Every week I run through the best and worst bits of the week on Emmerdale. Tell me your faves and fails in the comments! Rhona bravely took down Pierce in their final showdown and Vanessa revealed her diagnosis to Charity.
Faves
The Big Showdown
Rhona came face to face with Pierce this week in an hour long episode that didn’t disappoint. Read below for reasons why this episode was so gripping overall, but a special mention has to go to the incredible scenes between Rhona and Pierce themselves. From the moment Rhona stepped into Mulberry, nerves were shot, especially the chilling moment Pierce searched Rhona for any recording devices. Zoe Henry delivered exceptional performances as Rhona lived through her terror, conscious of Vanessa and Johnny’s plight too. Later, she was even more impressive as Rhona tried to play Pierce and pretend they just needed a good meal before leaving. As Rhona reminisced about their relationship, you could still sense her unease as she put on a good show. Rhona’s bravery was powerful to watch and the gripping dynamic between Zoe Henry and Jonathan Wrather meant it was hard to look away. Some of Emmerdale’s best work this year.
Vanessa’s New Agony
There’s one story that we’re going to be talking about for months and has the potential to be huge come awards season and that’s the progress of Vanessa’s cancer. I’m thrilled Michelle Hardwick is getting the opportunity to showcase her stellar acting talents in this emotional storyline. This week, after finally being freed from Pierce’s clutches, Vanessa had to face her difficult journey ahead. There were tearful scenes as Vanessa hid her secret until finally she was able to tell Charity. Understandably Charity struggled with the news and her guilt at having not been concerned about Vanessa’s disappearance and she began to distance herself. Not only does this offer Emmerdale the chance to explore a serious real world health issue and all its realistic symptoms and side effects but it also brings a new challenge to test Vanity instead of the familiar stories of Charity messing up. This story has potential to explore Vanessa as a character in her own right, her fears of losing Johnny and step forward to be the lead in a storyline. It’s had a brilliant, emotional start and I’m sure it’ll be one of 2020’s highlights.
Gripping Climax
I’ve already talked about how good the Rhona and Pierce showdown was, but overall, Tuesday’s hour long special had everything you could want in a soap. Vanessa’s continued kidnapped carried on being anxiety-inducing, especially when Pierce as good as admitted she’d had her use. Similarly the stakes were high when we saw that poor Johnny was in a bad way. There was no second guessing in this episode as after Kim interrupted and was tied up herself, the episode had us hooked. Outside armed police seemed frustratingly slow with their drones and thermal detection but it was all edge of your seat stuff. I loved the way Rhona’s cleverly live-streamed Pierce’s confession in a brilliantly unexpected move, and I also enjoyed the surprise use of tranquiliser to take Pierce down. Upstairs, we lived through the horror with Kim and Vanessa but I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Kim in a new light and the way she tried to get Vanessa to concentrate and survive. All round this was a fantastic episode and even though it was double the length of a normal episode, I didn’t want it to end.
Marlon’s Freedom
With Pierce’s arrest, finally came some good news for Marlon as it was revealed to him he’d be released from prison. When Marlon got the news, Mark Charnock’s acting was excellent as he slowly dealt with this life changing moment. It wasn’t all joy though as after his release it was a struggle to return to normality and Marlon broke down after the ill advised party. He also shouted at Mandy after she got the press involved and had some making up to April to do. It seems like Marlon’s return to the village might not be as straight forward as he first thought and although it would be good to see back the happier Marlon we love, I’m glad we’re seeing the aftermath of his traumatic time locked up for a crime he was innocent of.
Bonus Faves
- There were so many stand out single scenes this week outside of the ones mentioned above it’s hard to mention them all in my faves. Marlon and April, April and Rhona, Chas and Charity, Vanessa and Rhona. All wonderful heart to hearts between characters with history together. Vulnerable, well acted and well performed – character focused drama at its best
- If it weren’t for Nate, Cain and Cara would be really watchable. Their chemistry means when they reminisce, their history feels palpable
- There was more progress on the Cain and Moira front this week as Moira bigged Cain up to Cara only for him to overhear. Later in a dialogue free scene Moira removed her wedding ring in a moment that was the first real tender moment where we saw Moira’s regret. It worked well and certainly made me pine for what they’ve lost
- Okay, it would have never happened in real life but that moment Marlon was released and Pierce arrived at the prison and they locked eyes was brilliant. I got chills.
