Episode 2 lurks from farce to dark comedy. There is tragedy for Jeremy Thorpe as his wife dies in a car crash leaving him to raise an infant son.
Norman Scott made an attempt at marriage himself in 1969, to the sister in law of the actor Terry-Thomas who did not turn up to Scott's wedding. I say, what a cad!
Scott's father in law calls him out as a homosexual during the wedding speech. Norman has a child but the marriage is short lived. Norman cannot get a job because he did not have a National Insurance card.
Yet Norman criss crosses the country getting menial jobs as people just are nice to him not knowing he actually leaves a trail of destruction behind. Norman meets a troubled widow Gwen who introduces him to her local Liberal MP Emlyn Hooson, who happens to be a rival of Thorpe. Pretty soon Gwen is found dead, though to be suicide.
Despite Thorpe being offered the post of Deputy PM after the hung parliament in February 1974. The thought of getting rid of Scott never seem to be far behind his thoughts each time he suffers some sort of a setback. Thorpe's friend Pedro even at one point asks an associate of Thorpe to hatch a plan where they pretend to have tried to kill Scott.
However incompetence continues as a hit man is despatched to get rid of Scott, he makes a dog's dinner of it by going to the wrong town looking for Scott.
Director Stephen Frears keeps up with the breakneck speed of RTD's writing. Frears is well served by his actors especially Grant who oozes insincere oily charm. The insincerity is matched by Alex Jennings and Jason Watkins who also play politicians.
Ben Whishaw does not have to portray insincerity, just doe eyed stupidness and cunning. Whishaw certainly deserves his National Insurance card after his performance.
