Kudos to the brilliant Michelle Hardwick and Jonathan Wrather for delivering so many blisteringly tense confrontations this week between Vanessa and Pierce, but it was this one, the first raw flash of Pierce’s menace in front of Vanessa, that stands out as my Scene of the Week. Vanessa has been cautious of Pierce for a long time, and Pierce characteristically suspicious of his fiancee’s BFF but after hearing Ness’s voicemail, Pierce went round to warn her off in this chilling moment. Pierce was quick to snap after playing civil, calling Vanessa a “gin-soaked closet case” and brought Johnny into the equation when she dared bite back with the home truths – that Pierce is controlling and manipulative. It was brilliant, though slightly unnerving to see Vanessa’s fighting spirit come up against the cold and calculating Pierce – who managed to be infuriatingly vile by twisting things and smirking – because we know just what he’s really capable of. This scene was only round one, but a gripping set-up for their later clashes and just a glimpse into the danger Vanessa (and Rhona) might face.
