Rapture Review – this action drama couldn’t be here at a better time | Television

When The Rapture written by Liz Jensen was first published, in 2010, it is set recently when the temperature in the UK is rising to unbearable levels, religious-Christian groups with apocalyptic streaks are spreading everywhere and there is a growing feeling that the world is going mad. Substitute “religious Christian” for “political extremists who only want to accept a bone instead of trying to save us from it” and he would be a deluded soul that wouldn’t rank among the best-known contributions of mythology.

The change that has arrived at our shows 16 years later – a study of physical and mental instability – is a perfect follow-up to our breaking history, the same heat that causes fear, and gains more power from our growing awareness that the future is here.

Dr Gabrielle Fox (Ruth Madeley) is still coming to terms with what happened in her life: the car accident that killed her husband and left him paralyzed from the waist down. He was a driver and is haunted by guilt, which he discusses in weekly sessions with his psychotherapist (Ruth Jones) – because doctors are the worst at self-healing. But after two years, he has to go back to work.

His first case, at Oxsmith Hospital’s secure youth unit, is difficult. Seventeen-year-old Bethany Krall (India Amarteifio) was convicted of murdering her mother Carys (screwdriver, eye) at age 15, and has been confined to a unit, pretending to take her anti-psychotic medication, ever since. He does not remember attacking his mother and refuses to do so. There were no witnesses but he was the only one in the house at the time, of course the only one who had blood immediately afterwards and of course he was the only one who took a picture of his mother with a screwdriver taking out her face a week before.

Bethany says her paintings are her visions, not blueprints. He does it with his eyes closed and often involves death or destruction. His nurse Rafiq (Naby Dakhli) says that what he sees comes true and believes that he is a prophet. Gabs, as a scientific woman and an observer of human problems rather than supernatural forces, suspects that Bethany is deeply disturbed and seriously mentally ill – and, in any case, she needs help instead of bowing down to her. But Bethany reveals what she knows about Gabs’ secret life, and it turns out that she took a picture of him long before anyone knew he was going to be charged.

Bethany’s father, Leonard (Sam Hazeldine), just wants to help his daughter. “I want to see him and help him,” assures Gabs when he visits him at the well-appointed Faith Way, where he leads a sect united under the motto “Choose hope”. Leonard publishes sermons on the Internet and preaches against environmental groups such as the growing Climate Front, which he believes threatens humanity with their destructive methods. We don’t like Leonard. In this case we are joined by his daughter, who has been refusing to visit her untainted father since he was arrested. He does not want to be used – as he believes his mother was – as a pawn in his game “to play the good Christian”.

There is so much going on in the Rapture. To all of this, we must add investigative reporter, alternately explain and muddy the waters; a beautiful (perhaps too beautiful) love for Gabs; and a mysterious woman who can tell them more about Carys’ death, if Gabs can recognize her from one of the visions of Bethany sketches. And with the first two episodes, that was all there was to watch for all five.

Obviously the goal is more technical, too. How can we talk about the debilitating power of grief and guilt? How do guilt and grief manifest in public and not in public? What is the difference between insanity and common sense, a passionate but rational belief (say about climate change) and religious fervor? The results are all confusing. Lots of information is provided, and the story has some promising leads, but unless the remaining three episodes are short and crisp, we’re going to be disappointed.

However, the Rapture has some small scenes and moments that work really well. One is the first crack in Bethany’s wall of denial about her role in Carys’ death. Another one is Gabs discussing the new mental and physical phase that comes with her first relationship – with Frasier (Jack Farthing) – now that she’s widowed and a wheelchair (and catheter, unknown) user. Another is journalist Dick (Iwan Rheon) who drinks but tries to keep his temper and faints. Little by little the whole cycle would make the Rapture more than they – so far – are.