An Asian man being attacked by a white person shouting “White power.” In today’s polarized world, that’s the stuff of nightmares. However, that’s exactly how the ITV drama, The Walk-In, which dramatizes actual events begins.
In showing the creeping advance of the far-right in a fractured post-Brexit Britain, The Walk-In walks a tightrope as the screenwriter Jeff Pope attempts to convey the true terror in a society that was coming apart at the seams.
In The Walk-In, Stephen Graham stars as Matthew Collins, an anti-fascist activist who plays a crucial role in thwarting a murder attempt by the banned far-right group National Action on Labour MP Rosie Cooper in 2017.
The concept is intriguing, though the series starts off slowly. A particular early scene featuring Collins being stopped by two police officers following a supermarket incident feels awkward and forced. However, about 20 minutes in, the series picks up momentum, becoming compelling enough that it’s hard to pull your attention away.
Graham, with his intense authenticity and palpable sense of fatigue, is perfect for the role We first see him delivering a lecture on the dangers of the far-right to a college audience, and while his words may be blunt, he explains this by referencing his own past involvement with the movement before he reformed.
However, much of the series’ impact comes from another central character: Robbie Mullen, a disillusioned builder portrayed by Andrew Ellis, who plays the role of “the walk-in” with believable uncertainty. Mullen becomes radicalized throughout the first episode.
The series could have delved deeper into the troubling ease with which someone can descend into extremism—Robbie starts the episode slightly bothered by immigrants and finishes as a committed member of the far-right group National Action. Nonetheless, the show effectively demonstrates the appeal of such extremist groups to certain marginalized segments of society.
The Walk-In thrives on peeling the layers and revealing the monsters for what they are: disillusioned and disenfranchised individuals searching for companionship in all the wrong places. It gives a sense of hope that if we keep our eyes and hearts open, strangers and people from other races and creeds can become friends rather than enemies.
At the core of the narrative is Matthew Collins, portrayed with intense authenticity and a palpable sense of fatigue by Stephen Graham.
We first see him delivering a lecture on the dangers of the far-right to a college audience, and while his words may be blunt, he explains this by referencing his own past involvement with the movement before he reformed.
About the Author: Muhammad Ali Bandial is an award-winning author and TV & film critic. He has written for Forbes, Khaleej Times, Plot Twist Media, and Collider.
