28 July 2011

Episode 1

Dai and Diane's dinner party does not start well, when Frank invites Megan without checking first.  Diane is not amused to learn that Megan has been making the most of Frank's business acumen, or that she plans to move back to the area.  Frank volunteers to give £1000 to a charity of Megan's.  They needn't worry however, as he offers to inject £100,000 into their business!

Liam returns from Afghanistan, but he appears to be very tired, and goes almost straight to bed.

Gethin 'breaks in' to Dani's flat, and makes a convincing mess, Dani's anger when she and Brandon return home is genuine!  She wasn't expecting it to look quite this authentic.

Norman and Eileen finally kiss, but they are interrupted by Eifion, who isn't daft, he knows exactly what they've been up to.

Episode 2

Ffion wakes up in her car with an empty vodka bottle by her side.  More and more people in Cwmderi are starting to talk about her.  She nearly gets herself run over, but she is ungrateful and bumbles off.  Later, she comes into Y Deri, and downs a shot of vodka in a fraction of a second.  She's in a bad way emotionally and physically.  Later still, close to tears, she climbs into a taxi, telling Sheryl that she has obtained a place at a private clinic, that she needs help and can't do it on her own.

Dani gives Gethin a piece of her mind for making such a mess during the fake break-in.  The Police come and investigate.  Dani's plan backfires however, when Brandon comes clean, that he was keeping some of Gary's money safe, and he says that they will have to use their savings to pay Gary back.

Macs is showing signs of improvement, it seems just telling Sion and Iolo has made a big difference.

Debbie and Ricky question Liam about his time in Afghanistan.  He starts to deflect and avoid questions, and it's clear that his time there has been traumatic.  He tells Debbie about his friend Andy and an IED.

27 July 2011

Jinx interviews Megan for Cwm FM.  Debbie buys a smartphone so she doesn't have to be at home to receive emails.  She's worried about her son Liam flying out of Khandahar.  Liam makes it safely to Cyprus, so he should be home in a day or so.

Gethin agrees against his better judgment to Dani's request to stage a burglary, to help with her financial worries.

American Frank looks set to examine a business proposal for Megan but then Diane buts in and drags Frank to Y Deri.

Although Frank claims to be extremely rich, we haven't seen a hint of actual wealth yet.

Anita has her doubts about the relationship with Colin, and suggests it might be better if he moved out.

26 July 2011

Ffion clashes with Gaynor and Hywel in the café, and claims that she's having her first alcohol free day, nevertheless she looks awful.

Macs appears to be off to the doctor, but understandably he lies to Sion about where he's going, when Sion overhears him talking to Sioned.

Sion talks to Iolo and Gaynor about his concerns, whilst Iolo knows a third of the truth, only Gaynor knows all of it.  She tells Sion privately that Macs was sexually assaulted.  Sion rushes straight to Macs, who after being initially hostile, breaks down and cries in Sion's arms.  Sion's compassion towards his son is deeply moving.  Iolo is told, and he too is deeply shocked.

Gaynor and Hywel talk frankly about Lois's pregnancy, Gaynor is upset that she'll effectively have to raise Lois's baby herself.  Gaynor clearly has some residual feelings about the fact that she herself had an abortion.

25 July 2011

Colin surprises Anita with a weekend away in Barry, she isn't enthusiastic, Meic feels hurt, but they go anyway.  When they arrive, Anita perks up and it's clear she's happy Colin made the gesture.

Kevin receives a spot-check from the local health department.

Probert's custody case is heard.  Unfortunately he is late because of a puncture, and he arrives flustered and a little agitated.  The case goes well for Probert however, and the Court agrees with Yvonne's recommendations that Courtney spends more time with Probert.  Angela reacts badly though, asking how a lesbian would know what's best for a child (interesting, since this was exactly how Probert reacted to Yvonne in the beginning), and throws a drink over Yvonne after the case ends.

The summer club for the children opens its doors for the first day.  It's busy and it leaves everyone tired but it has been successful.

22 July 2011

Ffion claims to have tripped and sprained her ankle, and excuses herself from the fun run.  She promptly takes herself off to Y Deri.  Jinx tries to talk to Ffion, and even makes her listen to his recording of her drunk at the school, but she's not having it.  Interestingly, she hints that Jinx used to be an alcoholic.

Ffion is in serious denial however, and later on, what starts as a well intentioned friendly chat from Sheryl goes rapidly downhill.  Both lose their tempers, and Sheryl slaps her, although she is immediately shocked at herself for doing it.

As the race starts, Dai and Brandon appear in their ridiculous costumes, and clumsily plug ABD on the radio.

