On the edge of an imperfect world

*CW: suicide mention*

*Spoilers for Requiem - episodes 1-3*

I'm looking again at how Joel Fry uses his physicality in scenes where he has little-to-no dialogue. Previously, I've talked about his reaction shots in a scene from Trollied where other characters have most of the lines/action. Today, we've got a scene from Requiem where he has no screen partners to play off and doesn't speak at all, but he still delivers atmosphere, character/emotion, and plot.

There are numerous creepy elements in Requiem, one of which is an eerie piece of instrumental music that appears to have a strange influence on the people who hear it. In the first episode, two different people die by their own hand after being seemingly haunted by the song, which they start hearing out of nowhere. And in the second, Matilda discovers a hidden room in the manor house that seems to be connected to the main mystery. At this point, she's interested in an old child abduction case that may be connected to the house, unaware of the supernatural elements, and she and Hal investigate the room. Hal starts sifting through the numerous audio recordings kept there, which is where he first hears the song.

Cut to episode 3, and Hal is lying awake at the pub where he spent the night. He can't stop hearing the music--he covers his ears, suggesting the song might physically be coming from somewhere, but it's also possible that it's just stuck in his head and he can't get it out. Either way, it's clear from Joel Fry's nonverbal performance how troubled Hal is by it: his exhausted-yet-wide-awake expression, the restless way he fidgets with his blanket, his aggravated tossing and turning, the way he holds himself as he tries in vain to block out the music.

In light of what's happened to other characters who've heard the song, it's natural to worry about Hal here. Joel's performance only adds to the concern. Hal is agitated, and you don't know how the music might be working its way into his mind. Is he about to become the next victim?

In the second half of the scene--still without dialogue--Hal does what he can to combat the effects of the song. Because he's a classical pianist, he does this by analyzing the music itself, attempting to transcribe it. We can see his weariness and stress at the start of it, sitting with his hands on his head and then drumming on the desk as he gears up to begin. He remains agitated at first, smacking himself in the ear as he tries to get a grip on the song, but once he gets into the rhythm of it, he grows calmer. By the end of the montage, Hal has regained his sense of control and put to paper a clue that will help Matilda's investigation. Not too shabby!

Karl Marx, Twenty Twelve / W1A

Twenty Twelve - Series 2 (Episodes 3, 5-7)

W1A - Series 1 (Episode 3,) Series 2 (Episode 1,) Series 3 (Episodes 1, 3, 6)

I'd been very perplexed to see a character named Karl Marx on Joel Fry's IMDb, and if you'd given me a hundred guesses, I wouldn't have guessed who his character ends up being on the sitcom Twenty Twelve and its spin-off W1A.

But we'll get to that in a moment. First off, here's a bit about the two shows, both of which are mockumentaries narrated by David Tennant:

Twenty Twelve follows the Olympic Deliverance Commission, who are in charge of getting everything ready for the 2012 London Olympics. Over the course of the show, they deal with all manner of crises, ranging from the mundane to the ridiculous. Olivia Colman is in it!

W1A takes two major characters from Twenty Twelve--Ian (Hugh Bonneville), who led the commission, and brand consultant Siobhan (Jessica Hynes)--and brings them over to the BBC, where Ian is appointed to the new post of Head of Values and Siobhan continues to do PR work. The series skewers the corporate ecosystem of the BBC, with an ever-multiplying number of executives with increasingly murky titles. Nina Sosanya, Jonathan Bailey and Jason Watkins (Gavin from Trollied) are in it!

Overall, I’d say both shows are amusing but kind of repetitive. Although that's definitely an intentional part of its humor, which satirizes bureaucracy and the way that corporate types can say a lot of words without ever coming to their point, it can still get tiring. There are some episodes that remind me of the scene in Extras where all the characters on Andy's sitcom are just sitting around reciting their catchphrases at each other. I enjoy some of the goofy dilemmas that the commission and the BBC execs have to deal with, though.

Siobhan's PR team also have recurring roles on both shows, which is where Karl comes in. His official title is Viral Concept Designer, and he works alongside fellow team members Barney and Coco. The PR team is only ever in one or two scenes per episode, and these are pretty repetitive as well. They're nearly always a pitch session, with assignments as varied as "ad campaign to increase interest in Olympic women's football" and "brand mashup to make Wimbledon synonymous with the BBC."

But honestly, I love Karl so much that I don't mind the repetitiveness. He’s awkward, anxious, and doesn’t really thrive in the fast-paced atmosphere of a pitch session. Karl's input is often a little out of step with Barney and Coco's--a bit off the mark, or else coming a few beats behind, just after the others have come to an unspoken agreement of we're not doing that anymore. As such, his suggestions tend to be met with confused stares or passive-aggressive brush-offs (Barney is especially guilty of the latter, hate that guy!!)

He's so much fun, though! Karl is an awkward sweetie who plays with his hair as a nervous fidget, and his bits inevitably crack me up. One of my favorites is when they're explaining their women's football ad campaign to a professional footballer: when Coco tells her, “You’re Wayne Rooney, only it’s like, you’re a woman,” Karl leans in to clarify, “She doesn’t mean that like literally.” Oh, honey!

And not for nothing, both shows constantly put him in absolute Outfits!!! Just look at this man's shoes and socks!

Even two songs.

My PR manager - Karl Marx (с)

Простенькая работа опять по гр полухутенко! Я его очень люблю😭 My poor baby, someone please pet him

«...and you're such a hero, it's so good that you managed to get here...»