THE THIRD DAY
UK, 2020, 6x55 minutes, Colour.
Jude Law, Katherine Waterston, Naomie Harris, John Dagleish, Mark Lewis Jones, Paddy Considine, Emily Watson, Nico Parker, Charlotte Gairdner Mihell, Jessie Ross.
Directed by Mark Munden, Philippa Lowthorpe.
The Third Day is a British television miniseries. Critics and audiences have noted the links with such cult stories and islands as The Wicker Man, Midsommer, Lambs of God.
At the beginning, the series is intriguing but quickly becomes weird and its plot line with bizarre elements, some absurd. The plot demands great suspension of disbelief from the audience. And, one of the difficulties with the screenplay is the incessant off-putting coarse language, everybody having a four-letter vocabulary, sounding particularly bizarre coming from Emily Watson (and so frequently).
At the core of the story is an island off the British coast, established in the 19th century, a dynasty ruling the island, supervising its cult, the belief that if all is well on the island, there was a balance in the world – otherwise, Apocalypse.
Jude Law portrays Sam, seen grieving his dead son, rescuing a girl from hanging herself, taking her back to the island, which is linked to the mainland by a causeway and tidal water coming over it. Sam is drawn to the island, finds he can’t leave, eventually discovers that his grandfather, allegedly stationed there during the war, was a descendant of the founder which means that Sam and his children are the rulers.
Key people on the island are those who run the hotel, Mr and Mrs Martin, Paddy Considine and Emily Watson. They seem to be welcoming but also tell numerous lies, Mr Martin trying to be genial, Mrs Martin always insulting him and swearing at him. There are mysterious men, the mystery of what happened to the girl who was hanging herself. There is also an American research student, Jess, Katherine Waterston, who becomes involved with Sam, the sexual encounter and her becoming pregnant. Sam stays on the island, cutting off all contact.
These episodes take three days. Then, chronologically a year later, another three days. Helen, Sam’s wife (Naomie Harris) comes with her daughters searching for Sam. She encounters the Martins with the same behaviour, some of the mysterious man on the island, but also Jess who is about to give birth. Helen, a vet, is able to serve as a midwife. When the child is born, Jess has planned that her daughter will rule the island. Helen searches for Sam, eventually discovering him, seeing that their dead son was not dead – though he has not aged and seems robotic in his responses.
There is an uprising against Sam and Helen, Jess taking control. However, Helen’s two daughters are able to influence the situation, Sam deciding to stay with his son, Helen taking the daughters onto a boat, and her pulling the boat along the flooded causeway.
1. The series and its development, intriguing, weird, confusing, bizarre, absurd? And the impact of the incessant coarse language?
2. The production values, the locations of the island, the sea, the causeway, the houses on the island? The musical score?
3. The title, the biblical overtones, the two groups of three days?
4. Entering the series via Sam? The anniversary of his son’s death, his anxiety about the money and Epona, the boy, her hanging, his rescue, reviving her, driving her, the conversation, taking her back to the island?
5. The encounter with Mr and Mrs Martin, ordinary, the hotel, their pleasantness, her continual ridicule of her husband, the crass names? The welcome, their increasing number of lies? This story of the island, the cause? Caring for owner, the changes – and owner and Epona’s death and sacrifice?
6. The people on the island, Larry, the sinister behaviour, Jason, Epona? The range of elders?
7. The island and the cult, the story of the founder, Sam and his grandfather and the war story? The island providing the balance for the world? The range of rituals, the church, sacrifice, the range of Christian images, crucifixes, the imposing of the cult images on the Christian images? The picture of the Sacred Heart in the room?
8. Jess, American, her study background, the story of her husband prying on her, custody of the girls? Her presence at the festivals? Meeting Sam, drinking, the carousing, in the same room, the sexual encounter, her conceiving? The ups and downs of her relationship with Sam? In the water, his rescuing her?
9. The revelation about Sam, the plausibility? His discovering Nathan, the intricacies of the plot to kidnap him, to get Sam to the island? Nathan still alive, not changing age parents, the robotic response to his father?
10. The transition to the second three days? Helen, her daughters, driving to the island, the promise of the holiday, her real motivations, Jess’s daughter sending the email message? Meeting Mr and Mrs Martin, welcome, continued lies? Her photograph of Sam, nobody saying they recognised him? Jess, her pregnancy, giving birth, Helen and her assistance? The daughters, the car, Jess’s daughter and the conversation, taking the girl to a special place?
11. Helen and the revelation about Sam, meeting him, his explanations, taking her to see Nathan, her saying this was not Nathan?
12. Jess, the birth, her daughter, assuming the power, talking about her daughter ruling the island? The treatment of Helen’s daughters? The attempt to kill the little one, her escape?
13. Helen and the big house, the explanations about Sam’s ancestry, the cult?
14. Jess, her speech, the two sides, the population divided? The assembly, everybody together and applauding Jess?
15. Ultimate, Mr Martin trying to help, his gruesome death, Mrs Martin and her help, condemnation, her execution?
16. Those who helped Sam, Helen and Sam and the handcuffs? Going to the Chapel, Helen and her wanting the money, the deaths of the men, Sam giving her the money from the chapel?
17. Going to the room, the little girl under the bed, untying the parents? Sam and his decision to stay with Nathan? Helen and the girls going?
18. The drama of the escape, the burnt car, Helen and the girls, the boat, going out into the water, Helen and her pulling the boat along the causeway, freedom?
