Read our review of the final part of The Politician's Husband below. Please be aware that it contains spoilers for the episode.
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The three part drama series The Politician’s Husband concluded tonight in a turmoil of twists,
ingenious plotting, tragedy and betrayal worthy of a Shakespearean play, drawing
fine performances from the entire cast despite enduring some unlikely
circumstances and some even more unlikely dialogue.
Still smarting from the twin betrayal by his wife and his
best friend, Aiden Hoynes (David Tennant) now suspects that Bruce Babbish (Ed
Stoppard) is not only his political rival but his love rival. However, before
he has time to put his sharp intelligence towards a new scheme to topple his opponent,
another obstacle is thrown into his path. Au pair Dita (Anamaria Marinca),
whose amorous advances Aiden rejected last week, has spitefully packed her
bags, left the family in the lurch and gone running off to sell her story of ‘Aiden
Hoynes, Sex Pest’ to the tabloids. The family are besieged and Aiden’s
political rivals rub their hands in glee at the sight of him squirming under
yet another assault. Surprisingly it is the greatly wronged and abused Freya
(Emily Watson) who stands by him and proclaims his innocence. Indeed even when
Bruce makes a very predictable move on Freya, she still remains loyal to her
husband.
It’s all too much for Noah (Oscar Kennedy), the Hoynes’ son,
whose Asperger syndrome makes it difficult for him to cope with the changes and
the disruption and the constant arguments. He explodes into a challenging
episode at school, lashing out at people and property in an effort to express
his feelings and regain control. Aiden is reminded of the implications of being
the parent of a child on the autistic spectrum, how his son’s life is so
different to the lives of his peers, and how he feels he will never be able to
understand the world as seen through Noah’s eyes. A failure in his career, he
now feels he has failed as a parent too. He is trying though, in his awkward
way, to conform to Noah’s rituals and requirements and to explain things that
the boy struggles to work out. However, when Aiden suspects that Freya has
spent an adulterous evening with Bruce, he too, feeling control slipping even
further from him, explodes with rage and frustration, tearing apart the marital
bed. His solution for regaining the upper hand is convoluted but ultimately
damaging in ways he cannot have conceived.
Aiden seizes on the event of his speech during the Party
Funding Debate to distract and frame Bruce. However, he barely has time to
enjoy a cosy drink with the Chief Whip Marcus Brock (Roger Allam) before the
whole scheme has blown up in his face. A moment’s carelessness has revealed his
plot to Freya and confronted with the evidence he cannot hide from her that he
has resented her betrayal and her success and intended to ruin her career too.
He wants things back the way they were, but Freya can’t compromise now that she
has had her own taste of power. “There’s only ever been room for you at the top
table” she sneers at him as she knocks the wind out of his sails: their
marriage, which has been falling apart ever since Freya accepted the cabinet
position, finally crumbles away. It’s a cleverly written and beautifully played
scene: the viewer can almost see the power as a tangible thing, slipping from
the triumphant Aiden back to the outraged and determined Freya. Then tragically,
Aiden’s one loyal supporter, his father Joe (Jack Shepherd) who has stood by
him through the whole of his career, turns upon him moments before his own
tragic and sudden death. Aiden may have regained his lost power and become
accepted politically once more but in doing so he has become isolated
domestically.
There are two closing twists. In the first Noah suddenly
displays empathy towards his father and tries to offer him some comfort after
Joe’s funeral. It isn’t much but it is a kernel of hope that Aiden’s attempts
to bond with his son have not been wasted and they could in the future have
some sort of a meaningful relationship.
The closing scene reveals another twist. The Hoynes, united
once more, step up to the door of 10
Downing Street to take office. But it seems that
Freya never relented, never compromised and held firm to what she knew to be
her right. To Aiden’s chagrin she has won the top job, and he has to serve as
her deputy. As it was three episodes ago, the coveted Prime Minister role remains
tantalisingly just out of his reach. However, the cost to him personally has
been unimaginable. If there is one lesson to be learned it’s to be careful what
you wish for.
The Politician's Husband is released on DVD on Monday 13th May. Pre-order your copy here
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