Fallen Angel (2007 TV series)
Encyclopedia
Fallen Angel is an ITV
series broadcast on 11–13 March 2007 based on the Roth Trilogy of novels by Andrew Taylor
. It tells the story of Rosie Byfield, a clergyman's daughter, who grows up to be a psychopathic killer. It has a unique narrative that moves backwards in time as it uncovers the layers of Rosie's past.
, the show starts with the ordination of a female curate
, Mary Appleton, as the first female curate in the fictitious diocese
of Roslington. During her service she is heckled by an old lady called Audrey Oliphant while her carer, Angela Wharton, hides in the background behind the altar. Angela or 'Angel' turns out to be a serial killer
and she kidnaps the Appleton's five year old child, telling her accomplice that 'this one is not like the others.' She then sends the girl's parents on a wild goose chase by leaving a number of other child body parts around the city, all of which bear some link to their daughter (her boots, her cut hair and ribbon).
It is later revealed, by Wendy Appleton acting as narrator, that Angela was taking advantage of Audrey. She also took advantage of a pedophile named Eddie, her surprisingly compassionate and protective accomplice, who she intended to blame for the child killings. After glimpses of the father's, Michael Appleton (Wendy's son), past are shown, he reveals to his wife that when he was eleven he knew a girl named Rosie who threatened to get back at him after he got her in trouble. It is also revealed that Rosie was obsessed with a priest and heretic
named Francis Youlgrave, a man who was obsessed with transubstantiation
and supposedly ate the flesh and blood of orphaned children in the slums of North London. Rosie is later revealed to be hiding under the guise of 'Angel' and the child, Lucy, is returned safely, but not before Rosie/Angel brutally murders Eddie, when he tries to hide and save Lucy from the former's murderous wrath, and return her safely to the parents. 'Angel' is then arrested, and locked up in a mental institution.
(Little Missenden
, Buckinghamshire
). After finishing her exams, she goes to stay with her father, the parish priest David Byefield, only to find that he wants to marry again to a woman named Vanessa. Rose initially opposes the idea but then seemingly changes her mind. After the wedding, a woman named Juliana and the local historian Audrey Oliphant, both try to obtain the Journals of Francis Youlgrave - who lived at the local manor house - from their owner, Lady Youlgrave. Lady Youlgrave used to own the local manor, but she later sold it to some hippies because she was too old to properly maintain it. Having failed her exams Rosie takes out her anger on the young Michael who has come to stay with them while his parents are on a second Honeymoon.
After Michael sees Rosie murder her stepmother and attempting to destroy the journals, he tells his family and Rosie is arrested. However, before they take her away, she threatens the whole family by screaming, "You will all suffer for this!," and threatens Michael specifically (which is what we see come to fruition in part one). Sometime after this and before the first episode, her father finds that Rosie has been released and apparently killed in a car crash, of which an 'Angela Wharton' is the sole witness.
at Roslington Cathedral in 1973 (St Albans
, Hertfordshire
). Wendy Appleton comes to stay with the family after breaking up with her husband and finds her friend's marriage is in just as bad a shape. Rosie's mother can't take care of her due to being pregnant and she is constantly ignored by her father. She has a close relationship with her grandfather, Hugh, but things take a turn for the worst as he becomes senile.
After David finds Hugh "cuddling" in bed with Rosie, he threatens to send him to a home. Hugh replies with "I wish I was dead." That same night, he is murdered and Janet, Rosie's mother, commits suicide while taking the blame for the murder. However later on, while eating at an ice cream parlor run by Audrey Strickland, Rosie reveals to Wendy that it was in fact her who killed Hugh and that Janet simply covered it up. She tells Rosie never to mention it to anyone. At the end of the episode Wendy is back together with her husband and pregnant with Michael.
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
series broadcast on 11–13 March 2007 based on the Roth Trilogy of novels by Andrew Taylor
Andrew Taylor (author)
Andrew Taylor is a British author best known for his crime novels, which include the Dougal series, the Lydmouth series, the Roth Trilogy and the historical novel The American Boy.-Biography:...
. It tells the story of Rosie Byfield, a clergyman's daughter, who grows up to be a psychopathic killer. It has a unique narrative that moves backwards in time as it uncovers the layers of Rosie's past.
