I don’t know where Negatus got those sweet sailboat pyjamas in this week’s episode of Yonderland, but boy do I wish I did: as he and his team face a vicious downsizing, at least he’s doing it in style.
This week, Nick the Stick celebrates his 400th birthday by getting thoroughly plastered with Elf and going on one of those soul-searching roadtrips that only seem to happen when you’re wasted and suddenly introspective.
Meanwhile, Ellis of Woolworth seeks to avenge his brother, Sir Philip – whom viewers may remember from Season 1, wherein he met a grisly fate. It is his aim to exact his revenge on Debbie for his brother, but his non-violent nature wins out in the end, and it’s the famous Woolworth chat-up lines that ultimately save the day. Heartwarming.
It’s lovely seeing poor Pete really beginning to suffer a measure of justifiably paranoia in this episode – well, not lovely for Pete, admittedly, so let’s just say it’s terrifically entertaining. Between Debbie’s eratic evasions of anything that might give away that she goes on adventures in another world, the problem with the light in the cupboard, and now a little fellow running around the house and fixing the kids’ toys, it’s no wonder Debbie’s long-suffering husband is beginning to believe in ghosts.
An important aspect of Debbie’s past comes to light in passing and with little attention drawn to it: she’s adopted. Now that these little details are being teased out, I suspect that by the end of this series, we’ll understand much more fully how Debbie came to be the chosen one, and what Mackenzie Crook was on about when he sent his messenger – seriously, that puppet is the sunshine of my life. Utter Thunderbirdy genius.
And is it wrong of me to say that I’m going to miss Anous? And how come it’s taken me until Episode 3 to realise how hilarious his name is? It creates such wonderful layers when your series’ antagonist has an antagonist who’s somehow even more horrible and annoying than the antagonist was in the first place, and his creepy, sadistic little face makes me so happy.
Negatus and his crew of demons are such underdog villains that you half find yourself rooting for them in spite of yourself. Sure, little Jeff is doing diabolical work, but oh blessums, he’s so very stupid; Anous, in contrast, approaches his work with sociopathic calm, which allows us to root for the bad guys while watching the even badder bad guy on the floor with an axe through him.
Heartwarming times, indeed.
Aired at 8pm on Monday 20 July 2015 on Sky1.
> Buy Season 1 on DVD on Amazon.
What did you think of this week’s episode? Let us know below…