A Creepy, Campy "Jekyll"

Steven Moffat is known for a modern day version of Sherlock Holmes and contributing to the resurrection of "Doctor Who." He also put his mark on another classic character in 2007, in "Jekyll," which is a modern day version of Robert Louis Stevenson's "Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde." The original Dr. Jekyll existed in this universe, but any connections to our protagonist, Dr. Tom Jackman (James Nesbitt), are initially a mystery. We first find Jackman hiring on Katherine Reimer (Michelle Ryan), to be a personal assistant and go-between for the anxious Jackman and his alter-ego, who eventually picks the name Hyde. The two share the same body, Hyde surfacing for previously agreed-upon intervals when Jackman falls asleep, though "unscheduled changes" happen with some frequency. Hyde is violent, lustful, in possession of superior strength and a mean sense of humor, and has little self-control. He resents the fact that "Daddy" keeps him on a short leash, and is continually testing boundaries. Jackman, meanwhile, does everything possible to maintain control, and keep Hyde from discovering that Jackman is married to Claire (Gina Bellman), and has two young sons.

"Jekyll" is a genre romp, easily filling up its six hour-long installments with all manner of conspiracy theories, plot twists, family secrets, and some murder and mayhem too. For the first few hours, Hyde is the main antagonist, but soon the operatives of a biotech firm called Klein and Utterson, who want to exploit Jackman's transformations, reveal themselves to be an equally formidable threat. The writing is very entertaining and the individual episodes are beautifully structured, but there are plot holes and convenient explanations everywhere, and the pacing toward the end gets a little too frantic. Also, though the first few episodes feel like your usual crime thriller with some paranormal touches, by the end we're definitely in anything-goes "Doctor Who" territory, which may not be to the taste of some viewers. Personally, I liked the increasing levels of camp and conspiracy, especially the little humorous touches and the wonderfully old-school ending. Though the production has all the modern bells and whistles, Moffat indulges plenty of the old genre conventions, and never takes himself too seriously. As a sign of the times, he includes a pair of private detectives who are also a lesbian couple, Miranda (Meera Syal) and Min (Fenella Woolgar), who provide occasional exposition and comic relief.

Performances are strong all around, but it's James Nesbitt who does the most to make "Jekyll" such a great watch. His double performance as Jackman and Hyde is full of surprises. Hyde is over-the-top monstrous, and legitimately scary at times because he's so unpredictable and we know he's capable of so much depravity. On the other hand, he's a great big kid whose enjoyment of all the nastiness he purveys can be infectious. Meanwhile Jackman is more complicated and compelling, not the nicest or most reasonable man, but his actions become understandable in light of how much he has to lose and the lengths required to keep Hyde in check. Over six episodes, we get to see their relationships with each other and those around them develop, sometimes in unexpected ways. And they complement each other wonderfully. Jackman keeps everything mostly grounded in reality, while Hyde's appearances help to keep the story from becoming too glum and serious, though his antics can border on silly. At one point he finds his way into a lion exhibit at the zoo, and has himself a good primordial scream to signal his arrival.

A few minor odds and ends did detract from the series a little for me. Paterson Joseph plays an American operative of Klein and Utterson's, who is such an extreme caricature that he strains credibility. The directors occasionally try some of these stylized, blurry, handheld shots that don't work at all, though the rest of the cinematography is pretty solid. Also, Michelle Ryan is the female lead in the first few episodes, and then we switch to Gina Bellman as the lead for the remainder. Both actresses are very good, but I found Ryan's character was seriously shortchanged. It felt like they ran out of space for her subplot, which is understandable considering the time constraints, but leaves her an awkwardly extraneous presence in the last few episodes.

All in all, the series is a lot of fun, a quick watch, and makes great use of its premise. If you're looking for something more sedate and Victorian, "Jekyll" is probably not for you. If you're in the mood for something pulpy with a lot of black humor, give it a shot. I don't think it's among the best things Stephen Moffat has ever produced, but it succeeds in doing what it set out to do, which was to reinvent and pay homage to an old classic that turns out to have a lot of life left in it.
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