Day: February 3, 2020

Eastenders: Over the Edge

(Monday 27th – Friday 31st January 2020)

Leo shows just how vile he can be when he goads Kat, ridiculing her and shaming her.  She trashes his stall and knees him in the balls.  As for Whitney, she is so stressed that her hair is starting to fall out.  Needing to distract themselves from Leo, they decide to go out a party with Kush and Martin, who considering he is at risk of being hunted down by the Mitchells, is extremely jolly.  Of course, Leo shows up and harasses Whitney and as soon as they’re out on the balcony, we know someone is going over it.  An argument breaks out and Kush steps in and… over Leo goes.  Didn’t I say Kush and Kat were too happy?

Leo brings on trouble on the balcony…

Martin, Kat and Whitney quickly cover and ensure that everyone knows it was an accident.  But Leo, who is miraculously pretty much unharmed, makes it clear that Kush pushed him intentionally (he didn’t) and he is arrested.  While Kat defends her man, Kush is devastated to be responsible for injuring Leo, even though it really was an accident.  Whitney takes it upon herself to persuade Leo to drop the charges against Kush, even suggesting that they get back together.  Sadly, he sees through it and he takes her little book of evidence against him.  No chance, Whit.  But a good try.

Linda battles her addiction (to the most disgusting looking bottle of wine in the world)…

Mick continues to struggle to manage his own mental health and Linda’s excessive drinking.  They have a heart to heart and she admits that she doesn’t want to stop.  As much as she hates her behaviour and she is mortified and disgusted with herself for missing Christmas Day with her son and wetting herself in front of her friends, alcohol is the only thing that will blot out the pain she’s in.  Despite feeling like they might be getting somewhere with discussing rehab or a support group, Mick gets distracted by the social worker arriving and leaves Linda alone with a bottle of wine.  He genuinely has a successful meeting with Ollie and social worker who believes he is providing a happy home for his son.  Cue Linda marching in drunk and injured from the other night.  Worried that the social worker thinks he has been harming his wife, Mick has no choice but to be honest and admit that Linda is an alcoholic and they need help.

Father, mother and son have one good day together where things almost feel normal until Linda takes a call from Social Services and she discovers Mick’s ‘betrayal’.  The next day, she takes Ollie out of school on a fake dentist appointment, gets drunk, scares the kid and disrupts the whole family all over again.

The Panesar Brothers excitedly welcome their mother, Suki to the Square.  She is dying of cancer but clearly quite a formidable woman.  I think it will take me a while to work her out.  She has a brief meeting with Jean, who I wonder if she might become friends with.  She also demands to see Ash and they reunite but clearly a lot of hurt has passed between them.  It’s also clear, especially after a conversation with Jean who really does have cancer, that she later repeats to her family, that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the woman except perhaps compulsive lying, a controlling nature and cruelty.

Sharon is convinced that Phil has taken Denny to Portugal with him but actually, he never showed up and has since been hiding out at the empty house (Kathy has been away).  Shirley tracks the kid down and gives him some tough love.  You’ve got to love Shirley, haven’t you?  However, things go drastically wrong when she finally brings Denny round into the Warring House of Beale where he is absolutely brutal to Sharon, Ian and Kathy.  Losing his temper, having tried desperately to bring the family back together, Bobby tells Denny exactly what he things of him.  But in one of the most awful moments ever, he shoves him and he hits his head on the coffee table, just as Lucy did.  I feel so, so terrible for Bobby (I couldn’t care less about Denny – sorry, not sorry).  Bobby has tried so hard to put his life back together and seek redemption for what he did.  He didn’t shove him out of cruelty.  He shoved him out of frustration.  Denny was being hideous.  And for the that exact thing to happen was terrible.  Terrible.  But very good viewing.

Denny’s behaviour has consequences…

In one of those annoying side stories, the Council come calling to find Tiffany living in Ted’s flat and aren’t happy to find him subletting.  She therefore pretends to be his wife and gets Patrick to pose as Ted.  As if that would even work.  Meanwhile, Keegan loses his contract with Gray’s firm on suspicion of theft.  He believes it is due to race, compounding his experience with the stop and searches with the police.

