Review for The Dark Angel - The Complete Series

You have to applaud Network's determination to see that no broadcast gem from yesteryear remains locked up in the vaults. Even 'missing presumed wiped' gems occasionally make a reappearance, and from time to time, they even issue incomplete sets of TV episodes knowing that for many this is substantially better than nothing.


This is one of the many reasons that I like to support Network in any way I can. They are my own most frequently ordered from distributor (though usually through Amazon) and even shows that I have no recall of can be enormous fun to watch.

'The Dark Angel' falls firmly into this category. Released in the late 1980's, I was already well outside the target demographic for this and was probably hard at work during its transmission in the after-school slot. However, that was my loss. This is far more than merely a nostalgia piece - it's a wonderful piece of programming that, due to its Victorian setting perhaps, would be thoroughly enjoyed by young audiences today. It manages to be slightly surreal, incredibly spooky, and incredibly engaging all at the same time with a top notch cast and first class direction (Peter Hammond who cut his teeth on Doctor Who).


Based on a popular gothic novel from the 19th Century (Uncle Silas by J. Sheridan Le Fanu) it tells the story of Maud Ruthyn's life - and the tragedy that befalls her once she comes into contact with her notorious Uncle Silas, a drug addled manipulator who appears to be evil incarnate, despite his outward charms.


Maud is an attractive and kind-hearted young lady who leads a fairly lonely life  with her aging father who seems incredibly over-protective. Eventually, heeding the call for companionship, he engages the services of a French governess, Madame de la Rougierre, who it turns out seems hell-bent on tormenting and bullying the poor Maud. Eventually, when Rougierre is caught going through her father's confidential papers, she is dismissed. Shortly afterwards, Maud's father dies and she is sent to live with her notorious Uncle Silas who has long been the black sheep of the family. Maud doesn't believe the stories and is initially charmed by his bohemian and poetic ways.




All is well at Uncle Silas's until Silas' son Dudley turns up. Unsophisticated, uncouth and cruel, when Maude refuses his advances (which are fuelled by his desire to get his hands on the family fortunes), he and father Silas plot to rid themselves of Maude and collect her considerable fortune. For Silas, this is a matter or urgency. He has mounting gambling debts and an opium habit to feed and his creditors are closing in on him.


The production is surprisingly lavish with some wonderful location pieces, and performances are suitably melodramatic - particularly from Peter O'Toole as Uncle Silas, though he does not appear until episode two.

Jane Lapotaire as Madame de la Rougierre, manages a gothically and nightmarishly grotesque portrayal as the evil and manipulative governess, visually enhanced by wide-angled lenses and copious amounts of white powder. Though opium is never explicitly mentioned in the series, the book is drenched with the stuff and it is clear that she and Silas share the vice.


Hammond does a brilliant job directing the drama, infusing it with an unforgettably nightmarish quality which, for children at the time, must have been absolutely terrifying (like 'The Singing Ringing Tree' for my generation!). He had previously worked on shows like 'Doctor Who' and 'Tales of the Unexpected' and you can see and feel that influence here.


Whilst the picture, shot on video, is a little soft for contemporary HD tastes, it is exquisitely lit and shot, with some truly breath-taking composition.



Overall, 'The Dark Angel' is a fine example of a period gothic melodrama with all the ingredients to make it suitably spooky for kids. Teenage girls will empathise with Maude's plight and boys will relish the horror. All in all another winner from Network.