Eastenders: Honey Gin

Monday 13th – Friday 17th 2020

Overwhelmed with the guilt of leading Keanu to his death, Louise contemplates smothering baby Peggy. Lisa catches her just in time and is amazingly supportive as her daughter breaks down and tells her everything about Keanu’s murder. However, Lisa cannot believe what she is hearing and thinks Louise is having a breakdown. She books her an appointment with a therapist and even mentions the murder plot offhand to Ian and Sharon. Well, that’s going to come back to bite them! She turns to Phil and Ben about Louise, prompting Phil to finally speak to his daughter and offer some sort of support. I’m not even sure they’ve had a scene together since Christmas… it’s all been on Ben! He admits to horrified Lisa that what Louise has told her is true.

Callum returns and after a quickie in the car lot office, Ben dismisses him again. When Callum begs him to give their relationship another chance, Ben puts all his cards on the table. He tells him that a man is dead because of him, that’s how serious his life is. Callum leaves. Ben breaks down in tears. Callum attempts to date someone new but he is still stuck on Ben.

When the police come calling, asking about Keanu’s whereabouts, Karen has no choice but to lie to them for the sake of her son. Phil and Ben go into panic mode as they try to work out who may have rolled over on them, suspecting Sharon. Correctly. Despite his anger with his mother, Denny warns her that she is in the firing line.

Linda returns from visiting her mother, oblivious to the suffering of her husband who along with continuous panic attacks, has found an anomaly on their credit card statement. On New Year’s Eve, Linda booked a hotel room. Linda has no recollection of this at all and is horrified by the idea that she may have cheated on Mick and terrified that the man the hotel confirms was with her, may have done something to her against her will. Of course, viewers know that Linda did go to a hotel room with a man, completely out of her head but when he tried something and didn’t take no for an answer, she shoved him away and bolted.

Mick accompanies Linda to a sexual health clinic but it’s all too much for Linda who returns to her secret drinking while claiming to be completing dry January. Shirley, backed up by Tina, makes it clear that she does not trust Linda and is looking out for her son. Mick’s anxiety grows when the Queen Vic is named the Best Pub in London and they are awarded a day out on a boat for themselves and all their locals with a free bar. Well, that’s clearly going to be a big episode!

Leo is frustrated when Kat takes over Whitney’s stall but he quickly makes some calls to lose her cleaning business as many customers as possible. Habiba gets confused when Jean asks her to arrange a surprise 50^th birthday party for Kat, thinking it’s for Big Mo! It’s really quite amusing. Stupid Dotty decides to make a move on Leo, not realising that he is blatantly trying to morph her into Whitney! Well, not until they’re making out in the alley and he actually calls her ‘Whit’. Then she walks out on him.

Billy is determined to support Honey, no matter what, although she is reluctant to let him in. Honey frets that she may be pregnant with Adam’s baby. Catching on, Ash buys her a pregnancy test but thankfully, it’s negative. Ash explains to her that her eating disorder is very serious and is affecting her cycle and will be affecting other parts of body. She begs her to accept help. Please!!! While she attempts to push her loved ones, including kind Ash away, Honey eventually breaks down and talks honestly to adoring Billy about how much Adam destroyed her and how engulfed she is by her eating disorder. She decides that she has to go away and get some actual help and tearfully says goodbye to Billy and the kids.

Acting as the least casual spy in the world, Sonia approaches Martin’s hit and run victim while she is at work to find out what he knows about the accident. He doesn’t know much except that one of the people who hit him was called Martin. For some reason, Sonia lies to Martin about this, reassuring him that everything will be fine. I really don’t know what Eastenders are doing to Sonia at the moment. I mean, she’s always a bit annoying but it’s like they’ve removed her spine or something. She’s this whimpering, simpering mess who’s suddenly obsessed with her ex-husband. She’s more in love with him than she ever was when they were married. It’s very weird.

Anyway, she returns to visit the patient who was clearly suspicious of Sonia. Who wouldn’t have been? He has worked out that she is the partner of the man who ran him over and wants £10,000 for his silence. Okay, so she needs money now. I get it. So why was she trying to rob Dot before?! Did they run that story too early by accident or something? Anyway, she clears her savings of two grand and robs the rest from poor, trusting Dot.

Kush catches onto Sonia and Martin being back together. However, Sonia is left heartbroken (surprise, surprise) when Martin receives divorce papers and realises that he still loves Stacey. Wow. Nobody saw that coming! He also admits that he lied to Stacey about cheating on her with Sonia and clumsily tells her it was the worst thing he could think of to could say! No, Martin, that was the worst thing you could say! Meanwhile, Dot is beside herself as she discovers that has been robbed – someone has written themselves a cheque without her permission. Um… Sonia? Do you have something to confess?