The Four Last Things
Set in 2007 North LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the show starts with the ordination of a female curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
, Mary Appleton, as the first female curate in the fictitious diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of Roslington. During her service she is heckled by an old lady called Audrey Oliphant while her carer, Angela Wharton, hides in the background behind the altar. Angela or 'Angel' turns out to be a serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
and she kidnaps the Appleton's five year old child, telling her accomplice that 'this one is not like the others.' She then sends the girl's parents on a wild goose chase by leaving a number of other child body parts around the city, all of which bear some link to their daughter (her boots, her cut hair and ribbon).
It is later revealed, by Wendy Appleton acting as narrator, that Angela was taking advantage of Audrey. She also took advantage of a pedophile named Eddie, her surprisingly compassionate and protective accomplice, who she intended to blame for the child killings. After glimpses of the father's, Michael Appleton (Wendy's son), past are shown, he reveals to his wife that when he was eleven he knew a girl named Rosie who threatened to get back at him after he got her in trouble. It is also revealed that Rosie was obsessed with a priest and heretic
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
named Francis Youlgrave, a man who was obsessed with transubstantiation
Transubstantiation
In Roman Catholic theology, transubstantiation means the change, in the Eucharist, of the substance of wheat bread and grape wine into the substance of the Body and Blood, respectively, of Jesus, while all that is accessible to the senses remains as before.The Eastern Orthodox...
and supposedly ate the flesh and blood of orphaned children in the slums of North London. Rosie is later revealed to be hiding under the guise of 'Angel' and the child, Lucy, is returned safely, but not before Rosie/Angel brutally murders Eddie, when he tries to hide and save Lucy from the former's murderous wrath, and return her safely to the parents. 'Angel' is then arrested, and locked up in a mental institution.
The Judgement of Strangers
Moving backwards from the first part, the second episode starts in 1987 with Rosie (Angel) at 16 and applying for university in Roth, MiddlesexMiddlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
(Little Missenden
Little Missenden
Little Missenden is a village in Buckinghamshire, England. It is in the Chiltern Hills, about three miles south east of Great Missenden, three miles west of Amersham.The toponym "Missenden" is derived from the Old English for "valley where marsh plants grow"...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
). After finishing her exams, she goes to stay with her father, the parish priest David Byefield, only to find that he wants to marry again to a woman named Vanessa. Rose initially opposes the idea but then seemingly changes her mind. After the wedding, a woman named Juliana and the local historian Audrey Oliphant, both try to obtain the Journals of Francis Youlgrave - who lived at the local manor house - from their owner, Lady Youlgrave. Lady Youlgrave used to own the local manor, but she later sold it to some hippies because she was too old to properly maintain it. Having failed her exams Rosie takes out her anger on the young Michael who has come to stay with them while his parents are on a second Honeymoon.
After Michael sees Rosie murder her stepmother and attempting to destroy the journals, he tells his family and Rosie is arrested. However, before they take her away, she threatens the whole family by screaming, "You will all suffer for this!," and threatens Michael specifically (which is what we see come to fruition in part one). Sometime after this and before the first episode, her father finds that Rosie has been released and apparently killed in a car crash, of which an 'Angela Wharton' is the sole witness.
The Office of the Dead
Going back even farther, this episode focuses on Rosie's childhood when her father was a deanDean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
at Roslington Cathedral in 1973 (St Albans
St Albans
St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
). Wendy Appleton comes to stay with the family after breaking up with her husband and finds her friend's marriage is in just as bad a shape. Rosie's mother can't take care of her due to being pregnant and she is constantly ignored by her father. She has a close relationship with her grandfather, Hugh, but things take a turn for the worst as he becomes senile.
After David finds Hugh "cuddling" in bed with Rosie, he threatens to send him to a home. Hugh replies with "I wish I was dead." That same night, he is murdered and Janet, Rosie's mother, commits suicide while taking the blame for the murder. However later on, while eating at an ice cream parlor run by Audrey Strickland, Rosie reveals to Wendy that it was in fact her who killed Hugh and that Janet simply covered it up. She tells Rosie never to mention it to anyone. At the end of the episode Wendy is back together with her husband and pregnant with Michael.