Misfits series 2 episode 1 spoiler-free review

This is a spoiler-free episode review, but reveals details from series one, if you haven’t seen that yet. You can catch up online with 4oD here.

This opener follows the revelation in last series’ finale of Nathan finding out he’s immortal, just after being buried. Lucky for him, the ‘Super Hoodie’ glimpsed in the last series (hobbies: free running and stalking) alerts Kelly to Nathan’s life status. Using her telepathic power, a new meaning is given to ‘stiff one in the coffin’ when she hears his thoughts being broadcast from six feet underground.

Back at the community centre, there’s new probation worker Shaun to oversee our group of delinquents. Whatever agency’s sending them out clearly hasn’t learned from losing two of their employees in suspicious circumstances. And Simon is eager to keep his past a secret when he’s reunited with Lucy, who has a secret of her own too.

Misfits’ second series starts off equally as confident as its first. The direction and camera work employed by Tom Green make this perhaps the most visually striking show currently on TV. It’s a wonder that he hasn’t been called upon for a summer blockbuster yet, as his work here is at times terrifyingly creative. Lucy’s effects sequences rival Chris Cunningham’s Aphex Twin videos for absolute mindfuckingness.

The young cast prove themselves once again. Robert Sheehan is a delight as Nathan who has an extra degree of cockiness in his swagger now that death holds no sway over him. The scene with him and Lauren Socha’s Kelly shows a different side to our favourite delinquents and pushes their blossoming relationship forward convincingly and subtly. A far cry from the dull thud that occurred whenever Kaya Scodelario and Luke Pasqualino shared a screen in the last two series of Skins.

Craig Parkinson as new probation worker, Shaun, is great fun to watch with his weary demeanour being a highlight. And Evelyn Hoskins looks like she’s stepped straight out of Sadako’s nightmares as Lucy, the one person who manages to outcreep Iwan Rheon as Simon.

The fast pace of this episode manages to cram in characterisation, plotting and plenty of laughs. There’s a moment that Pegg and Frost fans will recognise when a certain iced treat is brought up in a morbid context. And even with so much going on, this episode hints at more to come with the Super Hoodie. Is he friend or foe?

For a first episode, this is cracking stuff. With excellent visuals and a punchy script, Misfits is back on fine form, managing to avoid becoming the sprawling unfocused mess that Heroes turned into and being the genuinely witty and smart show that Skins wished it was.

This is the perfect jumping on point for new viewers and remains a fresh new take on the increasingly bloated arena of genre TV.

The second series of Misfits premieres on E4, Thursday, November 11th at 10:00pm.

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