To cheer things up, the cutest couple on the Square, Jean and Daniel, decide to take their relationship to the next level. And Mitch makes some gin and punts it around the Square, including in the pub where Mick and the rest of the punters try it and fall in love with it. Mitch is then horrified to discover that, thinking it was cold water, Karen bathed in it! Mmm… yum!

Eastenders is on BBC1 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays (7:30pm/8:00pm)

Doctors: Acts of Kindness

(Monday 13^th – Friday 17^th 2020)

We appear to be landed with one of those stupid Valerie storylines. Don’t get me wrong, I love quirky Valerie. She is absolutely one of my favourite characters. But sometimes I feel like they go a bit too daft with her. Case in point, she is currently obsessed with this DNA testing where she has poor Sid going through every single test result, she is deeply concerned about conditions she might carry genes for and is convinced she is now Jewish. She also fails to recognise that it’s a load of rubbish as the results show that she has the body of an athlete and is unlikely to get cancer. And of course one of the strongest Valerie storylines ever and indeed Doctors storylines ever was Valerie’s cancer.

Rob assists with giving guidance on the perils of crime to an Intervention group but recognises some of the boys as being behind some bike thefts. However, the group leader persuades him not to follow it up, as the boys have had extremely difficult lives and are not desperate to turn their lives around. Speaking of crime, Zara and Emma receive the news that Gareth is pleading not guilty and his case is going to trial.

During evening surgery, Karen and Bear are at loggerheads as Bear fails to respect the depth of the work Karen is required to do as a receptionist. When a frightened fifteen year old Muslim girl comes into the surgery, desperate for help, not only from Emma as a Doctor but also from Karen as a Mum and just as a kind woman who will listen and help her work through things, Bear demands to know what she is doing and why she is away from the desk. He also gets mistaken for a junior receptionist while he is holding the forte! At the end of the night, the young woman manages to sort things out with her family and commends Karen to Bear. Karen, who is beside herself about Jimmi finally gets a visiting order to go and see him.

Karen and Bear clash during evening surgery…

Behind bars and against Emma’s advice, Jimmi finds himself providing more and more medical support for his fellow inmates. He provides one man with a new mental health diagnosis that could potentially change his life and begs a prison officer to get urgent care for another inmate whose life could be in danger. Instead, the officer assaults him… not quite what Jimmi had in mind.

Emma has her own battle on her hands when a man rushes into the Campus Surgery in desperate need of mental health support. Instead, he receives suspicion and fear based on race from other patients.

Doctors is on BBC1, weekdays at 1:45pm

Emmerdale: Who Kills Graham?

(This blog includes spoilers for the following week).

The Suspects:

Charity Dingle: She has been gunning for Graham for a while, blaming him for not helping sooner with Noah when he took illegal drugs and on the day of the murder, Graham is set to hold Ryan hostage and scupper Charity’s plans to marry Vanessa. And let’s face it, Charity is not one to hold back on a vendetta. But Vanessa would absolutely not forgive her so fingers crossed that Charity controls herself.

Kim Tate and Al Chapman: Not only has Graham been robbing her bank account, he has been manipulating her lingering feelings for her. She might well be ready to take revenge on him either personally or by getting that moron, Al to do it for her. She is a high profile suspect and has form (RIP Frank Tate) but then, is it just too obvious?

Jai Sharma: He’s fallen off the wagon and Graham is set to reveal all to Laurel and the rest of Jai’s family, sending his life into a further spiral. It’s possible. Once upon a time, Jai was a pretty ruthless guy and not someone who would have been controlled by the likes of Kim, Al and Graham like he is these days. So it’s possible that he could snap. Let’s not underestimate him.

Marlon Dingle: No way. He’s pretty angry that Graham is whisking Rhona and Leo off to France and even attempts to kiss Rhona this week in a moment of utter confusion. But I think it would be ridiculous to think he would be capable of killing anyone, let alone Graham.

Jamie and Andrea Tate: They both blame Graham for tearing their family apart. At the beginning of their relationship, Andrea and Graham slept together and it’s only recently that Andrea knows for sure that Jamie is definitely the father of their daughter. But all of this is a massive revelation to poor Jamie who is devastated. Their marriage is over, as far as he is concerned. He is angry with his wife and with Graham and she blames Graham entirely. And they are both angry with Kim. Who knows where this could lead? (Although I think Jamie is a little too gentle to kill anyone. I’m surprised he can carry out euthanasia at the vets!)

Or could it be a wildcard? Soaps love a wildcard, including Emmerdale. I’ll never forget my closeted teenage self being utterly delighted when I rightfully guessed that Charity was actually having a secret affair with Zoe Tate – who was not on the list of suspects! I just had a feeling… So could it be Rhona Goskirk who does Graham in? Perhaps she finds out the dark depths of her partner and loses it during a showdown? Could the suddenly frequently mentioned Joe Tate return for one final confrontation with the man who wrecked his life? Could it be Cain Dingle? They’re not exactly friends after what happened with Joe. Or could Rhona’s ex-husband Pierce Harris who was recently released from prison be planning to keep Rhona in the country? Or, as the rumour mill suspects, has Graham already dealt with him?

