The stakes are getting raised week by week in Atlantis. Lucy Watkins penned this week’s The Dying of the Light as our heroes deal with life on the run, the fallout from Jason (Jack Donnelley) killing Medusa, Pasiphae (Sarah Parish) on the throne of Atlantis and the promise of the Oracle. The promise was simple, if Jason ever found out he was the son of Pasiphae, he would turn to the dark side.
Jason has little to do in this episode, except to alienate all his friends, argue with Ariadne (Aiysha Hart) fight the emotionally distraught Hercules (Mark Addy) and have a sequence of dreams about Medea (Amy Manson). While this slowly tears the group apart, Pythagoras (Robert Emms) once more sets out for the city to seek help from the new Oracle.
While most characters are kept busy, it is Pythagoras who, once again, shines in this story. We have continuity with last week’s The Gorgon’s Gaze and both Daedalus (Robert Lindsay) and Icarus (Joseph Timms) are back. Here we are treated to more than just mechanical shuffling of pieces around the board that is Atlantis. Pythagoras learns another secret about Jason (that of his father) and sets off on a mission to the silver mines. Meanwhile, it is clear he and Icarus are close, though this doesn’t stop a bit more betrayal. All good stuff.
In the mines, Pythagoras pleas with Aeson (John Hannah) telling him only he can save Jason from himself. Is this all too late? Jason and his comrades are attacked, separated and Jason badly wounded. Only Medea can save him but at what cost? Jason is tempted by darkness, by Medea and by lust.
Of the recent episodes, this is the strongest, with a good balance of light and dark though still suffers from each part only being part of the setup to some impending finale. Some sequences are padding though, the show caters for an audience that desires character and action, and does satisfy both to some extent.
Destiny is circling both the city and Jason; we expect a happy ending, but this season has shown us not all is sweetness and light. The show may be cancelled but, while we have a few more episodes to go, we should enjoy it while we can.
