Good evening. As readers may be aware ITV X is making episodes available on the day of transmission - but for some reason this episode appeared on that resource on Friday and it was therefore watched in this house on Friday evening. First up the antagonism between Sam and Toyah is writ large but Toyah persists and eventually Sam at least lets her stay so that they work on equipment which demonstrates Gail's heart operation. When Nick returns he gets a demonstration of Gail's op and Sam departs to show it to Hope and later to go to the cinema. Nick then has a heart to heart with Toyah which ends with lips locking and further close contact. Nick does not want to upset Sam again or disrupt him and so the new Platt/Battersby pairing agree to keep their romance quiet for now which will inevitably lead to deception, discovery and recrimination in the coming weeks as people catch them in clinches. Given that Toyah promised to not lie to Sam to start up again with Nick in secret in the same episode must be a record.
We have the big reveal this evening of Bethany's stoma, initially to us and then she unexpectedly exposes it to Daniel as he comes into the flat as he has a key. She shouts at him and he departs - she had wanted to choose when she showed him and did not like being caught unawares. She phones Sarah who returns to the flat instead of visiting Gail - she thinks she might have been followed but is unsure. Sarah receives a phone call from Damon who has suffered a beating but has convinced Harvey's goons that someone else in the gang has abstracted the cash from the lock up. Damon says that there should be no further contact between them (and I do not believe that either). Daniel has decorated Victoria Gardens (where they had their first wedding) in memory of Sinead and Bethany joins him. Bethany apologises for her anger and Daniel re-assures her all will be well and they kiss. Bertie is mentioned but never seen.
Much of this evening revolves around the Platt family which is back centre stage after a long time on the sidelines principally because Gail has undergone an operation which went well and she is on the road to recovery. She will make a full recovery but needs to take life very easy for the next few weeks. Gail is fixated on oxters (armpits) a much underused word. Gail also discovers that Hugh Bonneville likes to add marmalade to his spaghetti bolognese! David apologises for the upset he has caused Gail. He is however more worried about the money as Jesse has found it and uplifted it but he hands it back to David. In a strange apparent non-sequitur David returns to the lock up carrying the cash intending to return it but a member of the gang is present so David returns home with the cash. David and Jesse discuss the cash and against the background that they are currently off Harvey's hook as Sarah passed the information onwards they broker an understanding and David offers to talk the family round if Jesse keeps it zipped. Jesse wants a share of the cash.
Ken and Cassie are preparing for their trip to Porto, discussing a fado evening (I hope they enjoy it - it is amazing) and go shopping for suitable clothes. Steve continues to be suspicious of Cassie and makes it clear that she should not accept the jacket which Ken has bought for her. She returns the jacket and whilst she is out Ken tells Steve that he welcomes Cassie's company and for his sake would Steve please stop sniping so hard. On her return with Ken apparently sleeping (but keeping an eye on the two of them) Steve offers Cassie a truce and they shake hands on it. Has a corner been turned?
Kit appears to stalking Dee Dee - in the shop, in Roy's Rolls and eventually in the Rovers. We also see Joel's father (sadly not his mother) and it transpires that Dee Dee attended Joel's funeral yesterday. Mr Deering wants to know if Dee Dee has any more knowledge about Joel's demise - which she denies. Later she tells Kit she wanted the satisfaction of seeing Joel lowered into the ground and to know for certain that Joel was gone and buried forever.
No doubt she was originally intended to say those words to Martin - the entire Jesse story is riddled with holes - but putting that to one side he is probably a better bet than some of the others with whom she has been involved! Jesse takes some time to think about it but when he returns to the hospital later he accepts the invitation.
A bit mixed this evening. No sign of Lucy Fallon's bump as yet - the stoma will be hiding a lot. I know that Gail was promised a good exit so I hope it will be. I cannot believe Damon returned for a couple of phone calls and a beating - so there will be more I suspect. No-one can keep a secret for long - Toyah tell Sam NOW. And if Dee Dee actually did murder Joel why would she need to attend the funeral? No doubt answers to all this and more will be along shortly..
Written by Sam Holdsworth. Directed by Penelope Shales-Slyne.
Kosmo
