"Things I Learned" - Series 1 Episode Reviews by Joanne Flood
Things I learned in Episode 1.1: Still Waters – Originally Broadcast Feb 1, 2013
1. Background music in the opening scene - establishes the time period. One of the writers of The Wild One also wrote Stop Hanging On for ep. 2.2
2. Lucien passes the murder victim in the street. He's on the way to the Colonists’ Club with, what I think of as, the pointy butt painting. The painting is the same style as the artist's in ep. .2.8, Ties of the Past, but the connection is never mentioned in 2.8. It's also the first sign we have of Lucien flouting convention.
3. In the murder scene, there are two female voices heard in the alley. Big clue to the murderer.
4. Body is found in Lake Wendouree - a location returned to in what seems like every episode, not that I'm complaining. It's a lovely spot when dead bodies aren't floating in it.
5. Danny fishes out the body without wearing waders. Lawson probably considers them a waste of money. In later episodes, the Ballarat police dept. will acquire waders.
6. Lucien catches Jean cleaning up his whiskey bottles. Lucien tells Jean he's not his father, and we're all happy about that. Dad seems like a hypercritical hardass. Jean talks about how predictable Lucien's father was, but I don't think she says much, if anything, about whether he is kind. She has to apply for a loan in series 3 - did dear old dad not leave her a little something in his will?
7. I never understood Danny's initial involvement with the household. He seems to just show up for free food. He is Jean's nephew, but still...
8. In the brief kitchen conversation with Lucien, Jean, Mattie, and Danny, it's established that Lucien and Mattie are the more progressive, open-minded ones of the group. Something we'll see play out in other episodes, like ep. 1.4, Brotherly Love.
9 Lucien takes cochineal and sugar cubes from Jean's cupboards. Has anyone ever heard of cochineal? Apparently, Starbucks got in trouble for using it as a food coloring because it wasn’t vegan. Lucien promises to replace the sugar cubes, but we all know he's not going to - the first in a long line of casual promises he doesn't keep - from replacing the mail box in ep. 3.3, This Time and This Place, to not doing anything about the divorce papers without consulting Jean. But, he flashes that grin, and we love him anyway.
10. Lucien is driving his father's old car. Money, for some reason, seems to be tight.
11. At the reformatory, the headmistress mentions Lucien's father treated the girl's the year before. So, we know Thomas Blake was alive in 1958.
12. Lucien is wearing an overcoat as he goes into the reformatory. Other times, he just has a suit jacket on. Just the first of many times when I can't figure out what season it is in Ballarat.
13. Lucien swallows pills, not knowing what they are. First we see of his risky behavior. Maybe, that's the self-obsessiveness they're talking about in series 5. We also saw him spray what could have been poison down his throat in ep. 3.5, A Night to Remember.
14. Patrick Tynenman appears and that series-long relationship begins with antagonism.
15. Nell Clasby speaks with Jean about Lucien. You can just see that Jean can't wait to hear every tidbit. To her credit, Jean says nothing negative about Lucien. Nell says he's very kind despite what he's been through, and he just needs looking after. It's obvious who Nell has in mind for that job.
16. Matthew gives us some backstory by telling Danny that the war made a mess of Lucien.
17. The first letter from Singapore arrives. Lucien reads it and puts it in the chest of pain. He also looks at the drawings. I do wonder who did those drawings - Lucien? Do we ever find out?
18. Jean is snooping outside in her pink rob of chastity and hair net. I don't mind the robe so much, but that hair net. I have to say if I was living in a house with Lucien, I would not let him see me in that hair net.
19. Lucien catches Jean looking through the drawings. You can see she's starting to understand what he's been through.
20. We also find out in this episode that Lucien served on the Malay Peninsula and took amphetamines.
21. Lucien and Mattie do science together. Now, it's Lucien and Jean.
22. Danny says whoever drove the car with the body was real short. I have a bit of a problem with this because the murderer doesn't seem to be that short.
23. Jean shares important gossip with Lucien about the suspect, an important function and often the way the murder is solved.
24. Lucien confronts the murderer, a habit he repeats often and that gets him in to big trouble in ep. 5.5. Luckily, this time he does it in a public place, because this woman seems like she would do him in if given the chance.
25. Lucien wades in Lake Wendouree. We don't mind that he's also not wearing waders. How does that shirt contain those muscles? Must be tailor made.
26. Jean gifts the painting to the gallery. I think this brief scene says a lot about their relationship and their characters. Jean shows she's not about to put up with something she doesn't like and has no problem telling her boss. Lucien is taken aback, but he quickly accepts it and seems a bit amused. He also mentions that his mother was a painter. IMHO, the looks they exchange are the beginning of their romance.
1. Background music in the opening scene - establishes the time period. One of the writers of The Wild One also wrote Stop Hanging On for ep. 2.2
2. Lucien passes the murder victim in the street. He's on the way to the Colonists’ Club with, what I think of as, the pointy butt painting. The painting is the same style as the artist's in ep. .2.8, Ties of the Past, but the connection is never mentioned in 2.8. It's also the first sign we have of Lucien flouting convention.
3. In the murder scene, there are two female voices heard in the alley. Big clue to the murderer.
4. Body is found in Lake Wendouree - a location returned to in what seems like every episode, not that I'm complaining. It's a lovely spot when dead bodies aren't floating in it.
5. Danny fishes out the body without wearing waders. Lawson probably considers them a waste of money. In later episodes, the Ballarat police dept. will acquire waders.
6. Lucien catches Jean cleaning up his whiskey bottles. Lucien tells Jean he's not his father, and we're all happy about that. Dad seems like a hypercritical hardass. Jean talks about how predictable Lucien's father was, but I don't think she says much, if anything, about whether he is kind. She has to apply for a loan in series 3 - did dear old dad not leave her a little something in his will?
7. I never understood Danny's initial involvement with the household. He seems to just show up for free food. He is Jean's nephew, but still...
8. In the brief kitchen conversation with Lucien, Jean, Mattie, and Danny, it's established that Lucien and Mattie are the more progressive, open-minded ones of the group. Something we'll see play out in other episodes, like ep. 1.4, Brotherly Love.
9 Lucien takes cochineal and sugar cubes from Jean's cupboards. Has anyone ever heard of cochineal? Apparently, Starbucks got in trouble for using it as a food coloring because it wasn’t vegan. Lucien promises to replace the sugar cubes, but we all know he's not going to - the first in a long line of casual promises he doesn't keep - from replacing the mail box in ep. 3.3, This Time and This Place, to not doing anything about the divorce papers without consulting Jean. But, he flashes that grin, and we love him anyway.
10. Lucien is driving his father's old car. Money, for some reason, seems to be tight.
11. At the reformatory, the headmistress mentions Lucien's father treated the girl's the year before. So, we know Thomas Blake was alive in 1958.
12. Lucien is wearing an overcoat as he goes into the reformatory. Other times, he just has a suit jacket on. Just the first of many times when I can't figure out what season it is in Ballarat.
13. Lucien swallows pills, not knowing what they are. First we see of his risky behavior. Maybe, that's the self-obsessiveness they're talking about in series 5. We also saw him spray what could have been poison down his throat in ep. 3.5, A Night to Remember.
14. Patrick Tynenman appears and that series-long relationship begins with antagonism.
15. Nell Clasby speaks with Jean about Lucien. You can just see that Jean can't wait to hear every tidbit. To her credit, Jean says nothing negative about Lucien. Nell says he's very kind despite what he's been through, and he just needs looking after. It's obvious who Nell has in mind for that job.
16. Matthew gives us some backstory by telling Danny that the war made a mess of Lucien.
17. The first letter from Singapore arrives. Lucien reads it and puts it in the chest of pain. He also looks at the drawings. I do wonder who did those drawings - Lucien? Do we ever find out?
18. Jean is snooping outside in her pink rob of chastity and hair net. I don't mind the robe so much, but that hair net. I have to say if I was living in a house with Lucien, I would not let him see me in that hair net.
19. Lucien catches Jean looking through the drawings. You can see she's starting to understand what he's been through.
20. We also find out in this episode that Lucien served on the Malay Peninsula and took amphetamines.
21. Lucien and Mattie do science together. Now, it's Lucien and Jean.
22. Danny says whoever drove the car with the body was real short. I have a bit of a problem with this because the murderer doesn't seem to be that short.
23. Jean shares important gossip with Lucien about the suspect, an important function and often the way the murder is solved.
24. Lucien confronts the murderer, a habit he repeats often and that gets him in to big trouble in ep. 5.5. Luckily, this time he does it in a public place, because this woman seems like she would do him in if given the chance.
25. Lucien wades in Lake Wendouree. We don't mind that he's also not wearing waders. How does that shirt contain those muscles? Must be tailor made.
26. Jean gifts the painting to the gallery. I think this brief scene says a lot about their relationship and their characters. Jean shows she's not about to put up with something she doesn't like and has no problem telling her boss. Lucien is taken aback, but he quickly accepts it and seems a bit amused. He also mentions that his mother was a painter. IMHO, the looks they exchange are the beginning of their romance.
Things I learned in Episode 1.2: The Greater Good – Originally Broadcast Feb 8, 2013
1. Why doesn’t Lucien ever get blood on the white lab coat?
2. This is the first episode where the Army is a major story line. I have to admit I’m a little perplexed about Lucien’s feelings about the Army. He apparently stayed in the service after the war, but he won’t wear his medals on Anzac day and seems pretty cynical about the army. In a sweet gesture, he does buy Cec and his mates drinks on Anzac day.
3. Cec appears again. Lucien has known Cec since Lucien was five. Cec may be Lucien’s favorite person in Ballarat – aside from Jean, of course. In a parallel with Jean’s knowledge of the town folk, Cec helps solve crimes during the series with his knowledge of the club members. Later in the episode, we see Jean’s knowledge that Sally Clements got pregnant as a teenager helps solve the murder. Only two episodes in and two teenage pregnancies factor into the plot.
4. The autopsy instruments have disappeared. Lucien, luckily, had brought a bone saw home. He doesn’t explain why.
5. Jean is interviewing for a position at the Royal Cross. This storyline has some similarities with the move to Adelaide. Jean seems a bit disappointed that he doesn’t ask her to stay (at first), and Lucien tells Mattie its Jean’s decision.
6. Lucien is annoyed with Jean over patient scheduling and tells her it’s not rocket science, a bit of an anachronism. Jean, not to be outdone, slams the phone down on his ear.
7. Alderton and Hannam make their first appearances. Hannam is the first murderer Lucien confronts with no visible backup. We know how that technique works for him in 5.5. Jean rescues him with her late husband’s pistol, and we get some backstory on Christopher Beazley, an army sergeant killed in the Solomon’s. Also, Hannam is a prime suspect because he is lefthanded. As a lefty, I take offense. I think handedness plays a role in other episodes, but can’t think which ones. I am heartened by the fact that Matthew, Charlie, and Rose are lefties.
8. Alderton says Lucien he always was too tragically heroic for this world. Ah, but isn’t that why we love him. Alderton also says he wants to leave the past in the past. In 4.8, we find out why.
9. In a recurring scene, Bill Hobart beats someone up in the cells.
10. Matthew catches Lucien drinking on the job and yells at him. Lucien learns his lesson and never drinks on the job again. Oh, wait….
11. Lucien explains the history of luminol to Mattie. Luminol is a fav forensic technique we see in the series – the advantage of living in a mining town.
12. Matthew tells Lucien that life was a lot simpler when his father was the police surgeon. Yeah, but how many murderers are running loose in Ballarat because Lucien wasn’t there. I, for one, am looking forward to Lucien’s father issues being resolved in the telemovie.
