‘One of Us’ concludes tonight, with the final episode promising to tell us exactly who was responsible for the grisly murder of the stranger in the barn.
Yes, we know that Rob Elliott (Joe Dempsie) has already confessed to the killing, in revenge for the slaying of his brother Adam and wife Grace in Edinburgh.
But we have an hour to go, so there must be a twist, right? And writing brothers Jack and Harry Williams (who also wrote ‘The Missing’) have carefully set up the plot with a few remaining strings, so it really could still be any one of the two claustrophobically entangled families living side by side in their remote Scottish paradise.
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Joanna Vanderham plays Claire, troubled by the goings-on in her family home
BBC
Ahead of tonight’s final episode, and insisting that she not spoil it for us, we asked Joanna Vanderham, the Scottish actress who, confusingly, is putting on an English accent to play Adam’s sister Claire. Claire SEEMS innocent enough, shocked by everyone else’s behavior and the first to suggest they call the police, but that could all be a bluff. We asked her…
When did you know who did it, how long did the writers keep you and the rest of the actors in the dark?
I had an inkling while reading the third episode but I was never certain. It wasn’t until the final episode and even then, the reason why was still wonderfully shocking. I was only sent the final episode after I’d agreed to play Claire, so I couldn’t wait to find out. The ending really makes or breaks a series like this, and Jack and Harry (the writers) have definitely ‘made’ it.
Without telling us who actually did it, can you say who you suspected at the beginning, when you were first reading the script, and why?
I kept thinking it was a different person as the story went on. Will (the director) was great at making sure we kept in our minds who the character believed it to be as opposed to us as actors making guesses as a viewer would. But me as audience, I thought it was Jamie... He’s so weird! That awkward almost-kiss was genuinely hilarious to film: we’d done about 5 takes and I was trying to keep it fresh for myself so, as Claire, was thinking about Grace Elliot and was really not expecting him to kiss me- he nearly got me! That’s the take they used in the end!
What was it like for you filming in your native Scotland?
Well, it was convenient because I could pop home and see my family at the weekend. My sisters actually came to set and got used as extras in one of the scenes! As you can see when you’re watching, the landscape is absolutely stunning. The gorgeous shots of the highlands were done by drone which is pretty exciting. The skyline was almost like another character in the show. The storyline wouldn’t work without it being set somewhere so remote and I took the time to appreciate that they chose such a beautiful place: I could go running along the river after filming. Stunning!
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It could have been any one of them - so who did it?
BBC
Must have been strange putting on an English accent in those circumstances - how did you not lapse?
It was quite tricky, especially the scenes with Meredith. I don’t keep my accent up when I’m not filming (maybe I should, who knows!) but I did catch myself Celting-up the odd vowel here and there but it was easier in scenes with Juliette or Joe as they had the accent I was to meet. I love accents, though, and almost find it harder to act in my natural voice, even Denise from ‘The Paradise’ had a slight accent.
It’s a pretty dark show - what was the atmosphere like during filming - did you manage to have fun between scenes, or was the atmosphere of filming contagious?
We had a ball! Maybe something masochistic in that? There was one shot where I’m on the phone on top of a hill and the camera was set up down the path back in the farmyard and when I turned round everyone had hidden! All the crew and the director and producer! It was during one of the final climaxes of the show as well...naughty! And Georgina and I couldn’t keep a straight face when we were in scenes together. All the cast and crew got on really well so there were a lot of jokes, the scenes are so dark that if we hadn’t been able to let off steam we might’ve gone mad.
When will viewers next get to see you on screen?
In the final episode! There are a few things in the pipeline at the moment but I’m not actually allowed to talk about them just yet, but watch this space...
‘One of Us’ finishes tonight at 9pm BBC One. Catch up with the rest on BBCiPlayer. Tap the first picture below to open our slideshow for others shows coming your way:
Top Drama Picks For Autumn 2016
The Fall (BBC Two)(01 of12)
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The third and final series finds Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson pitted against serial killer Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan). With Spector captured and injured in the final scene of the second series, it’ll be interesting to see what writer Allan Cubitt does in this final run to round things off in a satisfying conclusion to a memorable trilogy.
