(Series 36, ‘I Will Trust In You’ by Dana Fainaru 9.4.22) Have a look at my review of this episode at Metro. I think I’ve said nearly everything in that, but…
Paula’s story really has been brilliant and it’s been thanks to some lovely writing and also the brilliant work of Rosie Jones and William Beck. They’ve been a great pairing, with their humour cutting through the tragedy and lifting up the happy moments. Casualty at its absolute best.
Line of the week: (Dylan) “Sometimes good things do happen to good people.”
I think Adi may have misjudged Marty, thinking he’s all about parties and clubbing. I think he could also be a lovely dad if Adi gave him the chance.
Jude’s dad turned out to be better than expected, too.
(Series 36 ‘Judgement Call’ by Philip Ralph 2.4.22) Please bob over to Metro for my full review. But before you go…
It was such a nice Casualty throwback to have a tractor incident as accident o’ the week.
I was really glad that Minnie and Luke’s story turned out happily for them.
Chrissie and Iain were never going to be happy together if she’s in bits every time he’s doing something risky. He’s always doing something risky.
But when Minnie said at the end that the people you love have to come first, is he going to make things up with Chrissie and ask Jan for a desk job?
The riskiest thing he did in this episode (apart from to get trapped in a grain silo) was to still have the shutter sound switched on on his phone. It’s a bit of a giveaway when you’re trying to take covert shots and your phone keeps clicking away.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again and I’m saying it now – I love Rosie Jones. And I love the double act with William Beck even more.
(Series 36 ‘Trigger’ by Dan Berlinka 26.3.22) Please pop over to Metro for my official recap/review. But first…
BBC Pictures has temporarily (I hope) locked me out of getting any new pictures (hence the rubbish little pic above). While searching for an image I came across this article by the brilliant David Brown which I somehow missed at the time – ‘Is Casualty’s Stevie a Psychopath Too Far?’ Someone in authority must have read that, because Stevie’s psychopath ways have been greatly dialled down. In fact I quite like her these days.
I’m afraid Matthew’s PTSD storyline is doing nothing for me and risks falling into the same category that David talks about in the article – too much shock and melodrama. It felt like the highlight of tonight’s episode was when Jan asked Dylan how Paula was getting on. Paula is a character I can really care about.
Line of the week: (Stevie – she is very good for lines of the week) ‘Don’t let the accent fool you, I’m not a priest, I don’t do confession.’ I love how Stevie hasn’t got the memo that Casualty staff are supposed to heal the emotional turmoil of the patients as well as stitch them up.
Job reference of the week: (Dylan about Paul) ‘He was a rubbish receptionist.’
(Series 36 ‘Break Your Heart’ by Lisa McMullin 19.3.22) Pop along to Metro to read my full review. But before you go…
I’ll be really sad if this is the end of Teddy on Casualty. I really like the character, especially his scenes with Sah. I hope he’ll be able to continue being a paramedic.
And please say Rosa is coming back – and bringing Xiomara with her.
In the preview episode I saw, AJ’s hallucinations were yet to be added in, so all we saw was him sitting in the tree and reacting. But that was scary enough. The actor, Jude Chinchen, did a brilliant job.
I think Adi does love Marty and his relationship with Jessica is all about the baby. But Marty is quite insecure so he might feel threatened anyway.
Line of the week: (Jan) ‘It’s a hospital, not the seventh circle of hell.’ (Gaynor) ‘I’m not sure how you tell the difference.’ (Jan) ‘More pay in hell.’
Revelation of the week: Dylan is not Lawrence Llewellyn-Bowen. Who’d have guessed?
(Series 36 ‘Now I Can Breathe’ by Sean Robert Daniels and Stephen McAteer 12.3.22). You’ll be wanting to have a look at my proper recap of this episode over at Metro. But before you go…
It can’t be easy being Iain’s girlfriend. He’s always jumping into dangerous scenarios and I very much haven’t forgotten what happened to The Lovely Jeff.
When Iain said he’d got the chess board from the boss of the place, did he mean David (boss of nurses in the ED), Jan (boss of paramedics) or Hanssen (boss of hospital)? I felt if it was meant to be Hanssen’s, it would have been in a more arty box. Or not in a box at all but displayed in a shelf without a speck of dust upon it.
Unlike Anya I do not have aphantasia. In fact I very much have phantasia, if that’s a thing. Too much picturing, anyway. For example if I’m reading a book and it says “he nodded,” I can’t read on until I’ve worked out exactly how much nodding was going on, angle of head etc. This is why I’m a slow reader.
Is Robyn going to get back together with Paul, do you think? I’d be wary, if I was her.
