In Review: Atlantis – The Queen Must Die

Synopsis: A devastating betrayal puts our heroes in mortal danger. Jason and Ariadne return to Atlantis in order to take the throne, but the battle is far from over.

Review: In a way the above brief description of this final episode of ‘Atlantis,’ which is a full 90 minutes. Does not do this final episode justice, but it is right. The battle is far from over because thanks to the BBC cancelling the series. We’ll never find out how the writers would have wrapped the story up, but had they be allowed another season we’d have likely have seen Jason go after the golden fleece, which is of course the story in Greek myth that he is best known for.

In a nutshell our heroes plan a return to Atlantis, but they have to deal with the betrayal of Icarus and defeat Pasiphae first, which is no no easy task, but it is a task that our heroes think they have managed after Hercules supposedly executes Pasiphae, but gives her enough time to pray to the Goddess. A prayer that our heroes later regret letting the evil sorceress chant out because it is only the means by which she is able to cheat death.

By close of the episode Pasiphae looking somewhat disfigured has managed to retake Atlantis and Jason and his friends are left pretty much back where they started the episode. In hiding and being hunted.

There is hope though, but it is something we’ll never get to see. The new Oracle informs Jason that his only hope of defeating Pasiphae once and for all is to visit the island of Colchis and seek out the help of Medea in order to obtain the Golden Fleece. Its a dangerous mission, but it is also a mission that the Oracle prophesies will lead to Jason breaking Ariadne’s heart as he falls for Medea. Unfortunately the series ends at this point when things were only likely to get a lot more interesting.

Overall this 90 minute episode was pretty good viewing and I enjoyed the fact that Icarus got the chance to redeem himself and save the lives of his friends in the process.

Mark Addy’s Hercules had a few good moments, but it was Sarah Parish, who pretty much stole the whole of this episode as the determined Queen Pasiphae who is not beyond cheating death and committing mass murder to get her throne and keep it.

It’s a pity the series had to end on this cliffhanger, but unfortunately in the land of television those are the breaks and dangers inherent in doing epic story arcs.