As the opening episode of Too Close begins, we see Connie Mortensen (Denise Gough) driving with her kids in the middle of the night. It is downpouring by the time she makes it to a blocked fence. She puts the vehicle in reverse and slams on the accelerator before nearly slamming into another vehicle behind her. She puts it back into drive and plows through the gate. The automobile flies off of the bridge and into the water below. After the intro, Dr. Emma Robertson (Emily Watson) receives a phone call from the man she calls Si Hubby. She ignores the call from Si (Risteard Cooper) and continues smoking her cigarette. Si calls again so she decides to answer it this time. She pretends the volume on her phone was down and claims she went to early yoga but just finished.

She lies about smoking. Then, she admits she can’t go with him this evening because Phil called and she has to go in. He isn’t happy to hear that she has agreed to take on the Mortensen case since they had agreed otherwise. They agree to talk about it later and the call ends. Emma begins getting ready while we see Connie’s injuries. When Emma heads to work, she is hounded by journalists who want to know if Connie is faking the amnesia or a danger to society. When she enters the building, her boss hopes she is ready for this since everyone is pushing him for a report. Then, another colleague warns her she better have her alarm because Connie has already taken a bite out of security. Emma ignores her and immediately heads to Connie’s room. She introduces herself as Connie’s new forensic psychiatrist and gets a cold reception. Emma steps inside before the door locks behind her.

Connie encourages her to take a look and ask how her life went so wrong because she would. She warns Emma that it happens quite easily so she better watch out. Emma explains it is her job to keep Connie safe, treat her, and give the court her opinion of her mental state on the night of the incident. She also wants to find out why Connie can’t recall the events of that night. As Emma says she’ll be recording the sessions, Connie notices she has a book of poetry and asks about it. Emma asks Connie to tell her what happened that night, but Connie says she is the expert and should tell her. Emma believes she can help Connie remember what happened. Connie says there is a rumor that this fancy part of London has more therapists than nut jobs so she believes she is helping Emma. When Emma’s phone rings, Connie reminds her they can’t have phones in here before asking if he is going to be home late.

Connie says betrayal probably begins with disenchantment. Emma asks if that is what happened to her but Connie quickly changes the subject by saying she wants to see her kids Josh and Annie now. Connie continues talking about other things so Emma says avoidance tactics won’t work with her. Later that night, Emma lets Si look at the pictures of the yummy mummy she is working with. They discuss the fact that she plead not guilty and she might be looking at 30 years or a lifetime in the hospital. Si says it is up to Emma and with temporary insanity she could soon be buzzing around a Waitrose near you. Then, we see a picture of Connie with the neighbor Vanessa Jones who is the mother of the other little girl in the car. Si wants to spend time doing something else, but Emma says she has files to read. He wonders if this is a good idea. Next, Connie notices a kite outside of her window. She asks Addy about her husband and mom coming.

Addy tells her she isn’t fooling her like she is fooling everyone else. Connie mockingly takes her medication before Dr. Robertson enters and interrupts the brief argument. Connie asks Emma about smoking before saying she thinks smoking is a sign of terrible weakness. Emma wants to know if Connie has remembered anything from that night, but Connie questions Emma about the secrets she is hiding from her hubby. When Emma asks about her relationship with Vanessa Jones, Connie corrects her and says it is Ness (Thalissa Teixeira). Connie says she wishes it was before she was skinned, boned, and filleted. In a flashback, we see Connie meeting Ness. Ness’s daughter Polly takes candy from Annie. Connie learns that Ness just moved to town and Polly starts at Meadowside next week. During their conversation, we learn that Connie works from home as a writer.

Ness cleans food from Connie’s face before telling her she smells fantastic. Then, Connie learns that Ness is in a relationship with another woman. They walk to Connie’s home and Ness is introduced to her husband Karl (Jamie Sives). Ness invites her to come meet Leah and Connie agrees to do so. Connie tells Emma she thinks her body was telling her something even back then. Emma asks if it made her uncomfortable that Ness was attracted to women but Connie laughs and says she likes cock. Connie wants to know about Emma, her husband, and her kids. Emma suspects Connie is seriously underestimating the gravity of the situation she is in. She is warned that attempted murder comes with a lengthy sentence but Connie pretends not to be worried. Emma realizes she is trying to avoid the conversation. Connie asks her if she would say her life is good. She wonders what could possibly go wrong in Emma’s perfect world.

She encourages Emma to admit that she has let herself go and that her life is a sham. Emma listens to their conversation later that night and hears Connie talking about her once-a-month sex session. She believes Emma is a good wife but it is a monumental effort to play along. Si surprises her seconds later and asks what she is listening to. He asks how that went before Emma finds out that Adrian’s girlfriend is far too good for him. Si admits they’re coming around Thursday and he invites Hattie too. Si wants to know if Connie is faking amnesia. Emma wants to go away for the weekend since they never do anything spontaneously. He wonders what he is missing before they have sex. Once they’ve finished, we hear Connie suggest that everyone uses avoidance tactics. The next day, Connie waits for a visitor who never arrives. Then, she meets with Emma and asks what you’re supposed to do with all of the love that is left over when someone is gone.