(Series 36 ‘Balancing the Scales’ by Simon Norman 5.3.22) Please head over to Metro for my review. But first…
Line of the week: (Marty knows how to deal with a bigot) ‘[We’ll get to you] straight after the Polish gays, the gypsy bar-mitzvah and the non-binary bus crash, how’s that?’
Line of the week 2: (Stevie is unimpressed by Matthew) ‘Who’s going to play you in the movie?’
This episode was quite like a movie, in fact. The flashback sequences were very cinematic.
There’s somethingabout Matthew that makes it hard for me to sympathise with him. I never feel like we get under the skin of his character somehow, and frankly he should have been suspended at least twice in this episode alone.
Whereas I couldn’t love Rash more. He’s gentle and kind and always ready to help other people.
And Marty dealt beautifully with his horrible old patient and his son.
I apologise for not getting around to posting my usual links to Holby and Casualty reviews. It’s been a busy week and I just didn’t get round to it.
For future ref, all my Metro stuff can be found here. If you scroll down through any Emmerdale/EastEnders/Coronation Street things that may or may not be of interest you’ll always find the latest Holby and Casualty spoilers and reviews (so avoid if you don’t like spoilers – though I try to never give away anything that would ruin your enjoyment).
(Series 36 ‘On the Edge’ by Naylah Ahmed and Stephen McAteer 19.2.22) Please head over to Metro, where you’ll find this week’s review. But before you do…
The stuff about Luka’s abduction was terrifying. Luka knew all about stranger danger, but Darren was clever and plausible and easily got Luka to go with him. The fact that his actions were so clearly based on real-life accounts from footballers and other sportspeople who were abused when they were young made it all the more scary.
Faith’s terror when she realised Luka was missing was so relatable. Anyone who’s lost sight of their child in a supermarket for a few minutes will know that feeling.
It was interesting that neither Faith nor Luka trusted Stevie to begin with, but it seems that Stevie has decided to park her anger at Faith and really does have her friend’s best interests at heart. I’m glad we haven’t gone straight into another “Stevie plots revenge” story after all.
I was so happy that Sah finally got a storyline of their own. Now it’s only a matter of time before we see their dad being admitted to the ED.
I still love Teddy’s character too, and I think the contrast between him and Sah works beautifully.
And what was that phone call that Paige wanted to talk to Dylan about. She said, “The hospice called.” What’s that about, then? Have I missed something or is it the start of a new story for Dylan?
(Series 36 ‘The Choice’ by Barbara Machin 12.2.22) Head over to Metro to read my review of this episode. But wait a second, I’ve had some random thoughts…
I really loved this episode. It was sensitive and thoughtful. Robyn is such a lovely open-hearted character that I always want the best for her. My heart broke that she would have loved to have had another child, but the practical reality was that she just couldn’t manage it.
Aurora Jones, who played Robyn’s daughter Charlotte, was really good too. Sweet but not angelic, she was quite adorable.
Poor lonely Charlie, grabbing the chance to have a new little family and go off to Tess’s caravan for weekends away.
But poor Robyn, feeling she had no choice but to go into work even though she’d been warned that she would need to rest after her medication. Just as well her workplace is a hospital where help is always at hand.
And I love the friendship between Robyn and Paige, who is turning out to be a really nice character.
(Series 36 ‘Ena’ by Lindsey Alford 5.2.22) Please pop along to Metro for my full review. But before you go…
Oh, that was sad. I really did hope right until the last minute that a way would be found for Paula to keep her baby, but perhaps that wouldn’t have been true to the story they were telling about how a person like Paula has to struggle harder than most to prove herself in a system that’s biased against her.
All the acting awards once again for Rosie Jones, who is smashing this role.
And William Beck, whose restrained emotions are the perfect contrast to Paula. As a double act, they’re gold.
Line of the week: (Dylan prepares to help Paula, who’s in labour) ‘If you’d prefer that someone else was doing this rather than me then you’re free to shut your eyes and picture whoever you want.’ (Paula) ‘Brad Pitt.’ (Dylan) ’Three quarters of the way there, I’d say.’
Pass the tissues line of the week: (Paula) ‘She’s Ena. My Ena.’
Line of the week 2: (Paula again) ‘I cannot change my disability but I can change. I have changed.’
There was one line that spoke volumes about Paula’s past situation with her first child. Speaking of trying to breastfeed Ena, she said, ‘I never got the chance with Maisie. Her dad wouldn’t let me.’
I want so much for there to be an episode where we see Paula and Ena reunited.
Meanwhile, Robyn is pregnant. The experienced soap viewer would have known this as soon as she revealed her craving for satsumas. It’s a very healthy craving to have, though. With me it was sausage rolls and full fat Coke.
HOLBY CITY BEHIND THE SCREEN
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