The Cry episode 4: Heartbreaking final twist ensures Jenna Coleman drama goes out with a bang
The twisted and manipulative Alistair twists the knife into his wife (Picture: BBC) ***WARNING: Con..
***WARNING: Contains spoilers***
Well…that was intense, wasnt it?
But finally, after four weeks of wondering – the truth is finally out. Joanna, devastated and dragged along into a scheme to cover up her sons death, is free from her twisted relationship with Alistair.
Compared to Bodyguard, which stood in the time slot before it, the slow-burn of The Cry has been often frustrating at times, but just like Joanna we felt trapped in this relationship as it pushed through.
In the final episode, Alistair continues his abusive, mental manipulation on his wife, holding their sons gravesite to ransom until she agrees to try for another baby. Guilt trips her into considering a move to Australia and brings his daughter over to Scotland when they do return.
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When asked why she allowed him to have such power, future Joanna simply says: Because I gave it to him.
Jumping back and forth between the broken, past Joanna, and the cold and steadfast future Joanna, baring all to a psychologist, its clear that something major happens.
As it turns out, thanks to a chance letter from a person on that fateful 30-hour flight, a major puzzle piece has slipped into place – she had absolutely nothing to do with Noahs death.
After months of convincing herself she was at fault for the death of her son, it comes to light it was Alistair who administered the wrong dose of medicine that killed their child. He just allowed her to take the fall for it and convinced her it was all her own doing, in a constant quest to maintain control of her.
The moment of realisation for her, and his final, cold admission to it all is a real Jesus take the wheel scene of television.
And, just like that, she sends him careering off a cliff by driving them both over a hill. Thankfully she survives, though is blamed for his death as hes thrown from the vehicle.
It was a long time coming really, brought to the edge of sanity, it was the women surrounding Alistair that kept her somewhat level.
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Alexandra knew from experience what Joanna was going through, even when Joanna didnt know it. Alistairs mother also knew what he was capable of, and so kept them under her roof to keep an eye on them. Even teenager Chloe, despite her misguided efforts to keep Noah alive and in their thoughts, gave Joanna the strength to stand up to Ali and refuse to have any more children.
The guided fate of Joanna means that by the time she gets to court, shes ready and willing to accept her fate. But with 10x the strength shes shown throughout the show.
More: Jenna Coleman
Jenna Coleman has been rightly praised for her role as Joanna in this show, but if it wasnt for Ewan Leslies ability to tip toe along this line of highly likeable grounding force and manipulative sociopath who you dont see coming, the show wouldve entirely lost its edge.
But instead we got something that we were gripped by, didnt see coming and ultimately ended with a satisfactory, whole result. Also appreciate that there are no loose ends to tie up and that this show can end as one, cohesive story rather than dangle the potential for series two under our nose.
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Just like the case of Noah, sometimes its just better to accept whats happened and move on.
The Cry is available in full on BBC iPlayer now.
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