13. Lucien goes up to Jean’s bedroom to talk because that’s what employers do. Now that they’re engaged, he never goes to her bedroom. Lucien displays the tell we see in 5.6 – nodding his head when telling Jean no, he probably doesn’t need a housekeeper. I’m unclear as to what they expected the arrangement to be if she got the Royal Cross job – Jean would have a day job. give him good talking to’s and help him with detective work? I can’t even think about the messy house, the lack of decent meals, and the disorganized medical practice, not to mention, who would make sure the liquor cabinet was stocked? I think this little convo puts their future relationship on an equal footing – she’s not just the hired help, she’s a valued partner in crime solving.
14. Matthew refuses to shake Alderton’s hand, but Lucien walks him out. Why? Doesn’t Lucien know Alderton gave the kill order?
15. Lucien gets emotional when Jean says she won’t be getting the job. This scene plus Jean’s discovery of the chest of pain in ep. 1.1, for me, establishes the working relationship, the friendship, and Jean’s sympathetic attitude going forward.
1. Why doesn’t Lucien ever get blood on the white lab coat?
2. This is the first episode where the Army is a major story line. I have to admit I’m a little perplexed about Lucien’s feelings about the Army. He apparently stayed in the service after the war, but he won’t wear his medals on Anzac day and seems pretty cynical about the army. In a sweet gesture, he does buy Cec and his mates drinks on Anzac day.
3. Cec appears again. Lucien has known Cec since Lucien was five. Cec may be Lucien’s favorite person in Ballarat – aside from Jean, of course. In a parallel with Jean’s knowledge of the town folk, Cec helps solve crimes during the series with his knowledge of the club members. Later in the episode, we see Jean’s knowledge that Sally Clements got pregnant as a teenager helps solve the murder. Only two episodes in and two teenage pregnancies factor into the plot.
4. The autopsy instruments have disappeared. Lucien, luckily, had brought a bone saw home. He doesn’t explain why.
5. Jean is interviewing for a position at the Royal Cross. This storyline has some similarities with the move to Adelaide. Jean seems a bit disappointed that he doesn’t ask her to stay (at first), and Lucien tells Mattie its Jean’s decision.
6. Lucien is annoyed with Jean over patient scheduling and tells her it’s not rocket science, a bit of an anachronism. Jean, not to be outdone, slams the phone down on his ear.
7. Alderton and Hannam make their first appearances. Hannam is the first murderer Lucien confronts with no visible backup. We know how that technique works for him in 5.5. Jean rescues him with her late husband’s pistol, and we get some backstory on Christopher Beazley, an army sergeant killed in the Solomon’s. Also, Hannam is a prime suspect because he is lefthanded. As a lefty, I take offense. I think handedness plays a role in other episodes, but can’t think which ones. I am heartened by the fact that Matthew, Charlie, and Rose are lefties.
8. Alderton says Lucien he always was too tragically heroic for this world. Ah, but isn’t that why we love him. Alderton also says he wants to leave the past in the past. In 4.8, we find out why.
9. In a recurring scene, Bill Hobart beats someone up in the cells.
10. Matthew catches Lucien drinking on the job and yells at him. Lucien learns his lesson and never drinks on the job again. Oh, wait….
11. Lucien explains the history of luminol to Mattie. Luminol is a fav forensic technique we see in the series – the advantage of living in a mining town.
12. Matthew tells Lucien that life was a lot simpler when his father was the police surgeon. Yeah, but how many murderers are running loose in Ballarat because Lucien wasn’t there. I, for one, am looking forward to Lucien’s father issues being resolved in the telemovie.
13. Lucien goes up to Jean’s bedroom to talk because that’s what employers do. Now that they’re engaged, he never goes to her bedroom. Lucien displays the tell we see in 5.6 – nodding his head when telling Jean no, he probably doesn’t need a housekeeper. I’m unclear as to what they expected the arrangement to be if she got the Royal Cross job – Jean would have a day job. give him good talking to’s and help him with detective work? I can’t even think about the messy house, the lack of decent meals, and the disorganized medical practice, not to mention, who would make sure the liquor cabinet was stocked? I think this little convo puts their future relationship on an equal footing – she’s not just the hired help, she’s a valued partner in crime solving.
14. Matthew refuses to shake Alderton’s hand, but Lucien walks him out. Why? Doesn’t Lucien know Alderton gave the kill order?
15. Lucien gets emotional when Jean says she won’t be getting the job. This scene plus Jean’s discovery of the chest of pain in ep. 1.1, for me, establishes the working relationship, the friendship, and Jean’s sympathetic attitude going forward.
Things I learned in Episode 1.3: Death of a Travelling Salesman – Originally Broadcast Feb 15, 2013
1. Opening scene – daughter does not understand why the woman in the car just doesn’t honk her horn instead of frantically pointing.
2. The car with the dead salesman gives the impression of being damaged, but if you look closely, there’s no real damage. Smart not to damage those antique cars.
3. BTW, the cars in Australia had blinds on the rear windows. Was that true elsewhere?
4. This episode, for me, marks the beginning of super sassy Jean. Lucien and Jean forged their working relationship in the first two episodes, and now Jean feels free to chastise him on a regular basis.
5. Lucien makes a cuppa for Jean, but then proceeds to drink it.
6. Danny says he almost got killed. Lucien says me, too. One of the memorable lines from this episode.
7. Mattie thinks Lucien takes people for granted. How did he take her for granted?
8. Mattie won’t give Danny a lift, and in a twist of fate, probably saves his life. It takes him longer to get to the victim’s car and get bitten. In the meantime, Lucien is discovering the cause of death was snake bite – a fact that wouldn’t have been discovered if Danny hadn’t asked why the victim had turned blue.
9. Question: how did the alcohol get on the victim’s clothing? I don’t think they explained that.
10. The scene of Danny struggling after the snake bite is beautifully filmed. All those different perspectives give the viewer a feeling of what it must have been like for Danny.
11. Lucien rushes to the scene of the accident in the old car. Would probably have been safer to take a police car, but it’s just as well. We get to see Lucien being a hero and using all those muscles as he carries Danny into the hospital.
12. Lucien has never treated anyone for snakebite, but the smartest man in the room manages to figure out it’s a bite from a non-Australian snake. I love it when he says, “Clear the room.” Almost as sexy as when he’s in scrubs.
13. Lucien says Danny should stay with “us” until he’s feeling better.
14. Inexplicably, Jean doesn’t thank Lucien for saving Danny’s life. That still bothers me. Maybe in 5.8 when he says he hurts people, she’ll make up for it and say no, you don’t. You saved Danny’s life and I thank you. Probably not.
15. Claire Connolly shows up at Lucien’s surgery for treatment. If not for the Ballarat murders, Lucien would have hardly any patients.
16. When the salesman assumes Lucien and Jean are married, she says, “I’m just the housekeeper.” Apparently, the meaning of housekeeper in Ballarat is I take care of you, I tell you what to do, and when you mess up, I yell at you.
17. Jean and Lucien discover a snake skin in the vacuum cleaner. Lucien recalls something about the door to the basement in the Connolly’s boarding house. Can someone enlighten me? Did it feel warm? Why was it red?
18. Lucien decides to break into the basement where he suspects venomous snakes are housed. Can anyone say risky behavior? Luckily, all are caged.
19. Lucien finds a cufflink in the basement. Note to Ballarat murderers: when you leave the scene, make sure you have taken all accessories with you, including buttons and cufflinks.
20. Lucien sees a scrapbook with men in undies in the victim’s room, but nothing strikes him as unusual.
21. Lucien has some wins on the horses – where did he acquire that knowledge?
22. Jean literally trips up Lucien with the vacuum cleaner box. Guess hints about his behavior haven’t worked.
23. Jean wins the vacuum cleaner wars, and Lucien makes her tea.
24. Jean knows the Connolly’s, of course.
25. Lucien asks Danny to meet them at the Connolly’s, even though he had told Matthew that Danny wasn’t fit for work. (Matthew, in typical Matthew fashion, replied that it was only a little snake.) It all ends ok. Even though Danny is thrown down a flight of stairs, he just needs a couple of days to recover. Wow! Australians are tough people.
26. Another note to Ballarat murderers: if you steal a key, when you don’t need it anymore, get rid of it. Don’t put it on your key chain.
27. Lucien tells a touching story about his war service. We want more of that.
28. The Connolly’s embrace when he is released. Can’t help but wonder what’s ahead for that couple.
29. In a repeat of ep. 1.2, Lucien knocks on Jean’s bedroom door. He gives Jean a birthday present, a lovely brooch he bought before the war thinking it might make a good gift one day. While he never actually gave it to his wife, still, one would think that she would have been the one he bought it for. Poor Jean. It’s touching how happy this gift makes her. She places it carefully in a jewelry box that looks like it was made in China. That simple scene says so much about her life. We will see that brooch again this season. Let’s hope we see them in a bedroom again in season 5. One can but dream.
30. On another note, if he purchased the brooch in Singapore, how did it wind up in Australia?
1. Opening scene – daughter does not understand why the woman in the car just doesn’t honk her horn instead of frantically pointing.
2. The car with the dead salesman gives the impression of being damaged, but if you look closely, there’s no real damage. Smart not to damage those antique cars.
3. BTW, the cars in Australia had blinds on the rear windows. Was that true elsewhere?
4. This episode, for me, marks the beginning of super sassy Jean. Lucien and Jean forged their working relationship in the first two episodes, and now Jean feels free to chastise him on a regular basis.
5. Lucien makes a cuppa for Jean, but then proceeds to drink it.
6. Danny says he almost got killed. Lucien says me, too. One of the memorable lines from this episode.
7. Mattie thinks Lucien takes people for granted. How did he take her for granted?
8. Mattie won’t give Danny a lift, and in a twist of fate, probably saves his life. It takes him longer to get to the victim’s car and get bitten. In the meantime, Lucien is discovering the cause of death was snake bite – a fact that wouldn’t have been discovered if Danny hadn’t asked why the victim had turned blue.
9. Question: how did the alcohol get on the victim’s clothing? I don’t think they explained that.
10. The scene of Danny struggling after the snake bite is beautifully filmed. All those different perspectives give the viewer a feeling of what it must have been like for Danny.
11. Lucien rushes to the scene of the accident in the old car. Would probably have been safer to take a police car, but it’s just as well. We get to see Lucien being a hero and using all those muscles as he carries Danny into the hospital.
12. Lucien has never treated anyone for snakebite, but the smartest man in the room manages to figure out it’s a bite from a non-Australian snake. I love it when he says, “Clear the room.” Almost as sexy as when he’s in scrubs.
13. Lucien says Danny should stay with “us” until he’s feeling better.
14. Inexplicably, Jean doesn’t thank Lucien for saving Danny’s life. That still bothers me. Maybe in 5.8 when he says he hurts people, she’ll make up for it and say no, you don’t. You saved Danny’s life and I thank you. Probably not.
15. Claire Connolly shows up at Lucien’s surgery for treatment. If not for the Ballarat murders, Lucien would have hardly any patients.
16. When the salesman assumes Lucien and Jean are married, she says, “I’m just the housekeeper.” Apparently, the meaning of housekeeper in Ballarat is I take care of you, I tell you what to do, and when you mess up, I yell at you.
17. Jean and Lucien discover a snake skin in the vacuum cleaner. Lucien recalls something about the door to the basement in the Connolly’s boarding house. Can someone enlighten me? Did it feel warm? Why was it red?
18. Lucien decides to break into the basement where he suspects venomous snakes are housed. Can anyone say risky behavior? Luckily, all are caged.
19. Lucien finds a cufflink in the basement. Note to Ballarat murderers: when you leave the scene, make sure you have taken all accessories with you, including buttons and cufflinks.
20. Lucien sees a scrapbook with men in undies in the victim’s room, but nothing strikes him as unusual.
21. Lucien has some wins on the horses – where did he acquire that knowledge?
22. Jean literally trips up Lucien with the vacuum cleaner box. Guess hints about his behavior haven’t worked.
23. Jean wins the vacuum cleaner wars, and Lucien makes her tea.
24. Jean knows the Connolly’s, of course.
25. Lucien asks Danny to meet them at the Connolly’s, even though he had told Matthew that Danny wasn’t fit for work. (Matthew, in typical Matthew fashion, replied that it was only a little snake.) It all ends ok. Even though Danny is thrown down a flight of stairs, he just needs a couple of days to recover. Wow! Australians are tough people.
