Some significant truths about Debbie’s history come to light in this week’s Yonderland episode, with what I expect will also be rather significant consequences. What fun!
Meanwhile, a new crisis in Yonderland is looming, as the Elders find themselves in need of new cushions. Seriously, what did they do before they had a Chosen One? Regardless, brave Debbie finds herself embroiled in, of all things, a labour dispute between a community of overworked pillow-makers, and their employers, the Ninnies.
Yep, the Ninnies, it turns out, did indeed take what they learned from their last encounter with the Chosen One to heart (older viewers might remember that time in Season 1 when they were a community of horrifically stupid people, owing in large part to their tendency to shoot their most clever citizens into the sun) and have significantly improved themselves and their station – which has had the unfortunate consequences of them becoming very, very bad fettling factory managers.
Thankfully, Debbie manages to avert another shooting-into-the-sun when these bad labour practices are brought to light, and all seem to live and work together, happily ever after. Mostly. Just marvel at that razor-sharp social commentary at the end. I beamed with delight. Clever Yonderland.
It just goes to show that saving the day in Yonderland is sometimes – perhaps even often – a slightly more ongoing process.
We learn that Anous is absolutely, positively, most definitely dead (smooth move, Jeff) – and what a joy it is seeing Negatus and his demons attempts to convince Imperatrix that he isn’t. It is through a feat of surprising brilliance – and in one of the most hilarious and staggeringly creative sequences I’ve seen in recent television – that Negatus and the demons manage to re-animate the corpse of Anous through some rather impressive puppeteering skills.
Puppets puppeteering a live actor. It doesn’t get much more delightfully surreal than that, really.
And finally, the secret of Debbie’s chosen-ness is revealed! The weird old guy is Debbie’s dad! Imperatrix is her sister! And Debbie and Pete’s flashback hairdos are truly the greatest gift of all!
What a delight it was to see Jeff redeem himself and his value (albeit unwittingly and by virtue of his overwhelming stupidity) I just can’t begrudge such a precious little fellow, even if his intentions are decidedly evil, and his actions, however misguided, place the precious second scroll right into the hands of Imperatrix.
Well done, Jeff.
Aired at 8pm on Monday 27 July 2015 on Sky1.
> Buy Season 1 on DVD on Amazon.
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