I’ve been complaining about the lack of enthusiasm in Emmerdale for a few weeks now but it genuinely looks like it’ll be an exciting week this week. Every episode focuses on a new suspect and how they affect Graham’s day before Friday reveals the culprit… Maybe this is the ‘plane crash’ the show needs to revive it! I for one, am very much looking forward to this week!

Emmerdale: Under Pressure

(Monday 13^th – Friday 17^th 2020)

In the middle of the Woolpack, Cara attempts to drag Nate away from the Dingles and bring him back home with her, citing all the horrific things she has been told by Moira. Cara is upset to realise that several things, particularly Belle’s crime, have been completely taken out of context just to hurt the Dingles and get Nate out of the Village. She gives Moira a dressing down in front of everyone and Cain tells Moira to leave. Moira confesses all to Matty and decides she needs to change her ways. She says goodbye to her kids and goes to stay with family for a while to get her head straight in order to move on and start again.

Aaron is struggling to move on with his life…

Having been told that now Robert is off the scene, his access to Seb has been cut off, Aaron is in an even darker place. He ditches Liv to go to a party with some random blokes. In the morning, the guy he hooked up with tries to steal from him. Having seen the boys fight, Victoria struggles with flashbacks from the rape and opens up to Liv about Lee, overheard by Wendy. I think she is starting to suspect that Victoria is telling the truth. Come on… she must be! I genuinely think that when she admits it, she and Victoria could have a connection and be part of each other’s lives. Or am I just being idealistic? Aaron decides to agree to a divorce and finally let Robert go.

Ryan catches Graham out in his thievery but ends up being forced to help him instead. Graham is acting shadier and shadier, presumably in the lead up to this big murder storyline that Emmerdale is hoping will save their show. That night, Graham cleans up his bloodied hand, which he tries and fails to hide from concerned Rhona in the morning. Marlon overhears them arguing and becomes even more concerned about Graham being involved in his son’s life.

Meanwhile, Jai is under more and more pressure to impress and meet impossible deadlines. A business meeting goes badly and Al scapegoats him yet again. Jai turns down Laurel’s offer of helping him pull an all-nighter at work. Instead he orders a pizza with a side of cocaine to help him work through the night. Oh dear. As if he doesn’t have enough problems! But the next morning, having not touched the coke, Jai has a fresh new perspective on life. Things unravel rather quickly though when Brenda pulls out of the catering and Al interrupts the presentation, having learnt that Ellis is about to demonstrate the zip wire. Having previously posed a Jai, Al signed off the installation, knowing it wasn’t complete or safe to use. He blames Jai, claiming that he signed the paperwork (and with his signature on it, he can prove it), losing Jai all credibility. Jai opts to get drunks, fights with Graham and lands himself back on drugs. He hides it from Laurel despite her giving his every opportunity to tell her the truth. Kim begins to suspect that Al isn’t as credible or as cashed up as he claims when she learns how underhand he has been with Jai.

Graham then has to do everything he can to keep Kim away from the business account as he prepares to run off with her money. Vanessa and Charity have to referee a huge row between Rhona and Marlon when Rhona accuses her ex of stealing Leo’s passport, desperately paranoid that her secret plans to move away will be scuppered. Well, they will. If she’d only pick up a TV magazine, she’d know that! Undeterred, Rhona attempts to get a new passport as quickly as possible. Vanessa is desperately hurt to discover her best friend’s plans.

Ellis adopts a rabbit for Belle with Jamie’s help. It’s a lovely gesture apart from the fact that Belle clearly fancies Jamie and she has a really weird reaction. She has a go at Jamie for interfering in her love life and it seems to come from nowhere apart from a small flirtation at Christmas. So either Emmerdale missed a scene. Or we’re supposed to be confused and not know that they got up to something they shouldn’t… But I just feel that that would be hypocritical considering his reaction to Andrea’s affair. But he’s currently single and Ellis is kind of annoying so if Belle ditched him then…

As for Jamie, he wants to move himself and Millie out of Home Farm but Millie doesn’t want to go. Kim steps in and demands that Andrea be the one to leave. She takes it one step further and offers her money to get out of their lives for good. Jamie is furious when she takes the money but Andrea announces that she using it for legal fees to ensure that she gets to keep her daughter. Jamie is livid with his mother for falling into such an easy trap, throwing money at the problem like she usually does.

Emmerdale is on at 7pm Monday to Friday with a second episode at 8pm on Thursdays