‘Black Narcissus’: Episode 1 sets plot for future horror, Mr Dean is answer to Sister Clodagh's uptight views
Spoilers for ‘Black Narcissus’ Episode 1
The FX limited series, ‘Black Narcissus’, based on Margaret Rumer Godden’s best-selling 1939 novel of the same name, is an ambitious undertaking. The 1947 film adaptation is considered a masterpiece as an erotic thriller. The show, thus, has a lot to live up to. And if just the first episode is to be judged, it does a more than decent job.
The story starts with a palace, secluded from civilization, nestled atop a mountain in the Himalayas. The palace is a seraglio as well as a harem. It’s a dark windy evening. And in between the debauchery, a woman — Princess Shrimati — is taken by madness. She reaches the peak of the palace where the bell is. And while we are not shown it, she jumps. From there it cuts to several years later; an order of nuns in Darjeeling, India, has been tasked with setting up a school in the same palace by a General (the brother of the Princess who killed herself).
Leading the mission is Sister Clodagh (Gemma Arterton), a woman of cloth who suffers from the sin of pride. Her coterie of nuns all have weaknesses — ones that the show might explore later. At the palace, they all meet the handsome and rugged Mr Dean (Alessandro Nivola). And here is where conflict arises between the two protagonists. Mr Dean is a staunch atheist. A humanist. He knows the local language. He understands the local customs. He is the antithesis of Sister Clodagh, who takes her vows seriously. She believes in order and the Christian way. She thinks Mr Dean’s godlessness is sacrilegious.
And through these two characters, the show attempts to have a conversation about the religious colonial gaze of missionaries. It is an important conversation that is charted subtly (and sometimes a little overtly). But while that conversation is good, the more important question for the show is: does the show feel compelling enough? Well, the pace is slow. While the scenery is gorgeous (the show was shot in Tibet), the setup takes its own sweet time. We see subtle hints of hauntings -- a candle blowing out, a dead cat, a momentary figure in a mirror. Basically, standard horror clichés. But where it does good it takes one particular nun from the group and charts the journey through her breakdown. And the unfortunate victim here is Sister Ruth (Aisling Franciosi).
Sister Ruth has constant headaches. She is unable to sleep. She gets constantly agitated. She finds herself transfixed by her own reflection in Princess Shrimati’s mirror. She even has a row with Sister Clodagh. And finally, she is the first one to see the specter of the dead princess. So, in the first chapter of the three-part story, we see a decent enough setup for the horrors to come. We also see some sexual tension building here and there. After all, it is supposed to have a lot of eroticisms. All in all, not a bad start.
‘Black Narcissus’ will premiere all three episodes on FX Monday, November 23, beginning at 8 pm ET/PT, with the full series also available the following day on FX on Hulu.