The Jetty, aired on BBC One (Monday, 9pm), seems to have the potential of being a good thriller, although the convoluted plot somewhat dilutes the experience. The show’s creator, Cat Jones, evidently modelled the series as an exploration of the manipulation of young females and the unequal dispersion of power in romantic dynamics – undeniably complex yet crucial concerns. Nevertheless, the uncanny premise of The Jetty detracts audiences from fully comprehending its key themes.
Jenna Coleman plays the character of a somewhat irascible rural law enforcement officer in Lancashire named Ember Manning. Her prickly character could also be described as surly, insubordinate, and nearly incapable. In a peculiar incident, she dismisses a wealthy outsider’s grievance regarding an arson attack that decimated their boathouse, directing him rather rudely to return from whence he came.
“Arson investigations are notoriously tricky to crack, and thus we cannot invest much effort into them,” she scoffs. “While I wish I could provide a more appeasing response, doing so would simply be feeding to your inflated sense of entitlement.” Suspension of disbelief is crucial, but it strains the credibility that an officer of the law would respond in such a way to a victim.
Perhaps an amenable interpretation of this incident would surmise that The Jetty is endeavouring to cast light on the damaging impact of gentrification on disadvantaged communities. However, its execution is flawed, likening Coleman’s character to a renegade constable – which seems an odd design choice, considering the narrative mandatorily requires the audience’s sympathy towards her.
The write-up also includes news of Shannen Doherty, a distinguished actress famous for her roles in Heathers and Beverly Hills 90210, who passed away at the age of 53. Lastly, it talks about a security guard who got a life sentence for a sinister assassination plot aimed at TV personality Holly Willoughby.
Ember’s week begins in a lamentable manner, kicked off by an igneous disaster at a boathouse. Adding to the distress is the unsuccessful suicide attempt by a local schoolgirl, whose pregnancy roots back to a considerably older boyfriend. Uncovering the identity of the boyfriend and establishing his role in the girl’s drastic action (if she was not coerced) is of utmost importance for Ember. Additionally, she’s grappling with her daughter Hannah (portrayed by Ruby Stokes), who, though she has access to inside scoops from the school chatter, obstinately withholds key information, greatly complicating the police investigation.
In recent occurrences, another young woman in the vicinity was found to be engaging with an older male figure. A distressed schoolgirl named Amy (identified by Bo Bragason) is involved with a rugged miscreant, Malachy (played by Tom Glynn-Carney from House of the Dragon), best known for his excessive outdoor indulgence in alcoholic beverages and a penchant for delivering Nietzsche-inspired ramblings.
These events unfold in the shadow of an incident that occurred 20 years prior, a disturbing disappearance of a 17-year-old girl who was romantically involved with a man considerably older than her. This narrative strikes a personal chord with Ember, who herself decided to start a family at age 17, with a significant other in his mid-20s. He has since passed away, but is presented in the story through hazy recollections as a repulsively trendy character.
Despite Coleman’s laudable efforts to carve out a captivating persona for the unlikable Ember, her struggle is against a lethargic plot that sluggishly crawls over the initial two hours. It’s further weighed down by an unnervingly antiquated dialog that one can practically sense creaking under pressure, much like a copse of trees bending against a stormy gale. The Jetty had a golden opportunity to weave an engrossing tale of gaslighting and the exploitation of susceptible teenagers in a serial killer narrative. Instead, it botches up the promising premise, leaving both the programme and its viewers floundering in ambiguous darkness.
The second instalment of The Jetty will be aired on BBC at 9 pm on the upcoming Tuesday.