Recap: Carnival Row Season 1 Ep. 6 “Unaccompanied Fae” – Some Secrets Should Remain Secret
Series Launched Aug. 30, 2019. All Episodes Available on Amazon Prime Video.
Reviewer Rating:
If you haven’t watched Episode 6 “Unaccompanied Fae”
***** WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD *****
After the shocking end to Carnival Row episode 5, “Grieve No More,” Philo (Orlando Bloom) is once again called to investigate another horrendous murder. In episode 6, “Unaccompanied Fae,” there are more questions than answers to the identity of the person or thing behind the vicious crimes happening in The Burgue and on Carnival Row. And it seems Sophie Longerbane (Caroline Ford) is more cunning than originally perceived.
While I felt that episode 5 “Grieve No More” was a bit of a filler episode, exploring a few too many plot points, the same can be said about episode 6 “Unaccompanied Fae,” with some exceptions. The story arcs don’t seem so disjointed and thrown in for good measure. Each character’s story has a connection to someone else which makes for an interesting hour of viewing.
As “Unaccompanied Fae” begins, Philo is called to the crime scene at Dr. Morange’s (Gregory Gudgeon) home. His lifeless body, a bloodied and mangled mess, lay strewn across his desk, and his liver is missing. If you recall, the Haruspex (Alice Krige) told Philo, “Repository of secrets. The liver hold multitudes for those who know how to see.” Someone with the power to “read” organs is trying to find answers but the question is still unknown. And no, I don’t think the Haruspex is a suspect.
The fact that Philo knows the late Headmaster Finch (John Malafronte) knew Aisling (Erika Stárková) and now Dr. Morange, Finch’s lover, has been killed doesn’t seem to be a coincidence. If you piece it together, Finch, Aisling, and Morange all knew each other and the two men kept Aisling’s secret. And with Philo’s revelation, that Aisling is his mother, the mystery is even more complex. But why is someone killing everyone who knew Aisling’s secret?
Enter Runyan Millworthy (Simon McBurney). He and Aisling were very close at one time. He tells Philo about a time when Aisling cancelled all her appearances and vanished for months…long enough to have a baby. Does Millworthy know who the child’s father is? We know it’s not Millworthy as his affections for Aisling were not reciprocated. And Millworthy doesn’t strike me as the kind of man who would force himself upon a woman, especially one he admired and adored as much as Aisling.
He does help Philo by giving him valuable information. Aisling was staying with a “benefactor” in The Crossing. It seems the Spurnrose family gave shelter to a pregnant Fae.
Philo visits the Spurnrose home and speaks to Afissa (Tracey Wilkinson), the Puck housekeeper who remembers Aisling. The story she tells Philo about Aisling’s baby is quite sad, and yet oddly informative, especially about half-bloods.
“Poor wee thing, had these sad little wings. By the looks of them, I doubt he would’ve been able to take to the air, if he survived that is. A lot of the time, half-bloods don’t, not for long anyway. I’ve always wondered what became of him.”
Major Plot Points in “Unaccompanied Fae” To Keep An Eye On:
Sophie’s No Delicate Flower
She may look the part of the grieving daughter, but Sophie Longerbane is no delicate flower. She’s cunning, manipulative, and is hiding something. Her words about despising “critch” in The Burgue is in contradiction to her friendliness with her handmaiden Jenila (actress name). Jonah (Arty Froushan) witnesses Sophie’s duplicity first hand but seems taken by her regardless of her unscrupulous ways.
A Bloody Parade of Pucks
The last time we saw Quill (Scott Reid), he was pledging devotion to the halfway house that gave him food, shelter, and interesting reading material. And today, we see Quill, along with a long line of shirtless Pucks parading down Carnival Row shouting and beating themselves with whips, chanting “Oh Hidden One, show us your face.”
Something is definitely wrong with this bunch and it seems as though Quill has been brainwashed against all humans with creature propaganda. This isn’t going to end well.
