WILL Episode 6

In Episode 6 of WILL, Richard Topcliffe continues with his torture of a Catholic man, who refuses to renounce his Faith, as he recites from the Apostle’s Creed.  It does not seem that Topcliffe’s victims are well versed in the specific Bible based apologetics used to show the authority of the Catholic Church, under the Pope, as none of Topcliffe’s victims have attempted any Scriptural appeal, such as showing the Church’s authority through 1 Timothy 3:15 or 1 John 4:6. They don’t attempt to show the Pope’s authority through Matthew 16:17-19, further clarified by the “Feed my sheep” commands given to Peter in chapter 21 of John, through the lens of Mark 9:35, confirmed by the universal acceptance of Peter’s words, shown in Acts 15:6-12, words that by divine authority supersede the Old Covenant command found in Genesis 17:14.

 

With Alice’s convincing, Will and Alice commit adultery together, again.  The man who Alice’s parents tried to get her to marry senses Alice’s lack of love for him, and ends up breaking off the engagement, much to the horror of Alice’s mother who proceeds to tell Will that if he truly loves Alice, he must break her heart and stop leading her on, since he is a married man.  Will proceeds to do what Alice’s mother said, and is particularly hurtful and nasty about it, being a complete jerk to Alice, going far beyond what Alice’s mother asked Will to do, Will perhaps felt it was necessary to go to that extreme.  He was so cruel to her, though, that it was almost as difficult to watch as the Richard Topcliffe torture scenes.

 

Will meanwhile proceeds to start writing the play that Richard Topcliffe has asked him to write.  In that play, Will personally attacks Robert Southwell with outright lies.  Robert Southwell, however, remains humble and forgiving, hoping and praying that Will comes back to the Faith.  Robert Southwell also attempts to comfort Alice, when it is clear that Will has wronged her.  While Will remains the central protagonist, Robert Southwell remains the noblest character on the show.

 

Things get rough for the prostitute Apelina and her brother Presto.  Apelina’s madam puts Presto in a dress, Presto initially under the impression it would be an effective disguise to rob people.  When Apelina informs Presto that the actual intent was to pass him off as a girl to be prostituted off to men interested in sodomizing a little girl, Presto runs off.  The madam informs Apelina that if Presto does not return, Apelina will be killed.  Presto returns, is made up to look like a girl, and then discovers that his first client is Richard Topcliffe.  Presto proceeds to stab Richard Topcliffe, run off, and tell Apelina to run, too.  In the attempted escape, Apelina gets shot, and dies. 

 

Will’s wife, Anne, who previously did not support Will’s dream of becoming a stellar playwright, gets to see one of Will’s plays successfully performed.  She is moved to tears, tears that she later explains are a result of accepting the harsh reality that Will would always view his marriage as secondary to his career dream as a playwright.  She realizes that London is not the place for her and the children.  With great sadness, while she remains married to him, she releases him to pursue his dream, without interfering, asking merely for him to send money back to her and the children.  This is indeed a sad moment, brilliantly performed by actress Deirdre Mullins who projects Anne Shakespeare’s pain out to the viewing audience in such a way that our hearts break for her.

 

Will Richard Topcliffe survive the stab wound?  Will Will finish Richard Topcliffe’s play that betrays Will’s cousin, his family, his Faith, and his God?   Will Will get back together with Alice, now that Will’s wife is out of town?  Will Alice even take him back after the inexcusably cruel way he spoke to her?  Find out next Monday, August 14 on TNT.  I predict it will be worth your time, like this week’s episode.