(Monday 13^th – Tuesday 21^st April 2020)

It’s been a busy couple of weeks in Hollyoaks, including a special one hour episode on Monday 13^th, focussing on a couple of central storylines including Darren’s depression and the continuing county lines drug story.  My real concern for this show is that their reduction of episodes is going to seriously mess up their whole flash forward idea.  I wonder how they’re going to deal with that…

Anyway, Sid and Juliet head off for their seaside trip with oblivious Ollie and Imran who really think they’re just going to enjoy a funfair and a stick of rock.  On the train, Juliet shows just how brash she can really be as she poses for a selfie with a police officer, while holding a serious amount of drugs on her person.  She sends the selfie to Jordan.  Of course, once they break away from the boys and complete the deal, Juliet can’t resist putting the dealer’s assistant in her place by stealing her phone.  Robbing a dealer.  Always a clever plan…

We are then treated to a rather special moment as Sid bravely broaches a discussion about Juliet’s sexuality.  If I was ever unsure of Sid before, he completely proves in this moment that he is a total sweetheart.  He tells Juliet that he thinks she is gay and despite it breaking his heart because he is in love with her, he is so supportive.  He creates a completely safe space for her to be herself with him.  It’s a real treasure of a moment.  Then it gets spoilt by the dealer and his gang of thugs jumping them, believing that Juliet stole the phone to steal his contacts and his business.  Sid takes a severe beating.  Ollie and Imran arrive and the foursome agree that what happens at the beach, stays at the beach.

Back in Chester, Peri is horrified to catch Jordan with drugs but he is quick to spin her a sob story about his childhood and claims that he was once upon a time forced to deal to get by but that’s his past life and he doesn’t do anything like that anymore.  Stupid Peri falls for it.

In reality, Jordan is fuming over Juliet’s mistake.  He refuses to let them step back from the hideous web they’ve weaved themselves into, insisting that they are all in serious trouble now and have to work together.  Unfortunately, Marnie has found the big bag of cash and is demanding answers.  They make up a lie about stealing laptops from the other school.  It’s clear that Marnie is suspicious of Jordan, which you would assume would be a good thing, except upon Jordan’s orders, Juliet is absolutely vile to Marnie and even destroys Nathan’s shirt in order to force Marnie to reject her for good.  It’s awful!  Marnie and Juliet have built up such a beautiful relationship but the control that Jordan has over this poor girl is just too strong.  I think Peri is my only hope now…  On the plus side, at least she persuades Leela to let the poor girl move in with them, which leads to a rather awkward dinner as Juliet who gazes at Peri who gazes at Jordan who gazes at Leela!  Sid looks like he has had quite enough!

Meanwhile, Kyle is horrified to discover that Nancy has invited his parents to visit.  Funnily enough, his Dad is played by Chris Quinten, who played Adam Rickett’s former Coronation Street character, Nick Tisley’s father, Brian Tisley (although they never actually worked together).  That aside, Nancy soon finds herself regretting the invitation as she discovers that her vibrant fiancé comes from the world’s most boring people.  How unfortunate.  Subsequently, she invites all and sundry to join their table just to liven things up.  Kyle struggles all through the meal as his parents discuss all the ‘phases’ he has been through in his life and mention the ‘episodes’ he has had in the past.

Home alone, Darren is in a bad way.  Unable to get through to Kyle, who is stuck at dinner with Nancy and his parents, he walks off on his own and ends up on the roof of some abandoned building, an absolutely wreck.

Thankfully, Kyle, who is desperate to get away from the meal anyway, notices the missed calls and finds Darren via a tracking app and they are able to talk.  Darren admits that the only thing that stopped him jumping were his kids.  Darren finally decides to try therapy.  Kyle begs him not to forget about him.  It’s a sad situation.  Kyle has obviously spent so many years hiding his own mental health problems and not experiencing any positive support that he doesn’t believe that anything can help.  Now he’s scared of Darren reaching out and leaving him behind.

Later that evening, while Darren puts on his usual, cheerful show for Kyle’s parents, Nancy berates her fiancé for walking out on her, unaware that he potentially saved Darren’s life.  She is angry and worried to realise he has been smoking skunk.  She gives him the opportunity to be completely honest with her about what’s going on and sadly, he throws it away.  However, over at Darren and Mandy’s flat, Darren bravely admits to Mandy that he is depressed.  She is uncharacteristically gentle with him and really listens to everything he has to say, thanking him for being honest with her and promising to support him. 

Unfortunately, we don’t hear from these characters the following week and it feels like a long time to wait for the next instalment but I am sure it will be worth it.  Darren’s storyline is a really powerful one.  And I think throwing Kyle into the mix makes it even better and ever deeper.  When he first appeared, Kyle was quite flimsy.  He was funny and full of quips, never quite of the right side of a moral code but always forgivable because he was at heart, a nice guy.  This backstory (not to mention some superb acting from Adam Rickett), has given him so much more depth and added so much to this story.  I really am impressed with this one.

Against her better judgement, Martine finds herself growing closer to Felix again.  However, Lisa also fancies Felix.  Well, she fancied her cousin last week, so…  Anyway, while she works on helping Toby and Walter bond, Martine and Felix fall out at the revelation that he has another son.  This leads to an almighty row between Lisa and Martine when Lisa points out that really, it just shows that Felix is capable of being the father Martine always wishes he could have been.  A lot of horrible things are said, resulting in Lisa being rather pushed out of the family and straight into Felix’s bed.  Delightful.

However, it all really kicks off when Martine and Celeste overhear Walter and Felix arguing over Felix selling the children to the Doctor.  Throw in the discovery that Felix and Lisa have slept together and everyone is angry!

• Walter desperately tries to defend his actions.
• Martine is livid with Felix and Walter, plus she’s furious with Lisa now too.
• Felix insists that he regrets his actions but that it was Walter who made him walk away from Martine and Mitchell.
• Lisa gives as good as she gets with Martine – she’s a feisty one, that girl!
• Mitchell is angry that he wasn’t even worth being sold, if you please!
• Scott confesses to Mitchell that he found out the previous week – awkward.
• Celeste is hellbent on making both Felix and Walter pay for their sins.
• And Toby actually goes through with it – while Walter and Martine argue, he decks Felix in the alley!

So, I hope that’s a sufficient update in the Devereaux/Loveday/Faroe Family Drama!

And to round things off in a less interesting turn of events, Verity moves in with Tony and Diane in order to set up her own law firm with James.

Due to the Coronavirus, Hollyoaks has had to suspend filming

Hollyoaks will now air Mondays and Tuesdays at 6:30pm on Channel 4 with a sneak peek on E4 at 7pm

These reviews are based on the E4 episodes

In place of normal episodes, Hollyoaks will air ‘Hollyoaks Favourites’, Wednesdays-Fridays, 7pm on E4