Troy: Fall of a City recap: series 1, episode 7 – Twelve Days

Paris said goodbye to the fripperies of youth and announced he was putting city before sex. Xanthius found himself betrayed by the very moppet ... SkiptomaincontentSkiptonavigationAdvertisementNewsOpinionSportCultureLifestyleShowMoreShowMoreNewsWorldnewsUKnewsCoronavirusClimatecrisisEnvironmentScienceGlobaldevelopmentFootballTechBusinessObituariesOpinionTheGuardianviewColumnistsCartoonsOpinionvideosLettersSportFootballCricketRugbyunionTennisCyclingF1GolfUSsportsCultureBooksMusicTV&radioArt&designFilmGamesClassicalStageLifestyleFashionFoodRecipesLove&sexHealth&fitnessHome&gardenWomenMenFamilyTravelMoneyMakeacontributionSubscribeSearchjobsHolidaysDigitalArchiveGuardianPuzzlesappGuardiancontentlicensingsiteTheGuardianappVideoPodcastsPicturesNewslettersToday'spaperInsidetheGuardianTheObserverGuardianWeeklyCrosswordsSearchjobsHolidaysDigitalArchiveGuardianPuzzlesappGuardiancontentlicensingsiteBooksMusicTV&radioArt&designFilmGamesClassicalStageTroy:FallofaCity:episodebyepisodeTroy:FallofaCityTroy:FallofaCityrecap:series1,episode7–TwelveDaysThingshotupinthebestepisodeoftheseriessofarasAchilles’weaknessisexposed,theGodsgetitwrongandHelenfinallydoessomethingagainstherowninterestsSwordsandsandals…TroyPhotograph:PatrickToselli/BBC/WildMercuryProductionsSwordsandsandals…TroyPhotograph:PatrickToselli/BBC/WildMercuryProductionsSarahHughesSat31Mar201822.00BSTLastmodifiedonSat31Mar201822.01BSTTheTrojansTroy:FallofaCityfinallyproducedanhourofTVthatcaptivatedmefrombeginningtoend.IthelpedthatthestakeswereashighastheyhaveeverbeenastheTrojansdealtwiththeaftermathofHector’sdeath(“Hereallywasthebestofmen,”notedPriam,accuratelyifsadly)andAchilles’refusaltoreturnhisbody.ThatrefusalledtoPriammakinghisownlate-nightjourneyintotheGreekcamp(securitybeingnotablylaxonbothsideswhentheplotneedsittobe)wherehestagedanuncomfortablelookingsit-inbeforeconfrontingAchillesinawell-writtenscene,whichhadtheadditionalbonusoffinallygivingDavidThrelfallsomethingtodo.ThingswerealsocomingtoanuncomfortableheadbackinTroywhereagrief-strickenAndromacheraisedarighteoustoasttoHelen“thewomanwhocausedallthis”.Parissaidgoodbyetothefripperiesofyouthandannouncedhewasputtingcitybeforesex.XanthiusfoundhimselfbetrayedbytheverymoppethehasspenthistimebeingkindtoandfacedaveryshortandpainfulfutureasAeneasandParistriedtowhipthetruthfromhim.Luckilyforhim,Helen,finallyrealisingthatshewasalloutofoptions,carriedoutwhatmayhavebeenthefirstunselfishactofherlifeandfreedhimafterofferingherselfupinexchangeforthesafetyofthepeopleofTroy.Unfortunately,Iratherthinkthatitmayprovetohavecometoolate.HelenandParisPhotograph:PatrickToselli/BBC/WildMercuryProductionsTheGreeksThingsweren’tmuchbetteroverontheGreeksideasAgamemnon,MenelausandOdysseus(thelatterreluctantly)conspiredtodeceiveAchilles,forcinghimtoforfeithishonourintheprocess.TheresultingfalloutsawthetreacherousGreeksbreaktheagreed12-daymourningtruce.Thenarage-filledAchillescutdownhalftheTrojanarmy,defeatedPenthesileaandtheAmazons,andfinallyconfrontedPriamatthegatesofTroybeforebeingkilledbyParisaftertakinganarrowtotheheel.DavidGyasihasbeenaninterestingAchilles,doubt-riddenandpride-filledandhisdeathwastheperfectmixofgloryanddisillusionment,stainedbythebloodofpastsins,yetoddlynobleinitsway.FortheincreasinglywearyOdysseus,thebetrayalofAchilleswasoneterribleacttoofar.“Ilovedhim,”henotedsadlyofthefallenwarrior.“Tellthekingit’sover.We’redonehere,”hesaidstaringoutatthewaves.Itwasabeautifullyshotscene,containingjusttherightamountofsorrowanddespair.JosephMawlehasgivenprobablythemostconsistentperformanceonthisshowandhedidhisbesttomakeusfeelwhathasbeensacrificedhere,butitcouldandshouldhavebeensomuchmore.TheGodsSo,assuspected,Aphrodite’s“thecursehasbeenlifted”linewassomuchwishfulthinking.Instead,asZeusagainreiterated,theGodsare,toanextent,passivebystanders.Theycanaidthosetheysupport,buttheycan’tchangethecourseoffate.ParisisaliveandTroy,aswehavealwaysknown,willfall.Additionalomens TheframingofHector’smourningfeastlookedalotlikeaRenaissancepainting. IlikedthelittlescenewithPenthesileaburyingherdeadandtherecognitionthatshehasforgottenwhatitwaslikeforpeopletodieoutofcombat. WhilethesceneswhereAchillestriumphedovertheAmazonswerewellshot,theywerealsoalittleclosetosomethingoutofAssassin’sCreedformyliking. WorryingomenoftheweekNotanomenassuch,butIlikedthewaythatBriseis’smessagetoAgamemnonservedasawarningthathistimewillcome.Epicdeclarationoftheweek“TellOdysseustohimtheglory.Thisalwayswasashabbywar.”–Achilleslaysdownasuitablygrubbybenedictiontoadubiousconflict.So,whatdidyouthink?Wasthisagoodepisodeorisittoolittletoolate?Asalwaysallspeculationwelcomebelow.TopicsTroy:FallofaCityTroy:FallofaCity:episodebyepisodeblogpostsReusethiscontentMostpopularMostpopularBooksMusicTV&radioArt&designFilmGamesClassicalStage