- I felt for Mandy this week as she broke down feeling useless in Marlon’s campaign and it was nice to see Lisa Riley play something emotional and not just loud mouthed and comedic
Fails
Calm After the Storm?
Life for a soap character moves fast. Just look at Nate. Shot one minute and out of hospital the next. However the aftermath for Rhona after Pierce’s return this week was a little lacking. The climax of his return was perfect, thrilling viewing but watching Rhona’s scenes a few days on you’d be hard pushed to believe she’d suffered any sort of trauma. Both Marlon and Vanessa are dealing with their new ordeals but mentions of Pierce are thin on the ground. The village barely blinked to hear he was out of prison and had caused so much misery. Rhona herself has now moved on to warring with Kim over Graham’s funeral and has hardly had a look in when it comes to her own trauma. I was cautious that this return might make Rhona suffer but so far it feels jarringly opposite – the man who raped her and made her life hell, returned, murdered her boyfriend and held her best friend hostage. Surely this should have sent Rhona back to a dark place? It feels a bit of a waste of Pierce’s return if there is no real immediate fall out for Rhona and she slots right back into petty squabbles with Kim over Graham (who cares?). It feels particularly disappointing when the original ending to the Pierce and Rhona story was so empowering and uplifting for Rhona’s character. This new conclusion in the end didn’t quite work as well.
Fast Farewell
This week we saw another taxi exit as Doug made a hasty decision to uproot his whole life and move to Australia having only arrived home the day before. Was the jet lag messing with his head or what? Yes, Doug was a moany old so-and-so, interfering, grumpy and the rest but he was unique in the village with a distinct personality. There aren’t many older villagers left and Doug brought variety, working well with a range of characters and particularly troubled youngsters like Gerry and Liv. I can’t help but feel, even if Doug wasn’t a favourite, he was part of the furniture and it’s a shame to lose him from the fabric of the village. There isn’t anyone else quiet like Doug and it’s a shame his rushed exit was so lacklustre. Sure, no one expected explosions or dramatic hi-jinx but having been in the show for so long, Doug deserved a better send off. He didn’t even get a final pint in the Woolie.
First things first. If you’ve spent the whole of Vanessa’s imprisonment complaining about her not untying herself, or wondering how she’s going to the toilet then you’re missing out on enjoying the story for what it is – an OTT soapy plot leading to the end of Pierce. And if you can’t do that (pfft), suspend your disbelief and enjoy the performances at least because those have been excellent. This week it was revealed Vanessa has just been diagnosed with bowel cancer and in a cruel twist of fate, Pierce was the only other person to know. This is what made the reveal of her health crisis even worse because now the stakes are even higher and being trapped with Pierce is another twist of the knife. He’s the very last person you’d want to share your news with. Vanessa’s tragic situation was beautifully played by Michelle Hardwick making me anticipate a superbly handled health story on the horizon which is the type of story Emmerdale does so well and is crying out for. Another plus point is that this kind of story ensures a great hook for viewers once the Pierce drama is over. Pierce continues to be chilling and Jonathan Wrather did an incredible job at being skin-crawlingly intimate with Vanessa, as well as using Johnny as a way to torture her. This week’s scenes, especially Monday’s episode, were uncomfortable and claustrophobic and so well performed. Forget the nit-picking, the Pierce story is still the most gripping story Emmerdale has.
Rhona was in pure detective mode as the fall out of Graham’s death continued this week but as she finally believed she had real evidence of Kim’s motive (the stolen motive), she was left reeling by Pierce’s card in her flowers. This discovery floored Rhona, unaware that Pierce had been let out of prison already, but this immediately set her mind racing. After speaking to an unhelpful police officer, Rhona speculated that Pierce might have been involved in Graham’s death, especially when she could finally pinpoint the weird happens at home (the open door, the smashed photo) to Pierce. It’s satisfying to see Rhona alone piece together the clues as the tension towards the climax ramps up and giving her this active, detective mode has stopped her sinking into the role of grieving girlfriend mourning an unlikeable guy and has give Zoe Henry a lot more to do and has positioned Rhona as the hero we can all root for.