26. Another note to Ballarat murderers: if you steal a key, when you don’t need it anymore, get rid of it. Don’t put it on your key chain.
27. Lucien tells a touching story about his war service. We want more of that.
28. The Connolly’s embrace when he is released. Can’t help but wonder what’s ahead for that couple.
29. In a repeat of ep. 1.2, Lucien knocks on Jean’s bedroom door. He gives Jean a birthday present, a lovely brooch he bought before the war thinking it might make a good gift one day. While he never actually gave it to his wife, still, one would think that she would have been the one he bought it for. Poor Jean. It’s touching how happy this gift makes her. She places it carefully in a jewelry box that looks like it was made in China. That simple scene says so much about her life. We will see that brooch again this season. Let’s hope we see them in a bedroom again in season 5. One can but dream.
30. On another note, if he purchased the brooch in Singapore, how did it wind up in Australia?
Things I learned in Episode 1.4: Brotherly Love – Originally Broadcast Feb 22, 2013
1. Crime scene: This episode begins with a 13-month flashback. A cop, Clive Cooper, is dead. He is Bill Hobart’s partner. The suspect, Sean McBride, runs out of the house, shooting aimlessly. Danny wounds the suspect. Bill keeps his cool and only kicks the suspect, Sean McBride, a few times when he’s down. The third cop at the scene is named Harris. Guess who plays the part? Timothy Quabba, soon to be a regular as Ned, all-purpose cop.
2. Thirteen months later, the night before Sean McBride’s execution, Lucien pulls up to the prison. Capital punishment protesters are outside.
3. Lucien has been called in because Sean has a fever of 104⁰ and the state can’t hang a man that ill. Sean says he is innocent. His brother Xavier, a priest, tries to shut him up. Lucien later tells Matthew that a man with a 104⁰ temperature is incapable of lying.
4. Lucien says tells Father McBride he used to believe in a just and merciful God, now he’s not so sure. Religion is a major theme in this episode and in future seasons. (Ref. ep. 2.9 and just about all of series 5.)
5. In Joy McDonald's first appearance of the series, she questions Lucien as he leaves the prison. No surprise about Lucien’s views of capital punishment – “I’m fixing him up so the state can put a rope around his neck and kill him. Does that make sense to you?”
6. Lucien does science, testing Sean’s blood for a diagnosis. I have to admit I love it when he injects blood into a vial, shakes it, and looks at it quizzically. I wonder if they use stock footage for this.
7. Across the breakfast table, there’s a discussion on capital punishment. No surprise Mattie agrees with Lucien, and Danny and Jean are on the opposite side. This split is repeated on other social issues.
8. Danny and Mattie also talk about cricket. American viewers try to figure it out. There are innings and bats and balls, so it must be like baseball, but what’s the deal with those scores?
9. Lucien goes back to the prison. The nurse admits she didn’t tell Lucien about Sean’s recent infection. Lucien says, “I’m the doctor. I decide what’s important.” Almost as good as “clear the room” in episode 1.3. But not as good as when he wears scrubs in future episodes, because, well, “everybody loves a surgeon.” (Ref. ep. 3.6)
10. Sean retracts his confession, saying he was delirious.
11. Lucien injects amytal, which will mimic Sean’s actual endocarditis. This will give Lucien some time to investigate and get himself into heaps of trouble as he offends everyone in the precinct.
12. Lucien asks Jean if she would believe the original confession or the retraction. As she butchers a rabbit, she says “retraction.” She then starts to yell at Lucien and tells him he should be more concerned about Sean McBride’s bastard children. Lucien promptly flees angry Jean with a butcher knife.
13. Bill finds an excuse to beat up Sean’s brother Peter. Lucien does not approve. This ongoing theme of police brutality will get Bill in real trouble in Ep. 5.3.
14. Lucien gets the incident report from the original murder. Striking how difficult it was to illegally obtain evidence before copy machines and cell phone cameras.
15. Lucien goes to the crime scene and throws photos on the floor, a favorite technique, which inevitably leads to solving the crime. (Ref. ep. 1.1, 2.10, etc.) Lucien finds coins and cigarettes on the floor. Ballarat murderers are not neat as we will see in key episodes in the future. (Ref. 3.1, 5.3)
16. Bill appears and accuses Lucien of breaking and entering. Matthew is angry about Joy’s newspaper reports quoting Lucien. Snuff up again and you’re history. Why does every superintendent want to fire Lucien? Matthew does it twice. (Ref. ep. 1.10 and 5.8)
17. Joy appears at Lucien’s surgery wearing pink. Seems to be her favorite color, and not good luck for her as we will see in ep. 2.1. She gives Lucien information about the case and suggests they meet after work. Lucien’s look at her reminds us of his Uncle Derrick’s Viking helmet remark – see Craig McLachlan’s TV interview.
18. Bill takes Danny to Deb Cooper’s house to make Danny feel guilty about giving the photos to Lucien. Deb has a six-month old baby boy. Hmm…let’s do the math on that one.
19. Lucien returns home to recreate the scene of the crime. He asks Jean to lie down on the floor and touches her leg and she jumps. I would, too. Unfortunately, this whole exercise is to reenact the crime scene. We’ll have to wait another three seasons for anything more.
20. Lucien realizes someone else besides Sean was in the room when Clive Cooper died.
21. Lucien goes to Peter’s house where we see Peter’s wife and adorable children. The priest is also there.
22. Lucien returns to the prison, where the nurse has realised that Lucien is giving Sean amytal. The warden, Bill Parsons, relieves Lucien of his duties. Do any of these people ever apologise later when they realise Lucien was right?
23. Danny is back at Lucien’s eating. Has he moved in? Does he pay board or is he freeloading? Jean walks in while darning a sock and reprimands Danny for being rude to the doctor. (“Don’t forget we’re in his house.”) This woman can really multi-task.
24. Joy shows up at Lucien’s house. Jean asks Joy to be careful about quoting Lucien in the paper because he speaks without thinking and other people care about his reputation. (Ref. eps. 5.7 and 5.8)
25. Lucien goes to Deb Cooper’s house. Bill Hobart starts a brawl with him. Lucien’s hair gets messy. More of this, please.
26. Matthew realizes there’s a problem with the evidence. Where was Bill during his partner’s shooting? Turns out he was in the pub and that Sean was having an affair with Deb.
27. Lucien and Mattie go to Deb’s house and Lucien tells her he knows about the affair and Sean is innocent
28. Jean, the alcohol enabler, shows up in Lucien’s study in the hair net and pink robe of chastity and with a drink for Lucien. She helps him figure out who the culprit is – who would you lie for? It’s all about family. And, isn’t that what this show is about – family – Lucien’s and Jean’s absent families and the family of misfits they create for themselves?
29. Lucien goes to Peter’s house. He’s smoking cork cigarettes. They were at the crime scene, but Sean doesn’t smoke those. Peter won’t admit he’s the shooter.
30. Lucien and Mattie rush to the prison with Deb and baby in tow. Last minute reprieve! Priest and Peter are questioned. I do find it strange that the priest would do this. By urging Sean to take the rap, the priest is essentially committing murder and encouraging Sean to do the same.
31. Lucien meets Joy for a drink. She’s leaving the next day for Melbourne and says good night. Next morning, Jean shows Lucien Joy’s article in the paper. Joy hasn’t quoted Lucien. He’s vaguely disappointed. Jean is satisfied.
1. Crime scene: This episode begins with a 13-month flashback. A cop, Clive Cooper, is dead. He is Bill Hobart’s partner. The suspect, Sean McBride, runs out of the house, shooting aimlessly. Danny wounds the suspect. Bill keeps his cool and only kicks the suspect, Sean McBride, a few times when he’s down. The third cop at the scene is named Harris. Guess who plays the part? Timothy Quabba, soon to be a regular as Ned, all-purpose cop.
2. Thirteen months later, the night before Sean McBride’s execution, Lucien pulls up to the prison. Capital punishment protesters are outside.
3. Lucien has been called in because Sean has a fever of 104⁰ and the state can’t hang a man that ill. Sean says he is innocent. His brother Xavier, a priest, tries to shut him up. Lucien later tells Matthew that a man with a 104⁰ temperature is incapable of lying.
4. Lucien says tells Father McBride he used to believe in a just and merciful God, now he’s not so sure. Religion is a major theme in this episode and in future seasons. (Ref. ep. 2.9 and just about all of series 5.)
5. In Joy McDonald's first appearance of the series, she questions Lucien as he leaves the prison. No surprise about Lucien’s views of capital punishment – “I’m fixing him up so the state can put a rope around his neck and kill him. Does that make sense to you?”
6. Lucien does science, testing Sean’s blood for a diagnosis. I have to admit I love it when he injects blood into a vial, shakes it, and looks at it quizzically. I wonder if they use stock footage for this.
7. Across the breakfast table, there’s a discussion on capital punishment. No surprise Mattie agrees with Lucien, and Danny and Jean are on the opposite side. This split is repeated on other social issues.
8. Danny and Mattie also talk about cricket. American viewers try to figure it out. There are innings and bats and balls, so it must be like baseball, but what’s the deal with those scores?
9. Lucien goes back to the prison. The nurse admits she didn’t tell Lucien about Sean’s recent infection. Lucien says, “I’m the doctor. I decide what’s important.” Almost as good as “clear the room” in episode 1.3. But not as good as when he wears scrubs in future episodes, because, well, “everybody loves a surgeon.” (Ref. ep. 3.6)
10. Sean retracts his confession, saying he was delirious.
11. Lucien injects amytal, which will mimic Sean’s actual endocarditis. This will give Lucien some time to investigate and get himself into heaps of trouble as he offends everyone in the precinct.
12. Lucien asks Jean if she would believe the original confession or the retraction. As she butchers a rabbit, she says “retraction.” She then starts to yell at Lucien and tells him he should be more concerned about Sean McBride’s bastard children. Lucien promptly flees angry Jean with a butcher knife.
13. Bill finds an excuse to beat up Sean’s brother Peter. Lucien does not approve. This ongoing theme of police brutality will get Bill in real trouble in Ep. 5.3.
14. Lucien gets the incident report from the original murder. Striking how difficult it was to illegally obtain evidence before copy machines and cell phone cameras.
15. Lucien goes to the crime scene and throws photos on the floor, a favorite technique, which inevitably leads to solving the crime. (Ref. ep. 1.1, 2.10, etc.) Lucien finds coins and cigarettes on the floor. Ballarat murderers are not neat as we will see in key episodes in the future. (Ref. 3.1, 5.3)
16. Bill appears and accuses Lucien of breaking and entering. Matthew is angry about Joy’s newspaper reports quoting Lucien. Snuff up again and you’re history. Why does every superintendent want to fire Lucien? Matthew does it twice. (Ref. ep. 1.10 and 5.8)
17. Joy appears at Lucien’s surgery wearing pink. Seems to be her favorite color, and not good luck for her as we will see in ep. 2.1. She gives Lucien information about the case and suggests they meet after work. Lucien’s look at her reminds us of his Uncle Derrick’s Viking helmet remark – see Craig McLachlan’s TV interview.
18. Bill takes Danny to Deb Cooper’s house to make Danny feel guilty about giving the photos to Lucien. Deb has a six-month old baby boy. Hmm…let’s do the math on that one.
19. Lucien returns home to recreate the scene of the crime. He asks Jean to lie down on the floor and touches her leg and she jumps. I would, too. Unfortunately, this whole exercise is to reenact the crime scene. We’ll have to wait another three seasons for anything more.
20. Lucien realizes someone else besides Sean was in the room when Clive Cooper died.
21. Lucien goes to Peter’s house where we see Peter’s wife and adorable children. The priest is also there.
22. Lucien returns to the prison, where the nurse has realised that Lucien is giving Sean amytal. The warden, Bill Parsons, relieves Lucien of his duties. Do any of these people ever apologise later when they realise Lucien was right?
