Cabinet of Curiosities (1×08) The Murmuring Review

For our review of the last episode of Cabinet of Curiosities, click here.

Opting for something more experimental in the last instalment, this latest episode of Cabinet of Curiosities instead opts for a more straightforward haunted house tale. That being said, despite its simple nature, it wasn’t any less effective. In the end, it’s all about execution and for the most part, The Murmuring has that. Rooted in a story about grief, the episode does not skimp on emotion and ultimately thrives in its quiet, contemplative moments brought along by some solid classic haunted house horror. The real fear is addressing one’s grief and trauma before finally moving on. Perhaps not overly scary, the arc at the center of this tale was nonetheless a powerful one. A little on the predictable side, what ultimately sells the tale are the great performances from Essie Davis and Andrew Lincoln as a couple trying to move on following a tragic loss by burying themselves in their work. Ultimately, something had to give and they would need to confront their joint loss. And of course there will be a few jump scares along the way. 

The Murmuring a pair of ornithologists named Nancy (Davis) and Edgar Bradley (Lincoln) who head to Nova Scotia to study dunlin flight patterns coming of the heels of a recent tragedy. However, the couple encounter strange occurrences in the old house where they are staying. As far as the premise is concerned, nothing will really jump out as the story progressed but as the history of the house is revealed over the course of the episode, it gets interesting as it resonates particularly with Nancy. Sleep deprived and distracted, the Bradley’s work took a hit as did their marriage. Their ordeal as a result, forced them to truly address the issues that loomed over them for so long. After a fair share of tense moments, things got very emotional. However, the end result was never in question. In spite of that, the end was not any less powerful.

Carrying The Murmuring was the great performances from Davis and Lincoln as Nancy and Edgar Bradley. The premise may be simple on paper but they were compelling to watch together. The story relies on their relationship but their strong chemistry makes it work. While Lincoln was solid, he stood out of the way of Davis who does more of the heavy lifting here, something she is very familiar with, and is more than up to the challenge thanks to her range and depth. 

At the end of the day, The Murmuring may be the least flashy instalment and the most accessible but is easily one of the best.

*still courtesy of Netflix*

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.