The finale continues right where the last episode left off but the situation is quickly resolved, Dove's guilt is proven after only 15 minutes in. The rest of the episodes is spent exploring the fates of Reid, Jackson, Susan and the others.
As it is quite often the case in finales, Ripper Street reflects on its beginnings as Reid thinks back to the Ripper case, showcasing not only the horror this case instilled in Whitechapel but also the state Reid was in. We also get a callback to the dynamics of Reid and Drake and how they first met Jackson.
While the general structure of the finale was solid, I have some problems with the way the storylines were resolved. Ripper Street has always been quite bleak and it was to be expected there wouldn't be a happy ending, but the finale was needlessly bleak. It was no surprise that Susan couldn't cheat the gallows this time, and Jackson having to leave wasn't a shock either, but what was the point of Jackson dying off-screen? Was it supposed to be comforting he died a hero? Mathilda leaving Whitechapel was also logically but why could Reid never visit her, after everything he had to go through? The same with Mimi. Why show her developing a friendship with Reid only for her deciding to marry a man she doesn't love? The finale would still be bleak without these decisions I mentioned, Reid would still be isolated without Jackson and Mathilda and only Mimi as his friend. It seems like the writers wanted - almost compulsively - to drive home the idea that Reid has to be some sort of solitary guardian of Whitechapel, depriving him of any kind of interpersonal relationship. It appears as if Reid has only to suffer for the sake of suffering, which is very disappointing.
As it is quite often the case in finales, Ripper Street reflects on its beginnings as Reid thinks back to the Ripper case, showcasing not only the horror this case instilled in Whitechapel but also the state Reid was in. We also get a callback to the dynamics of Reid and Drake and how they first met Jackson.
While the general structure of the finale was solid, I have some problems with the way the storylines were resolved. Ripper Street has always been quite bleak and it was to be expected there wouldn't be a happy ending, but the finale was needlessly bleak. It was no surprise that Susan couldn't cheat the gallows this time, and Jackson having to leave wasn't a shock either, but what was the point of Jackson dying off-screen? Was it supposed to be comforting he died a hero? Mathilda leaving Whitechapel was also logically but why could Reid never visit her, after everything he had to go through? The same with Mimi. Why show her developing a friendship with Reid only for her deciding to marry a man she doesn't love? The finale would still be bleak without these decisions I mentioned, Reid would still be isolated without Jackson and Mathilda and only Mimi as his friend. It seems like the writers wanted - almost compulsively - to drive home the idea that Reid has to be some sort of solitary guardian of Whitechapel, depriving him of any kind of interpersonal relationship. It appears as if Reid has only to suffer for the sake of suffering, which is very disappointing.