23. Danny is back at Lucien’s eating. Has he moved in? Does he pay board or is he freeloading? Jean walks in while darning a sock and reprimands Danny for being rude to the doctor. (“Don’t forget we’re in his house.”) This woman can really multi-task.
24. Joy shows up at Lucien’s house. Jean asks Joy to be careful about quoting Lucien in the paper because he speaks without thinking and other people care about his reputation. (Ref. eps. 5.7 and 5.8)
25. Lucien goes to Deb Cooper’s house. Bill Hobart starts a brawl with him. Lucien’s hair gets messy. More of this, please.
26. Matthew realizes there’s a problem with the evidence. Where was Bill during his partner’s shooting? Turns out he was in the pub and that Sean was having an affair with Deb.
27. Lucien and Mattie go to Deb’s house and Lucien tells her he knows about the affair and Sean is innocent
28. Jean, the alcohol enabler, shows up in Lucien’s study in the hair net and pink robe of chastity and with a drink for Lucien. She helps him figure out who the culprit is – who would you lie for? It’s all about family. And, isn’t that what this show is about – family – Lucien’s and Jean’s absent families and the family of misfits they create for themselves?
29. Lucien goes to Peter’s house. He’s smoking cork cigarettes. They were at the crime scene, but Sean doesn’t smoke those. Peter won’t admit he’s the shooter.
30. Lucien and Mattie rush to the prison with Deb and baby in tow. Last minute reprieve! Priest and Peter are questioned. I do find it strange that the priest would do this. By urging Sean to take the rap, the priest is essentially committing murder and encouraging Sean to do the same.
31. Lucien meets Joy for a drink. She’s leaving the next day for Melbourne and says good night. Next morning, Jean shows Lucien Joy’s article in the paper. Joy hasn’t quoted Lucien. He’s vaguely disappointed. Jean is satisfied.
Things I learned in Episode 1.5: Hearts and Flowers – Originally Broadcast Mar 1, 2013
1. The episode begins with the opening ceremony for the Begonia Festival. (FYI, this is a real event, held since 1953.) Lucien is one of the judges and is on the grandstand with Professor Ormond, Patrick Tyneman, Angela Waterston, and Charlie Griffith. Lucien and Angela are not wearing begonia boutonnieres, but the others on the grandstand are. Jean, Danny, Anthony Farmer (Angela’s fiancé), and Nick and Maria Manos are in the audience. Nick Manos causes a scene, accusing the judges of receiving payoffs.
2. As they leave, Angela almost faints. Lucien and Anthony, help her to the car. Poor Angela has aplastic anemia and only about two months to live. Anthony decides to make the four-hour round trip to Melbourne to get her a transfusion.
3. Mattie wakes up Lucien at 5:30 a.m.. He asks Mattie if he was shouting again. Apparently this is a reference to nightmares he suffers as result of his POW experience. Anthony Farmer is on the phone, and he says that he needs the ingredients of the all-purpose immune system booster that Lucien has been giving Angela. The tonic is made up of glycerin, Hawthorne extract, ascorbic acid, and honey. I like that Lucien likes these home remedies. Lucien is wearing light blue pjs and puts on his Chinese silk robe to answer the phone. Jean gets up. Unfortunately, she’s wearing the pink robe and a hair net.
4. The phone rings again almost immediately. It’s the police. The professor is dead. His body is burned and found in his greenhouse. The professor is still wearing his begonia festival boutonniere. Heads up – this is a clue. Lucien calls Danny over and asks what he can smell. The body smells sweet like pears. This is a sign that the flesh burned at a low temperature. Lucien loves to teach the police all this forensic sciency stuff. I feel as though I’ve learned a lot too.
5. Inside the Prof’s house, there is no sign of forced entry. However, there is a cake on the table, which Lucien tastes. The professor has a scrapbook of news articles about himself. Heads up – another clue. One of the Prof’s shoes is inside and one outside, leading to the conclusion that the Prof didn’t walk outside on his own. Lucien takes another taste of the cake, and Matthew yells at him. He’s tampering with evidence yet again, but, let’s face it, it does usually solve the case. See every episode through the telemovie.
6. Because Gus has the flu, Danny assists with the autopsy. Danny seems less enthusiastic about this than Charlie does in ep. 2.2 (body in the pub basement). The Prof’s dentures and windpipe show no sign of smoke. Prof wasn’t breathing when the fire started.
7. At the station, Patrick comes in and is upset that the Prof was murdered – not that he cares about the Prof, but he is concerned about bad PR for the festival. Lucien looks disgusted and demonstrates, too enthusiastically, on Patrick how the Prof’s hyoid bone was broken, proof positive of strangulation. Matthew has to call off Lucien before he actually strangles Patrick.
8. Danny and Bill Hobart go out to the Manos house to interview Nick. Maria Manos, Nick’s daughter, comes out and flirts with Danny to get her father off the hook. She’s quite the manipulative one.
9. It’s nighttime at the Blake house. Lucien, light blue pjs and silk robe, gets a call from Mr. Kim. He reports that someone saw Mei Lin and Li two years ago. Lucien says he will drop everything and fly over immediately if needed. Jean is lurking outside the door in pink robe and hair net. I find this sad somehow. Thinking that for Jean, eavesdropping is the way she has to get information that may profoundly affect her life. Information is a currency she uses throughout the series.
10. Jean and Lucien are in the sun room. Jean tells him that the Manos’ and the Griffiths have been feuding since an 1870 land deal dispute. Lucien strokes his beard. I could help him with that. Any other takers?
11. Jean hands Lucien an airmail letter. Remember them? It actually works for the show because we know immediately and visually it’s a letter from Singapore.
12. Angela and Anthony arrive at the Blake house and are in the living room with Lucien and Jean. Anthony puts three cubes of sugar in his tea. Heads up - it’s a clue. Angela asks Lucien to walk her down the aisle because she’s known Lucien and his father her whole life. Well, she couldn’t have known Lucien more than a few months because we learn in the telemovie that he came home when his father was dying, but hadn’t been home since the mid ‘30s. Jean nods and smiles, indicating to Lucien that he should accept. He does, but we can’t help but wonder if he’s thinking about his own daughter and all those missed experiences. Angela tells Lucien to practice his dancing. Lucien warns her that things have progressed more rapidly than he anticipated. Hmm…Lucien can’t be wrong about a medical issue. So, what’s up with that?
13. Matthew warns Danny that Manos is threatening Danny with a shotgun. Danny offers to ask more questions. Matthew is impressed with Danny’s initiative, but we know his real motivation.
14. Danny visits the Manos house and asks Maria if there has been anyone else. She says not since you just as Oliver Griffith pulls up. Danny chases Oliver off the property and tells Maria that’s all sorted. He’s still clueless about Maria. Unfortunately, Danny drops his wallet, leading to the gun-toting madman scene in #17 below.
15. Blake’s kitchen: Danny’s eating there again. Jean says something to Lucien about paying the bills. He has no interest, of course. But, he is wearing a green cardigan and a skinny tie, so we don’t care about the bills either. Is this the first appearance of the cardigan?
16. Nick Manos (gun-toting mad man) bangs on the door. He’s looking for Danny and wants to shoot him over Maria. How did he know Danny was at the Blake house? Lucien says “if you want to shoot anyone, shoot me.” Jean looks alarmed; he shrugs. Jean gets a bottle of single malt for Lucien, but not before shouting at Manos. She’s feisty this one.
17. Lucien and Nick have a conversation on the bench outside. Nick thinks Danny has broken Maria’s heart. Nick says it’s hard by yourself, especially with a daughter. Lucien says “Yes, I can imagine” and takes a swig of whiskey. Poor Lucien, always getting reminded of fathers and daughters. Lucien in an oft repeated technique asks Nick if he murdered the Professor, all this while Nick is holding a shotgun. Lucien notices that Nick holds himself with a certain stiffness. This is apparently the result of scar tissue from third degree burns suffered when Nick was 15. I’ve noticed that Lucien sometimes holds himself stiffly, especially when he turns at the morgue. He doesn’t turn his neck. He turns his whole body. I wonder if that’s supposed to be from his scars, at least, the ones we imagine he has. Nick tells Lucien that Griffith owns half of Bendigo and wants to move the festival to make more money.
18. The next morning Lucien asks Mattie to ask her friend in the land titles office to look up who owns what in Bendigo. Is this the same friend from Ep.1.9? Must be. How many friends can she have from the land titles office?
19. Lucien, Angela, and Charlie Griffith are in the greenhouse discussing begonias, and Lucien confronts Griffith, accusing him of killing the professor. BTW, Ballarat seems to have some very tall people: those I can remember off hand - Griffith, the preacher in Ep. 2.2, and the bakeshop owner in Ep. 5.5. I digress. At the precinct, Griffith is complaining about Lucien. Matthew tells Lucien to stay put. He interprets that to mean go to Oliver Griffith and confront him about his father’s alibi.
20. Back at the Blake house, Angela asks Lucien for more of the tonic. Keep this in mind people - this is how Lucien solves the murder. She also gives Lucien the card that the Professor gave her before his murder asking to see her when she returns to Ballarat. This is also important to solving the murder.
21. At the station, Lucien suggests the Professor kept his bribe money in his flower pots. Matthew is skeptical; Lucien is right.
22. Back at the Blake house, in the sunroom, Lucien and Jean discuss the begonia curse. Jean says “Men, why do they always miss the simple things?” Lucien says, “Probably because we’re too busy fighting, bribing, and setting each other on fire.” While watching this scene, it struck me that in this episode. Jean and Lucien have a pretty relaxed, comfortable relationship, none of the tension we’ve seen before. That will change.
23. Lucien goes back to the crime scene. He looks at the cake. Wheels are turning. He imagines the crime. He does that hand swishing thing that is so successful in solving crimes and finding clues. He looks at the book of clippings again. He finds a boutonniere, meaning the murderer was also at the launch of the begonia festival. However, I went back and looked at the launch scene. I did not see a begonia boutonniere on the murderer. Let me know if you see it.
24. Back at the station, Danny found out the Manos and Griffith cars were at the pavilion at the same time the night of the murder. Matthew yells at him about what body part he was thinking with. We’ll find out as the shows progress that Matthew’s favorite employee coaching technique is yelling. Good thing he didn’t work in the 21st century US. He’d be hauled into HR so fast…
25. Night at the Blake house. Lucien is in his study when Jean comes in with his outdated passport. She tells him he has to update it if he’s going to be travelling overseas. He says you heard me the other night. We say yes she’s often eavesdropping. Lucien tells her he lost his wife and baby daughter during the war and he’s been looking for them ever since. Jean saw the drawings in the chest of pain, but doesn’t see the photos until ep. 1.9. Jean also confesses to trying to bribe the professor with her passion fruit sponge cake. She says it doesn’t work because the professor doesn’t like sugar. (Huh? I didn’t think that was possible.) And, the seeds would get in his dentures. Who did have a piece of that cake?
26. The next day Lucien accidently spills the tonic from the vial that Angela gave him. He tastes it and looks quizzical. Jean appears ready to go with him to the festival. He says she looks handsome. Apparently, he finds the hat attractive. He must like sea life or aquatic plants. Mattie is not going to the festival. Lucien tells Jean he’ll explain about their irritated daughter later, and mom and dad go off to the event.
27. At the festival. Angela nearly faints and Lucien gives her the new tonic. Lucien sits next to Jean and puts his arm around her chair. And these two sweet people wonder why there’s gossip. Lucien is thinking about the tonic.
28. Maria Manos confronts Charlie Griffith on the stage and announces her engagement to Oliver. She mentions two world wars, Korea, and Malaya. I go off to google Malaya and educate myself some more re Australian history. Griffith, on the other hand, walks off the stage, leaving Angela as the only judge. She crowns Maria the begonia queen.
