the book:

"Just tell her I'm a vegan and see if she calls an ambulance."

Strike has discovered the Twitter connection between Algiz and Thurisaz and assures Robin he is not out of commission and up for visiting Josh Blay. This is a re-ordering of the book sequence, where the hospital visit comes after the interview at the Upcott home and Strike's visit to Kea. Josh shares his communications from Anomie, and his theory that Anomie is Philip Ormand; Bram, Josh's major (or should we say, minor?) suspect in the book is not in the show. Happily, they kept the scene of Strike wiping Josh's nose, and the pep talk Strike gives him. The regular reaction shots of Robin show that she is both surprised and impressed. 

There is a brief cut to Barclay, looking very studley in black leather on a motorbike, photographing Ormand visiting and picking up something from Yasmin; Sam communicates this to Robin and Strike, then tails Ormand on his bike. 

Our heroes then nip off to the Upcott home, where they are briefly greeted by Creepy Gus. Creepy Inigo is every bit as charming as his book counterpart, and spends much of his screen time screaming like the portrait of Mrs. Black in Grimmauld Place. Katya goes out of her way to mention a lot of the important clues, including Gus's girlfriend Darcy that he "never brings around," the soundproofed second floor and, interestingly, the second home. 

Easter Egg for book readers: Katya is wearing a hand-knit-looking mustard yellow sweater, just as described in the book. There are also lots of very amateur-looking paintings on the wall, and a hefty-looking head statue on the desk near the window. 

Flavia appears a bit more mature than in the book, and, though she mentions not being allowed a dog of her own, she makes no mention of Gus's cynophobia. She is openly resentful that Katya seems to care for Josh more than her, and she and her mother are shouting at each other as the detectives drive off. 

Interestingly, Midge and Barclay appear to be taking turns playing Buffypaws, along with Strike and Robin. This makes sense as far as coverage goes, but would seem to increase the chances of someone tripping themselves up and revealing themselves as imposters. 

Back at the office. Strike and Robin make plans for him to interview Ormand and her to return to North Grove, and reflect, for the second time that day, on how short-handed they are. Robin gets a call that her flat purchase has gone through, then Pat calls to report the "Gateshead" that is Charlotte's arrival. Pat does not recognize the socialite, or know about her and Strike's long-term affair, which gives Charlotte a chance to explain who she is to audience members who have not read the book. Interestingly, the length of the affair is reduced from 16 years to 9. This implies that the TV Strike and Robin are closer in age than in the book, which makes sense given that Tom Burke and Holiday Grainger are only 6-7 years apart, with Grainger (36) noticeably older than Robin is supposed to be. Assuming Strike is supposed to be, like Burke, in his early 40's, this suggests that he and Charlotte did not meet at university, but sometime later. The height difference between Tom Burke and the book Srike is also apparent as, in her heels. Charlotte looks taller than her ex. 

Another funny bit:

Charlotte: That's actually what I need, a private detective.

Strike: Missing some Dalmatians? 

Interestingly, there is a mention of Strike calling Symonds House to stop Charlotte's suicide attempt, something that was left out of the Troubled Blood production. The scene plays out much as in the book, with Charlotte asking for help, Strike refusing, then Charlotte stirring up trouble both by telling Robin about Madeline and additionally by mentioning the threat to the business in front of Robin, Pat and Midge on her way out the door. There is a major shift from the book here, with Robin, though taken aback by the news Strike is dating, much more concerned about the publicity threatening the agency, which is understandable, given she has just committed to home ownership. She is the one who demands Strike tell her the full story, and then insists on putting Ross under surveillance. Far from being dumbstruck by the undeniable reality of her love for Strike, actually gives him quite the telling- off: 

"Obviously, you are not thinking clearly! Look, I don't care what you do with your private life. You can shag every Madeline and Charlotte in London for all I care, but you do not screw this up!"

Somewhat meekly for him, Strike agrees. 

As if the day hasn't been busy enough, Robin now heads back to North Grove as Jessica, for another round of naked-Pez sketching and sleuthing. On the pretense of going to the loo, Robin begins snooping around the house and is approached first by Creepy Wally Cardew, who initially demands to know who she is, but relaxes and walks away when she says she's a student. No sooner has he disappeared upstairs than Nils, who, in the absence of Bram, has been crowned Head Creep of North Grove (quite an accomplishment considering both Pez and Wally live there) emerges from his studio.  He first asks if Robin has seen the cat, then worries that someone has killed it. He insists she come into his studio so he can show off his morbid artwork, from the sculpture with his father's ashes to the spider-picture of Edie Ledwell, then rants about Edie being materialistic, and triumphing in death because her killer acknowledged her power. When the bath-robed Pez interrupts this cheery banter, Robin is able to rule both Creeps out by quickly checking the game and seeing that Anomie is active while they are conferring together. 

Strike, in the meantime, interviews Ormand, educating the apparently rather stupid ex-cop about the fact that cell phones can be tracked if a thief turns them on. Ormand, who is as creepy as he is stupid, leaves the pub still being tailed by Biker Barclay. 

Despite having ruled him out as a suspect, "Jessica" goes for a drink with Creepy Pez, and thankfully exchanges only one brief kiss with him. rather than the extensive tongue-probing of the book. Pez's tattoo is "All You Need is Love" rather than "Strawberry Fields Forever;" he briefly locks lips with Robin while she is reading it. She proves this isn't a wasted interview by getting some information about Ormand demanding Edie and Pez's cartoon sketches. The "Easy, Tiger, people are staring" audio clip she sends Strike to share this clue clearly disturbs him. 

On a dark and winding highway, Barclay and Creepy Philip Ormand are playing cat-and-mouse with each other, each apparently aware the other is trying to follow. Despite this, Ormand stops at a river to dispose of Edie's phone; Barclay fishes it out as soon as Ormand drives away. Unfortunately, Ormand seems to have anticipated this action, and has been lurking down a side street, waiting for for the cycle that has been following him. We understand a bit more about why Ormand got kicked out of the Met, as he not only chucks the evidence while he suspects he's being tailed, but does the one thing virtually guaranteed to draw police attention to Barclay and what he was carrying: he runs the motorcycle off the road. Barclay crashes, and we have our cliffhanger ending. While it was clearly nice to see our favorite Scottish nutter get a moment to shine, this segment seems highly illogical, and doesn't seem to serve much purpose except to up the excitement level surrounding Ormand's arrest. I guess filming the cops reviewing CCTV footage from a shopping mall makes for dull TV, but it makes Philip Ormand, albeit creepy, look a bit too foolish to be either Anomie or Edie's killer. One might easily assume, at this point, that Yasmin Weatherhead is the brain power in their partnership. 

I'll be back next week with Part Three.