Trigger Point season two episode one spoilers follow.
Trigger Point season two is back on our screens, and there have been some changes.
Lead character Lana Washington (Vicky McClure) has returned from her six-month sabbatical to find the place turned into quite the boys' club.
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Under the new leadership of Commander John Francis (Julian Ovendun), misogyny has taken root in her department, and she's forced to assert her leadership and expertise in the face of sexism that rapidly picks up pace as the season unfolds.
Season two builds on the seedling exploration of a sexist culture within male-dominated professions that was laid out in season one with the dynamic between Lana and John Hudson.
This time around it has expanded throughout her team, with Hass (Nabil Elouahabi) not necessarily jumping on the bandwagon but definitely being tempted by the possible opportunities it could award him professionally.
In delving more deeply into this, the creators have created a different kind of tension, adding new layers to the show.
This is where Trigger Point excels. Its dynamic use of tension helps ground the more imaginative elements of the show, and the creators have come back stronger with its second outing.
No scene better illustrates this than that gripping moment between Lana and ex-boyfriend Thom, whose life was put on the line when he accidentally stepped on a pressure-plate bomb.
One move and he goes bang like human confetti.
Daniel Brierley and his team, which includes McClure as executive producer, took an already pressurised situation and transformed it into a juggernaut of a moment with the multifaceted, layered use of tension.
Thom and Lana's fear was made weightier by their unresolved feelings for one another.
Though Lana attempted to calm Thom's rising panic it was clear that she, in her own Wash way, was also feeling heavily anxious – she's just good at compartmentalising.
When Thom could no longer contain his agitation, Lana was compelled to open up about her feelings for him in a matter-of-fact way.
In the midst of his trembling breakdown and the life-threatening situation, she assured him that she would not let him die because she loved him, had always loved him and would always love him.
Speaking to Digital Spy and other journalists at a Q&A about the scene, Eric Shango, who plays Danny, said: "At the summit of the tension there was that moment of realness and humanness that almost diffused the tension for a second."
And he's right. This pure moment between the two offered very brief respite before the fear, and the panic became absorbed by romantic tension compounding the overall feeling of suspense even more.
During the same Q&A, McClure also shared how this high-tension scene was born out of improvisation: "Me and Mark [Stanley, who plays Thom] were both discussing it and we discussed it with the director and it was just, 'Let us have a go because I think we'll get more out of it'," she explained.
"And so when I say 'You're stood on a bomb', that wasn't in the script but I was trying to find the point – because I can't just jump from one to 10, otherwise it won't look realistic and won't have the same effect."
That line was wrapped up in a conversation that Thom tried to have with Lana while she attempted to defuse the bomb.
In the thick of concentration, he pressed Lana about her true feelings for him, to which she replied: "Thom, can you see what I'm dealing with?"
There's hopefulness in their exchange and a frankness in her response that pulls on the threads of nervous tension, creating a comedic note that will have viewers involuntarily laughing.
Through the overlapping of romantic, fearful, humorous tension, the show strikes a unique tone that keeps you at the edge of your seat.
You know Thom isn't going to die, (at least you hope not, Trigger Point does favour the Game of Thrones style of unexpected death) and yet the trepidation is palpable, leaving the viewer squirming in their seat.
It is a masterful stroke and a delicate balance to get just right. Trigger Point's ability to achieve that is what makes season two a step up from the already stunning season one.
Trigger Point season 2 will air weekly on Sunday at 9pm. All episodes of season 1 and 2 are available to stream on ITVX.
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TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