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

Doctors: The Spice of Life

(Monday 27th – Friday 31st January 2020)

Without consulting Zara or The Mill, Daniel takes up a job as a GP at the prison in a desperate bid to help Jimmi.  He is horrified to find his friend spaced out on spice and desperate for anything else to numb the pain.  It’s a heartbreaking scene as Jimmi breaks down and begs for help.  With Daniel’s support, Jimmi resolves to get clean but it’s a difficult road of temptation, especially sharing a cell with the vile Bowser.  Al is furious when he finds out about Daniel’s new role, purely out of jealous that Daniel is the central figure in helping Jimmi when he is his best friend.  I mean, he doesn’t even ask after him!  Surely it’s not about who does what as long as someone does something?

Daniel supports Jimmi in prison…

Ayesha has a plan for her dissertation that will bring together patients suffering with chronic conditions.  Zara rejects it at first, of course but eventually comes round to the idea and all it really makes me think is that I wish my own surgery were even a quarter as good as The Mill!

Sid accuses Bear of not giving the MSU the same commitment that Becky did and invites him to see exactly the kind of work that goes into it.  When Bear accidentally walks in on a treatment, he faints at the procedure.  Denying that he has a blood phobia, he becomes entangled in a lie about being diabetic.  It all tumbles out later with Emma when he faints at the sight of another patient’s blood and he gets a serious telling off for lying about having a very serious medical condition.  His week gets worse when he and a girl in a café accidentally pick up each other’s phones, leading her and her boyfriend to refuse to give his back.  When he tries to force their hand, he nearly gets arrested.  He ends up supporting the girl who is in an abusive relationship.  But I still don’t buy it.  There is something dodgy about this guy…

Bear has some explaining to do…

Karen is shocked to find herself supporting a woman who has escaped a terrible marriage and now, feels she is improving her mental health by posting nude pictures online for likes and cash.  In a similar story, we meet a mildly famous social media ‘influencer’ who has so much pressure on him to be perfect online that he cannot sleep and is horribly depressed.

Al is disappointed by a surprise University reunion.  Sid uncovers a rare condition after a patient hits his head and develops a new skill of playing the piano.  But his horrible partner demands that he supress his new skill and not live his dream.  Zara backs out of learning BSL but an embarrassing translation moment for Ruhma leads to her being asked out on a date!

Doctors is on BBC1, weekdays at 1:45pm

Home and Away: Family Matters

Monday 27th – Friday 31st January 2020

Willow rushes to the hospital the moment she hears that Bella has been admitted with tetanus.  While Mason expresses concern to Alex that Bella is currently living in the same house as Grace and it’ll take a couple of weeks for her immunisations to kick in, Alex is quickly distracted by the arrival of Willow.  Mason observes the ‘secret’ couple with amusement as they are very cute and silly around each other.  While Mason goes in to begin the vaccinations, Bella is distraught at not being allowed to go home with Colby and changes her mind about having the vaccinations completely.  Alex arrives to explain the necessity of the vaccinations again but when she doesn’t get anywhere, Willow gives the teenager a good talking to!  Apparently Alex thought Scary Willow only came out at the gym!

While Mac continues to feel shut out, Alex and Willow couldn’t be closer.  They’re even finishing each other’s sentences!  As they find time for a quick coffee break, they hold hands in the lift on their way.  How sweet.  Mason also thinks it’s sweet but when he mentions it at the nurse’s station, Alex adamantly shuts him down, telling him off for gossiping about her private life.  Clearly, that’s not what he meant to do, poor guy.  He was just trying to be supportive.  I mean, you’ve got to love Mason, haven’t you?  Especially when he’s all sad after being told off.

Alex frets to Willow over the incident with Mason, feeling bad about it but also not wanting their relationship discussed in public when Willow hadn’t told anyone they were together.  Willow is touched that Alex is so protective of her.  They establish that they are officially dating and ‘girlfriends’.  Alex tracks Mason down and makes amends.  He frets that he has disappointed her, which he hasn’t.  She explains that things are new and nobody really knows yet.  He tells her what a cute couple he thinks they are.

