Dark Ditties Presents DAD – Superfan Review

If you thought the writing, directing, acting, makeup and music in the first four Dark Ditties Presents episodes knocked your socks off, then you’d better hold onto your skivvies this time. Because after DAD, it’s not just your socks that will be knocked off. The rest of your outfit will be, too!

Yes, it’s that good.

Oh, where to begin …? I suppose the beginning would be best.

I purposely shied away from any and all spoilers, after promising the darling Mr. Simon Bamford that I would do so, specifically for this episode. I went into DAD not knowing any more than any other Dittiehead. Nothing for me other than the IMDb description, and the few photos and videos which were publicly shared by the Dark Ditties creators themselves. Yes, it was painful. Yes, I was miserable. Twice, I almost cracked and gave in. (What can I say? The Ditties creators’ spoiler temptations were quite formidable!) Then the COVID pandemic hit, pushed back the completion of the episode, and added to my woe. But I didn’t crack, and now having seen the episode, I am ever so glad I kept that promise to Simon.

I knew that the subject matter would be difficult for me to watch – it deals with dementia, and I had a relative who suffered from it – and that the performances would be moving, to say the least. And boy, was I ever right.

Corin Silva plays David Vaughan, a young man who, much like the rest of the world, has been plunged headlong into a zombie apocalypse begun by the evil and demented – not to mention undead – Pastor Tiberius Krane. Adding to his already unnerving and dangerous predicament is the fact that he must protect and watch over his dementia-suffering father, Terry (Ian Gelder). After their car breaks down, the two meet other wandering survivors, and the group takes shelter in the infamous Benoit Mansion.

I already knew that Corin was going to move me to tears. He’d already made my eyes well up during Witching Hour, weeping after another character was supernaturally murdered. And I knew that given my experience with the dementia of my loved one, I’d immediately form an emotional bond with the character of David. And Corin did not disappoint. My heart broke for David, as well as for blissfully-unaware Terry. I knew that pain and anxiety well (though thankfully in my case, minus the zombie factor), and both Corin’s and Ian’s portrayals were spot-on, heartfelt, and completely true. They were both truly magnificent.

Bruce Jones got to play tough guy Jerry this time, and he was just awesome. I both loved and hated this character, because much like David, you can never really tell where you stand with him. Sometimes he’s an okay guy, sometimes he’s a complete jerk. (Then again, I imagine there would be quite a few like that during a zombie apocalypse, so that’s not a complaint. Rather, it’s a bravo. I really loved his performance!) Neil Cole played his sidekick/fellow wanderer Steve, a man with both a pronounced speech impediment, and a desire to fit in (even if the people he manages to fit in with happen to be pretty morally questionable). Simon Bamford plays the “soul” of the wandering group, Keith. The story of what happened to him at the beginning of the world’s zombification is going to rip your heart right out of your ribcage, so if you’re wise, you’ll have some Kleenex at the ready. (Actually, there are quite a few Kleenex-worthy scenes in this one, so just do yourself a favor and have a whole box sitting next to you.)

Mark Wingett wowed me as Reverend Alistair O’Brian, an uber-cranky minister with – shall we say, hyper-religiosity, anger issues, an itchy trigger finger, and a questionable dietary code? His real-life daughter Jamila was exceptional in the role of O’Brian’s daughter Beth, the calm voice of reason and compassion in the midst of the whole insane, zombified world. And then there is the mysterious Dr. Edward Brunner (guest star Michael Higgs), who seems to be able to read David’s mind, for some reason. I can’t say more because it would spoil it, but I will say that my first thought about the good doctor was way off-base. So again, bravo! I love being kept on my toes!

I mustn’t forget the opening TV show scene. Barbie Wilde returns to Ditties (yay!) as TV talk show hostess Jackie Gonzales, overseeing a debate by two guests (played impeccably by Ian Beattie and Tim Dry), who apparently have some mild religious differences they wish to discuss during the apocalypse. In the control room, Rachel Sinclair (daughter of ratings-hungry George Sinclair of The Witching Hour, played by the also-returning and also-wonderful Gemma Gordon) watches gleefully, even as the debating guests get just a little too heated and out of control. (Seriously, did Rachel learn nothing from Geraldo Rivera? Cut! CUT!)

Another Ditties regular is returning in this episode as well, but sadly, I can’t say who it is or what they do. (It would be too much of a spoiler.) But suffice to say, this actor continues to be spectacular, and I’m so happy to see them yet again!

The music was incredible, as always. Sean Schafer Hennessy knows how to ramp up tension and tug at heartstrings at precisely the right time, in precisely the right way. (I would sell what’s left of my already-damned soul to Tyberius Krane for a CD with music from the entire series. Just sayin!) The makeup, once again from Stuart Conran, horrified and amazed me, especially the blood poisoning effects (which to someone like me, who worked for years in healthcare, looked pretty spot-on). I don’t call him the “Makeup Merlin” for nothing!

I’m so looking forward to seeing where the final episode of this season takes us. The Ditties Boys (Gary Smart, Neil Morris and Adam Evans) have provided us with an intricately twisted web of a story. By the next one (“Stained”), we’ll finally come face to face with the hungry spider waiting in the middle …

… and I, for one, can’t wait to be consumed.