Emma believes she is talking about Karl but Connie suggests otherwise. During a flashback, we join Connie at a party with her parents. Her mother decides to get her some wine she has been working so hard. Then, Leah and Nessa are introduced to other members of the community. A bit later, Connie playfully paints Nessa’s face. She notices that Nessa is wearing her perfume before we return to the present. Nessa asks Emma if she went home and had sex with her husband after their chat yesterday. Emma doesn’t answer and asks how she felt about Nessa copying her perfume. Connie believes she did but Emma wants to know what she is so angry about. She wants to see Ness so Emma says they’ll have to work out what she wants to say to her first. Emma encourages her to pretend she is Nessa and talk to her. She says they can start at the face painting stall and Connie seems to be okay with that.

Connie gets up and sits next to Emma while telling her she doesn’t need to be scared of her, but Emma says she isn’t. Connie pretends she is talking to Ness and tells her she copied her tattoo and perfume. She admits that makes her feel robbed but flattered. She gets closer and tries to touch Emma who has to remind her that there can be no touching. Then, she says she has stunning eyes and asks why she is so full of pain. Emma ruins the mood by telling her she is going to be late for OT. Next, Connie is warned that the prosecution is going to show some evidence that will be disturbing. Her solicitor tells her it is best for her to see the photographs now. Connie is shown pictures of Annie in the hospital but she only laughs. When Emma walks in and interrupts. Connie laughs and says it is just a thing Annie does. She says it is a game and Annie is always play acting. Emma tells her that it isn’t a game. Connie looks at the picture again and her mood dramatically changes.

She says she wants to see her babies over and over again. Emma pushes the panic button just before Connie begins throwing stuff. When Emma tries to calm her, she is hit in the face. Other staff enters the room and subdues her. When Emma makes it home, she hears laughing but heads straight upstairs. She eventually joins them and downs her wine. Then, one of her guests wants to talk about the case. He suggests the newspapers got it wrong and we hear that Leah wrote a great piece about it. She is told it has become a shat storm on Twitter. Blair believes Connie should fry. One of the women asks Emma if she is a monster but Si arrives in time to remind them that she can’t talk about it. Emma seems she has had enough so she excuses herself. Moments later, Si checks on her in the bathroom.

He finds the bruise on her face but Emma says it wasn’t Connie’s fault. Emma makes it clear she doesn’t like the way they talk and calls Blair a bloody monster. He soon finds out she has been smoking so she lights a cigarette right in front of him. She begins telling Si about the day and Connie seeing her daughter’s picture. She asks if she nags. He admits she does but says he doesn’t mind. Emma gets fed up with their guests and says a dead child is a dead child. Si asks her to cool it so she says he won’t even say their daughter’s name. We jump forward to the next meeting with Connie who asks Emma if she hates her. Emma gives her a drink and asks if they should talk about Karl. In a flashback, Connie takes pills and Karl asks if she thinks they’re still working. She says life isn’t all about being happy. He admits he isn’t happy and she believes that’s how it is once you have kids.

She suggests he is just going through a rough patch. Emma asks Connie why she was so numb and if there was anything making her feel alive. She admits Nessa made her feel alive. She says it is a bit like falling in love when you really connect with someone at her age. In a flashback, Connie and Nessa go for a ride and play a song guessing game. Later, they hang out and Nessa asks about Connie’s boyfriend before Karl. She admits it was her professor at the university and he was married, but the sex was good. As for Nessa, she says Leah was her first and they have a good sex life. They talk about dressing up with their partners. They joke around before Connie asks Emma how everyone else functions because she doesn’t understand. She wonders why the streets aren’t full of wrecked people.

Emma gets upset and vomits nearby. She apologizes while Connie tries on her jacket. She says it is okay and it happens to the best of them. Connie takes the icon from Emma’s phone and puts it on her mirror. Connie uses the phone. Emma pulls herself together and notices Connie is wearing her jacket. When Emma leaves, she hears Karl introducing himself to the staff. He is told he isn’t on the list and has to give 24 hours notice to the social worker. He says he brought her a cake before leaving. He joins Ness outside and admits it was his fault because you have to schedule ahead of time. They hold hands. We see that Connie stole Emma’s lighter just before the episode ends.

 

Too Close Review

Although not perfect, I’ll admit that I was thoroughly enthralled with the opening episode of Too Close. The series is unlike anything I’ve watched before but it does have some slight similarities with other shows in recent memory. Emily Watson captivates as forensic psychiatrist Dr. Emma Robertson who agrees to evaluate the competency of a ”yummy mummy” who drove her children off a bridge.

Denise Gough is equally impressive as the slightly off-balance Connie Mortensen. Both actresses did great with their respective roles. The mental chess game played between the two women kept me engaged from the very beginning. At times, I felt uncomfortable and a bit worried as to what was going to happen next although I have not developed a fondness for either character yet.

I only have a few minor complaints with the show and the biggest is the fact that the episode wandered a bit too far from the original premises. For the show to be successful, it needs to stick to the script as closely as possible and it really didn’t do this. The few little oddities here and there might’ve poked too many holes in the show’s authenticity for some viewers.

Finally, it felt like the amnesia factor was quickly thrown out with the bathwater. It was mentioned a few times but never felt like an important factor in the bigger scheme of things. It doesn’t help that Connie is remembering so many things in vivid detail and completely encapsulating the forensic psychiatrist. I could be nitpicking here but this just didn’t seem realistic to me and several other things didn’t during the episode. There was a slight disconnect from one visit to another but again I am not too upset about it.

I can overlook some of the weak gimmicks as long as the series is captivating. The first episode was a good start and I hope the second episode can follow up with the things it did right. The opener scores a 7.5 out of 10. Future recaps of Too Close will be available on Reel Mockery here.