'The Pale Horse' Episode 2: Despite all the mystery and delusions, the show feels like a stretch
Spoiler alert for 'The Pale Horse' Episode 2
By the end of the first episode of 'The Pale Horse', fear and anxiety start catching up with Mark Easterbrook (Rufus Sewell). With more and more people from the list turning up dead, Mark begins to fear for his life. If the three witches of Much Deeping are behind the deaths of all those from the list, they will soon be coming for Mark too.
"Everyone on that list is dead, Mr Easterbrook... They're coming for us," Zachariah Osbourne (Bertie Carvel) shouts to him through the windows of his antique shop.
Episode 2 of 'The Pale Horse' revolves around Mark's growing fears about death. He spends every minute of his day worrying about what will happen if he is unable to uncover the mystery behind the list and the witches' relationship with it. But before he gets to that, Mark doesn't wish to acknowledge that the killings are a result of black magic. He keeps reminding himself that there is no such thing as magic, that he only believes in science.
However, with every moment, he suddenly has no explanation for the absurd things happening around him. He begins to grow angsty and restless until he thinks he has figured out how the entire model works.
In a conversation with his godson David Ardingly (Henry Lloyd-Hughes), the mystery of the mechanism is finally revealed. How does The Pale Horse work? How do the witches manage to kill everyone on the list without ever leaving their home in Much Deeping?
In between his growing paranoia, Mark's nightmares take a turn for the worse. He begins seeing things associated with the death of his wife Delphine Easterbrook (Georgina Campbell) — the accident in the bathtub that took away her life a year ago. Through the nightmares, Mark struggles to find clarity but it remains elusive. He pines to be by his first wife, but it looks like there is little he can do.
Episode 2 of 'The Pale Horse' could feel like a stretch. There are moments that make us angstier than Mark. For those who don't know the original classic written by Agatha Christie, the second episode of the series might feel convoluted, especially since the lines between Mark's reality and nightmares blur.
At the same time, the conclusion to the series might not be fully satisfying to many viewers. The show builds upon its mystery and delusions stacking up a high bar for what could come, but when it does, it is not as expected. Fans of Alfred Hitchcock might appreciate the cinematography at this point, specifically Sewell's portrayal of the desperate hero spiraling in a whirlpool of his nightmares.
All episodes of 'The Pale Horse' are currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.