Remember Me, a 3 part British series from 2014, attracted my attention because Jodie Comer stars in it with Michael Palin and Mark Addy. It’s a moody, mysterious tale about a supernaturally powered ghost. I found it on Tubi, but it’s also available on PBS Masterpiece and for rent at Prime Video.
Remember Me is a common film title. This one takes its title from the song “Scarborough Fair.” Not the Simon & Garfunkel version, but an older version. The song plays a part in the plot.
Tom (Michael Palin), who only gives his age as 80 odd, wants out of his flat and to live in a care home. He fakes an accident so he will be taken away. He insists on not bringing anything from his house.
Hannah (Jodie Comer) works in the care home. She takes an interest in Tom as soon as he arrives. Hannah has cared for her younger brother Sean (Jamie Rooney-West) for years. Hannah’s father died when she was young, and her mother (Julia Sawalha) has been useless ever since.
Almost as soon as Tom arrives at the home, there’s a mysterious death. That brings the police, including DC Rob Fairholme (Mark Addy) to the scene. The longer Tom is away from his flat, the more mysterious deaths there are. They are always associated with dripping water and cowry shells. And there’s the Indian woman in the red sari that people don’t want to admit seeing because she’s a ghost.
As Rob investigates the deaths, he finds it hard to believe what he’s learning about Tom and about the mysterious woman in red. Things are wet that shouldn’t be, and cowry shells are everywhere. It doesn’t help that Tom keeps running off and they have to figure out where he’s gone again and again.
Hannah is busy tending to her brother and her mother. But she’s invested in the care of Tom and she and the police officer become a sort of team. No one else believes what’s happening. Ghosts aren’t real, after all.
The series wasn’t scary. It’s not a horror story. It’s more eerie and mysterious than anything else. It was created by Gwyneth Hughes and directed by Ashley Pearce.
Thematically the tale was about possessive love and about not letting go of love. Not romantic love but the love of parents and other caregivers.
Remember Me isn’t a must see gem from the past. But its good (and short). I enjoyed seeing Jodie Comer in this part. If you look at her filmography, she started acting in 2008. Some of her recent work, for example Prima Facie and Killing Eve, have brought her acclaim and fame. But that talent has always been there, as you can see in a series like this one. She’s considered brilliant now, but she didn’t have far to go to get there.