Probert meanwhile is doing himself no favours, angrily suggesting that a lesbian (Yvonne Evans) has no right to decide the future of his child, but her wife quickly leaps to her defence.  However Probert is not finished, and he snatches Cwm FM's microphone, blasting the whole village with his criticism.  Later, he demands to be let in to Yvonne's house, and it's clear he's heartbroken - but Yvonne sent her report yesterday.

Sheryl finds Ffion unconscious at home, drunk.

21 July 2011

Debbie is pleased and excited that Liam is coming home, but the flights are awkward and timings are uncertain.  The journey is difficult and dangerous until he is out of the Middle East.

Sion does some family tree research for the American, Frank, and it looks like he may be distantly related to Dai Ashurst.  Dai is a little lukewarm but he soon perks up when he hears that Frank spends his time and money investing in small businesses.  Dai thinks that ABD might be just the sort of small business that Frank invests in.

Megan gives Probert a thorough roasting at his interview to rent a retail unit.  She believes that he'll just open a cheap off-licence, and when he can't demonstrate any knowledge claimed about fine wines, he storms off.  He later has a go at Megan and Diane in Y Deri.

Dani is trying to get herself out of a tight spot.  Brandon nearly discovered that she is on the Pill again, and now she is trying to persuade her brother Gethin to take part in some daft staged burglary to help Dani out of financial trouble.

20 July 2011

Sioned talks to Macs and suggests that he has lost interest in her.  He is sorry, but doesn't talk about what has happened to him.  Instead, he suggests that it might be better if they split up.

Sioned also suspects that Macs has been seeing someone else, but he is adamant that he hasn't.  She then suggests that maybe it was as a result of him 'falling down the stairs', the cover story Macs gave when he was raped, in order to explain his bruises.  It's clear that Macs is close to breaking down.

He agrees reluctantly to a doctor's appointment, but delays making it, hinting that a few days off, now that the school year has ended, may make him feel better.

Sioned later confides in Eileen that Macs may be ill, and suggests he has M.E.

Sheryl's son Wil upsets Anita, by giving Meic a big cuddle before he goes off to Canada, but refusing to go anywhere near Anita.  Wil was upset when he discovered that Anita and Colin were having an affair.  Anita however is in a bit of a state anyway, saying that she is hurting her nearest and dearest without meaning to.

Megan, an old friend of Eileen's, comes to Cwmderi.

19 July 2011

Gaynor is having problems with Lois, who won't face up to the future and make preparations for the baby.  It seems Gaynor is having to do all the hard work herself.

Denzil, Dai and Norman are again clashing over the building works.. Norman is such a twat!  At the rate he's carying on he'll give himself another ulcer.

Sheryl and Gethin discuss Ffion's alcoholism.  There is no easy answer, but Ffion looks awful, and Sheryl is worried about Ffion being around her son Wil.  Sheryl catches up with Ffion in Y Deri, and Ffion claims to be drinking orange juice - but in the background, her 'water bottle' is lurking.  It won't be long before people spot her doing it.

Dani and her brother Gethin go out to a club.

Gaynor and Hwyel buy baby things for Lois, but she stays out with Huw.

18 July 2011

Ohian Frank talks to Sion, who offers an interview in the local paper about his heritage.  Interestingly, and possibly significantly, Frank refuses to have his picture taken, citiing some silly phobia, but this doesn't ring true.

One of Frank's ancestors rings a bell with Sion.  Might this be a lead to his ancestry?

Debbie's son Liam calls, he's been granted leave, but for reasons as yet unknown he won't come home, he wants to go to Birmingham to stay with a friend.  Liam seems very edgy, anger barely concealed below the surface.  There's definitely an interesting story behind this.

Macs's behaviour is still upsetting Sioned.  Macs refuses to take part in the local fun run, even when asked by his father Sion.  When Sioned sends Macs a text asking when he's coming home, he promptly calls for a taxi into town.  Sioned walks into Y Deri, and he claims it's an end of term staff party.

He returns home in the early hours, drunk and noisy.

15 July 2011

Episode 1

Leighton is waving goodbye, literally, to things in the village.  Britt has already excused herself from saying goodbye because of a school trip, Huw is doing something with Lois, so this leaves just Sion to wave him off.  Leighton is feeling a little lonely.  When he has a meal with Marian later, he actually breaks down and admits he doesn't want to go back to South Africa.

Cwm FM is up for an award for Jinx's programme about the monks, but Jinx is not happy, saying that if they win, they will doubtless be found out, and he could be out of a job.  Hywel tries to ask Sion to keep quiet that he knows the programme was fake, but he is stonewalled.

After the observed session with Courtney and Angela, Angela behaves badly by trying to insist that she observes the session with Jim Probert and Courtney.  Although the case worker obviously doesn't like Probert, something about Angela's behaviour and Probert's insistence seems to strike a chord.  Is she starting to melt a bit?  When Probert's session is over, it's clear that both he and Courtney are upset it's over, but that it went very well.

