The episode opens with Constable Adams (Liam Soden) arriving at the police department with Kate Thorne (Michelle Keegan). She has a brief flashback of Michael Thorne (Alastair Bradman) playing with an airplane. Adams puts her in a cell, locks the door, and slams the bean slot shut. Elsewhere, Peter Roberts (Finn Treacy) identifies the car controls. Terry Roberts (Warren Brown) says once he can drive, the girl he likes will be all over him. Pattie Roberts (Hattie Hook) sarcastically assures him that the car will distract the girl from his face. Terry offers to drop him off to impress his friends. Peter expresses his hatred of summer camp and complains about the teacher picking on him. Pattie urges him to be grateful. He tells her that she could go to summer camp if she didn’t hook up with a boy in England. She hits him. Stevie Cartwright (Declan Coyle) offers to babysit Mary (Tahlia Rona), so she can attend school.
Annie Roberts (Faye Marsay) sits quietly next to baby Mary in her bassinet. She has a flashback of working with Harry Brewis (Ciaran Griffiths) in a bakery. He makes her laugh. Elsewhere, JJ Walker (Stephen Curry) takes a swig from his flask when the phone rings. He answers to hear Kate’s voice and teases her about her situation. She asks to speak with Annie. He disputes his mother’s claim of him being a hostel errand boy and offers to take her message. She pleads with him to get Annie on the phone. He slowly makes his way to Annie’s house and tells her that Kate is asking to speak with her. She asks him to keep an eye on Mary and rushes toward his office. Peter asks what is going on. JJ tells him three days from now, it will be Australia Day. Terry suspects he is intoxicated. JJ suggests Kate will be sent back to the UK. Annie is about to confiscate the phone when Annie finally answers. Kate expresses the need to get out.
Terry is working on the roof when Kevin Bailey (Henry McWilliam) approaches and shoots him with his play gun Terry pretends to get shot and fires back. Christine Bailey (Taylor Ferguson) apologizes. He assures her it is fine and asks for a cup of tea. A short time later, they set down to drink their tea. She asks if he misses home. He says his friends and brother. She explains how she ended up there after her husband passed away. He promises to speak with his boss, Benny Bates (Marcus Graham) about getting her hostel fixed up. Elsewhere, Annie visits Marlene Chase (Cheree Cassidy) and tells her that Kate needs her help. Marlene urges her not to get mixed up in other people’s problems. She admits to overspending on stock and fears her ex-husband, Donald, will want out. Annie asks if she fell down the stairs intentionally to install the audit. Marlene puts her in charge of getting the books in order in exchange for free phone calls. She says Kate wouldn’t be deported if she were married.
Kate tells Detective Lee (Jasper Bagg) that Kevin Board stayed in the UK. He says Kevin arrived several months after her and asks if Michael was taken from her. She admits to having issues after Michael was born and the charity helping her sold him to Fran and David Robinson. He tells her a criminal offense warrants immediate deportation. She claims Fran reneged on her promise to let her see him on the weekends after she took him back. Lee is notified that her fiancé, Robbie Carter (Nic English) is asking to see her. She declines a visit with him. Lee asks Robbie when he and Kate got engaged. Robbie says a few weeks ago. Lee tells him that she has declined his visit. Robbie requests to give her a message. Elsewhere, Benny sends Terry to pick up something which turns out to be Valerie Vine (Sinead Chabowski). Terry drops her off at an estate. She warns him against betraying Benny. They enter the estate to find Benny already there. Valerie suggests Annie attend the Australia Day party. Terry asks if it would be okay to fix up Christine’s hostel because her son has asthma. Benny insists it can wait.
Annie, Joan (Gemma Dart), and Victoria (Kathleen O’Dwyer) inventory stock at Wilson’s Department Store. Joan discovers a box of 500 bikinis. At the jail, Lee delivers Robbie’s letter to Kate. She reluctantly accepts it. Elsewhere, Ray Skinner (Sam Delich) tells JJ their father, Sydney, and Padraig Skinner (Tommy James Green) are arriving today. JJ says they can stay in hostel 23 which once belonged to Arty. Birdie Skinner (Clare Hughes) voices concern about it being haunted and gives him a business card for her palm-reading. The bus arrives and only Padraig gets off. Later, Maggie Skinner (May Stange) and Birdie follow behind the pallbearers. JJ tells Mrs. Walker (Tina Bursill) that it is a Pagan tradition for the family to keep a body in their home. She orders him to tell the family it is one day only. He says it is her job since she is running the plane. Peter teaches the children about Australia Day. Terry decorates for the event. Valerie gives him instructions. Pattie tries to appease a fussy baby Mary. Peter gets upset when a boy (Alex Parker-Knowles) teases him about being a pomegranate. The campers laugh. Stevie helps Pattie care for Mary. At the jail, Robbie slips a ring into Kate’s hand. She slips it on her finger. He explains his plans for the future. Lee asks her to sign a restraining order. She scans it and shoves it back to him. Adams returns her to the cell. Elsewhere, Valerie asks Terry about Annie. She describes her as strong, gorgeous, and smart.
