TV Review: Trust Me (Series 2, Episode 1)

Renewing the cast and plot for a second series, Trust Me continues its exploration of whether we can truly depend on those we normally trust the most. Alfred Enoch (Harry Potter, How to Get Away with Murder) replaces Jodie Whittaker as the protagonist of the series set in an ominous Glasgow hospital.

Image Credit: BBC

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Playing Corporal Jamie McCain, who is recovering from a spinal injury which has left him partially paralysed, Enoch is one of the only strong elements of the opening episode of the series. His flashbacks, fluctuations in how conversational he is, and his increasing suspicions, make him the driving force of the episode. After being warned by fellow patient Danny, who claims to have extensive evidence of there being a killer on the ward, McCain is finally suspicious of the hospital and its staff. It remains unclear how innocent he is, but he becomes set on solving these unexplained ‘accidents’ in spite of his physical impairments.

Hospital management’s obsession with finding more about McCain adds to the uneasy atmosphere, especially courtesy of John Hannah who plays clinical lead Archie Wilson. From an early stage, it seems that it is a battle where McCain, Danny and Dr Zoe Wade are against the rest of the hospital team, but it’s unclear whether these clear-cut sides will remain. All the while, McCain is being investigated by the armed forces for leading a mission where so many of his colleagues were killed. It’s safe to say that there’s a lot going on, and it’s an explosive beginning to the series.

While the premise is alluring, and the characters are convincing, the finer details of the show feel a little bit off. Of course, there must be something strange about the hospital for this to be a series of Trust Me, but it is unlike any hospital I have ever seen. The set-up is odd from the start, with glass jugs, out-of-reach buzzers and no-one in the ward during the night – it’s safe to say that many plot devices seem lazy and unrealistic. This may not be your average hospital, but it doesn’t do a good job of trying to convince you otherwise. Perhaps there will be an explanation for why by the end of the series, but it appears to be a frustratingly low-budget set, lacking proper research, for a BBC production.

Despite the unconvincing set up of the hospital, the first episode left many questions unanswered. The deaths sweeping the hospital ensure that viewers will be glued to their seats for the remainder of the series, but I can only hope that the quality improves enough for the BBC to maintain their crown as the king of television drama.

Trust Me next airs Tuesday 30th April on BBC 1 at 9pm.