That final shot of Reid acknowledging just how much he had changed for the worse was a striking moment to end on and there was a certain amount of closure for the characters even if it was a more sombre atmosphere to end with. However, it also left plenty of room for development should a third series arrive. Whitechapel Terminus continues with that melancholic mood established by the Our Betrayal two-parter, picking up four years after those events. Despite their separation, Reid, Drake and Jackson find themselves drawn back together in Whitechapel after a tragic train accident kills 55 people and leaves a mystery to be solved. The rift between them causes much of the episode’s tension, but the scene with Drake when solving the murder of the signalman and the events of the train accident crackled with the very chemistry that made the series strong in the first place. Jackson may be dismissed again at the end of the episode, but it won’t be long before he is back in Leman Street I’m sure. The easy rapport between them when focused on the work makes for a sharp scene and one which showcases Ripper Street’s particular style of dialogue. Even smaller character moments like Fred Best secretly bidding a possible partner who died in the tragedy a quiet goodbye register strongly. Elsewhere, Susan demonstrates once more that she’s not particularly good with money, now in league with a solicitor, Capshaw, whose dastardly plan to balance the books of Susan’s Obsidian Estates results in the train accident. Susan has always been well-intentioned, but never quite able to carry that over into practice. With her clinic and her wish to help the people of Whitechapel threatened financially, she finds herself once again morally compromised by her actions. Whitechapel Terminus is a strong, character-driven start to the new series and one which shows that Ripper Street is seizing its second chance with both hands. Read Becky’s review of the season two finale, Our Betrayal Part 2, here.
