History Series / Jekyll

'''''Jekyll''''' is a bizarre six-episode British TV series from 2007, written by Creator/StevenMoffat as a deconstruction of the JekyllAndHyde trope and a partial sequel to ''Literature/TheStrangeCaseOfDrJekyllAndMrHyde''. It tells the story of the scientist Dr. Tom Jackman, and his Mr. Hyde, who coexist in an uneasy relationship, the two communicating through a dictaphone and "changing" at designated times. Unfortunately, Jackman is married with children, and he will go to any length to prevent his other side from finding out about them. Even worse is the arrival of a shadowy agency intent on capturing Hyde for their own ends.

Not to be confused with the other British Jekyll and Hyde series, ITV'S ''Series/JkeyllAndHyde2015''.

'''''Jekyll''''' is a bizarre six episodes British TV series from 2007, written by Creator/StevenMoffat and a {{Deconstruction}} of the JekyllAndHyde trope. It tells the story of the scientist Dr. Tom Jackman, and his Mr. Hyde, who coexist in an uneasy relationship, the two communicating through a dictaphone and "changing" at designated times. Unfortunately, Jackman is married with children, and he will go to any length to prevent his other side from finding out about them. Even worse is the arrival of a shadowy agency intent on capturing Hyde for their own ends.

* {{Badass}}
** Hyde is a clear-cut example.
** Claire. There's really nothing else you can say about an InnocentBystander who can go stand up to the most lethal force in the world, and not die. She's also a MamaBear. It does help that the most lethal force in the world is in love with her, would never dream of harming her and would literally do anything for her, including sacrifice himself, but that's only after she stands up to him so.

* DroppedABridgeOnHim: In the series 1 finale, the show introduces Carver, a {{Badass}} merc who is tasked in taking down Hyde. The two finally become face to face with each other and... Hyde just tosses Carver off the roof they were on in a truly hilarious manner.

** Again invoked by Hyde who demands the Agency turn off their cameras so he can slaughter Jackman's wife and children.[spoiler: it's so he can save them]].

* MamaBear: Despite knowing full well what Hyde can do, Claire says she'll kill him if he goes near her children.
** The trope itself is lampshaded when explaining the true nature of Hyde.

* BerserkButton
** Do ''not'' threaten Jackman's family in front of Hyde. You will die. End of story.
** Don't you ever, EVER lie to Hyde.

* AloneWithThePsycho: Episode 2 has Katherine ending up locked in the apartment with Hyde while the cameras are off. She's appropriately terrified [[spoiler: but actually gets out of it unharmed, though possibly traumatised]].
** Again invoked by Hyde who demands the Agency turn off their cameras so he can slaughter Jackman's wife and children.
*** [[spoiler: Actually it's so he can save them]].

'''''Jekyll''''' is a bizarre British TV series written by Creator/StevenMoffat and a {{Deconstruction}} of the JekyllAndHyde trope. It tells the story of the scientist Dr. Tom Jackman, and his Mr. Hyde, who coexist in an uneasy relationship, the two communicating through a dictaphone and "changing" at designated times. Unfortunately, Jackman is married with children, and he will go to any length to prevent his other side from finding out about them. Even worse is the arrival of a shadowy agency intent on capturing Hyde for their own ends.

* IThoughtEveryoneCouldDoThat: Hyde knows ordinary humans aren't as strong or as fast as he is. However, he's still surpried to learn that they can't do things like detect drugs in their bloodstreams, pull up photo-quality images from their memories, or ''mentally control lions''.

IThoughtEveryoneCouldDoThat: Hyde knows ordinary humans aren't as strong or as fast as he is. However, he's still surpried to learn that they can't do things like detect drugs in their bloodstreams, pull up photo-quality images from their memories, or ''mentally control lions''.

* Wrath: Hyde seems to draw from this.

* SlasherSmile: Hyde. Made extra-creepy by his pointed teeth (currently provides the page image).

* NeckSnap: Mister Hyde's definition of "Minimum Necessary Force", notable for the fact it's not an InstantKill and the victim on the receiving end is incapacitated.

* SlasherSmile: Hyde. Made extra-creepy by his pointed teeth. (Currently provides the page image.)

** As well as the vastly different ways James Nesbitt portrays them, Hyde looks quite different to Jackman. Hyde is taller, thinner, and younger, he has darker eyes, a receded hairline and a different jawline. This was achieved through camera angles, directing, tailoring, wigs, platform shoes and make-up. In addition, James Nesbitt's Northern Irish accent thickens noticably when he's Hyde.
** A more literal example from the last scene of the series: [[spoiler:when Jackman's mother changes into Ms Utterson, she somehow acquires makeup and a completely different hairstyle]].

* TheyWereHoldingYouBack: Hyde gains access to the GeneticMemory of his ancestor, the original Mr. Hyde who tells him to kill Jackman's wife and children because they burden him and make him weak.

** Benjamin and Ms Utterson seem to enjoy being over the top as well.

* NeckSnap: Mister Hyde's definition of "Minimum Necessary Force", notable for the fact it's not an InstaKill and the victim on the receiving end is incapacitated.

