By Anne Brodie
A disturbing look at stranger danger in Malice, a new series on Amazon now,hits us in the gut, no two ways about it. I could only watch a few eppies because it scared me too much to finish, but am heartily imagining ye old happy ending. A wealthy couple Jame and Nat played by David Duchovny and Carice van Houten own an expansive, ultra modern seaside home on a rocky Greek island. Its isolated, gorgeous and reeks of money. They hire Adam (Jack Whitehall), a tutor for the kids and he quickly earns their favour and the parents’ respect. Repeated tight visuals of insects tell us again and again that there is rot in him. He never lets himself slip up in front of them, but we know. A British family joins them, and he fearlessly goes through their luggage, steals a watch and cash, then puts them back. And later he tosses his boss’ phone into the Aegean so he won’t be contacting anyone for help when the need arises. Alarmingly the tutor stages a very dangerous event, encouraging the youngster to jump off a rocky cliff into the sea water. He’s terrified but Adam assures the parents its safe. The kid jumps and hits his head on a rock. Later the children witness him viciously beat a squid and stab a cat to death. Jame begins to suspect something off when their teenaged friend becomes violently ill while visiting – he’s poisoned her. He takes Nat out to a strip club and poisons him. See? No damn good. A whole lot of malice going on and the series drives it home hard. I didn’t have the stomach for it. Oh, and American Homeland Security is onto him.