Our Loved Boy (BBC One)(02 of12)
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The story of Damilola Taylor and the aftermath of his senseless death, as told through the eyes of his grieving family in this feature-length drama. Their quest for justice sits alongside their personal battles with a cast led by Babou Ceesay and Wunmi Mosaku, in a story told with the support of Damilola’s tireless father Richard Taylor OBE.
The Missing Series 2 (BBC One)(03 of12)
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Writing brothers Harry and Jack Williams (who also wrote ‘One of Us’) are back on more familiar ground of the trauma surrounding a missing child. No James Nesbitt in this one, instead we have David Morrissey and Keeley Hawes as a couple whose lives are overturned when their missing daughter returns after 11 years. The thing we’re most looking forward to? The return of Tcheky Karyo reprising his role of the compassionate detective Julien Baptiste.
Close To The Enemy (BBC Two)(04 of12)
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‘One Day’s Jim Sturgess leads the cast in this six-part series set in a bomb-damaged London hotel in the aftermath of World War II. Sturgess’s Captain Callum Ferguson is an intelligence officer whose job is to persuade a captured German scientist to lend his skills to the RAF’s task of developing the jet engine. All is not as it seems.
Tutankhamum (ITV)(05 of12)
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Max Irons and Sam Neill star in this four-part mini-series, re-telling the story of Howard after and his discovery of the tomb of the most fascinating of Egyptian pharaohs. With Irons as Carter, Sam Neill plays his supportive patron Lord Carnarvon, who defies all doubt to keep Carter’s dreams of discovery alive.
Broadchurch (ITV)(06 of12)
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David Tennant and Olivia Colman return for the final series of this haunting series, joined once again by Jodie Whittaker and Andrew Buchan as grieving parents Beth and Mark Latimer. Following the mistakes of the second series, writer Chris Chibnall instead focuses on a brand new case, with detectives Alec Hardy and Ellie Miller investigating a sexual assault, while the close Dorset community must once again deal with the unwelcome attention foisted on them.
The Halcyon (ITV)(07 of12)
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The title refers to a five-star hotel in the centre of 1940 London society at a time of falling bombs and heightened emotions and fears. Steven Mackintosh and Olivia Williams lead a cast that also includes Kara Tointon and Alex Jennings.
Paranoid (ITV)(08 of12)
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Arguably the jewel in ITV’s winter schedule, this is an eight-part series exploring what happens when the murder of a mother in a school playground proves to be far less clear-cut than at first appeared. Neil Stuke, Indira Varma and Robert Glenister star.
Tina and Bobby (ITV)(09 of12)
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The lady who can currently do no wrong, Michelle Keegan, stars as the wife of the revered England football captain, as they became the most recognisable couple of their generation. As the country got swept up in World Cup euphoria and by the Moores in particular, this most normal of couples must face some huge challenges. Alongside Michelle is Lorne MacFadyen as Bobby - Patsy Kensit and David Bamber also appear.
National Treasure (Channel 4)(10 of12)
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Robbie Coltrane gives an ironically compelling turn as a huge entertainment star caught up in an historic sex allegation. As the police work their way through his complex life, those closest to the ‘national treasure’ must deal with the effects of secrets uncovered and loyalties tested. Julie Walters, Andrea Riseborough co-star.
Humans (Channel 4)(11 of12)
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After the surprise phenomenon of Series 1, Gemma Chan and co return for a second series of compassionate sci-fi, exploring what happens when robots become loveable.
The Young Pope (Sky Atlantic)(12 of12)
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Following a rapturous reception to its debut episode at the Venice Film Festival, Jude Law brings his troubled Pope Pius XIII to screen. The first American pope in contemporary times, the pontiff is a man of a great power who nevertheless fears losing those closest to him, and even being abandoned by his God. Alongside Jude, Diane Keaton, Ludivine Sagnier and James Cromwell star.