At Wilson’s, Annie puts a mannequin clad in a bikini in the display window. A group of women stare at it. Victoria voices concern about the police being called. Annie insists they like the bikinis and poses a plan to Marlene. A short time later, Annie convinces Larry (Drew Parker) to do a piece on the bikinis. A short time later, she comforts a gloomy Peter. Birdie invites them to Sydney’s wake. Annie offers her condolences and says she has a prior engagement. Peter accepts the invitation. A short time later, Terry and Annie arrive at Benny’s party. She questions if someone there could help Kate. He urges her to hold off on asking, so he doesn’t get in trouble. Samuel (Tony Nikolakopoulos) suggests Aussies have more sex to increase the population. Annie expresses her gratitude for having the opportunity. He says if it was up to him, he would raise the drawbridge and fill the moat with piranhas. She suggests Australia needs more people because it has the same population as London. He tells Terry to hurry and get her pregnant. Benny orders Terry to keep an eye on Dr. Charles Milne (Martin Crewes) and ensure he enjoys himself. Annie tries to hide from Larry.
Stevie takes care of baby Mary while Pattie attends the wake. Bill Anderson (Leon Ford), Elizabeth Anderson (Miah Curran), and Margaret Anderson (Neve Curran) arrive at the Australia Day party. He makes eye contact with Ray. Samuel presents a photo of the future Bennelong Point, with a concert hall and opera house. Terry sees Charles and Valerie slip out the back door and follows them. Larry introduces Annie to his wife, Elaine (Shalane Connors) and informs her that the bikini segment will air tomorrow. Elaine invites her to attend a secret meeting for her women’s group. Terry eavesdrops on Valerie and Charles. Benny pulls him into a room where a tape player is recording Valerie and Charles’ conversation. He says Charles is running against his friend, Samuel, in the mayoral race. He criticizes Charles’ housing reform which he claims will make rent unaffordable for low-income people. Benny asks for his help in pushing back. At the wake, Birdie sings Sydney’s favorite song. Maggie kisses Sydney’s forehead. Peter follows her lead. Maggie kisses his forehead and sees her shirt is wet. Padraig says she is leaking on his Da. Ray laughs. She tries to conceal it with her arms and runs back to her hut where she interrupts Stevie covering baby Mary’s face with pine tar. He says if her skin is lighter, she will look more like them. She orders him to leave. Weeping, she cleans Mary’s face.
Ray tells Bill about Sydney. Bill recalls how his father’s death impacted him. He says his wife is hospitalized. Ray touches his hand and says sorry. Bill pulls back his hand, jumps up, offers his condolences, and walks away. Elsewhere Maggie talks to Sydney, empties her beer, reaches for another bottle, and a drawer falls to the floor. She picks it up and discovers a title registered to Arthur Farthington. At the jail, Lee urges Kate to marry Robbie who he believes would make her a good husband. Upon returning home, Terry tells Annie if they want to get out of there, they need connections like the people at the party. Posing in a bikini, she says to pretend she is Rita Hayworth. As they kiss, baby Mary cries out. She slips out to tend to her. He falls asleep. The next day, Terry delivers a tape to Charles and tells him it is from the Australia Day party. Charles accuses him of blackmail. Terry says Benny demands he publicly change his view on housing reform. Charles argues that the vulnerable need better homes. Terry promises to destroy the recording if he does as Benny asks. Charles assures him that Benny cares only about money and that his rentals are disease-ridden deathtraps. He reluctantly agrees to do it but warns there will be blood on their hands.
Annie, Joan, Victoria, and Marlene watch Larry’s broadcast. Wearing a bikini, Annie says men are wearing swim briefs and women should be free to wear whatever they like as long as it is dignified. At the jail, Lee informs Kate that she is prohibited from coming within three miles of where Michael lives until he turns 21. She reluctantly signs the restraining order and breaks down sobbing. Elsewhere, Benny compliments Terry and gives him a roll of cash. He suggests Annie is a handful after seeing her on TV. Terry races home and confronts Annie about wearing a bikini on TV. She says Wilson’s store is struggling financially. He reminds her that she is a grandmother, hands her the cash, and says she doesn’t need a job.
Annie says she might not need it, but she wants it and likes the person it makes her. She asks if he’d prefer to just walk her around and show her off while she keeps her mouth closed. Annie suggests it’s not okay when she’s standing up and being her own person. Terry just thinks she should’ve told him. Annie remembers working at the bakery with Harry. Stevie yells for his dad, Ivan (Travis McMahon), who is preparing to leave. Ivan says he’s going to Brisbane. He tells Stevie to get his clothes and get into the van. Stevie says he’s staying with Pattie. Ivan warns him that he’ll be on his own. Stevie says he wants to do the right thing. Ivan insists Pattie will never respect him. Pattie arrives and learns that Ivan is leaving. She tells Stevie to go with him. Stevie finally gets into the van with his father who drives away. Annie and Terry learn what has happened. Terry says he’ll bloody kill him.
Pattie takes the ring off. Terry tells her to keep it on because they can’t have people thinking she’s unwed. When she storms off, Terry goes after her. Maggie has the deeds and approvals for the boatshed to be turned into a business. She has Arty’s deed and she plans on using it to her benefit. Maggie believes it is God’s gift. She sees a group of people leave the shed moments later and Ron Mahoney (Rob Collins) lock it up.
Ten Pound Poms Review
The show is a slog to get through, with its cluttered cast of superficial characters. The plot and subplots lack depth and intrigue. The endless dialogue is stilted to the point of feeling trivial. The series’ best quality is its cinematography. The acting is hit-and-miss.
Ladies in Black had a similar bikini scene. After receiving a promotion, Magda is left to deal with hundreds of men’s swim briefs. She has a male associate to model the brief and urges women to purchase them for their significant others. Briefs fly off the shelves and Magda’s plan is a success. Sound familiar?
The episode deserves a 5.2 out of 10. Get more Ten Pound Poms recaps here. See what others are saying here. Learn more about our advertising packages by clicking here. Support our site by clicking the link.