29. Everything clicks. Lucien confronts Angela and Anthony. Anthony has been poisoning Angela by adding arsenic to the tonic, not the first time he’s done this. The professor had found a news report of the previous incident, thus leading Anthony to murder him. Poor dying Angela. I did wonder why Lucien couldn’t have waited for a less public place to tell Angela, like maybe the police station. I guess this is part of his self-absorption or single-mindedness talked about in series 5.
30. At the police station, Lucien explains everything to Angela. He hugs her. That would make it all worthwhile for me.
31. Lucien and Jean return to the Blake house. Jean wins honorable mention for her begonia. She feels she doesn’t deserve it because she tried to bribe the professor with her cake. Lucien responds that her cake played a big role in solving the crime.
32. Last scene, Lucien and Mattie waltzing. I’m not sure why because there will be no wedding. Jean is peeling potatoes, and Danny is reading a newspaper. Guess he’s free loading another meal. Where does he live? He comes back to Ballarat in the telemovie to visit his mother. We never see his mother. Is she Jean’s sister?
1. The episode begins with the opening ceremony for the Begonia Festival. (FYI, this is a real event, held since 1953.) Lucien is one of the judges and is on the grandstand with Professor Ormond, Patrick Tyneman, Angela Waterston, and Charlie Griffith. Lucien and Angela are not wearing begonia boutonnieres, but the others on the grandstand are. Jean, Danny, Anthony Farmer (Angela’s fiancé), and Nick and Maria Manos are in the audience. Nick Manos causes a scene, accusing the judges of receiving payoffs.
2. As they leave, Angela almost faints. Lucien and Anthony, help her to the car. Poor Angela has aplastic anemia and only about two months to live. Anthony decides to make the four-hour round trip to Melbourne to get her a transfusion.
3. Mattie wakes up Lucien at 5:30 a.m.. He asks Mattie if he was shouting again. Apparently this is a reference to nightmares he suffers as result of his POW experience. Anthony Farmer is on the phone, and he says that he needs the ingredients of the all-purpose immune system booster that Lucien has been giving Angela. The tonic is made up of glycerin, Hawthorne extract, ascorbic acid, and honey. I like that Lucien likes these home remedies. Lucien is wearing light blue pjs and puts on his Chinese silk robe to answer the phone. Jean gets up. Unfortunately, she’s wearing the pink robe and a hair net.
4. The phone rings again almost immediately. It’s the police. The professor is dead. His body is burned and found in his greenhouse. The professor is still wearing his begonia festival boutonniere. Heads up – this is a clue. Lucien calls Danny over and asks what he can smell. The body smells sweet like pears. This is a sign that the flesh burned at a low temperature. Lucien loves to teach the police all this forensic sciency stuff. I feel as though I’ve learned a lot too.
5. Inside the Prof’s house, there is no sign of forced entry. However, there is a cake on the table, which Lucien tastes. The professor has a scrapbook of news articles about himself. Heads up – another clue. One of the Prof’s shoes is inside and one outside, leading to the conclusion that the Prof didn’t walk outside on his own. Lucien takes another taste of the cake, and Matthew yells at him. He’s tampering with evidence yet again, but, let’s face it, it does usually solve the case. See every episode through the telemovie.
6. Because Gus has the flu, Danny assists with the autopsy. Danny seems less enthusiastic about this than Charlie does in ep. 2.2 (body in the pub basement). The Prof’s dentures and windpipe show no sign of smoke. Prof wasn’t breathing when the fire started.
7. At the station, Patrick comes in and is upset that the Prof was murdered – not that he cares about the Prof, but he is concerned about bad PR for the festival. Lucien looks disgusted and demonstrates, too enthusiastically, on Patrick how the Prof’s hyoid bone was broken, proof positive of strangulation. Matthew has to call off Lucien before he actually strangles Patrick.
8. Danny and Bill Hobart go out to the Manos house to interview Nick. Maria Manos, Nick’s daughter, comes out and flirts with Danny to get her father off the hook. She’s quite the manipulative one.
9. It’s nighttime at the Blake house. Lucien, light blue pjs and silk robe, gets a call from Mr. Kim. He reports that someone saw Mei Lin and Li two years ago. Lucien says he will drop everything and fly over immediately if needed. Jean is lurking outside the door in pink robe and hair net. I find this sad somehow. Thinking that for Jean, eavesdropping is the way she has to get information that may profoundly affect her life. Information is a currency she uses throughout the series.
10. Jean and Lucien are in the sun room. Jean tells him that the Manos’ and the Griffiths have been feuding since an 1870 land deal dispute. Lucien strokes his beard. I could help him with that. Any other takers?
11. Jean hands Lucien an airmail letter. Remember them? It actually works for the show because we know immediately and visually it’s a letter from Singapore.
12. Angela and Anthony arrive at the Blake house and are in the living room with Lucien and Jean. Anthony puts three cubes of sugar in his tea. Heads up - it’s a clue. Angela asks Lucien to walk her down the aisle because she’s known Lucien and his father her whole life. Well, she couldn’t have known Lucien more than a few months because we learn in the telemovie that he came home when his father was dying, but hadn’t been home since the mid ‘30s. Jean nods and smiles, indicating to Lucien that he should accept. He does, but we can’t help but wonder if he’s thinking about his own daughter and all those missed experiences. Angela tells Lucien to practice his dancing. Lucien warns her that things have progressed more rapidly than he anticipated. Hmm…Lucien can’t be wrong about a medical issue. So, what’s up with that?
13. Matthew warns Danny that Manos is threatening Danny with a shotgun. Danny offers to ask more questions. Matthew is impressed with Danny’s initiative, but we know his real motivation.
14. Danny visits the Manos house and asks Maria if there has been anyone else. She says not since you just as Oliver Griffith pulls up. Danny chases Oliver off the property and tells Maria that’s all sorted. He’s still clueless about Maria. Unfortunately, Danny drops his wallet, leading to the gun-toting madman scene in #17 below.
15. Blake’s kitchen: Danny’s eating there again. Jean says something to Lucien about paying the bills. He has no interest, of course. But, he is wearing a green cardigan and a skinny tie, so we don’t care about the bills either. Is this the first appearance of the cardigan?
16. Nick Manos (gun-toting mad man) bangs on the door. He’s looking for Danny and wants to shoot him over Maria. How did he know Danny was at the Blake house? Lucien says “if you want to shoot anyone, shoot me.” Jean looks alarmed; he shrugs. Jean gets a bottle of single malt for Lucien, but not before shouting at Manos. She’s feisty this one.
17. Lucien and Nick have a conversation on the bench outside. Nick thinks Danny has broken Maria’s heart. Nick says it’s hard by yourself, especially with a daughter. Lucien says “Yes, I can imagine” and takes a swig of whiskey. Poor Lucien, always getting reminded of fathers and daughters. Lucien in an oft repeated technique asks Nick if he murdered the Professor, all this while Nick is holding a shotgun. Lucien notices that Nick holds himself with a certain stiffness. This is apparently the result of scar tissue from third degree burns suffered when Nick was 15. I’ve noticed that Lucien sometimes holds himself stiffly, especially when he turns at the morgue. He doesn’t turn his neck. He turns his whole body. I wonder if that’s supposed to be from his scars, at least, the ones we imagine he has. Nick tells Lucien that Griffith owns half of Bendigo and wants to move the festival to make more money.
18. The next morning Lucien asks Mattie to ask her friend in the land titles office to look up who owns what in Bendigo. Is this the same friend from Ep.1.9? Must be. How many friends can she have from the land titles office?
19. Lucien, Angela, and Charlie Griffith are in the greenhouse discussing begonias, and Lucien confronts Griffith, accusing him of killing the professor. BTW, Ballarat seems to have some very tall people: those I can remember off hand - Griffith, the preacher in Ep. 2.2, and the bakeshop owner in Ep. 5.5. I digress. At the precinct, Griffith is complaining about Lucien. Matthew tells Lucien to stay put. He interprets that to mean go to Oliver Griffith and confront him about his father’s alibi.
20. Back at the Blake house, Angela asks Lucien for more of the tonic. Keep this in mind people - this is how Lucien solves the murder. She also gives Lucien the card that the Professor gave her before his murder asking to see her when she returns to Ballarat. This is also important to solving the murder.
21. At the station, Lucien suggests the Professor kept his bribe money in his flower pots. Matthew is skeptical; Lucien is right.
22. Back at the Blake house, in the sunroom, Lucien and Jean discuss the begonia curse. Jean says “Men, why do they always miss the simple things?” Lucien says, “Probably because we’re too busy fighting, bribing, and setting each other on fire.” While watching this scene, it struck me that in this episode. Jean and Lucien have a pretty relaxed, comfortable relationship, none of the tension we’ve seen before. That will change.
23. Lucien goes back to the crime scene. He looks at the cake. Wheels are turning. He imagines the crime. He does that hand swishing thing that is so successful in solving crimes and finding clues. He looks at the book of clippings again. He finds a boutonniere, meaning the murderer was also at the launch of the begonia festival. However, I went back and looked at the launch scene. I did not see a begonia boutonniere on the murderer. Let me know if you see it.
24. Back at the station, Danny found out the Manos and Griffith cars were at the pavilion at the same time the night of the murder. Matthew yells at him about what body part he was thinking with. We’ll find out as the shows progress that Matthew’s favorite employee coaching technique is yelling. Good thing he didn’t work in the 21st century US. He’d be hauled into HR so fast…
25. Night at the Blake house. Lucien is in his study when Jean comes in with his outdated passport. She tells him he has to update it if he’s going to be travelling overseas. He says you heard me the other night. We say yes she’s often eavesdropping. Lucien tells her he lost his wife and baby daughter during the war and he’s been looking for them ever since. Jean saw the drawings in the chest of pain, but doesn’t see the photos until ep. 1.9. Jean also confesses to trying to bribe the professor with her passion fruit sponge cake. She says it doesn’t work because the professor doesn’t like sugar. (Huh? I didn’t think that was possible.) And, the seeds would get in his dentures. Who did have a piece of that cake?
26. The next day Lucien accidently spills the tonic from the vial that Angela gave him. He tastes it and looks quizzical. Jean appears ready to go with him to the festival. He says she looks handsome. Apparently, he finds the hat attractive. He must like sea life or aquatic plants. Mattie is not going to the festival. Lucien tells Jean he’ll explain about their irritated daughter later, and mom and dad go off to the event.
27. At the festival. Angela nearly faints and Lucien gives her the new tonic. Lucien sits next to Jean and puts his arm around her chair. And these two sweet people wonder why there’s gossip. Lucien is thinking about the tonic.
28. Maria Manos confronts Charlie Griffith on the stage and announces her engagement to Oliver. She mentions two world wars, Korea, and Malaya. I go off to google Malaya and educate myself some more re Australian history. Griffith, on the other hand, walks off the stage, leaving Angela as the only judge. She crowns Maria the begonia queen.
29. Everything clicks. Lucien confronts Angela and Anthony. Anthony has been poisoning Angela by adding arsenic to the tonic, not the first time he’s done this. The professor had found a news report of the previous incident, thus leading Anthony to murder him. Poor dying Angela. I did wonder why Lucien couldn’t have waited for a less public place to tell Angela, like maybe the police station. I guess this is part of his self-absorption or single-mindedness talked about in series 5.
30. At the police station, Lucien explains everything to Angela. He hugs her. That would make it all worthwhile for me.
31. Lucien and Jean return to the Blake house. Jean wins honorable mention for her begonia. She feels she doesn’t deserve it because she tried to bribe the professor with her cake. Lucien responds that her cake played a big role in solving the crime.
32. Last scene, Lucien and Mattie waltzing. I’m not sure why because there will be no wedding. Jean is peeling potatoes, and Danny is reading a newspaper. Guess he’s free loading another meal. Where does he live? He comes back to Ballarat in the telemovie to visit his mother. We never see his mother. Is she Jean’s sister?
