Sandra Oh Joins Encore's Thorne: Scaredy Cat - Now On Demand → On Demand Weekly

Sandra Oh Joins Encore’s Thorne: Scaredy Cat - Now On DemandJune 15, 2012

Encore

On Demand Weekly provides new movie reviews of hot movies and shows on demand from the POV of watching from the comfort of your home. Today’s review: THORNE (Encore).

THORNE: SCAREDY CAT
It’s Raining Red Herrings

By Jean Tait

Are you a fan of “The Killing?” Do you like sullen atmospheres and troubled, in-need-of-therapy, but good-looking detectives? Then Tom Thorne is for you. Encore brings two (the equivalent of 6 British) episodes of the UK series to the US: “Thorne: Sleepyhead” and “Thorne: Scaredy Cat” based on the crime novels by Mark Billingham.

Brought to tortured life by David Morrissey (who also executive produces), Tom Thorne is the epitome of tortured cop. Looking like a cross between Liam Neeson and Stephen Moyer (True Blood), neither of whom are slouches in the booding department, Morrissey’s Thorne could partner right up with Sarah Linden (Mereille Enos), but of course, being the troubled soul who doesn’t always play by the book, he’s better off going it alone.

Going it alone, however, doesn’t mean going without a top-notch supporting cast which includes Aiden Gillen (Littlefinger on “Game of Thrones,” looking so different it took me quite a while to place the face) as Thorne’s medical examiner best buddy, Phil, and Eddie Marsan as his out-to-get him superior officer. The gorgeous Natasha McElhone is his love-interest in Sleepyhead, and Sandra Oh with an English accent is a coke-addicted fellow detective in Scaredycat.

Overwhelmingly sound designed, the effects and music are so ever-present that it can get confusing, especially with some of the thicker accents. The same is true of the special effects of present-day characters watching themselves in the past. The plot is convoluted enough and the red herrings abound as one after another character behaves suspiciously.

Scaredycat is less dependent on effects than the first part, Sleepyhead, so I hope if the series goes on, they continue to rely less on whiz-bang effects that get in the way of the story.

But the fine cast keeps the focus as the frustrations (and body count) rise. Especially excellent is Sara Lloyd-Gregory as one of the few victims who survives, sort of. Completely paralyzed except for slight eye movements, she is the only one who can identify the killer.

If you’ve got room for another police procedural,

this is one for you.

THORNE can be found on Encore On Demand

- Jean Tait

Jean
Jean Tait is a contributing writer to On Demand Weekly. Currently the Director of Programming for the Connecticut Film Festival, Jean has programmed for the Jacksonville Film Festival and Sundance Channel.