Episode 2

Macs and Sioned are still bickering.  When Macs turns up for a community cricket match, he can't bring himself to get changed, more specifically to get undressed (since Scott had to remove Macs' clothes in order to rape him), and Macs runs out of the room.  When Iolo tries to stop him, Macs shouts at him for touching him.  Iolo goes after him, but can't find him.  Sioned gets upset talking to Iolo, it's clear she is close to her wits' end.  She doesn't understand why Macs is suddenly a different person.  Iolo still doesn't know the truth but he clearly suspects.

When Macs gets home he doesn't react well to Iolo being there, and even after he leaves when Sioned tries to find out what's wrong, Macs is hostile.  It's not clear how much longer Sioned can stay with him.  Eileen is starting to notice the strain Sioned is under.  But when Macs goes to his mother's grave and asks what he's going to do, it's hard not to feel huge sympathy for him.

14 July 2011

Diane encourages Dai to join in with the fun run, but he's having none of it.  Nevertheless she says that if she can get Brandon to run it, Dai will do it too.  Brandon agrees, as does Dani, Dai is not impressed!

Anita suggests to Meic that they visit Wil together, to give him a present before he goes to Canada, but Meic refuses, thoughtfully, and says that it's too soon and the hurt Anita caused is too fresh.

Probert has received a letter informing him of the observed visit with his daughter Courtney, and asks his case worker questions - in the middle of the cafe.  Quite rightly she tells him it's not the time or place to discuss it but gives him a quick outline as quietly as she can manage.

Colin attempts to lift Anita's spirits with a surprise - redecorating the lounge over the pub in a whoreish red - but she doesn't like the colour.  It's not surprising, to be honest it's hideous, but since when have straight men really had a clue about interior decor?

Meanwhile Dani enlists her brother Gethin's help to redecorate their kitchen in a more tasteful pastel blue.  But Gethin clearly realises this is transference, Dani is channelling her energies into this to avoid thinking about or dealing with the fact that she is taking the Pill again.

American Frank is ingratiating himself in Y Deri, this time with Kevin, having already made firm friends with his father Meic.  Meanwhile Denzil counsels Meic against making fun of Colin in Anita's company, as it can only lead to no good.

Probert is still very worried about the observed session tomorrow, and also that the fact that he hasn't been able to see his daughter for months will make both him and his daughter Courtney nervous.  His case worker promises not to take that into account.  But is clear that whilst she is maintaining a professonal distance, she doesn't care for him one bit.  It will be interesting to see if she can keep her personal antipathy towards him out of the case.

12 July 2011

Ffion is on sick leave because of her alcoholism.  Gaynor pays her a visit, and says that she needs to provide a doctor's note by Thursday, or she'll face a disciplinary.  Ffion feels threatened, so Gaynor says she doesn't intend to be threatening but there are wider implications to her illness.

Unfortunately for Ffion, word of her drunkenness at school spreads to her landlord Sheryl, who gives Ffion an ultimatum - sort yourself out or I'll make your life hell and you'll have to leave the house.  She has her son, Wil, to think about, so rationality goes temporarily out of the window.  Ffion is clearly shocked, but her resistance is low, and she later scours the house for a bottle of vodka.

Dani has her heart set on some second-hand kitchen furniture from Norman's renovation.  Norman finds out and decides to *sell* it to him.  Dani meanwhile is making colour swatches and thinking about redecorating their flat above the fish and chip shop.

Sioned tries hard to engage with Macs, but he continues to be rude and distant. Macs is clearly stiill suffering from his rape 6 weeks ago.  He is asked by Gaynor to go for an end-of-year drink, and feels obligated to go.  However when a young bathroom salesman turns up, at Sioned's request, Macs is clearly very uncomfortable at a man being in such close proximity, and he runs off.  It seems he's almost at the point where he accepts he has to ask for help.  However, things with Sioned end in an argument, and she is upset, understandably.

11 July 2011

American Frank runs into Marian at the cemetery, and the two of them talk about village life.  He seems keen to find a present-day link to his ancestors.  Frank later talks to Meic in Y Deri, and they talk about Wales.

Later, he agrees to be interviewed by Jinx for Cwm FM, and talks about his ancestors moving to America.

Macs is still being distant with Sioned, and she is finding it difficult to cope.  When she goes to the school to find him, he is initially hostile, then a little defensive, but she can't get to the bottom of what she has supposedly done wrong.

Colin and Anita's continued association is hard on Meic, but Colin seems oblivious to Anita's feelings, which are bordering on nostalgia for something lost.