* AbusiveParents: Inverted. Benjamin claims that he used to beat his father.
* AffablyEvil: Most of the Klein & Utterson employers seem to be more or less PunchClockVillains for the most part, their CEO [[FauxAffablyEvil not so much]], but [[spoiler:Syme]] takes the prize as he's more [[HarmlessVillain harmless as a villain]] that when he tries to be badass, it ends up failing for him. And when [[spoiler:Syme]] manages to actually do something useful, it ends up killing him.
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Perhaps not all girls, but Mr. Hyde certainly seems to appeal to a few. Subverted by Claire, who finds him irritating [[spoiler:and Catherine, who instead has the hots for the far more beige, but kind and decent, Tom Jackman]].

* AllLesbiansWantKids: One of the lesbians who aid Jackman throughout the series is pregnant. (RealLifeWritesThePlot: her actress was pregnant, so they just wrote it into the script. It doesn't come up in any really meaningful way.)

*** [[spoiler: Actually to save them]].

* BadassMoustache: As worn by [[spoiler:Robert Louis Stevenson]] of all people.

* BigBadFriend: [[spoiler:Peter Syme]]

* BolivianArmyCliffhanger: [[spoiler:Seeing the CEO do the NightmareFace, from what we saw of Mr. Hyde doing it, sometimes means death for the victim. Unfortunately, that's the last shot of the series, with no indication if Jackman gets out alive]].

** As well in Hyde's first chronological outing, he absolutely goes to town on a street thug who earlier on sexually intimidated Claire.

* DisproportionateRetribution: Tom and Claire are intimidated by a thug and his gang while on holiday, who sexually harass Claire and humiliate Tom for failing to come to her defence. When Hyde emerges for the first time, he savages the thug and bites off his ear, not even knowing why he wants to (because when Claire is threatened, Tom only ''subconsciously'' wishes horrific physical injury on her tormentor).

* DoubleEntendre: When Jackman first meets Claire, he asks what she's into. She cheekily replies, "Rich men". Later someone else asks Jackman how things are going at his work. He looks directly at Claire and (in Hyde's voice) says around 250,000 pounds a year. Claire drops her glass in shock.

* NightmareFace: Mr. Hyde really likes to do this. There's fangs and black eyes.

* DoubleEntendre: When Jackman first meets Claire, he asks what she's into. She cheekily replies, "Rich men". Later someone else asks Jackman how much he earns per annum. He looks directly at Claire and (in Hyde's voice) says around 250,000 pounds. Claire drops her glass in shock.

* DoubleEntendre: When Jackman first meets Claire, he asks what she's into. She cheekily replies, "Rich men". Later someone else asks Jackman how much he earns per annum. He looks directly at Claire and (in Hyde's voice) around 250,000 pounds. Claire drops her glass in shock.

* [[spoiler:BlackDudeDiesFirst]]: The first actual death, [[spoiler:Benjamin]].

* [[spoiler:BolivianArmyCliffhanger]]: The very ending. [[spoiler:Seeing the CEO do the NightmareFace, from what we saw of Mr. Hyde doing it, sometimes means death for the victim. Unfortunately, that's the last shot of the series, with no indication if Jackman gets out alive]].

* [[spoiler:HydePlaysJekyll: At the start of episode 5, that's Hyde using Tom's memories.]]

* [[spoiler:LoveMakesYouCrazy: "Hyde is love -- and love is a psychopath."]]
* [[spoiler:LoveMakesYouEvil:]] Both subverted and played straight.
** It's revealed that the psychopathic Hyde is not a manifestation of all the dark impulses of human nature as commonly believed, but represents the ruthlessness of [[spoiler:pure love, prepared to sacrifice anything and anyone for the object of his affection. This is proven by both Henry Jekyll and Tom Jackman's circumstances in which they found love.]]

* [[spoiler:SplitAtBirth: One possible explanation for what Harry and Eddie are. It's in the genes...]]

* ActingForTwo: James Nesbitt pulls it off, with Tom and Mr. Hyde seeming like two extremely different people. He's helped by some quite extensive make-up, which is so subtle and complements the acting so well, you might not even realize it's there.
** [[spoiler:He also plays the original Dr. Jekyll and his Mr. Hyde in flashbacks and photos, since Identical Grandson is in play.]]

* RealitySubtext: The actress who played one of the lesbians became unexpectedly pregnant between signing on and filming, so Moffat just [[ThrowItIn rewrote it into the script.]] He later said that if anyone could have known that the actress' baby bump wouldn't be prominent (which can vary from pregnancy to pregnancy even for the same woman) the production staff just would have been able to [[HideYourPregnancy work around it]] without re-writing.

* TotallyRadical: Benjamin's whole rant, over the phone, about "havin' ''[[FakeAmerican respec'!]]''", several times in a few minutes... sounds pretty silly. We get it already, he's black. One critic said it seems Paterson Joseph learned how black Americans talk from watching ''Film/RushHour'' movies, and no-one told him that's not generally representative.