With the divorce papers signed, Moira was in a vulnerable position this week as rustlers threatened her livestock. There were signs however that there are still lingering feelings between her and Cain and later, when Cain needed an alibi, Moira put on her game face and covered for him without hesitation. And when Moira’s determined and steely, she’s got a power that’s more than a match for Cain. It’s hard to believe any other woman would have Cain’s back like she does. Despite last year’s affair tarnishing what Coira had in the eyes of many, they do make a well balanced couple and when the two had a quiet moment in the barn, the tension simmered like it always did. Could Coira be rebuilt or did we see signs that Moira will be left out in the cold in favour of Cain building a relationship with Nate? Even though Emmerdale would need to do some serious work to repair the damage done to both Cain and Moira’s marriage and Moira in her own right, it’s hard to imagine them working as well with anyone else.
Answer me this. How can it be possible that a household comprised of an ex-drug trafficker, an undercover cop turned vicar and an ex-heroin addict prostitute trying to reunite with her son be so damn boring? This week saw Dawn set up some play dates with son Lucas (a storyline so dry for Dawn’s character I almost wish she was on crack again) which turned to disaster when he started waving a real gun around. This was revealed to be Will’s gun, kept for protection because he’s inexplicably scared of bad guys coming after the family. Harriet was horrified that her ex-crim drug lord of a boyfriend who has since turned into a gentle bore could possess a weapon and then we watched as the pair had the same row the entire week. I was excited when Dean Andrews joined the show and even more so when the family’s complicated past was revealed but instead of exploring this dark and complex history and rebuilding trust, Harriet and Will were rushed back together in a lifeless romance and now even attempts to make the dull happy family set up have some drama completely fall flat when the writing for all three has diluted all the darkness and intrigue out of their personalities. This story is a complete yawn for all three characters when a look at their backstories screams potential.
It was inevitable from the moment Nate revealed he was Cain’s son, that one day they would build bridges and have a familial relationship. It didn’t matter that Nate arrived and helped tear Cain’s family apart, the pair would clearly embark on a journey of reconciliation. Despite the callous way Nate behaved, Nate seems to have developed a bit of a victim complex, sulking that he went been forgiven already and Emmerdale seem to be at great pains to prove that Nate’s actually a nice guy, Mr Misunderstood with abandonment issues. This hasn’t gelled that well with many viewers particularly those who, like me, loathed the whole affair plot. It’s quite a feat to have Cain soften towards someone who did what Nate did not even six months after the implosion of his marriage, even if Nate is his son. This week saw Cain accidentally shoot Nate believing him to be a rustler and cynics would say this was all a convoluted way to have Cain’s feelings shift rather than it happen over a longer period of time in a way that feels organic. It doesn’t matter whether Nate has a hundred fans in the Dingle family or he mopes around or he gets injured, a lot more work needs to be done making Nate an engaging character in his own right and not just contrived situations to illicit sympathy from both Cain and the audience.
Pierce is unravelling and fast, as his delusional plan to reunite with Rhona was interrupted by coming face to face with Vanessa. Surely you realised it would happen sooner or later Pierce?! Desperate Pierce went to an extreme length to keep Vanessa out of the way and tied her up and gagged her, even going as far as keeping poor Johnny upstairs and away from his mum. As Vanessa feared for her life, the scenes between the two were tense and gripping, and their on screen history makes it all the more chilling. While Pierce’s panto villain plotting at Home Farm was fun we saw the brutal lengths he is really capable with Vanessa and it gave Jonathan Wrather a great opportunity to show Pierce unhinged and deranged. A brilliant and exciting watch as well as being uncomfortably grim viewing for poor Vanessa. Looking forward to seeing the thrilling climax of this story play out!
If I was picking a stand out character of the week then it would have to be Vanessa, who had a truly awful week but was so watchable thanks to flawless performances from Michelle Hardwick. I’ve long bemoaned the fact Vanessa is one of the show’s most underrated characters who often gets overlooked when it comes to stories of her own – but could this be about to change? This week tensions were still high between her and Charity after her lies about Graham’s money. But as Vanessa struggled with the weight of this secret, she was tearful and strained in some quiet and subtle scenes. Eagle eyed viewers might have noticed Vanessa even take a mystery trip to the hospital suggesting her mind might be on more than just Charity’s wrong moves. As Vanessa’s week went from bad to worse Pierce appeared and Vanessa was plunged into a horrifying hostage situation. Fear is something difficult to put across on screen especially in such a heightened soapy situation but Michelle played it brilliantly and the adrenaline filled fight with Pierce was one of the show’s most desperate and real looking confrontations in a while. Can’t wait to see where this story goes.
