‘The North Water’ is Hell, and Colin Farrell's Henry Drax is The Devil in It

The Irish actor is on another level in this miniseries

In the very first scene of BBC’s mini-series, The North Water, we see Henry Drax (Colin Farrell) fucking a whore. The sex is raw, ferocious, animalistic. He’s panting, the prostitute is dead silent. They both do it out of need — Drax for satisfaction, the woman for money. Yet, there’s something much darker lurking inside of Drax. His need is more of an instinct than a desire. His sudden impulses resemble a wild animal rather than a human being, a hyena that has to ease its hunger. He’s a beast balancing the rules of society, but sooner or later, his vicious nature will take over.

As a whaler and harpooner, killing is a part of Drax’s job, and he’s rewarded for it. He’s the man who shoots seals in the head, cuts them up, and skins them without batting an eye. He cackles devilishly while harpooning a whale and getting its blood all over his face. The respect he gets from captains and mates of the ship mainly comes from fear. He’s a perpetual menace to avoid. A predator better left alone. Because once you get in his way — no matter who or what you are — Drax will skin you alive if that's what his need dictates. He might have been born among humans, but he's not one of them.