Down Cemetery Road is stellar TV – but the real scene-stealer isn't who you think

*Warning: This article contains spoilers for Down Cemetery Road episode 6.*

We already knew Zoë was in a precarious situation going into the sixth episode of Down Cemetery Road, but nothing could quite prepare us for the sheer amount of tension that built throughout the latest episode of the series.

If you listen closely, you may be able to hear phrases such as "Oh, TV is so back!" or "This is bloody brilliant" ringing out in the distance. Well, those are being cried out by me. That's because episode 6 of the (already) stellar drama is, quite simply, excellent – and really, it's all down to the star that is Fehinti Balogun.

Captivating from the very first episode, Balogun has brought the character of Amos to life in such a way that you can't help but want more of him on our screens.

There's absolutely no doubt about it: Amos is the antagonist of the series. Whether he's the main one is something to be disputed the closer we inch to the finale and come to understand the powers-that-be a bit better. What we do know, though, is that Sarah (Ruth Wilson) and Zoë (Emma Thompson) are the thorns in his side that he's intent on removing.

For all intents and purposes, we're supposed to side with them and not Amos. And while I'm not saying that I side with a serial-killing hitman, it's hard not to absolutely love what the character brings to the dynamic and feel of Down Cemetery Road. Hell, I'd even go so far as saying that the series wouldn't be as great as it is without both Amos and Balogun.

In the show's latest instalment, entitled Neglected Waters, the drama comes into its own. While some of the previous episodes may be seen as slightly slower in pace, episode 6 is a lesson for any screenwriter or director in how to build up tension perfectly.

Trains have been used time and time again throughout TV and film as apt locations for the most twisted of tales. From Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train, to The Girl on the Train, Murder on the Orient Express or the more recent Nightsleeper, there's clearly something about being in an enclosed space rattling along the railway that is ripe for building pressure for characters and viewers alike.

In Down Cemetery Road, we already knew Amos had spied Zoë following him to his train cabin in the previous episode and while she went into this one assuming she had the upper hand, we always suspect that Amos is several steps ahead of most.

Never will the British Transport Police's "see it, say it, sorted" announcement take on such a sinister note than when relayed by Amos, who slips into the seat opposite Zoë on the train. And who knew playing Bananagrams with strangers would end up being Zoë's only way of ensuring she wouldn't be killed that night?

All the while, Amos never so much as breaks a bead of sweat, simply enjoying the lengths that Zoë is having to go to in order to try and outsmart him. We've seen it throughout the series but Balogun's straight face is the stuff of pure poker table fear; it simply doesn't give anything away.

But as well as being superbly written, Amos is a character that has unexpected layers which are proving ever more enjoyable to peel away. Episode 3 showed a rare side of emotion to the character, revealing that the body he had cut up and disposed of was, in fact, his brother Axel.

It's his unwavering commitment to get Zoë in this episode, though, that is not just the perfect cat-and-mouse chase but also only continues to underline Balogun as a gem within this series. Going up against the likes of Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson is no easy feat for any actor, I imagine, but Balogun makes it all look easy.

A villain can only make a protagonist look better than they already do and whilst the likes of Thompson and Wilson certainly don't need to be propped up by anyone else with their existing acting chops, Balogun brings out the best of both of them in this series. Through Amos's looming and anxiety-inducing presence within the storyline, it only serves to create a depth of emotion and panic that carries this series.

There are multiple gut-wrenching close calls within the recent train scenes alone, with Zoë using the appropriate term of "you sneaky little f**ker" once she realises that Amos has done something to the train to get all the passengers evacuated. He wants to kill her, it's simple. Some may think otherwise but the gun in his pocket (that has a silencer attached to it, no less) speaks volumes.

Amos is one-track minded when it comes to his mission but we already know this. Whilst he could've entertained a very keen lover in previous episodes, it was clear his mind was preoccupied with the work he has to get done. Throw in the personal connection of his brother being killed and, well, it's as personal for Amos as finding Dinah is for Sarah.

The predator-prey circling that underpins this entire episode notches up further when Amos (under the guise of 'Andy') hijacks a taxi with his new American friends in the passenger seats. From taking polaroids with them the evening prior, to shooting them both dead in cold blood, Amos never fails to shock us. What's his next move? Really, I don't want to be able to guess it and that's the mark of truly terrific TV.

But it doesn't stop there – Amos forces himself to start crying and calls the police to report their murders, cleverly implicating Zoë in the crime as the perpetrator and making sure she'll be unable to move freely through the small Scottish fishing village that they're all descending upon.

We've seen Balogun's ease at slipping into accents previously within this series but they never fail to surprise, only demonstrating his character's complete ease at manipulating people.

Could Amos be the perfect TV villain? He's unintentionally very funny, no-nonsense, slick and just damn good at being a bad guy. Sure, he kills people with absolutely no remorse and fits all the markers of a psychopath, but he's the kind of antagonist that you can't help but enjoy watching, whether in his scenes with the leading actresses or in moments of comedic gold with Hamza (Adeel Akhtar).

Balogun's performance throughout the series is one that has me immediately thinking of the awards circuit and the actor hopefully scooping up a raft of nominations for this role.

While Balogun clearly has all manner of talents in his various lines of work also as writer and activist, we can only hope that Down Cemetery Road cements him as a regular on our screens in the near future. Because while Down Cemetery Road has been a joyous web of tension and unease to watch unfold, it's really Balogun that has made this series extra special.

Down Cemetery Road episodes 1-6 are available to stream on Apple TV, with episodes being released weekly – sign up to Apple TV now.

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