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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Spells &amp; Karma" data-source="post: 413097" data-attributes="member: 23">Episodes 461 - 480 30 March - 2 June 1987Jimmy McGovern began this run of episodes with strength as Sheila and Bobby’s marriage became ever more fraught and combative, extending to the wider household as Damon screamed at Bobby that they were both “doin’ my ‘ead in”.Some nice work with the Corkhills went along with this as Tracey quit her hairdressing job, giving everyone a mouthful, and Jimmy proposed a fraudulent insurance scam. Plus some nice business with Jimmy’s surefire winner who actually came in… to Billy’s dismay (I enjoyed how Doreen flipped from looking at Jimmy with disdain when the subject came up, to low-level criticism of Billy for not taking the risk once she knew it was a winner).But in amongst this came two long episodes of The Banner… a sign put up by smugger-than-ever Pat to announce to the world that Paul is a spy for the DHSS. Much was made of Paul trying to get the banner taken down. When refused by Pat and later Terry, Paul approached Damon (who he saw helping Pat put it up) and even rebuked the Corkhills for not helping. But while Pat and Terry gained the upper hand because the banner was on “their” house, the elephant in the room was Harry Cross shaped… because not once was the idea of speaking to their neighbouring landlord mooted. I find it very difficult to believe that he would be oblivious to this for a minute, much less two whole episodes, so whole thing smacked of convenience and drew attention to Bill Dean’s absence.Many of these episodes were characterised by the themes of conflict in the middle of the Close and in-house fighting going public, as disagreements have escalated into loud arguments.There were a number of noisy consecutive episodes in which every scene seemed to have either aggressive shouting or loud drilling. The latter came from the huge fissure which cut its way from one side of the Close to the other, virtually turning the cul-de-sac into an island and simultaneously creating the Black Hole Of Brookside. The former seemed to have two thirds of the residents involved.A great deal of the shouting has come from Terry and Pat’s disagreements over whispery Vicki moving in (very briefly, before leaving for good. And who can blame her) and Pat getting involved in the repossession business and attempting to rope in Terry (the financial benefits of which dialled Pat’s usual smugness up into the red zone, and caused his rictus grin to reach alarming widths). Now it's all over, Pat is heavily involved in another wannabe pop star arc. September cannot come quickly enough.Billy has been shouting up a storm at the neighbours over his front lawn being torn up as everyone has driven over it to get round the gaping hole. Nobody’s been safe (he even gave Annabel Collins a mouthful) but the situation has ultimately become a symbol and an extension of his feelings of impotent powerlessness caused by the desperate financial situation at home. Taking up Jimmy’s offer cost more than he’d anticipated when Jimmy also vandalised the house and decided to hit the Collinses as well (this sequence felt a bit too truthful… I found myself feeling some anger at Jimmy’s enjoyment of the wanton destruction of property).Billy’s conscience has been troubling him because of Doreen’s anxiety over the home intrusion, and her sadness at losing some of the possessions they’d worked for. Upon returning home from Rod’s passing out parade, Billy’s reaction to the burglary was the angriest, because he hadn’t expected Jimmy to go so far.Despite everything, this run has proved that Billy is really a decent man. He took great risks in buying back Annabel’s beloved brooch from a pawnbroker and planting it down a cushion in their armchair. Even his outlet of indignant anger at the neighbours lack of respect has backfired and been undermined. Case in point, his furiously throwing the bin bags dumped on his lawn down the hole, only to find out moments later that it was Sheila’s jumble collection which she’d momentarily placed there. He did the right thing and dutifully retrieved them with a weary apology. There’s a terrific little scene where Billy witnesses Bobby driving over his front lawn and angrily pursues him across the Close to give him a piece of his mind. As he tries to get the words out, Bobby cheerfully says hello and casually apologises for having to use his garden as a thoroughfare. Losing face quickly, Billy ends up offering to help with the jumble collection. It perfectly captures a sense of frustrated defeat that can come when a much-needed communication is denied.It all makes Billy’s ultimate expression of his contempt for his neighbours (which is still to come) all the more organic. He hasn’t even found out about Doreen’s boss’s “loan in exchange for favours” offer yet.Even the Collinses got involved in the raised voices, with Annabel shouting at Paul. In public, if you please. Granted, her mother had just fallen down the black hole outside, but it still seems standards are slipping.And into the whole chaotic situation come the Gordon-Davieses (well, technically at this point, one Gordon-Davies and several Wrights). Resembling Hughs Laurie and Grant, Jonathan is pretty much exactly as I remember him. Laura is a bit of a surprise. She’s much younger than I remember, and not as classy (I’m now thinking I might have amalgamated her with Heather in my mind as the years have passed). Sadly, my first impression isn’t as favourable as I’d hoped. Jane Cunliffe’s delivery is rather rapid and monotone, as though she knows the lines but isn’t particularly concerned with their meaning. I suppose it's kind of standard for some of Brookie's more recent casting additions . On the plus side, there are flashes of promise, and I’m hopeful it could improve as they are broken into the series a little more.Given the comments in the Soap Box book, I have been looking closely for any sign that the two actors aren't getting along, or that Jane is unhappy. So far, there are none. Either I should take trashy book gossip with a pinch of salt, or Jane's a better actress than I'm giving her credit for.While I remember the characters, I probably can only remember a couple of specific scenes from their time on the series. One is a flash of Jonathan waiting for Laura in a city centre (which I hesitantly admit I only remember because there was a poster for Jaws The Revenge in the background). The other is that Laura’s encounter with the light switch. Beyond that, it’s even more fragmented, other than Canadians and the household ending up a part of Terry’s musical homes syndrome.We’ve met Laura’s parents and sister. Sister Joanne feels like a Nick’s stroppy daughter redux… an unwelcome house guest who won’t go away. She’s kind of annoying, but none of it really seems to matter. Joanna’s biggest crime to date has been taking place in a lengthy musical montage in which she tried on Laura’s clothes once she had the house to herself. It’s arguably the most glaring example of pointless filler seen to date on the series. Adding insult to injury, it’s not even the most creative these episodes got… that accolade goes to a scene of Harry, Ralph and Paul leaning over the hole, shot almost entirely from the perspective of their reflections in the muddy water below (a shoo-in for James’s Soapy Reflections thread).On the subject of the hole, I’m very impressed by the production values of this. Digging a massive hole in a real street on 1980s telly can’t have been cheap. Then we actually have characters climbing (or falling) into it. No matter how much precaution and risk assessment took place, it does look like a health and safety nightmare.My God, did Sheila and Bobby earn that holiday to Rome. Even knowing the outcome, I found myself feeling a kind of anxiety by the suspense created as things were pushed to their limit with that ticket getting ripped up, momentarily putting the kibosh on Sheila’s trip.At this point, Brookie’s had a number of holidays and away trips. The Rome trip is a contender for the most impressive, not just for its wonderful scenery (beautifully shot, including a couple of long shots which appear to have been shot very early in the day to get a sumptuous, hazy look) and big name guest-star (I mean… The Pope! Not even Dynasty could pull that one off), but for its investment in continuing an important story. Never before has it felt that more hinged on a trip, and this one has had some real swings and roundabouts.In situations like this, I always find myself wondering what locals made of the camera crews filming this English couple bickering and disagreeing. Did it put Brookie on the map in Italy, perhaps? Well, probably not, but it’s nice to think it might have done.</blockquote>

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