Ridley Road Review: Episode 4

The wheels fall off well before the end of Ridley Road Episode 4. From the revelation that Jordan knows about Jane’s real identity, we fear that the efforts of Vivien’s mother and the 62 Group to pull her out may come too late.

It should be noted that Jordan’s assertion of being on to the ploy for some time is dubious. This isn’t only for the blow it would cause to our confidence in Vivien. How would Jordan’s own followers react to his knowing romantic advances on a person they blindly despise?

Still, once he pulls Vivien away to confront her, it doesn’t matter how long either of them has been acting with the other. We move from a spy thriller to a hostage situation in the most dramatic moments of the miniseries.

Thankfully, that doesn’t mean we also have to pivot our heroine into being a “damsel in distress” Vivien still has a few tricks up her sleeve, and it’s very satisfying to see her use them in hectic bids for escape, preying on Jordan’s cockiness.

That he keeps catching up with her, first on a train and then in a wild and eventually violent dash through the streets comes less because she is outsmarted and more because he simply has more resources—and more men.

She defends the suitcase full of incriminating information with her life, and does come out alive, though certainly not unscathed. She is assaulted in broad daylight by neo-Nazis, and though the Group and other bystanders save her, it’s still a stomach-turning scene.

As the story wraps up with Vivien’s precious cargo being handed to the proper authorities, there are a couple other points to get to, not to mention a lot of viewers anxiously awaiting to hear of Jack’s fate as well.

First, we learn that Nettie has been on the side of the antifascists throughout, returning to help Vivien’s family care for her as she recovers. It’s a welcome touch, though one that could do with a bit more fleshing out.

But what of Jack? It is heavily implied that’s he’s been killed, giving us only few moments with Vivien’s grief before the plot moves on. She bids a tearful farewell to her family, determined to carry on in her new activist career.

It’s an abrupt and almost dismissive way to get rid of Vivien’s love interest. Or at least it would be if not for the final scene. Vivien and Jack, very much alive, head out together on another train, and are by all appearances a happy couple.

It’s about the most idealistic ending fans could hope for, especially in giving these two a chance at a happy future. Yet, like with Nettie, the whole thing feels too rushed for us to appreciate, still recovering after so many heart-pounding moments.

This can translate into a compliment about the writing for the show. It’s engrossing and relatable from start to finish; so much so that the only thing that would improve it would be adding an extra hour (or two!) so that it can be told in its fullest.

Is the conclusion also a triumphant one? Well, sort of. On-screen text closes the show with the fact that the real Colin Jordan was sentenced to only nine months in prison. A glance at the man’s Wikipedia page tells that barely slowed him down.

Ridley Road ends with victory, but without vanquishing its enemies. The text continues with a stark reminder: “The fight against fascism continues” There are many reasons this only half-fictional story feels as though it could easily play out again.

 

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Ridley Road airs Sundays at 9/8c on PBS.

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