Closer Than You Think
It seems Piety (Indira Varma) is closer to the Haruspex than I originally thought. At first, I thought the Haruspex was just her family’s spiritual advisor of sorts, but through their conversation in “Unaccompanied Fae,” Piety definitely adores Haruspex more than some counselor. Her adoration has been ongoing since childhood and perhaps Piety learned more than just about the Breakspear Prophecy.
An Auction to Remember
Imogen Spurnrose (Tamzin Merchant) must uphold her end of the bargain with her wealthy Puck neighbor Agreus (David Gyasi) and makes an appearance with him at a society auction event. Although she is dressed in the finest linens courtesy of Agreus.
Imogen’s new red velvet dress is certainly eye-catching as I am sure that’s what Agreus wants. He wants her to be seen and to be seen out with him. But is there more to this financial arrangement? The conversation over champagne and artwork leads me to think Agreus is reevaluating his original opinion of Imogen and vice versa. I do believe Imogen may be taken by Agreus despite him being a Faun.
Tirnanoc Treasures
Vingette (Cara Delevingne) has been staying with her friend Tourmaline (Karla Crome). As we learned in episode 3 “Kingdoms of the Moon,” the two had been in a relationship previously and now, living in such tight quarters, has brought them closer. But it’s obvious Vignette still yearns for Philo, in spite of her best “fuck off” attitude.
Vignette sees a poster for the local museum’s latest display – “Treasures of Tirnanoc,” her homeland in Anoun. As she walks through the closed off section of the museum, she opens two grand doors that contain her beloved library, the one she showed Philo during the wars. Inside the room, somehow the entire expansive library, pillars and all, were brought back to The Burgue and reconstructed, down to the very last book, including the ancient tome she shared with Philo about the sailor and the Fae who fell in love.
Beside herself with anguish and grief that her homeland’s sacred library and contents have been put on display for humans, Vignette lashes out at the museum’s patrons who have come to see.
Philo’s Secret
Philo has gone to great lengths to keep his secret – that he is half-Fae – hidden from his fellow Constabulary co-workers. He’s weary after all the investigations and discovering so much about himself in the last few weeks. His decision to confide in his new girlfriend Portia (Maeve Dermody) about his origins is quite foolish. Her devastating rejection, to the point of repulsion, puts a bit a fear into Philo.
Did he really think she would accept that the man she’s been having relations with was actually half-Fae? He’s considered a “critch” by human standards, despite being half-human. And if he thinks she was going to keep his secret, he’s an even bigger fool than I thought.
And with Philo’s secret out, his old friend (and werewolf) Darius (Ariyon Bakare) will no longer enjoy his lovely prison cell. The only thing that kept him safe was Philo’s reputation of being a good soldier and trustworthy man. When the powers that be find out Philo is half-Fae, Darius’ fate is unknown.
Sergeant Dombey
After Constable Berwick (Waj Ali) tells both Sergeant Dombey (Jamie Harris) and Magistrate Flute (Mark Lewis Jones) that Philo had been at the Tatterby Hotel meeting with Morange the night he was murdered, they suspect Philo of being the murderer.
Dombey has had it out for Philo for a very long time. It isn’t clear exactly what set them apart, but it clearly has to do with Philo’s compassion toward creatures and Dombey’s obvious aversion to them all.
Dombey visits Portia and asks why Philo is no longer staying at her boarding house. She tells him everything. Bitch. Yeah, I said it. I know she has her reasons and I know she may feel like a woman scorned, Philo is a good person – human or Fae. Regardless of her reasons, now the whole Constabulary knows and they go after Philo.
“Unaccompanied Fae” ends with Philo being taken away by the police as a suspect for murder. The real murderer is still on the loose; the city isn’t safe. Who do you think the murderer is? Have you pieced the puzzle together to get a clearer picture or is it still a bit too murky?
Watch Carnival Row on Amazon Prime Video. All episodes launched Friday, August 30, 2019.
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Photos: ©2019 Amazon Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Judy Manning
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