Things I learned in Episode 1.6: If The Shoe Fits – Originally Broadcast Mar 8, 2013
1. Episode opens at Tyneman’s Shoe Factory, a rather diversified guy this Patrick. He owns the newspaper, and we later learn he has an electronics store. Mosca, the factory foreman, and Egan, the factory manager, are arguing, but we can’t hear what they are saying. Most of the workers leave for the day. Egan calls for help. Mosca is dead on the floor in front of a machine with his hand cut off. Lucien arrives at the factory, furious with Tyneman because Lucien had written a report for previous incidents recommending that safety switches be installed.
2. Back at the Blake house, Jean is leaving for an audition. She tells Mattie that Susan Tyneman will get the lead role just because she’s married to Patrick. I’m thinking yes, that’s not fair, but she does have to live with Patrick; you’ve got Lucien and wait till you see what happens in series 5! Who’s the winner then? Lucien comes in, still furious, spills his tea, goes to his office, looks up the Factories and Shop Acts, and starts typing.
3. At the audition, Jean tells Robert, the play’s director, she understands how things work. Robert, the living, breathing definition of milquetoast, tells her that because Patrick is sponsoring the plays, the committee thinks it’s fair that Susan gets the lead. Jean can really pick ‘em. I guess Robert’s better than the psychopathic murderer she dates in ep. 2.5.
4. Susan arrives late to the audition because of the factory accident and says it was nobody’s fault. Jean says well maybe it should be. Robert looks embarrassed and says “ladies, shall we start.” Why does Jean even entertain the thought of getting serious with this guy? He has no spine. See #3 re milquetoast. On a side note, Jean does not seem to like Susan. We’ll see more of their relationship in the telemovie.
5. Lucien calls Joy, giving her the factory accident story. He peaks through the blinds and sees Jean getting out of Robert’s car. Guess Jean’s not the only one of this duo who is not above snooping.
6. Danny’s at the house for breakfast. (Still confused about where he lives. See previous hindsight list and FB comments.) Jean asks in her cranky voice if it was wise for Lucien to give Joy McDonald the details of the story. Mattie tells Lucien that Jean is playing the manservant in the ‘Importance of Being Earnest.” Lucien grins and says “Heaven help the man.” Jean also grins.
7. Mattie is playing nurse at the factory clinic, treating Romana a factory worker with a rash. Hmm…where did she get that? Miroslav asks Mattie if Lucien had something to do with the newspaper article and says Lucien is a good man. Mattie says he has his moments. As I re-watch, I sometimes get a little annoyed with Mattie. Mattie, he is a good man – see Jean’s comments in 5.8 at Christopher’s memorial site.
8. At the morgue, Gus breaks the news to Lucien that Mosca was hit on the head and murdered, something Lucien missed because he, as Matthew says, got on his bloody high horse.
9. Back at home, Miroslav congratulates Lucien on the article and says he’s a hero. Lucien admits he may have jumped the gun. Miroslav found the body. Lucien, in an oft-repeated investigative technique, asks Miroslav if he committed the murder. The variation here is that the person Lucien confronts is not armed with a shot gun, knife, or other lethal weapon. Miroslav tells Lucien about Mosca’s and Egan’s fight and that they were taking 10% of the employees’ wages. Tyneman bursts in and threatens to sue Lucien over the newspaper article.
10. Lucien tells Matthew what Miroslav told him. Matthew doesn’t like the tea and does the blaah thing he repeats in other episodes. Why doesn’t Matthew like the tea? What could be wrong with it? Too weak? Too strong?
11. Lucien goes to the factory and recreates the murder with Danny. Lucien is wearing a nice brown tie. I don’t recall seeing it before. Hmm…Why am I obsessed with Lucien’s clothes? Lucien questions Klara Krol. She says she was at the factory at the time of the murder as were Miroslav and Egan. Re Egan and Mosca fighting, she says, “when two spiders fight, you hope both of them die.” Lucien says you can’t argue with that. Pop quiz: what episode features actual spiders. See end of list.
12. Outside the factory, Danny shows Lucien the BSA motorbike he just purchased. I googled BSA – Birmingham Small Arms Company. Danny thinks he can use it instead of his pushy. Matthew has other ideas and later tells him he can’t ride it while in uniform.
13. In the Blake kitchen, Lucien is testing weapons by pounding them into pork. Jean’s not sure about the hygiene, something we point out in the Things I learned list for ep. 5.3. Joy arrives and after one of their curt exchanges, Jean lets her in, but does not seemed pleased to see her. Joy is furious because Patrick got her fired over the article.
14. Lucien goes to the club and sits with Susan and Patrick. He introduces himself to Susan. Lucien tells Patrick that he’s revising his report and recommending the factory reopen. Patrick asks if Lucien is sleeping with Joy, assuming he’s revising the report to get Joy’s job back. Lucien says no, but he’d like to. Susan changes the subject by saying the Jean is a very fine supporting player. Lucien says Jean is a star. Everyone has more guts than that spineless Robert. In ep. 2.1, when Joy suggests advancing the relationship, Lucien avoids the issue. What do think? If it weren’t for the balcony incident, would they have become lovers or was he already falling in love with Jean?
15. Back at Blake’s. Miroslav tells Lucien that he, Klara, and Romana arrived in Australia together and take care of each other. Lucien says they’re your family now. In a response to a Facebook question after the telemovie, George Adams said “family, love, trust and complications are what Blake is really about.” In the study, Mattie is doing research on syphilis. Lucien assumes it’s for Mattie, why I don’t know. After all, she is the district nurse. Mattie explains it’s for Romana.
16. Lucien and Mattie go to Romana and break the syphilis news. She is not happy.
17. Klara arrives at Blake’s and is furious. When she calms down, she says that several of the women at the factory have the same rash. Apparently, Mosca was forcing himself on several women. Who did he think he was? A Hollywood producer?
18. Lucien tells Matthew about the sexual abuse at the factory. Later, Matthew says that his old boss, who we learn in ep. 1.7 was Doug Ashby, used to take blokes like that down to the cells and beat them up and have Thomas Blake come in and patch them up. Matthew says Thomas Blake, unlike his son, understood beating up bad guys. However, Lucien doesn’t mind punching bad guys occasionally, particularly when it concerns defending Jean. See eps. 2.10 and 5.7.
19. Jean returns from a rehearsal and Mattie sees Robert kiss her cheek. This guy has no game.
20. In the meantime, Lucien brings Joy to meet with Patrick. Lucien suggests she write a flattering article on Tyneman to get her job back. Patrick leers at her. Uh oh. That’s going to get him in trouble in ep. 3.5 and in the telemovie. Apparently, Patrick’s a bit of a dog, and some women are blind, desperate, or gold diggers.
21. Jean’s Drinking: That evening, Jean is on the couch. She’s been drinking. She tells Mattie that Robert is going to propose. Mattie asks her what she wants. (Reminiscent of the conversation re moving to Adelaide.) Jeans says she may never have another chance like
this. We say, yes, you will. You and Lucien are going to fall in love, have a beautiful wedding, and a four-month honeymoon. Don’t settle for Mr. Milquetoast. Mattie says she could have a hundred chances. Jean says you would think that way…you’re young and you’re lovely and you still think that life is kind.” We say, Jean, it is. You’re going to be married to the kindest man in the world, and he will adore you. Lucien comes in and remarks on Jean’s drinking. He seems momentarily pleased that he may have an in-house drinking buddy. Jean goes off to bed. Lucien looks a little bewildered, and Mattie tells him he needs to be nice to Jean. He says yes. Jean’s drink of choice seems most often to be sherry, until we get to series 5, when she does start drinking a little more of the hard stuff with Lucien.
22. Matthew questions Egan. He says that Mosca went after Romana and places Romana in the factory at the time of the murder. Matthew asks Egan if he tried to stop him, and Egan says it was none of his business – well, that sounds familiar. (See daily US headlines in 2017) Romana is picked up as a murder suspect. Romana says Mosca forced her to have sex. In the meantime, Lucien tells Miroslav that someone places Romana at the scene of the crime. Miroslav figures out it must be Egan.
23. Back at the Blake’s, Jean dumps Robert. Thank God. Lucien watches Jean’s reaction to Robert’s good-bye and asks her if she is alright. The phone rings. Jean brushes away a tear. Lucien shakes his head. Not sure what to make of that. Poor Jean. As she watches Robert leave the house, she seems to be thinking there goes any chance of a future. I got the same feeling when she gets on the bus in ep. 3.8.
24. It was Miroslav on the phone. He’s murdered Egan to protect Romana. Matthew is angry at Lucien because he gave Miroslav the information that allowed him to figure out who placed Romana at the factory at the time of the murder. Matthew tells Lucien he’s intelligent but sometimes doesn’t use that brain of his.
25. At home, Mattie is scraping blood off a shoe lathe. Why? Seems a little pointless now.
26. At the jail, Mattie gives Romana a shot of penicillin. Lucien plays chess with Miroslav and goes over the crimes. Lucien says Romana must have been very upset and didn’t mean to kill Mosca. She just wanted him to stop. Miroslav doesn’t deny it. As Romana is being released, Lucien tells her that Miroslav says to go and live her life. I can’t help but wonder what happens to Miroslav – hanging?
27. Back at home, Jean is knitting. Lucien sits down and, attempting to appear disinterested by not remembering Robert’s name, he asks her if they’ll be seeing more of Robert. She says no. Lucien asks her to get him a ticket to the play. She’s pleased. Is this Lucien’s first display of a little jealousy? We know he shows it in ep. 2.5 with the aforementioned psychopathic murderer. Also, as a knitter myself, I’m impressed with Nadine Garner’s ability to knit while she acts. We’ll see this often, especially in ep. 2.4 when she teaches Mattie to knit. Jean uses the English, not the continental, technique for knitting, as do I.
1. Episode opens at Tyneman’s Shoe Factory, a rather diversified guy this Patrick. He owns the newspaper, and we later learn he has an electronics store. Mosca, the factory foreman, and Egan, the factory manager, are arguing, but we can’t hear what they are saying. Most of the workers leave for the day. Egan calls for help. Mosca is dead on the floor in front of a machine with his hand cut off. Lucien arrives at the factory, furious with Tyneman because Lucien had written a report for previous incidents recommending that safety switches be installed.
2. Back at the Blake house, Jean is leaving for an audition. She tells Mattie that Susan Tyneman will get the lead role just because she’s married to Patrick. I’m thinking yes, that’s not fair, but she does have to live with Patrick; you’ve got Lucien and wait till you see what happens in series 5! Who’s the winner then? Lucien comes in, still furious, spills his tea, goes to his office, looks up the Factories and Shop Acts, and starts typing.
3. At the audition, Jean tells Robert, the play’s director, she understands how things work. Robert, the living, breathing definition of milquetoast, tells her that because Patrick is sponsoring the plays, the committee thinks it’s fair that Susan gets the lead. Jean can really pick ‘em. I guess Robert’s better than the psychopathic murderer she dates in ep. 2.5.
4. Susan arrives late to the audition because of the factory accident and says it was nobody’s fault. Jean says well maybe it should be. Robert looks embarrassed and says “ladies, shall we start.” Why does Jean even entertain the thought of getting serious with this guy? He has no spine. See #3 re milquetoast. On a side note, Jean does not seem to like Susan. We’ll see more of their relationship in the telemovie.
5. Lucien calls Joy, giving her the factory accident story. He peaks through the blinds and sees Jean getting out of Robert’s car. Guess Jean’s not the only one of this duo who is not above snooping.
6. Danny’s at the house for breakfast. (Still confused about where he lives. See previous hindsight list and FB comments.) Jean asks in her cranky voice if it was wise for Lucien to give Joy McDonald the details of the story. Mattie tells Lucien that Jean is playing the manservant in the ‘Importance of Being Earnest.” Lucien grins and says “Heaven help the man.” Jean also grins.