Belle and Jamie got closer this week and shared their first onscreen kiss as Jamie moped about the situation with Andrea and Belle offered him support. These two continue to have a nice chemistry and a believable attraction (far more than their respective relationships). This week though there was another obstacle thrown at them when Kim saw their kiss and warned Belle off. Belle stood her ground in a great scene with Kim but continued to be conflicted about what to do about Jamie. These two have great potential if they keep it slow burn and obstacles are a good thing, otherwise if the only thing keeping them apart is upsetting Ellis – it’s a bit of a weak reason. The higher the stakes the more we’ll root for them.
Liam and Leyla decided to make a go of things this week, after growing even closer as they planned David and Theo’s gathering. Despite their flirtations, one person who wasn’t a fan was Liam’s daughter Leanna who warned him not to be the rebound guy lurching from woman to woman. She has a point! This was an amusing scene as Leanna gave Liam a dressing down about his disastrous relationships and suggested he be alone for a while. Liam is a naturally funny character who has fun interactions with almost everyone and although I’m not as fond of his dynamic with Leyla as I was with Bernice, they’re a fun couple. Now they’ve decided to make a secret go of things I’m hoping they find their own unique direction rather than the same heightened comedy set ups that Liam shared with Bernice otherwise they might just feel like a poor imitation than loveable in their own way.
Moira was back in the village this week and she returned with a strong attitude, determined to make a fresh start. The first scene we saw her was the powerful woman we know and love, gun toting and giving the rustlers what for. Although Matty wasn’t keen to brush things under the carpet, Moira wanted to reunite with the kids and keep things civil with Cain. It’s hard to know where the future lies for Moira and her relationship with Cain. The week ended with her signing the divorce papers but when the two of them hint towards their lingering feelings it’s hard not to feel the pull of Jeff Hordley and Natalie J Robb’s chemistry. On the other hand, Moira’s fallen into a bit of a rut after the Nate debacle so a new direction would be welcome. Maybe it’s time we had a new farming family and Moira found a new role in the village?
For a show like Emmerdale, which has a fantastic track record of well told, sensitively handled stories that cover important topics, it beggars belief how far they are going out of their way to try and get the audience to sympathise with Wendy. Wendy isn’t a rapist, but her treatment of Victoria just months after her horrific attack was harassment. She intimidated, gaslighted and stalked Victoria to the point she felt she had to move away. Even when Lee died, Wendy forced Victoria to relive her trauma again and again by moving in a few doors down. This behaviour is inexcusable and unforgivable and yet rather than tell an empowering story of Vic finding her life again, almost all of her recent screentime has been putting words in her mouth that excuse Wendy’s behaviour. Rape survivors shouldn’t have to forgive their rapist or their cruel family. It doesn’t make them a bad person. And yet Emmerdale continue to paint a harmful image of the “good victim” who is forgiving and empathetic. The narrative is: Vic has forgiven Wendy because she’s a “good person”. What about survivors who can’t and won’t? Wendy says she saw Vic was a “good” person so could see she wasn’t lying – but this choice of dialogue is harmful for survivors who carry a stigma and an image of being promiscuous or aren’t your typical “good person”. Telling a story about a mother who learns the awful truth about her son’s behaviour could have been a great story and I have to believe Emmerdale had those good intentions but the reality has been a horrible watch. If Wendy and the Posners were brought in as a new family and we got to know them and it was only later we learnt Lee was a rapist, we’d be on the same journey with Wendy and empathise ourselves. As it stands it seems like Emmerdale have bent over backwards to absolve Wendy and deny Vic an empowering journey in order to force this story. It’s stomach churning to watch Wendy portrayed as a victim, sobbing over her son and his innocent childhood when we saw the horrifying rape Victoria faced and the way the Posners bullied her afterwards. Whether it’s realistic for the mother of a rapist or not, the narrative has been ill conceived at every turn, stealing Vic’s agency and forcing a concept that the Posner family deserve a second chance because they are Harry’s biological family. Why? It doesn’t work. It’s disheartening to see this unwatchable, harmful writing continually tarnishing the show’s excellent reputation for crucial stories.
