Movies

Nightsleeper’s ending twist points to where the show went wrong

BBG News

As a seasoned viewer of thrillers and mysteries, I must say that the finale of Nightsleeper left me with a sense of underwhelm rather than the exhilaration I was hoping for.

Nightsleeper finale spoilers follow.

The Nightsleeper finale was anything but the thrilling end to what seemed like a promising season.

Initially, when Joe Cole’s action-packed thriller began its journey, we expected the palpable suspense and enigma to propel the series forward swiftly.

Just as the Heart of Britain transported the hijacked passengers from Glasgow to London Victoria, there were certainly several rough patches or difficulties encountered along the way.

Although it had some flaws such as stiff dialogue moments, excessive technical terms, and less-than-convincing chemistry between Joe (Cole’s character) and the acting technical director of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, Abby (played by Alexandra Roach), there was still enough suspense and curiosity to keep us engaged.

So what went wrong? You only have to look at the show’s big finale twist to work that out.

Following numerous close encounters with death, two confirmed instances of death, an unsuccessful attempt at hacking, and with no bus replacement service in sight to ease tension, we ultimately discovered the identity of the Mysterious Driver.

*SPOILERS FOLLOW*

Throughout this challenging situation, Abby had Paul “Pev” Peveril (David Threlfall) by her side, shoulder to shoulder. This ordeal not only jeopardized her career but also led to her being considered a suspect. In the end, however, it was Paul who turned out to be the actual culprit.

This undoubtedly struck Abby very hard. He wasn’t just a source of guidance and encouragement through all the uncertainty; he was also her mentor and, in a way, a paternal figure.

After being let go from the National Cyber Security Centre, Pev shifted his focus to hacking, not out of vengeance but driven by a sense of altruism (albeit misguided). During his tenure at the NCSC, he had compiled an extensive report highlighting the potential cyber vulnerabilities within the UK’s railway system.

After his cautions were ignored, leading to him losing his position, Pev disclosed the findings from his report; however, his research findings continued to be disregarded.

His cyberattack served as a powerful warning: an aggressive action intended to bring about significant reforms in the existing methods.

The passengers and Abby found themselves unwillingly entangled in a regrettable situation (since Abby was supposed to be in Morocco instead).

The unexpected turn of events didn’t create much of an impression since it lacked the necessary suspense or tension.

In a few recent episodes, Nightsleeper seemed to lose momentum due to an excessive number of plot twists, with each one appearing less captivating as the narrative unfolded. The series overemphasized the ‘whodunnit’ angle to such an extent that by the climax, the unmasking of the true culprit felt anticlimactic and lacked suspense.

Instead of racing towards Victoria station at the pace of light, a spectacle usually sending shivers down one’s spine, we found ourselves pleasantly reclined, surprisingly unfazed. After all, we had already experienced numerous heart-stopping instances leading up to this point.

To be clear, it was abundantly apparent that neither Joe, Abby, or any of the other travelers were facing a gruesome demise, at least not anytime soon.

The gruesome image of innocent people being consumed by fire didn’t fit the intended tone of the show, and as a result, it lacked the impact necessary to make a strong ending.

Although Nightsleeper had a less-than-satisfying conclusion, it must be acknowledged that it avoided being an outright disaster. The film managed to preserve a feeling of urgency and momentum despite its imperfections, but perhaps it tried too hard to establish itself as a captivating mystery thriller.

All episodes of Nightsleeper are available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.

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2024-09-17 19:19

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