Holby City: Nothing in this hospital is normal

(Series 18, ep.8) After the flashy new title sequence (I like it), yet another episode to cherish. Particular highlights: Morven’s hair, Digby’s smile, Jac’s brilliant one-liners and Dominic generally.

I’m going to start with AAU, which continued the story from last week featuring guest artiste Keith Barron as newly widowed Hugh Musgrove. Digby has been gradually working his way back from the low point that saw him helping himself to the contents of the drugs trolley to cope with his anxiety. His medical skills are fine, but it’s always been people skills that have caused him the biggest problem. 

Luckily he found some common ground with Hugh – Digby’s interest in military history gave him a connection to the ex army man, who reminded him of his grandfather. When Morven recommended grief counselling for Hugh, Digby knew that he wasn’t the sort of person to welcome that approach. By the end of an episode in which Hugh had gone walkabout, fallen down the stairs and needed emergency surgery, Digby had bonded with him and was being so kind and lovely.

It didn’t go unnoticed by Morven, who later on in Albie’s decided Digby was ready to put his glasses on again and become The Full Digby. This made him smile, which is excellent news because he really does have the most beautiful smile in the NHS and we haven’t seen it for a long time. And Morven was looking rather fondly at him.

Digby’s flatmate Dominic, meanwhile, spent his day trying to pluck up courage to ask Lee the Plumber (Jamie Nichols) out before he was discharged and disappeared into the wilds of Holby forever. In this endeavour he was aided by a nun (Liz Izen) who couldn’t speak because she was about to have thyroid surgery. This was ideal for Dominic because she was the perfect sounding board – listening, not speaking, offering to-the-point written replies. Never mind that some of her replies were actually about her own fears about her surgery.

It seemed Dom had missed his chance when Lee left while he was busy, but he caught up with him on the Stairs of Romance, and while Dominic wavered and hesitated, Lee kissed him.

In other Keller news, Adele has now joined the team and she has her very own special uniform as worn by nobody else in the hospital because she’s Unique.

Fran had moved up to Darwin for the day – possibly so she didn’t spot Adele’s new uniform and become insanely jealous. It was also so she could cross paths with Jac, which will become significant in a later episode if the previews are to be believed.

Jac was on top form, if you enjoy barracudas in heels. Which I do, obviously. Her finest line was to Selfie: “You know what my role is here,” she told him. “To remove useless or…” [pause to cast withering glance at him] “…harmful tissue.”

I also liked her response to Zosia, who was attempting to be chummy by asking about a staff member Jac had just sacked: “Does it look like we’re in a hairdresser’s?”

During this exchange, Zosia noticed that there was a question mark next to her name on Jac’s handy staff wallchart. Needing to prove herself, she took it upon herself to persuade a patient that he should have surgery that was a tad riskier than the course of treatment favoured by Jac (and you know it must be risky if even Jac thinks it’s risky). Zosia’s handling of this situation veered very close to being a diciplinary matter, if I’d been in charge, but when things inevitably went pear-shaped and Zosia’s treatment option became an emergency necessity, she impressed Jac in theatre. And the question mark disappeared from beside her name.

Watch the Winter trailer here