Nate’s mum Cara arrived this week and already she has elevated the Nate saga, making it far more engaging. It’s early days for the character but she is enigmatic and seems to have a distinct personality compared to anyone else in the village. At first, as a stranger, Cara took Moira to the hospital before her real identity was announced in a satisfying showdown. It was refreshing to see her give Nate a talking to about his behaviour as she made both Moira and her son accountable, but perhaps the real potential lies with her and Cain. Their first meeting bristled with tension but we later got to see chemistry between them as they discussed their past. Rather than their discussion feeling laboured with exposition, the actors made their characters’ former relationship come to life – could lingering feelings return? Cara’s exactly what this story needs and with a great actress in Carryl Thomas I can’t wait to see more of her.
Charity felt guilty this week when she discovered Graham had taken Noah to hospital when he was unwell, and Graham belittled her parenting efforts. Charity’s relationship with Noah has always been complex and arguably the most interesting of all her relationships with her children so it was good to explore that this week. After his recent hospitalisation over the drug taking, Charity poured her heart out to Noah, eventually expressing how much she loved him and how sorry she was for not vocalising it. Feeling rejected and unloved, Noah needed more reassurance and these were some beautifully performed and written scenes – a real highlight of the week.
The scales fell from Sarah’s eyes this week as she realised that Danny had been lying to her about the drugs and exploiting her feelings for him. Earlier in the week Danny had been in full manipulation mode, even appearing with cuts and bruises to show how desperate he was to clear his debts with the dealers. But conflicted Sarah, repeatedly encouraged by Noah to do the right thing, was torn between her feelings and what was right. As it soon became clear Danny was only using her and lying about his injuries, Sarah made the decision to turn him into the police. Emotional Sarah confessed all to Noah, who was quick to reassure her that she’d done the right thing. Sarah turning him in was a genuinely surprising moment and the performances from Katie Hill were excellent, especially as she told Noah that she really liked Danny and it hadn’t made her feel better. The conclusion of this story was well written, with Sarah’s mixed feelings pleasingly not making the end too neat.
Moira’s breakdown has been a divisive story in the Dales with some viewers finding Moira unlikeable and not the character they recognise. Despite this, it looks as if Moira has reached a turning point, even if she’s still just as bitter! Sympathy for Moira seems to come and go, but I’ve no doubt that she could return to the strong character she was, thanks to Natalie J Robb’s consistently good performances. This week in her hospital bed she seemed small and vulnerable, eager for her life to get back on track and earn Cain’s forgiveness, but with Nate still around and now Cara, it soon sunk in that they won’t just be able to forgive and forget. Like all soap characters who slip down an unrecognisable path (remember Finn’s stalker storyline?) a break from the village often works its magic to “reset” the character and spoiler fans will know Moira will soon be off to Nanna Barton’s – so can we expect the return of the woman we know and love(d)?
A soap whodunnit is always full of exciting probabilities as we try and piece together the clues, but the only downside is the murder victim always has to make a lot of enemies first! This week saw tensions ramp up between Graham and Marlon and Graham and Charity. While these are believable tensions, you can sense their reactions have been cranked up a little to lay the foundations of them being suspects. This week we saw Graham steal from the outdoor pursuits company in a scene that was teeth itchingly contrived, all to build him a big list of enemies. Graham eavesdropped on Ryan and Priya talking about pets and passwords only for it to be followed by the world’s clunkiest scene where Ryan accidentally revealed the account password. As anyone knows passwords these days often require symbols, numbers and capital letters at least so it was a real stretch of believability that Kim would have such a weak password. Not to mention it made Ryan look really naive and stupid quite frankly, for a so called computer expert. No, it wasn’t a major story of the week but it’s unbelievable little things like this which can make a story fall apart. Surely they could have found a smarter way for Graham to steal the money and keep Ryan involved?