Leighton gives Sion some sound advice, to respect Huw's intentions to stand by Lois and the baby, or risk ruining his paternal relationship with Huw for ever.  Sion has much to think about.

8 July 2011

Norman is still annoying Brandon, he keeps changing his mind about what he wants, yet then also criticising the apparently slow progress of the building work.  People like him are impossible.

Eileen's plans for a night out with Norman are dashed, when Frank, a ghastly American man from Ohio turns up.  He speaks Welsh extremely competently but with a shocking American accent, yet nobody seems to mind or even notice.

Gethin tries to convince her sister Dani to come clean to Brandon that she doesn't want a baby, but she is frightened of the confrontation.  She is worried that Brandon's affections will fall away, and she is not prepared to take the risk.

Probert is being very polite to Debbie, which annoys her and makes her more suspicious of him.  She starts to think that Probert is responsible for the burglary, but she has no evidence against him.

Angela is trying to make a case against Probert having custody, and hints at something unhealthy in his relationship with his daughter Courtney.  Angela seems very insecure, and there is definitely more to this story than meets the eye.

7 July 2011

Things at the jumble sale take an interesting turn, when little Ricky starts finding his own books, and a rugby ball that belongs to him but was taken in the burglary.  Debbie tries to find out who brought that box, but nobody seems to know.  It's great that they were able to get some things back, but Debbie remains thoughtful about who could have burgled their house in the first place and why.

Were the things brought to the jumble sale because the person responsible felt guilty, and wanted Debbie and Mark to have them back?

Probert turns to the courts and to Yvonne, who is his case worker.  Probert wants to secure access to his daughter Courtney, because his estranged wife, Angela, is preventing access.  Courtney tells Yvonne that she misses her Dad, and she doesn’t want to call Phil, Angela’s new partner, Dad.

6 July 2011

Dai and Brandon are working on Norman’s gastropub, but things are not moving as quickly as they could be, because Norman keeps changing his mind on which room will be which.  Norman is unforgiving however and has them both on a tight leash, demanding that they work harder and faster.

Dani takes Brandi, their ratty little dog, to be sterlised.  Just as well, horrible little thing.

Meic and Denzil have moved in together, and having tidied up Colin’s left behind mess, the place is starting to look like home.

Meic comes back to Y Deri to collect some things, but he walks in at precisely the wrong moment, when Colin and Anita are having a kiss.  He vows to come back another day, and refers to Colin as the cuckoo in his nest.

5 July 2011

Gaynor is furious with Ffion, who turns up to work as bold as brass, as if nothing had happened.  Gaynor takes Ffion to her office and gives her a choice, either get a doctor’s note and she can have the time off to get better, or a governor’s meeting will be called, and she’ll be sacked.

Leighton offers Sioned and Macs a free holiday at his place in South Africa, as a wedding present.  Sioned tries to talk about weddings, but Macs changes the subject.  Sioned says she is very worried, that Macs has been like this for weeks and she’s having trouble sleeping as a result.  When she suggests that he doesn’t want to be with her, he reacts emotionally and says that once the school year is over, things will be different.  He clearly finally realises that his reaction to being raped by Scott, about which Sioned knows nothing, is hurting Sioned badly.  All seems well, until Gaynor lets it slip that Macs left work at 3.30pm that day -- Macs had told Sioned that he was working late!

Sion tells Jinx and Hywel that he knows the Cwm FM programme about monks was made up, as there have been no people living on the island since the 12th century.

4 July 2011

Ricky goes with some other children to Ysgol Y Mynach, which will be his new secondary school.   After Gaynor ingratiates herself on them, Ffion gives them a taste of sport.  However, she decides that she needs her vodka.  She puts poor Jinx in charge of the children, who is there to record a radio programme.  He barely knows what to do.  Ffion rushes back to grab her 'water bottle' filled with vodka, and in the meantime, the children rummage through the sports supplies, and emerge with a variety of sporting equipment, including javelins.

Ffion comes back, sees the children with the javelins, reacts extremely angrily, and shouts at them.  Mark (Ricky's father) remonstrates with her and realises that she's intoxicated, and guesses that she wasn't ill in Cardiff, but intoxicated then also.

Gaynor arrives, and she is furious.  She frog-marches Ffion into her office.  She tells Fiion that she is an alcoholic, and that she will never get the opportunity to behave like that again.  She starts making all sorts of threats about the board of governors.

Jinx has been recording the whole thing for Cwm FM, but his boss Hywel is anxious to protect Gaynor from scandal, and says it won't be broadcast.  Jinx is angry that Hywel will allow false programmes (such as the one about the monks) to be broadcast but not the truth.

Meanwhile, Iolo is trying to reach out to Macs, but Macs is not interested in engaging.  Sioned is becoming increasingly unhappy.