Pennyworth Review: Shirley Bassey (Season 1 Episode 5)

Revenge is a great motivator, as witnessed on Pennyworth Season 1 Episode 5, “Shirley Bassey.”

It’s an episode that uses both atmosphere and style to tell a story alongside the main narrative, able to use its several months time jump wisely to show civil unrest at an all-time high and to show how characters have drifted apart since Esme’s death. Alfred and Martha appear the most troubled by the event, both retreating away.

Martha is a strong moral compass, looking to protect Alfred in any way she can. There’s this hesitancy of not only asking, but also in the way she introduces the job to Alfred; it’s so that he’s able to know there’s an out and it’s not required of him. The care she has for him is genuine, and she will make a grand ally for him.

Thomas, however, is rather shut off and is all about the job. It’s hard to tell if he’s closed off because of the job and not wanting to get close, or because he doesn’t much care for anyone. He’s a lot less friendly than he is on Pennyworth Season 1 Episode 1, “Pilot.”

The jostling of power between the Raven Society and the No-Name League has been the weaker aspect of the series so far, and so it’s becoming the main story thrust and being engaging comes as a surprise. Tying it into the public and fighting in the streets shows the issues beyond the squabbling we’ve witnessed and makes it more tangible.

The assassination scene at the restaurant is straight out of a gangster movie, a bright spot of tension and violence. It’s a smart way to escalate the scene, to have Dave Boy’s entrance build and build before Alfred comes in to provide the climax. The assassination attempt proves successful on Alfred’s end, but where it leaves the faction battle is still in the air.

The frequent cutting back to the missing head of the No Name League leader started to border on being a little too proud of the effects rather than the surprise of the moment, but it is very fine effects work and is worth showing off.

Alfred being haunted by ghosts of the past is an effective way to show his state of mind. With so much death around him, its toll is starting to show on him, though it ends once Ripper starts to clean him up. Is that the end of it, or will it slowly seep back in as the darkness starts to spread? Jack Bannon is doing a great job, able to go from broken to smart-mouth to charming over the course of the episode.

Lord Harwood’s journey takes a fine turn for him. It’s quite the coincidence for Bet to notice him in such dire shape, but his story has been floundering lately and a shift back into the public life is timely and needed. It’s a wonder if he will become a villain again or more of a voice of reason, as his anger at the mention of his past shows he is no longer interested in being that person anymore.

John Ripper, it turns out, is the most in shape character of them all. His endless running is rather impressive, and his motivation in getting Alfred back into both mental and physical shape is a rather fun montage for the episode. Danny Webb is incredibly playful as Ripper, equal parts dangerous and amusing.

With the reveal at the end that Ripper is in league with the No Name League’s new leader, it does make you wonder if Bet is telling the truth about a man and a woman being the perpetrator of Esme’s death. It isn’t far fetched to think it’s the two of them that carried it out, to motivate Alfred to be their catalyst for the war.

Pennyworth Season 1 Episode 5, “Shirley Bassey,” takes the show down a unique path. The battle for supremacy between the two factions appears to have a winner, while also giving Alfred new reason to fight. The questions remains if he is still a pawn, or if he will take on both sides to find answers.

What did you think of this episode of Pennyworth? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Pennyworth airs Sundays at 9/8c on EPIX.

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