Top of the highlights this week is Kim, who seems to have hit her stride, almost a year since she made her full return to the village. Early months indicated Emmerdale weren’t quite sure what to do with her and the brief panto stint last year didn’t help much – and nor did the Joe and Graham muddle. Now, with tangible motives and a family around her, Kim feels a lot more well rounded. I really enjoyed that she was a big part of the village this week, funding the lights and having a sense of power that is reminiscent of the Home Farm contingent of old Emmerdale. Rather than cartoonishly making people’s lives misery, it was welcome to see Kim’s ruthless attitude towards Wendy whilst being sympathetic towards Victoria’s plight. Similarly her war with Graham is more watchable now it’s about something relatable – her son and granddaughter. There was also an element of fun too, with Harriet scamming her to give the light fund to the homeless instead, and this has helped to make her more than just a outlandish soap bitch, but more of a believable character and that can only benefit the future of Home Farm.
After another emotional week for Lydia, Emmerdale are surely paving the way to give Karen Blick some award nominations next year? This week Lydia struggled with the pressure of her newly found biological family and the news that she could lay her son to rest, now that she had his ashes. Feeling suffocated by her mother, Lydia opted to scatter the ashes with just the Dingles (or the few that turned up!) and later asked for space from her mother and sister, acknowledging there was no quick fix to her years of feeling isolated and abandoned. As much as I liked the casting for Lydia’s family and it gave her character new dimensions, I’m glad Emmerdale didn’t rush to make them close, with everything forgiven. However with the Huntington’s test still looming, I’m interested to see what happens next now that Lydia’s drawn a line under her new family – will they just be forgotten about? Stories lately have felt a little stop start and I hope Lydia’s doesn’t go the same way.
Noah was in full protection mode this week as his concern for Sarah grew. Since her secret pill popping at the party, he’s been suspicious of her new friend Danny and the reckless way she’s been behaving. This week saw Noah spying on her and later confronting Danny about her health. Bratty Sarah was furious at Noah for damaging her street cred, despite Noah tearfully telling her how worried he was. I’ve always been a big fan of Noah and he’s been absent for some of this year so it’s been good to have him taking a prominent role in this storyline. I like his sensitivity and big heart, helped by Jack Downham’s vulnerability in the part. Spoilers indicate Noah’s got some gritty material ahead which is something to look forward to.
I was impressed and surprised by the performances this week as Jamie and Andrea came to the forefront of the show with their tragic miscarriage story. While this heartbreak was a way to trigger Kim’s change of heart for the first time it actually made me believe in their relationship, bonding them closer. Both characters have felt a bit flat since their early promise and the scenes this week suggest they are capable of much more, especially if it means delving more into their relationship in a more emotional way, separate from the convoluted history.
Moira continued her drunken spiralling this week, losing an ally in Pete and losing grip on herself when she repeatedly turned to the bottle. There was some friendly support from Vanessa, but with Matty away and Pete now working with Nate, Moira’s completely on her own and in this state losing work and access to the kids. Unfortunately though, this time round, Moira just isn’t very sympathetic. When she’s had drunken meltdowns before, when she lost Holly and after Emma’s death and the PND she experienced after having Isaac, Moira’s had our sympathies and support – but this time I’m not so sure. Moira’s cheating was clumsily handled and almost universally hated by viewers so it’s no real surprise her self-pitying meltdown isn’t quite hitting the mark. She might be on self-destruct, but what the scenes lack is a sense Moira is taking responsibility for what happened, instead what we’ve been seeing a rather cold and unsympathetic Moira and she’s difficult to root for.
Wendy moved into Emmerdale village this week in another twisted turn to this continual torture of Victoria. As Wendy continues to blather on about her innocent son, it appears some villagers have completely lost the plot. Wendy’s support of Lee and harassment of Vic began long before Lee’s death, so to hand-wave her behaviour as grief or as a grandmother who just wants contact is sickening beyond belief. Even characters like Chas, who should be unflinching in support of Victoria, defended Wendy and bonded over the “bad behaviour” of their sons. Yes, that’s right, comparing the survivor of childhood rape to a rapist. What is Wendy’s narrative purpose in the village beyond more hell for Victoria and to plunge Aaron into a bigger meltdown? Are we supposed to feel sorry for her? To paint Wendy as a victim – her house vandalised and unwelcome – and putting empathetic words in the mouths of characters who should know better is completely tone deaf and unless she becomes the show’s next deranged nurse then these latest developments are a hard pill to swallow from a show that has had a strong history of empowering their rape survivors.