7. Mattie is playing nurse at the factory clinic, treating Romana a factory worker with a rash. Hmm…where did she get that? Miroslav asks Mattie if Lucien had something to do with the newspaper article and says Lucien is a good man. Mattie says he has his moments. As I re-watch, I sometimes get a little annoyed with Mattie. Mattie, he is a good man – see Jean’s comments in 5.8 at Christopher’s memorial site.
8. At the morgue, Gus breaks the news to Lucien that Mosca was hit on the head and murdered, something Lucien missed because he, as Matthew says, got on his bloody high horse.
9. Back at home, Miroslav congratulates Lucien on the article and says he’s a hero. Lucien admits he may have jumped the gun. Miroslav found the body. Lucien, in an oft-repeated investigative technique, asks Miroslav if he committed the murder. The variation here is that the person Lucien confronts is not armed with a shot gun, knife, or other lethal weapon. Miroslav tells Lucien about Mosca’s and Egan’s fight and that they were taking 10% of the employees’ wages. Tyneman bursts in and threatens to sue Lucien over the newspaper article.
10. Lucien tells Matthew what Miroslav told him. Matthew doesn’t like the tea and does the blaah thing he repeats in other episodes. Why doesn’t Matthew like the tea? What could be wrong with it? Too weak? Too strong?
11. Lucien goes to the factory and recreates the murder with Danny. Lucien is wearing a nice brown tie. I don’t recall seeing it before. Hmm…Why am I obsessed with Lucien’s clothes? Lucien questions Klara Krol. She says she was at the factory at the time of the murder as were Miroslav and Egan. Re Egan and Mosca fighting, she says, “when two spiders fight, you hope both of them die.” Lucien says you can’t argue with that. Pop quiz: what episode features actual spiders. See end of list.
12. Outside the factory, Danny shows Lucien the BSA motorbike he just purchased. I googled BSA – Birmingham Small Arms Company. Danny thinks he can use it instead of his pushy. Matthew has other ideas and later tells him he can’t ride it while in uniform.
13. In the Blake kitchen, Lucien is testing weapons by pounding them into pork. Jean’s not sure about the hygiene, something we point out in the Things I learned list for ep. 5.3. Joy arrives and after one of their curt exchanges, Jean lets her in, but does not seemed pleased to see her. Joy is furious because Patrick got her fired over the article.
14. Lucien goes to the club and sits with Susan and Patrick. He introduces himself to Susan. Lucien tells Patrick that he’s revising his report and recommending the factory reopen. Patrick asks if Lucien is sleeping with Joy, assuming he’s revising the report to get Joy’s job back. Lucien says no, but he’d like to. Susan changes the subject by saying the Jean is a very fine supporting player. Lucien says Jean is a star. Everyone has more guts than that spineless Robert. In ep. 2.1, when Joy suggests advancing the relationship, Lucien avoids the issue. What do think? If it weren’t for the balcony incident, would they have become lovers or was he already falling in love with Jean?
15. Back at Blake’s. Miroslav tells Lucien that he, Klara, and Romana arrived in Australia together and take care of each other. Lucien says they’re your family now. In a response to a Facebook question after the telemovie, George Adams said “family, love, trust and complications are what Blake is really about.” In the study, Mattie is doing research on syphilis. Lucien assumes it’s for Mattie, why I don’t know. After all, she is the district nurse. Mattie explains it’s for Romana.
16. Lucien and Mattie go to Romana and break the syphilis news. She is not happy.
17. Klara arrives at Blake’s and is furious. When she calms down, she says that several of the women at the factory have the same rash. Apparently, Mosca was forcing himself on several women. Who did he think he was? A Hollywood producer?
18. Lucien tells Matthew about the sexual abuse at the factory. Later, Matthew says that his old boss, who we learn in ep. 1.7 was Doug Ashby, used to take blokes like that down to the cells and beat them up and have Thomas Blake come in and patch them up. Matthew says Thomas Blake, unlike his son, understood beating up bad guys. However, Lucien doesn’t mind punching bad guys occasionally, particularly when it concerns defending Jean. See eps. 2.10 and 5.7.
19. Jean returns from a rehearsal and Mattie sees Robert kiss her cheek. This guy has no game.
20. In the meantime, Lucien brings Joy to meet with Patrick. Lucien suggests she write a flattering article on Tyneman to get her job back. Patrick leers at her. Uh oh. That’s going to get him in trouble in ep. 3.5 and in the telemovie. Apparently, Patrick’s a bit of a dog, and some women are blind, desperate, or gold diggers.
21. Jean’s Drinking: That evening, Jean is on the couch. She’s been drinking. She tells Mattie that Robert is going to propose. Mattie asks her what she wants. (Reminiscent of the conversation re moving to Adelaide.) Jeans says she may never have another chance like
this. We say, yes, you will. You and Lucien are going to fall in love, have a beautiful wedding, and a four-month honeymoon. Don’t settle for Mr. Milquetoast. Mattie says she could have a hundred chances. Jean says you would think that way…you’re young and you’re lovely and you still think that life is kind.” We say, Jean, it is. You’re going to be married to the kindest man in the world, and he will adore you. Lucien comes in and remarks on Jean’s drinking. He seems momentarily pleased that he may have an in-house drinking buddy. Jean goes off to bed. Lucien looks a little bewildered, and Mattie tells him he needs to be nice to Jean. He says yes. Jean’s drink of choice seems most often to be sherry, until we get to series 5, when she does start drinking a little more of the hard stuff with Lucien.
22. Matthew questions Egan. He says that Mosca went after Romana and places Romana in the factory at the time of the murder. Matthew asks Egan if he tried to stop him, and Egan says it was none of his business – well, that sounds familiar. (See daily US headlines in 2017) Romana is picked up as a murder suspect. Romana says Mosca forced her to have sex. In the meantime, Lucien tells Miroslav that someone places Romana at the scene of the crime. Miroslav figures out it must be Egan.
23. Back at the Blake’s, Jean dumps Robert. Thank God. Lucien watches Jean’s reaction to Robert’s good-bye and asks her if she is alright. The phone rings. Jean brushes away a tear. Lucien shakes his head. Not sure what to make of that. Poor Jean. As she watches Robert leave the house, she seems to be thinking there goes any chance of a future. I got the same feeling when she gets on the bus in ep. 3.8.
24. It was Miroslav on the phone. He’s murdered Egan to protect Romana. Matthew is angry at Lucien because he gave Miroslav the information that allowed him to figure out who placed Romana at the factory at the time of the murder. Matthew tells Lucien he’s intelligent but sometimes doesn’t use that brain of his.
25. At home, Mattie is scraping blood off a shoe lathe. Why? Seems a little pointless now.
26. At the jail, Mattie gives Romana a shot of penicillin. Lucien plays chess with Miroslav and goes over the crimes. Lucien says Romana must have been very upset and didn’t mean to kill Mosca. She just wanted him to stop. Miroslav doesn’t deny it. As Romana is being released, Lucien tells her that Miroslav says to go and live her life. I can’t help but wonder what happens to Miroslav – hanging?
27. Back at home, Jean is knitting. Lucien sits down and, attempting to appear disinterested by not remembering Robert’s name, he asks her if they’ll be seeing more of Robert. She says no. Lucien asks her to get him a ticket to the play. She’s pleased. Is this Lucien’s first display of a little jealousy? We know he shows it in ep. 2.5 with the aforementioned psychopathic murderer. Also, as a knitter myself, I’m impressed with Nadine Garner’s ability to knit while she acts. We’ll see this often, especially in ep. 2.4 when she teaches Mattie to knit. Jean uses the English, not the continental, technique for knitting, as do I.
Things I learned in Episode 1.7: Bedlam – Originally Broadcast Mar 15, 2013
1. Day room at the Black Hills Psychiatric Hospital (setting we also see in the telemovie). Patient David Hoyle is playing the piano, and another patient, Oriel, is painting. David gets into an argument and knocks down nurse Violet Ashby (yes, Doug Ashby’s daughter) over taking his meds. Time passes. An alarm goes off and Dr. Kenneth Lane, the Hospital Chief, and Dr. Ted Winters find Violet dead in the bathroom with David on the floor crying and holding a knife.
2. Lucien and Mattie arrive at the hospital. Mattie is there for professional development. Is she in training to do forensic work? Recall the pointless shoe lathe shaving in the previous episode. Matthew tells her she may want to watch where she steps. She proceeds to step in the blood on the floor. She leaves the room visibly upset. Danny runs into her and begins to joke about the psychiatric hospital, but changes his tune when he realizes Mattie is upset. Did the writers intend to have a romance between them if Danny had stayed? Is Danny coming back for season 6? When Matthew tells Danny to do the door knock, Mattie offers to drive him. I don’t understand why Matthew doesn’t do the door knock. Danny says that he usually does, and we know from the previous episode that Doug Ashby is Matthew’s former boss. Later in the episode, we learn that Ashby was Matthew’s commanding officer for ten years and made his life hell.
3. Black Hills: Dr. Winters tells Lucien he has the greatest respect for Thomas Blake. This must get so tiresome. I suppose Thomas was a good doctor, but I contend there may be murderers sitting in their recliners sipping tea in Ballarat because Thomas wasn’t as persistent or as much of a creative thinker as Lucien. They see the lights flicker, and Lucien notices the cuts on Dr. Winter’s hands. More on both later. They go to see Dr. Lane, who has just given David ECT. David won’t be fully alert for 12 hours. Keep that in mind.
4. Dr. Lane asks Lucien if he’s seen ECT. Lucien says not in a medical setting but you see a lot of things in wartime. Throughout the seasons, Lucien doesn’t speak directly about his time in the POW camp. He makes remarks like this and at other times looks like he’d rather avoid discussing his experience. (See Joy asking him if he was a POW in ep. 1. 4) Dr. Lane is interested in research, in how ECT works. Cue the mad scientist music.
5. Dr. Winters tells Lucien that David has female authority issues. His mother wanted him to be a concert pianist, but the pressure was too much for him and he threatened her. Lucien also learns the knife was reported missing two days ago. He goes to the kitchen and sees the knives are under lock and key. Wheels are turning. It’s obvious to Lucien that the person found with the murder weapon and the dead body can’t be guilty.
6. Mattie and Danny arrive at the Ashby’s, where poignantly Doug has left the porch light on for his daughter. In my never ending and generally fruitless quest to fill in the back stories, I figure Doug must have married late. He must be at least 65 because he’s retired and he socialized with Lucien’s parents. We know he loved Lucien’s mother who was born around 1888 and died in 1919. Violet, we’re told, is 23, the same age as Lucien’s daughter and Mattie. Ashby realizes why they are there. He had told his daughter to leave Black Hills, but she wouldn’t.
7. Meanwhile, back at Black Hills, Lucien asks Matthew why did David steal the knife and hide it for two days? David is insane and yet he planned the murder? Matthew says he so much preferred working with Lucien’s father. A sentiment he repeats throughout the seasons.
8. Back at Blake’s: (Just realized in series 6, we’ll be saying “the Blake’s” because, well, they’re married! :) ) Jean asks Lucien for his receipts. She says his father took pride in doing his own book work. Lucien says that’s where Dad and I differ, I have no pride. Jean laughs.
9. At the morgue, Lucien sees Violet’s knife wounds – one cut is “C” shaped, there’s a small mark inside the curve of the “C,” and five lines horizontal to the “C.” Lucien says one stab killed her, suggesting a detailed knowledge of anatomy. The other cuts are decorative.
10. Black Hills: Lucien and Matthew try to question David who doesn’t remember anything about being in the dayroom before dinner. Lucien goes back to the day room and admires Oriel’s origami bird. There was also one in the bathroom where Violet’s body was found. Don’t get excited about this – red herrings and all that. Lucien tells her his mother was a painter, and he loved it when she let him into her studio to watch her paint. His relationship with his mother seems loving and sweet compared with his troubled relationship with his father. Oriel shows Lucien two paintings of David – one before the argument with Violet. That painting is light. The other, painted after the fight, is dark. There’s a sound and the lights dim. Oriel thinks Violet asked too many questions.
