Created By: Tony Basgallop
Starring: Nell Tiger Free, Lauren Ambrose, Rupert Grint, Toby Kebbell
Plot Summary: Following the suspenseful season three finale, season four will bring the final chapter of the Turner story to an epic and emotional conclusion. Leanne’s war with the Church of Lesser Saints heightens, threatening Spruce street, the city of Philadelphia, and beyond. Meanwhile, the shattered Turner family must not only confront the increasing threat of Leanne, but the certain reality that Dorothy is waking up. As the Turner family brownstone continues to crumble, questions are finally answered: who is Leanne Grayson and who is the child in their home?
Servant is one of those gems that managed to take a simple premise, and truly take it into some interesting and creepy places. It’s a series that has been praised by heavy hitters such as Stephen King and Guillermo del Toro for its spin on the genre. But all things must come to an end, and it was announced that fourth season would be its last. The first episode entitled “Pigeons,” sees Leanne Grayson (Nell Tiger Free) left alone as the rest of the family is off bringing Dorothy home months after her “accident,” which served as the season three finale cliffhanger. However, she is not alone, and must fight off a horde.
Bombastic, nightmarish and frenzied are just a few words that sums up the first episode of season four. The showrunners manage to take a quiet and charming block with expensive townhomes and twist it into a blood-soaked nightmare that could easily fit in a classic Romero zombie uprising, although, swap out zombies for cult members. While we don’t really gain any new insights into the cult or the storylines with the main players such as Dorothy, Sean (Toby Kebbell) and Julian (Rupert Grint), it does make for one hell of an introduction into the final season. Not to mention, the tension is amped up to eleven with the entire episode serving to completely fray your nerves. This easily could have felt like a filler episode, yet it’s so well crafted with chaotic energy and a clawing grim mood that it works nicely as a prelude to the horrors to come. After all, if this is how the season premier starts, you can only imagine how it will end.
Going into the second episode, “Itch,” things certainly have mellowed out action-wise. As the title implies, the central issue is there is a block wide outbreak of bed bugs. During this, Dorothy is turning ever biter towards Sean and Leanne. Meanwhile, as Leanne acts as Dorothy’s caregiver (along with the baby), the already strained relationship between the two women reaches a fever pitch. While you may enjoy the chaotic energy of the first episode, the show thrives when it returns to a more character-driven story. Front and center are a rip cord of tension and brewing hatred between Leanne and Dorothy. This is something that has been simmering for a while now, and we are reaching its boiling point. There has always been a really interesting dynamic between the two. Despite a rocky start, the two have had a nice mother-daughter bond throughout the series.
Yet, much like the literal rot we’ve seen the apartment undergo throughout the series, their relationship too has completely eroded. In “Itch,” we not only see a shift with Leanne and Dorothy, but it also marks a turning point for Leanne’s character. Her yearning for love and acceptance from the Turner family has fully transformed into hate and resentment. It really feels like the next logical step to take her character, and it acts as a testament to the smart storytelling that it has finally gotten to this point. We are also introduced to two brand new characters, Roberta (aka Bobbie) and Beverly, who are new-aged caretakers for Dorothy. Sure, they are sweet natured, but there is also something a bit off about them. “Itch” may not be the show-stopping, tense episode that “Pigeons” was, yet it thrives in how it truly grows the characters in meaningful ways. These ideas of chosen family, sisterhood and wanting to belong are explored throughout the series, but they truly come to the forefront here. The understated moment between Julian and his father proves to be a highlight of the episode. Again, it hits the theme of family and in a grander sense, an attempt to repair a fractured relationship.
Like something out of a gothic Hammer horror, the third episode “Vessel” is by far the most atmospheric outing thus far. As the live-in caregivers settle in to their new living space, Leanne has Julian snoop around to make sure the caregivers are who they say they are. Sensing something is very off, Bobbie and Beverly suggest doing a séance. As you might expect, things go south pretty quickly. This episode proves to be an early standout of the season so far. The showrunners do an excellent job when it comes to balancing the macabre while also making sure to keep growing these characters. However, it all skillfully builds to the séance which is such a simple yet effectively chilling scene. The biggest issue with this is, while the scene is very well executed, it leaves you wanting more. It also breaks the cardinal sin of telling rather than showing.
Another highlight of this episode is some unexpected humor in the form of some very clever audience misdirection and subversion. “Vessel,” much like “Itch,” is a very simply plotted episode, yet thanks to amazing writing, acting and visuals, we are treated to television that is equal parts haunting and thought provoking.
The first three episodes of the final season does a great job at building on the themes explored throughout the series, yet they manage to keep things fresh and interesting. If it keeps up the quality until the end, we are all in for one hell of a ride.
Season 4 of Servant debuts on AppleTV+ with the first episode on January 13, 2023, followed by one new episode weekly, every Friday through March 17.
Big film nerd and TCM Obsessed. Author of The Ultimate Guide to Strange Cinema from Schiffer Publishing. Resume includes: AMC’s The Bite, Scream Magazine etc. Love all kinds of movies and television and have interviewed a wide range of actors, writers, producers and directors. I currently am a regular co-host on the podcast The Humanoids from the Deep Dive and have a second book in the works from Bear Manor.
