Susan Granger’s review of “The Deceived” (Starz/Hulu)
Duplicity, dishonesty and betrayal are essential ingredients in the four-part British series appropriately called “The Deceived.”
The psychological thriller begins in Cambridge as Ophelia Marsh (Emily Reid), a young English major, develops a crush on flirtatious Michael Callahan (Emmett J. Scanlan), a University lecturer who is married to successful novelist Roisin Mulvery (Catherine Walker).
In the throes of their torrid affair, Michael suddenly disappears, so Ophelia tracks him to his tiny hometown of Knockdara in Northern Ireland, where she discovers a tragedy has occurred. Apparently, Roisin was killed in a fire that destroyed part of their huge ancestral home.
Undeterred, Ophelia appears at Roisin’s gravesite – after which she informs Michael that she’s pregnant. Not surprisingly, Ophelia’s presence ignites gossip among the intertwined locals, especially Roisin’s mother Mary (Eleanor Methven).
Adding fuel to the fire, manipulative Michael then insists that Ophelia take up residence in the partially burnt-down home he shared with Roisin, lamely explaining that she’s somehow involved in the publishing business.
That immediately rouses suspicion in Michael’s friend Sean (Paul Mescal), who will be repairing the damage and rebuilding the structure.
Soon, Ophelia becomes completely unnerved by strange sounds and ghostly apparitions; in addition, her fears are amplified by warnings from Orla (Louisa Harland), a psychic, and rambling recollections related by Michael’s father (Ian McElhinney).
Scripted by Lisa McGee and her husband Tobias Beer, the series was filmed on location in Cambridge and Northern Ireland. They confessed that they loved watching old Alfred Hitchcock films, particularly Daphne du Maurier’s ‘Rebecca,’ which was obviously a big influence on this story.
“The house is like a character in itself – it’s the strangest, kookiest place,” relates Emily Reid. “There was definitely, for me, some strange energy in that place – which was great for my character. It meant you didn’t really have to do anything imaginatively as an actor; it was all done for you.”
On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, “The Deceived” is a secretive 6, streaming on Starz, accessible on Hulu and Netflix.
