As the second episode of Obsession begins, Anna Barton (Charlie Murphy) and William Farrow (Richard Armitage) continue having sex. Anna tells William that she surrenders to him. Once they finish, he asks her about that. Anna claims she meant it. As she grabs the wine, she sets out the rules including that he has to wait for her to say when. He can’t turn up uninvited and nothing can happen beyond these walls without her permission. It is her choice to surrender to him. She agrees to give him the power. In this room, they can be whoever they want to be. Before William leaves, Anna finds him looking through her stuff and holding her notebook.

Anna explains that it contains her thoughts and dreams. She won’t let William read it yet. When he asks if Jay is allowed to read it, Anna walks away and doesn’t answer. At home, William asks Jay (Rish Shah) when he is off to see Anna. Jay says he’ll have a shower and then head to the station. Jay admits things are getting serious and he can’t wait to take Anna to Paris. Later, Edward (Anil Goutam) introduces William to James. William is interrupted by a message from Anna asking him to come to her flat at 6 PM. He leaves in a hurry only to receive a message from Anna telling him not to come. When he goes, Peggy (Pippa Bennett-Warner) answers the door.

Peggy says Anna didn’t say she was expecting anyone and it is her flat. Anna comes out and reminds William she told him not to come when they’re alone. She explains that Peggy is an old friend who only stays when she is in town. Anna doesn’t think there is anything to worry about since William didn’t tell Peggy who he was. Ingrid (Indira Varma) tells William she thinks something is happening between them. She can’t imagine he would be having an affair. William says it isn’t an affair. He explains it has just been a busy few weeks. Ingrid suggests they could do something nice since Jay is taking Anna to Paris.

While riding his bike, William receives another message. As he has sex with Anna, William asks who she is and requests to read the diary. She tells him to earn it. Once he gets to read it, he finds out that Anna is writing about their encounters. William questions if she writes about Jay since he is trying to find out what she has with him. She explains that Jay knows not to ask questions. William questions what would happen if Jay found out the truth. Anna says there are many other truths. Jay allows her to have her secrets. Anna urges William to leave everybody else in her life alone since they have each other. William says Jay has so much of her and he wants more.

Anna thinks he’ll have to learn to love the questions. William needs something that Jay doesn’t know. Anna reveals she had a brother named Aston who died by suicide. No one knew why at the time, but she’ll tell William if he wants. Anna says he was in love with her. He was completely infatuated. He killed himself because Anna rejected him. Jay only knows that Aston died. William thanks her. After he says it doesn’t change anything, Anna suggests it should. She thinks damaged people are dangerous since they know they can survive. When Anna leaves the room, William tears a page from her diary. At home, Sally (Sonera Angel) approaches William to see if he is okay.

He says he is just lost in his music. Sally finds that odd since he never listens to music. Ingrid worries that Jay is going to do something stupid in Paris because he is smitten and obsessed. She wonders who Anna is considering she barely knows her, but William thinks people deserve a private life. William suggests Ingrid is obsessed with her too. As for William, he claims he hasn’t thought that much about her. Ingrid thinks he should because Jay is in love and Anna could be in their lives forever. She asks if he is going to be able to come to Hartley early. William is afraid not because he might have to go to Brussels on Thursday. Ingrid was hoping they’d get a quiet one for once.

William takes the train before sitting alone and reading the page from Anna’s diary. Then, he watches her get out of a car and walk with Jay. William tries to call her later that night. When Anna picks up, William tells her to leave the hotel and go to the end of the street. She tells Jay it was the hotel receptionist making sure they were happy with the room. Anna believes he has enough time to shave. When he shaves, Anna pops out to see William. They end up having sex in the alley. She tells William he broke the rules by coming there so he shouldn’t even think about following them. Anna goes back and tells Jay that she thinks she is getting a migraine. She doesn’t get them off, but they’re horrendous when she does.

Once she lies down, Jay asks if anything else is the matter. She tells him to learn to love the questions. William watches them leave together the following day. He calls the motel and books room number ten. William frantically climbs onto the bed and begins sniffing the pillows. While smelling the pillow, he plays with himself. Once they get back, Anna goes without Jay because she just needs to get home. Anna makes it home where she finds her mom sleeping. She receives a message from Peggy asking if she is back. Once she meets her for drinks, Peggy asks why she came back from Paris so early. Anna insists Jay was perfect. Anna tells her about William showing up and being Jay’s father as well as a married man.

Peggy worries that someone will find out. Anna rushes out and goes home. The next day, Anna gets flowers from Jay and a note saying he is learning to love the questions. He tries to surprise her that night as well. Ingrid asks William if the conference was worth the trip in the end. He gets messages from an unknown person telling him to stop and calling him a pervert. William tells Ingrid that he needs to make a call. He steps outside to call Anna who says this can’t keep happening. Anna needs him to do something for her. She believes Jay is going to propose to her so she wants him to give her permission to say yes. When he asks why, Anna says she wants him. She thinks it is right and it is what she wants. William tells her that she will say yes when Jay asks her to marry him.

Anna tells him to be happy because he will have more. William doesn’t tell her about the text messages he just received. Jay asks Anna to marry him later and she quickly says yes. Ingrid checks on William who claims he is okay.

 

Obsession Review

The second episode of Obsession pushed the obsession angle of the storyline much further as William sinks deeper into Anna’s web. Charlie Murphy and Richard Armitage are doing well enough in their respective roles although the story leaves a lot to be desired. At this point, the series is more of an erotic thriller than a psychological thriller, but there is still time for that to change.

If there wasn’t going to be more character development, the series likely could’ve been a movie or just two episodes. It is hard to complain about the length since this is only four episodes though. I wish there was more of a connection with the characters so there would be a legitimate reason to care about the outcome, but it is too easy to be indifferent here.

It just seems like there could be more and Obsession could be better, but it is only four episodes so it could still be a decent binge when there is nothing else to watch. There is more sex than substance at this point. If viewers are willing to accept Obsession for what it is, they may still enjoy it. The episode scores a 5.5 out of 10. Recaps of Obsession can be found on Reel Mockery here.

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