Martin Carr reviews the Mr. Mercedes season 1 finale…
As far as finales go this is strong stuff held together by grizzly dream sequences, psychotic Professor X wannabes and some nasty knife work. We get to see placebo pills being popped, Hodges floating around unconvinced by the death of his arch nemesis while a half decent setup for confrontation evolves. All the disparate elements which have gone into making Mr. Mercedes extremely watchable are knitted together with precision and care. However, what becomes apparent aside from the close up gore and allegorical imagery is how much you care for these people.
Gleeson, Treadaway, Holland Taylor, Scott Lawrence and Justine Lupe have all breathed life into a series which could have been formulaic. There are elements here we have seen before but where Mr. Mercedes differs is through the amount of psychological violence shown. Opening on a POV homicide before mapping out the downfall of Brady Hartsfield, this series has been methodical, atmospheric if a little slow. Things might have gotten moving earlier but nonetheless it remained entertainment throughout rooted by charismatic performances all round.
What I appreciated most about this finale was the way it resolved without resorting to clichés or manipulation. More often than not programmes rarely know how to finish on a high or at all. There are examples going back decades where a beloved programme was remembered not for its glory years, but that final last season when it all went wrong. Whether that would be characters leaving, dying then coming back, or worse still an actor being replaced while their fictional self remains unchanged. With Mr. Mercedes you got consistency, solid writing, committed performances and an ending which felt right.
Brendan Gleeson continued to be the bedrock behind this story giving Bill Hodges a world-weary gravitas without drifting into conventional tropes. Treadaway as his opposite number portrayed an unbalanced and emotionally damaged individual one step away from topping himself. Measured, menacing and without remorse Brady Hartsfield is relatable, repulsive but somehow still sympathetic. Everything after these two is well crafted window dressing from an understated supporting cast on good form.
In the closing moments as montage drifts into closure and all seems right with the world David E Kelley closes the door on this King adaptation with style. Leaving an unanswered question here a lingering close up there and pointing towards the possibility of more to come. In the last seconds before those Pixies kick in you secretly want something impossible to happen. That they choose another route entirely merely underlines why Mr. Mercedes will be remembered as quality television worthy of awards.
Martin Carr – Follow me on Twitter
Originally published October 12, 2017. Updated November 29, 2022.
