SPOILER ALERT: This blog is for those watching series one of Partners in Crime. Don’t read on if you haven’t seen episode five.
For the episode four recap, click here.
We rejoin Tuppence as she stares down the barrel of the major’s pistol, but luckily that old phrase about your enemy’s enemy being your friend holds true and he doesn’t pull the trigger. He wants revenge on the mysterious N, but he trots off to the ball without telling our intrepid amateur spy who N actually is. What a spoilsport.
Tommy’s jealousy is once again piqued (it happens once an episode) by Mr Denim and he’s come to the conclusion that this spiv flirting with his wife is in fact the Russian. Of course, Tuppence thinks it’s Mrs Sprot, who seems similarly interested in Tommy.
And so to the veterans’ ball where, of course, it all kicks off when the major disappears upstairs with a concealed weapon and is found, moments later, dead, apparently from suicide. Denim and Mrs Sprot are both back at the guesthouse early and looking as shifty as anything, but Denim seems genuinely shocked at the news about the major and shoots Mrs Sprot a meaningful look. What are those two up to?
Carter and Albert arrive on the scene to provide a sensible perspective and a handy nudge to the plot by explaining that the Russian agent demands the release of certain prisoners or the thermonuclear device will be detonated, wiping out a fair bit of Norwich at the very least.
While Tommy is waylaid on a spurious bird-watching trip, Tuppence is caught by Mrs Sprot, rifling through her things. These two rarely sneak into a room without being discovered and their cover stories are generally awful, but they get away with it somehow.
Things take more of an Enid Blyton turn when the Beresfords venture into a very dark smugglers’ cave (it’s always smugglers), which eventually turns into a secret tunnel leading back to the guesthouse. Handy. Any show which features plucky amateurs in a spooky cave in full evening wear ducking every time a bat flies past is all right by me. This week is basically a cross between the Famous Five, Scooby Doo and Miss Marple. Hell of a genre sandwich.
Carter tells them the major’s backstory and they decide to have one final snoop around Denim’s room as Tommy can’t shake the feeling they’ve missed something. While Tuppence obfuscates wildly, Tommy finds Denim’s German passport and gun. At this, Denim makes off down the smugglers’ tunnel and a chase ensues. Hoorah!
Is anyone else getting a craving for lashings and lashings of ginger beer?
In the darkness of the tunnel, Tuppence becomes separated from her spouse and an unsavoury noise suggests Denim has done for him. She staggers out into daylight and runs across the beach in desperation, finding Tommy’s gentlemanly accessories scattered across the pebbles. Is this the end ... no, of course, it isn’t.
Next week is the last episode and, chemistry misfires aside, I want to see where they go with it next.
CASE NOTES
- Tommy gets off on the image of Tuppence dressed as a waitress. Does their attraction to one another centre entirely on roleplay where she is dressed as a menial worker?
- How come none of the other guesthouse residents asked “Mrs Blenkinsop” why she was serving drinks at the veterans’ ball? Is this a Clark Kent thing where she puts on an apron and disappears?
- The fact that T & T manage to remain alive week after week while pros like the major are assassinated is nothing short of miraculous. That ruse with Tuppence and the ribbon was the lamest.
- I may try and get a psychologist’s opinion on the Beresfords’ worrisome thrillseeking for next week’s blog. Any shrink would have a field day with these two.
