The Dead Room

It's a shame after such a sterling effort to revive the Ghost Stories for Christmas with last year's Tractate Middoth that Mr Gatiss has opted for a story of his own, which quite frankly is a bit of a bore, I'm sure looked great on paper but unfortunately falls flat on its face on tv. Simon Callow is the only real reason for watching the Dead Room as always he us just superb, but there is only so much he can be relied upon to do. Bit of a wasted effort.

It is good to have the Christmas ghost stories back, but sadly, Mark Gatiss' efforts fall well short of the 1970s classics, and The Dead Room is no exception. A big issue is that there is no real story and so the tale just does not really go anywhere. Furthermore, the gradual ghostly build-up (actually stressed as an essential aspect of a successful ghost story in the script) does not really progress in a spooky enough manner. As such, the supernatural pay off is rather predictable and limited in impact. In terms of performances, Simon Callow is as dependable as ever, but his talents needed a stronger and more atmospheric setting and story, and it seems odd to feature an actress of Susan Penhaligon's calibre in a role that could have been just as effectively portrayed by an extra. Ultimately, Mark Gatiss is no M.R. James, and it is a James tale that we need for Christmas 2019.

Whether acting or writing, Gatiss seems keen always to have a crack at muscling in on past broadcasting glories. It's as though he believes his love for many an old show is qualification enough for getting out the karaoke microphone again. Doctor Who, A Ghost Story For Christmas and The Man in Black are all examples of classic melodrama that have been subject to this rather smothering sense of ownership, this compulsive "right to overwrite". However, as The Dead Room shows, inclusion into the club cannot be assumed. Gatiss adds his name to the list whether it's wanted or not, but his work falls far short of those involved in producing his childhood favourites.

The saving grace here is Simon Callow, who is wonderful to watch even when working with material this thin. An unrecognisable Susan Penhaligon provides a memorably eerie turn as the completely silent Joan, her blank stare adding most of the minimal chills in the piece. (Unfortunately nothing is made of this potentially interesting character).

As for the rest, well it's business as usual for a Mark Gatiss script. Interesting premise but poor scripting glossed over with some self-referential self-reverence.

Suddenly "The Ice House" won't be quite so near the bottom of the Ghost Story For Christmas league table any more.

Mark Gatiss delivers a Christmas ghost story with a nod to M R James.

Aubrey Judd (Simon Callow) is recording a ghost story from a new fangled writer that he has a low opinion of. He is doing it at the very studio where he began to narrate his long running horror stories for the radio over 40 years ago.

Things have changed a bit at the studio. Aubrey knows too well of the many changes in broadcasting. As he remarked to the producer that he had to buy his own lunch at an acting job in Casualty.

The producer tells him that the studio is haunted. Aubrey does not believe it. However things get eerie for Aubrey. Memories come flooding back to the long hot summer of 1976. A memory that he has tried to forget concerning an incident by the river with a young man.

Gatiss does well with the low BBC4 budget. Gatiss also mines his knowledge of ghost stories as elements are very familiar here, maybe too familar as it is not very scary.

Gatiss is well served by Simon Callow. Susan Penhaligon makes a rare television appearance but she does not utter a word.

Of all the television listings for Christmas 2018, this was the standout, ahead of Dr Who, Click and Collect, ABC Murders etc, but the realisation was in truth a little underwhelming. I will give huge credit to Simon Callow for his acting, Aubrey was a very interesting character, reminded me of his Charles Dickens from Doctor Who. The story was a little underwhelming, a little small, what could have been a spooky, eerie tale, and echo of the past, was actually a slightly plodding, dialogue heavy drama. The fabulous talents of Susan Penhaligon were totally wasted, she could have been anyone. The ending didn't really work, it felt a little too telegraphed.