The Nevers (1×03) Ignition Review

For our review of the last episode of The Nevers, click here.

Synopsis: Penance creates an amplifier to spread Mary’s hope-inspiring song across the city – but first, Mary must find her elusive voice. As danger mounts against her group, Amalia propositions an unlikely ally and sets out to expand the Orphanage’s reach. Swann further entangles Augie and Mundi in his business affairs. (HBO)

In the end, it was all about Mary and her song when it came to True’s plans for the orphanage in an otherwise messy episode of The Nevers. Though it was all about expanding the orphanage’s reach, the episode did somewhat touch the season’s lingering mystery along the way while others were also interested in her and her ability. The series thus far is merely a bunch of pieces that haven’t quite come together just yet but the promise is certainly still there.

Ignition started with True and Adair interrupting Fireball Annie (Rochelle Neil) following her attack on the Beggar King’s, Declan Orrun (Nick Frost), shipment of opium while trying to recruit her to their cause (the Beggar King was not thrilled). However, their cute argument on procedure led to Annie escaping (meanwhile the two got a whiff of some of the opium). Meanwhile, the episode awkwardly hinted at some indiscretion between True and Dr. Cousins (who treated Maladie for a gunshot wound later in the episode).

Ultimately, it was all about getting Mary comfortable enough to sing her special song in the hopes of attracting more of the touched to the orphanage (perhaps repairing her relationship with Mundi was key to this). Adair even devised an amplifier to amplify her song. The pressure was off as far as True was concerned but there was definitely something holding she and Mary back (True opening up to Mary up to a certain point was interesting). Meanwhile, fake posters were put up all over London claiming to represent the orphanage but were really leading touched to some mysterious address. Upon visiting this address, one of the same men from the first episode showed up and a binder full of information on other touched was found. The interrogation of a woman found at that address led to someone who worked for a man in a fur coat after murdering her touched daughter.

Swann also dug deep into Augustus Bidlow and Mundi for his affairs (the latter had multiple indiscretions of his own while he was with Mary). There was also something going on with Lord Massen who may or may not be working with Lavinia Bidlow and Dr. Hague. Meanwhile, on her way to attend a test of Adair’s amplifier in the park, True’s carriage was attacked and she got sent into the water at the hands of one of the Beggar King’s enhanced minions. Despite the clear size mismatch, she used all her cunning to get the upper hand and eliminated him in what was a tense confrontation.

In the park, the test seemingly went well as Mary sang her beautiful song until it was cut short by Maladie’s machine gun minion who opened fire and appeared to kill her. Nonetheless, her song still found a way to reach plenty of touched as Annie and many other showed up to the orphanage.

While there are several forces at play, they are basically for or against the touched, however they go about either remains to be seen but hopefully it starts to come together. With the season being split, this hints to two different major storylines so it will be interesting to see where it all leads. Maybe this half is merely a prologue for what the series truly is come the second half.

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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.