| Curtis Donovan | |
|---|---|
| Misfits character | |
| First appearance | Series 1 Episode 1 |
| Created by | Howard Overman |
| Portrayed by | Nathan Stewart-Jarrett Kehinde Fadipe (female) |
| Power | Time manipulation (series 1–2) Gender Swapping (series 3, episodes 1–6) Resurrection (series 3, episode 7-) |
| Information | |
| Nickname(s) | Melissa (when female) |
| Gender | Male, Female (when using power) |
| Occupation | Bartender |
Curtis Donovan is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 science fiction comedy-drama Misfits, portrayed by Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and by Kehinde Fadipe in female form. Curtis's storylines have included being sentenced to community service after being caught in possession of cocaine and later gaining the power of time manipulation when involved in a freak storm. He has also been involved in a relationship with Alisha Bailey and later with Nikki. More recently he gains the power to swap gender, followed by the ability to resurrect people from the dead.
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Casting for the part was announced on 17 August 2009 by Digital Spy.[1] Stewart-Jarett went through an audition process for the part in which he commented on saying "I always thought your audition for drama school was meant to be the hardest you would ever do, but Misfits trumped that. I had to get through four auditions and five meetings before I got the part. The fourth audition was the worst. They placed around 20 of us in a house in Fitzrovia and we all had to work in groups so they could see the dynamics between us. We started in the morning and as the day wore on people were plucked out one by one and sent home. It was quite brutal".[2] Fellow cast member Iwan Rheon revealed that Overman who created the character discussed how to write their parts with the cast and later began writing for them as actors. Stewart-Jarett added that Overman "gave us a licence to do that and it was actually quite nice in a way".[3]
E4's official website depicts him as "a rising sports star whose goal was to compete in the 2012 Olympics. But his career is left in tatters after he’s caught with an illegal substance and is publicly shamed as he’s made an example under the eyes of the law".[4] Stewart-Jarrett described the character as "a serious guy. He's disappointed in himself and the demise of his athletic aspirations. There's a real sense of frustration about the character it's like he's a fallen angel".[5] The Times described him as a "shamed athlete who can stop and rewind time" a description which is similarly used by the The Daily Telegraph who describes him as a "shamed sports star".[6][7]
When buying drugs Curtis is caught along with girlfriend Sam (Anna Koval). Curtis is given community service and a two year ban from athletics while Sam is sent to prison. In episode 1 of series 1 Curtis is caught in a storm which grants him the power of time travel. In episode 2 of series 1 Curtis flirts with Alisha Bailey (Antonia Thomas). In episode 3 of series 1 Alisha uses her power of forcing those she touchs to go into a sexual frenzy on Curtis and they have sex. Curtis becomes angry with Alisha. Alisha proceeds to go to the park with Ben (Jamie Davis). Because of Alisha's power's influence over Ben he attempts to rape Alisha. Curtis arrives and attempts to stop Ben but after touching Alisha joins in in attempting to rape Alisha. Alisha escapes and after a heart to heart with Curtis the pair begin a relationship agreeing to not become physical. In episode 4 of series 1 Sam is released from prison and when she comes to meet Curtis she makes him feel guilty, causing him to rewind time. Curtis attempts to change the events leading up to her arrest and after a few attempts he successfully achieves this although in order to be able to save the group from Tony (Danny Sapani/Louis Decosta Johnson) he must get community service by being caught with the drugs while Sam is not, sacrificing his athletics career. He realises that because Sam didn't go to prison he is now in a relationship with both Sam and Alisha. In episode 5 of series 1 he ends his relationship with Sam.
In episode 1 of series 2 Lucy (Evelyn Hoskins) begins causing trouble for the group by shape shifting into others and causing confusion. After Simon Bellamy (Iwan Rheon) believes he received oral sex from Alisha he attacks him. Lucy, masquerading as Kelly Bailey (Lauren Socha), attacks Curtis nearly suffocating him. Curtis is saved by Superhoodie. In episode 2 of series 2 Curtis's power allows him to travel to the future momentarily after taking drugs where he witnesses himself with Nikki (Ruth Negga). In episode 3 of series 2 Alisha and Curtis argue. Curtis later visits Nikki who he realises is ill. In episode 4 of series 2 Alisha and Curtis end their relationship. Curtis later aks Nikki out on a date. Curtis and Nikki kiss after being held hostage and later begin a relationship. In episode 5 of series 2 Curtis plays out the events he witnessed when he travelled to the future. In episode 6 of series 2 Brian (Jordan Metcalfe) goes public about his power. The group are also forced to go public. Brian becomes angry after others receive more attention than him and begins killing people, including Kelly, Nikki and Alisha. When Brian is about to stab Curtis Simon intervenes and tells Curtis he must rewind the events, which he does. In episode 7 of series 2 the group sell their powers. Nikki is killed and the group decide that they must retrieve their powers. The group steal money collected by Elliot (Edward Hogg) who is falsely claiming to be Jesus Christ reborn, who they kill accidentally. When the group visit Seth (Matthew McNulty) to buy back their powers. Curtis learns his has been sold to an old jewish man hoping to kill Hitler so the group decide to buy new powers.
