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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mel O&#039;Drama" data-source="post: 443389" data-attributes="member: 23">They Shoot Cows Don’t They?For the first time, I’ve noticed the main stories are linked by a common theme. In this case, it’s ageing, and knowing when to let go or bow out gracefully. Take poor old Pat Turner, run ragged looking after her invalid father Arty who shows no gratitude. She feels guilty at the idea of leaving him in hospital for a few days - on Terence’s orders - so they can both get some respite. Then, after he sets fire to the ward with one of his sneaky fags, she has to wrestle with the idea of him going into a home. Pat’s face was very familiar and given her look I thought it had to be either Sons and Daughters or Prisoner. Turns out she was Beth Newman in S&D (her character there is described as a prostitute, but I can barely remember anything else about her at this point). Arty sees sense after a good talking to from respected elder Emily Page, who points out he’s been a terrible father, but he expects Pat to be a perfect daughter. Played to perfection by Aileen Britton, Emily fascinates and commands the screen, being linked to Simon through a relationship with his grandfather when they were young, she then forms a very watchable bond with Simon himself through a relationship of mutual respect.Emily is troubled, though. Stricken with debilitating and progressive arthritis, she flatly announces at a dinner party that she plans to take a fatal overdose when things take a turn for the worse. Why, she asks, should she drag her loved ones to their early graves looking after her simply to prove she has the resilience to hang on for another couple of years, and it seems a fair point. Then the time comes. Something I find interesting is that the writing doesn’t explore whether it’s all a cry for help rather than an earnest attempt to die. Emily has already announced her intention to die by suicide, then takes the overdose within days and into the bargain, she gives Simon - one of the people who knows of her intent - some mysterious envelopes to deliver the next day. Neither characters nor writers question whether they’re being played. It’s all taken on face value. And no matter what the motive, the outcome is a fairly happy one, with Emily’s life being saved and Simon telling her about a new medication that may help her condition. It sounds very neat, but there’s a sense that there will be a price to pay, with Emily having to come to terms with her condition and living with pain. All in all, it’s a very strong arc. Sadly, it looks like Emily won’t be back on screen, but we will get to see Aileen Britton further down the line. Simon’s quite in demand this episode. In addition to Emily, there’s a rather superfluous sub-plot with an attractive young woman with enormous tits making frivolously unnecessary appointments with him so that he can examine her (cue choked up “You look healthy to me” lines as Simon fails to avoid gazing at her ample bosoms). Turns out the poor gal is lonely, so she’s steered towards youth clubs.Then there’s the titular cow, destined for the knacker’s yard, she is rescued on impulse by Molly when she is looking for a guard dog at the sales yard. Then Molly quickly learns that you can’t argue with nature, and “No-Name” (so called because Brendan feels Molly will become too attached to their working animals if they name them like pets) deteriorates to the point where it’s cruel to keep her alive. Vicky brings the shotgun, and Molly decides to do the deed herself. Only she can’t. So Brendan does. Of course, they cast the prettiest, daintiest little cow to play No-Name, which adds to the vulnerability (and manipulation). I find myself wondering how they got the cow to act so lethargic and floppy. Was she drugged? Were there clever techniques? Or can cows, like dogs, be trained to “act”? I was particularly bothered by the imagery of this real cow with a (presumably) real shotgun pressed into her forehead, looking passively up at the camera. As an animal lover, I have to question if she knew what this meant. And how do you explain to a cow that it’s just a performance? Anyway, along come newly engaged Bill and Sandra from the previous story, bringing an adorable calf to repay Molly for providing Sandra with a dress and makeover to impress Bill. So all’s well that ends well. For everyone except poor No-Name.</blockquote>

Verification: Who played Sue Ellen in Dallas?