The Fourth Wheel, Issue 52

Christopher Ward's The Twelve proves you can be luxurious or great value, but not both

Hello and welcome back to The Fourth Wheel, the weekly watch newsletter that can practically smell the suncream and hear the whoosh of gentle surf on Mediterranean sand. The temperature in Britain has finally broken 15 degrees celsius, and pasty-skinned dads the length and breadth of the country are wearing shorts, but I’m looking further afield: at the start of June I’m going to Italy for a week - don’t worry, I’ve planned a newsletter for while I’m away - and I can’t wait. Partly because I’ve done something out of character: I’ve ordered a ‘summer holiday watch’. It might not actually arrive in time, so I’m not going to tempt fate by telling you what it is just yet, but I’m on the look out for orange rubber straps.

If you’re a new subscriber - and there have been a lot of you this week, which is great! - welcome to the club. Your next free, full-size newsletter will be Friday June 2nd, if you’re eager to see what all the fuss is about before you subscribe in full. There’s always the free trial, as well - but no pressure. It’s just nice to have you along for the ride. This week I have been mostly reviewing The Twelve from Christopher Ward. Enjoy!

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Review: Christopher Ward The Twelve

It took me a few weeks, but I finally remembered where I had heard of “The Twelve” before. It’s the shadowy, nebulous organisation of master criminals and assassins that appears in Killing Eve, as the ‘big bad’ that stretches the narrative to a barely credible four seasons. When the primary antagonist was a mercurial, sexy, amoral assassin with a dark sense of humour, the show was tight, energetic, focussed and bold. Once ‘The Twelve’ was introduced - a generic, familiar idea that’s been used in everything from James Bond to Prison Break - the plot sprawled and the show became baggy, confused and convoluted. 

I think without belabouring the point too much further, that gets us neatly to Christopher Ward’s The Twelve. It’s a concept its target audience is familiar with, possibly to the point of exhaustion. But does that alone set it up to fail? I’m not so sure.