In series 3 Curtis has the power to swap genders. In episode 1 of series 3 Curtis is frozen by Tanya (Katie Moore) who hits Rudy Wade (Joseph Gilgun) with a bottle, blaming Curtis. In episode 2 of series 3 Curtis begins competiting in athletics using his female form, Mellisa (Kehinde Fadipe). Curtis sleeps with Emma (Hannah Britland) who later tells Mellisa of Curtis's negative outlook on life. Emma develops an interest in Mellisa and the pair begin a relationship. Mellisa is spiked by Mark (Jay Taylor) and receives oral sex from Rudy which is witnessed by Emma. Emma ends her relationship with Mellisa. Curtis rescues Emma from Mark and they decide to humiliate Mark as revenge. Curtis tells Emma of his power before Emma leaves. In episode 4 of series 3 the jewish man who was hoping to travel back in time to kill Hitler using Curtis's old power travels back in time and accidentally gives the Nazis an advantage. The Nazis win the war. In the alternate timeline Curtis along with Kelly and Rudy begin planning to rescue Seth from the Nazis who plan to use him to gain others powers. Seth is forced to give the power of time travel to Curtis who is shot and killed by List of Misfits characters#Captain Smith (Glenn Speers). The remaining group manage to rescue Seth who reveals he had not given Curtis the power of time travel. Seth gives the power to Kelly who changes the timeline. In episode 6 of series 3 Curtis's gender swapping becomes incontrollable and he realises it is because he is pregnant. Curtis becomes stuck in his female form and realises he is both the father and mother of the child. In order to become male Curtis ask Seth to remove his power. Seth agrees if Curtis will take the power of resurrection and return Seth's dead girlfriend Shannon (Charlene McKenna) to life. In episode 7 of series 3 Curtis brings Shannon back to life and an old lady's cat. They realise that those brought back are zombies. The group kill the old lady after her cat attacks her. The cat attacks a cheerleader who in turn attacks the rest of the cheerleaders. The group kill the cheerleaders and Seth later kills Shannon. In episode 8 of series 8 Alisha is killed upsetting Curtis who offers to bring her back although the group reject the idea.
Stewart-Jarrett was nominated for Outstanding Actor in the fiction category at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival in 2011.[8] Den Of Geek described Nathan as "an all-round good egg, is Curtis, and his relationship with Alisha is lovely, if a little bizarre".[9] Tim Dowling of The Guardian described him as the "angry one" of the group of "foul-mouthed young criminals".[10] Boxcutters commented negatively on the characters of Misfits saying it was "filled with unattractive and very annoying characters" although they responded positively to the show asking "why do we find it so strangely compelling?"[11] Neela Debnath of The Independent said she felt Curtis had "drew the short straw" because of his power.[12] Debnath reviewed the second episode of series 3 saying that the episode brought Curtis to the "forefont". She added that Curtis's power is "far from the A-list of superpowers" but it gives Curtis "a fresh perspective on life". Debnath felt that even though Curtis did not choose his power "it became very personal and helped to develop his character". She felt that for a long time Curtis had remained as the "moody ex-athlete who was consumed with regret and a yearning for his old life" but by the end of the episode "he had gained a sense of closure and was ready to move on". Commenting on Stewart-Jarrett's performance Debnath said he had "always given a good performance" but because Curtis has always been "stuck in a rut of remorse means that he has been very limited" but hoped the character's change would allow the viewers to see a different side to his acting skills. Debnath also commented on Fadipe's performance saying it was "equally as strong" as Stewart-Jarrett's. She felt that although two actors portrayed the role, "it was Curtis who was always present". Debnath felt Curtis's vulnerability as Melissa was "refreshing" and when he was nearly raped it made the episode "incredibly sinister".[13] Debnath added that when Stewart-Jarett is given a "weightier role" in series 3's fourth episode he "more than fulfilled" it.[14] The Guardian commented on Curtis impregnating himself saying it was one of "Misfits' masterful twists".[15]
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