Mac decides to take matters into her own hands and goes to visit Bella at the hospital, only for the little brat to demand that she leave immediately.  Mac thinks Bella is rude.  Colby stands up for Bella.  I agree with Mac.  I think Colby is being pretty rude right now, to be honest.  I know Bella is poorly but as Dean says when he bumps into him, would it kill him to send a text?  Colby does at least scold Bella for her behaviour.  When Bella doesn’t want to leave hospital after Alex discharges her, Willow is concerned that Bella is milking the situation in order to push Colby and Mac apart, prompting a row between Willow and Colby, meaning she has to cancel a date with Alex in order to sort things out with him and help him move stroppy Bella into Irene’s.  Colby makes a date with Mac and then breaks it immediately.

Alf and Martha prepare a special breakfast to tell Roo and Ryder about their plans to move in together.  Roo is a little shocked and will also miss Leah now that she is moving in with Justin.  Ryder is more concerned with swooning over Jade although his bubble bursts when he realises that she spent the previous night with a random barman.  A glutton for punishment, Ryder continues to spend time with Jade even though she continuously makes fun of him.  At work, they end up kissing.  I genuinely don’t know who I judge more, her for being a cow or him for being so pathetic and needy.  I mean, you dumped Raffy for this?  Really?

John and Marilyn suggest a welcome home party for Martha, although Alf is hesitant.  At home, Roo and Alf are all set up and waiting for Martha.  Alf is even wearing a new shirt.  Then Martha calls to say she’s not coming.  While Roo is sure it’s just a delay, Alf is convinced she’s got cold feet and has changed her mind.  Roo interferes and phones Martha, confirming that she’s just behind with her packing and she’ll be there the next day instead.  It’s a rather abrupt homecoming as Alf and Martha are both grumpy and cannot seem to get along, especially when John and Marilyn let slip that he thought she wasn’t coming.  They all endure a rather awkward lunch before Alf and Martha finally have a heart to heart.

The Astoni Family enjoy some time together on the beach when Ziggy takes a call from an unknown number.  She is thrilled to be offered a week’s trial as a mechanic in a racing pit crew.  The only snag is that if she gets the job, she would have to move away.  Ziggy backs out of telling Dean but then her parents put their foot in it.  After some initial shock, the couple talk things through.  He tells her honestly that he doesn’t want her to go so backs out.  Unhappy with the decision, Maggie talks to Dean about stopping Ziggy from following her dreams.  Dean steps up and pushes her to go ahead.  She is thrilled.  Reassuring themselves that it’s just a week, the couple say goodbye.  However, later, Dean confides in Ben that he thinks Ziggy will be gone forever once she finds her feet in her new life.  Ben treats Maggie to a date, wanting to make up for the past few months.

Dean worries that Ziggy will leave him behind…

Robbo broaches Lance’s request for Jasmine to testify in court.  Jasmine is willing, wanting to do everything she can to put Victor away and live a happy life with Robbo.  When Grace won’t settle, Robbo panics that she is unwell and has no faith in the fact that his wife is a trained paediatric nurse.  Having confirmed with a Doctor that she is indeed absolutely fine, Robbo has to apologise to Jasmine for not trusting her opinion.  When Robbo falls asleep on the couch and Grace wakes up, Jasmine takes the baby out for a walk.  Jasmine is clearly besotted with Grace.  Robbo wakes up in a panic after a nightmare about Victor.  Not finding the note Jasmine left, he races after her and snatches Grace, telling his wife off for going out.  They argue and it’s clear that he still doesn’t trust her with his daughter.

The Doctors find a second bleed on Tori’s brain, meaning she is more likely to have major disabilities if she wakes up.  Justin is devastated and struggles to let Leah support him as he avoids breaking the news to her loved ones.  Eventually, Leah has to bring him home from the garage.  He breaks down on her, having lost hope that Tori will survive.  Upon hearing the news, Jasmine begs Robbo to let her in, bearing in mind that their family could become a permanent arrangement.  Robbo finally opens up to Jasmine about losing his children.

Alex and Willow grow closer…

By the end of the week, Alex and Willow are flirting on the beach and making jokes about needing cold showers.  They continue to flirt at the gym before Robbo relents and hands Grace over to Justin and actually does some work at the gym to give Willow some time off.  Alex and Willow lose the whole day drinking, chatting and laughing together on a date at Salt.  Willow then persuades Alex to go skinny dippy with her before heading home for their first time together.  No need for anymore cold showers then…!