London is falling as EPIX’s opens Season 2
Richard Thomas gets backing from the Tabernacle Choir on PBS
Fans of “Pennyworth” may notice a difference in the clientele at The Delaney, the London nightclub where much of the action in the 1960s-set EPIX crime drama takes place, as its second season progresses.
That’s because social distancing regulations in the U.K., where the series is filmed, prohibits people from packing into enclosed spaces. So in episodes shot prior to the shutdown in March, the place was crowded; but afterward, not so much as fewer extras could be used.
“Suddenly,” chuckles Jack Bannon, who plays the club’s proprietor and titular character Alfred Pennyworth, “Alfred’s nightclub perhaps isn’t as popular as it once was because it’s post-COVID time, so there’s only about 20 people in there. So what that meant was, we had to play to our strengths or we had to get good at what we were allowed to do. And that meant that it became much more dialog-driven. ... If there are any positives to be taken from this awful time, this was probably one of them.”
As the new season of the “Batman” prequel commences Sunday, Dec. 13, England is in the midst of a bloody civil war, with the neo-fascist Raven Union led by Lord Harwood ( Jason Flemyng) threatening to take control of the entire country. One of the remaining pockets of resistance lies in the West End Neutral Zone and The Delaney, where Pennyworth and his SAS comrades Deon “Bazza” Bashford (Hainsley Lloyd Bennett) and Wallace “Daveboy” MacDougal (Ryan Fletcher) are looking for a way out before the city and country fall. And their prospective landing point is America, where “Batman” fans know Pennyworth will eventually go to work as a butler for Thomas Wayne (Ben Aldridge) and the Wayne family.
The new round elevates Sandra Onslow (Harriet Walker), a ‘60s starlet and Alfie’s on-again-off-again girlfriend, to series regular, and introduces several new characters, among them Gulliver Troy, played by James Purefoy (“Hap and Leonard,” “George and the Dragon”). A former Army comrade, Troy agrees to go to work for Pennyworth to provide some added muscle for his various business interests.
“He’s kind of like a father figure but also a friend,” Bannon explains. “I think Alfred reminds Troy of him when he was younger and Alfie kind of looks to Troy as potentially where he’s headed in life but very quickly realizes that actually is not where he wants to be going. But it’s a brilliantly crafted relationship and James Purefoy was a fantastic addition to the cast. He’s a lot of fun. ... And yeah, I learned loads from him. He’s brilliant.”
It’s a long way from the simplicity of the Waltons’ house to the majesty of Salt Lake City’s Temple Square for Richard Thomas.
The Emmy-winning talent joins one of the world’s most celebrated vocal groups as PBS televises the latest annual “Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir” special Monday, Dec. 14 (check local listings). While Thomas contributes a performance of the story “Christmas Day in the Morning,” the musical guest is Tony Award recipient Kelli O’Hara. (A longer version of the program premieres Thursday, Dec. 17, on BYUtv.)
“It’s not like any other experience I’ve had,” the friendly Thomas confirms. “That concert in that hall is kind of like the Grand Canyon of performing. It’s great, for so many reasons. They bring in guest stars, but it’s a 100-percent volunteer event, and it’s really humbling and deeply inspiring to witness the motivation behind all of it. And people aren’t charged admission; they just have to make sure to get their reservations in. I mean, that’s 21,000 people.”
The latest “Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir” was recorded a year ago, prepandemic, which explains the audience shown filling the huge Temple Square performance space. “To do this with Kelli was such a perfect combination,” Thomas reasons. “I’ve known her and her family for years, and I’m a huge fan of hers.
“I’ve done similar kinds of things, and with this, they try to personalize it as much as possible,” adds Thomas. “They pick a theme, they think of who they might invite to represent that as a reader and as a singer, then you have meetings about your own family background. Having spent so much time in Kentucky growing up, that’s why I had such an affinity for John-Boy (Walton).”
While “The Waltons” remains available to viewers (now on Hallmark Drama), Thomas is enjoying the current phase of his career that has taken him into such series as “The Americans” and “Billions.” He muses, “As a child actor, I played lots of youthful psychos, so it’s nice to be able to bring some of that gravitas in front of the cameras now.”
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