11. Lucien leaves the dayroom and is confronted by Bryn, a patient angry over Lucien’s attention to Oriel. Lucien argues with the mental patient. Not a good idea. Dr. Winters rescues him.
12. The station: Matthew tells Lucien that the folks at Black Hills are upset with him – you just can’t help yourself. No, he can’t. But, as we’ll see later, that means fewer murderers running around Ballarat. Lucien suggests adding Bryn to the list of suspects. Matthew says there’s no bloody list!
13. Blake’s: Mattie tells Lucien that Violet was accused of fatally mixing up patient Patrick’s, meds. Heads up! This is a clue. In a touching moment, Lucien holds Mattie’s hands, comforting her over the death of a nurse her age. Jean comes in and witnesses the tender moment.
14. Oriel arrives at Blake’s. She has brought two paintings of Lucien – one light, one dark – similar to the paintings of David. Turns out, Oriel is at Black Hills because she got angry with the girlfriend of a boy she liked. Lucien mentally puts her on the “list.” Oriel goes on to say that David would never have hurt Violet, especially with a butcher knife. His father was a butcher. He couldn’t stand the sight of blood and is afraid of knives. Lucien asks where she was after David argued with Violet. Oriel looks alarmed, perhaps realizing she’s on the list. She says Lucien is supposed to mean “bringer of light,” did he know that? He says he didn’t. Huh? Mr. Intellectual Curiosity, the guy who in ep. 5.3 knows what l’appel du vide (call of the void) means, whose mother probably spoke to him in French, and he never knew about the derivation of his own name? I’m not buying it. I’ve decided I need script approval. :) Who’s in? (P.S. I always wonder if his mother, aka show creators, chose his name because it’s a form of Luke, the beloved physician from the gospels. I’m probably overthinking again.)
15. Back at Black Hills: Lucien, David, and Matthew are in the kitchen. Lucien takes a butcher knife out of the cabinet and tells David to stab him. David at first resists, and Lucien thinks his experiment has worked and he has proved that David couldn’t be the killer. Oops! David picks up the knife and cuts himself. On a positive note, Lucien has added another technique to his investigative tool kit – confront mental patients. This is the third one so far in this episode.
16. Dr. Winter’s office: Dr. Winter provides an alibi for Oriel. Lucien, of course, immediately suspects Dr. Winters who says he couldn’t have killed Violet because he loved her. The cuts on his hands are an external manifestation of his physical pain. Note: Dr. Winters does not make the list. Also note, we’ll see references to cutting in other episodes, e.g., eps. 2.7, The Silence, and 5.6, Last Dance.
17. Ok. So far, Lucien has added three people to the “list,” none of whom are guilty. Bad day at Black Hills.
18. Back at Blake’s: Lucien is in the kitchen with Jean and tells her his pride has taken a battering. Jean brings up his earlier statement that he has no pride. Jean is cutting up a rabbit on butcher paper. Were any animals injured in the making of this show? I’m thinking of all those rabbits, roasts, and Mr. Piggy. On a more positive note, the use of butcher paper does seem more sanitary than other meat handling techniques we remarked on in ep. 5.3. Lucien looks at the pattern of Jean’s cuts and realizes it’s a bass clef, same as the stab wounds on Violet. David was a pianist and that points to his guilt.
19. Later that evening: Lucien is playing the piano and drinking George Adams whiskey. He tells Jean he doesn’t play well. Dad was a virtuoso, which is why Lucien eventually took up the drums. “Dr. Blake’s son gets it spectacularly wrong again.” Jean helps Lucien get into his bedroom, covers him with a blanket, and puts her hand on his chest because that’s what housekeepers do. However, we understand the urge. Which one of us wouldn’t have? He murmurs Jean, sweet Jean. Hmm…in vino veritas? Jean starts straightening up his papers, but can’t resist the opportunity to snoop. Again, we understand. She opens up the chest of pain and sees photos of Lucien, his wife, and daughter in Singapore in 1940. She is moved to tears. Ah, sweet Jean.
20. Matthew takes Violet’s effects to Doug’s house. Doug suggests Matthew investigate further and perhaps not settle on David.
2. Lucien and Mattie arrive at the hospital. Mattie is there for professional development. Is she in training to do forensic work? Recall the pointless shoe lathe shaving in the previous episode. Matthew tells her she may want to watch where she steps. She proceeds to step in the blood on the floor. She leaves the room visibly upset. Danny runs into her and begins to joke about the psychiatric hospital, but changes his tune when he realizes Mattie is upset. Did the writers intend to have a romance between them if Danny had stayed? Is Danny coming back for season 6? When Matthew tells Danny to do the door knock, Mattie offers to drive him. I don’t understand why Matthew doesn’t do the door knock. Danny says that he usually does, and we know from the previous episode that Doug Ashby is Matthew’s former boss. Later in the episode, we learn that Ashby was Matthew’s commanding officer for ten years and made his life hell.
3. Black Hills: Dr. Winters tells Lucien he has the greatest respect for Thomas Blake. This must get so tiresome. I suppose Thomas was a good doctor, but I contend there may be murderers sitting in their recliners sipping tea in Ballarat because Thomas wasn’t as persistent or as much of a creative thinker as Lucien. They see the lights flicker, and Lucien notices the cuts on Dr. Winter’s hands. More on both later. They go to see Dr. Lane, who has just given David ECT. David won’t be fully alert for 12 hours. Keep that in mind.
4. Dr. Lane asks Lucien if he’s seen ECT. Lucien says not in a medical setting but you see a lot of things in wartime. Throughout the seasons, Lucien doesn’t speak directly about his time in the POW camp. He makes remarks like this and at other times looks like he’d rather avoid discussing his experience. (See Joy asking him if he was a POW in ep. 1. 4) Dr. Lane is interested in research, in how ECT works. Cue the mad scientist music.
5. Dr. Winters tells Lucien that David has female authority issues. His mother wanted him to be a concert pianist, but the pressure was too much for him and he threatened her. Lucien also learns the knife was reported missing two days ago. He goes to the kitchen and sees the knives are under lock and key. Wheels are turning. It’s obvious to Lucien that the person found with the murder weapon and the dead body can’t be guilty.
6. Mattie and Danny arrive at the Ashby’s, where poignantly Doug has left the porch light on for his daughter. In my never ending and generally fruitless quest to fill in the back stories, I figure Doug must have married late. He must be at least 65 because he’s retired and he socialized with Lucien’s parents. We know he loved Lucien’s mother who was born around 1888 and died in 1919. Violet, we’re told, is 23, the same age as Lucien’s daughter and Mattie. Ashby realizes why they are there. He had told his daughter to leave Black Hills, but she wouldn’t.
7. Meanwhile, back at Black Hills, Lucien asks Matthew why did David steal the knife and hide it for two days? David is insane and yet he planned the murder? Matthew says he so much preferred working with Lucien’s father. A sentiment he repeats throughout the seasons.
8. Back at Blake’s: (Just realized in series 6, we’ll be saying “the Blake’s” because, well, they’re married! :) ) Jean asks Lucien for his receipts. She says his father took pride in doing his own book work. Lucien says that’s where Dad and I differ, I have no pride. Jean laughs.
9. At the morgue, Lucien sees Violet’s knife wounds – one cut is “C” shaped, there’s a small mark inside the curve of the “C,” and five lines horizontal to the “C.” Lucien says one stab killed her, suggesting a detailed knowledge of anatomy. The other cuts are decorative.
10. Black Hills: Lucien and Matthew try to question David who doesn’t remember anything about being in the dayroom before dinner. Lucien goes back to the day room and admires Oriel’s origami bird. There was also one in the bathroom where Violet’s body was found. Don’t get excited about this – red herrings and all that. Lucien tells her his mother was a painter, and he loved it when she let him into her studio to watch her paint. His relationship with his mother seems loving and sweet compared with his troubled relationship with his father. Oriel shows Lucien two paintings of David – one before the argument with Violet. That painting is light. The other, painted after the fight, is dark. There’s a sound and the lights dim. Oriel thinks Violet asked too many questions.
11. Lucien leaves the dayroom and is confronted by Bryn, a patient angry over Lucien’s attention to Oriel. Lucien argues with the mental patient. Not a good idea. Dr. Winters rescues him.
12. The station: Matthew tells Lucien that the folks at Black Hills are upset with him – you just can’t help yourself. No, he can’t. But, as we’ll see later, that means fewer murderers running around Ballarat. Lucien suggests adding Bryn to the list of suspects. Matthew says there’s no bloody list!
13. Blake’s: Mattie tells Lucien that Violet was accused of fatally mixing up patient Patrick’s, meds. Heads up! This is a clue. In a touching moment, Lucien holds Mattie’s hands, comforting her over the death of a nurse her age. Jean comes in and witnesses the tender moment.
14. Oriel arrives at Blake’s. She has brought two paintings of Lucien – one light, one dark – similar to the paintings of David. Turns out, Oriel is at Black Hills because she got angry with the girlfriend of a boy she liked. Lucien mentally puts her on the “list.” Oriel goes on to say that David would never have hurt Violet, especially with a butcher knife. His father was a butcher. He couldn’t stand the sight of blood and is afraid of knives. Lucien asks where she was after David argued with Violet. Oriel looks alarmed, perhaps realizing she’s on the list. She says Lucien is supposed to mean “bringer of light,” did he know that? He says he didn’t. Huh? Mr. Intellectual Curiosity, the guy who in ep. 5.3 knows what l’appel du vide (call of the void) means, whose mother probably spoke to him in French, and he never knew about the derivation of his own name? I’m not buying it. I’ve decided I need script approval. :) Who’s in? (P.S. I always wonder if his mother, aka show creators, chose his name because it’s a form of Luke, the beloved physician from the gospels. I’m probably overthinking again.)
15. Back at Black Hills: Lucien, David, and Matthew are in the kitchen. Lucien takes a butcher knife out of the cabinet and tells David to stab him. David at first resists, and Lucien thinks his experiment has worked and he has proved that David couldn’t be the killer. Oops! David picks up the knife and cuts himself. On a positive note, Lucien has added another technique to his investigative tool kit – confront mental patients. This is the third one so far in this episode.
16. Dr. Winter’s office: Dr. Winter provides an alibi for Oriel. Lucien, of course, immediately suspects Dr. Winters who says he couldn’t have killed Violet because he loved her. The cuts on his hands are an external manifestation of his physical pain. Note: Dr. Winters does not make the list. Also note, we’ll see references to cutting in other episodes, e.g., eps. 2.7, The Silence, and 5.6, Last Dance.
17. Ok. So far, Lucien has added three people to the “list,” none of whom are guilty. Bad day at Black Hills.
18. Back at Blake’s: Lucien is in the kitchen with Jean and tells her his pride has taken a battering. Jean brings up his earlier statement that he has no pride. Jean is cutting up a rabbit on butcher paper. Were any animals injured in the making of this show? I’m thinking of all those rabbits, roasts, and Mr. Piggy. On a more positive note, the use of butcher paper does seem more sanitary than other meat handling techniques we remarked on in ep. 5.3. Lucien looks at the pattern of Jean’s cuts and realizes it’s a bass clef, same as the stab wounds on Violet. David was a pianist and that points to his guilt.
19. Later that evening: Lucien is playing the piano and drinking George Adams whiskey. He tells Jean he doesn’t play well. Dad was a virtuoso, which is why Lucien eventually took up the drums. “Dr. Blake’s son gets it spectacularly wrong again.” Jean helps Lucien get into his bedroom, covers him with a blanket, and puts her hand on his chest because that’s what housekeepers do. However, we understand the urge. Which one of us wouldn’t have? He murmurs Jean, sweet Jean. Hmm…in vino veritas? Jean starts straightening up his papers, but can’t resist the opportunity to snoop. Again, we understand. She opens up the chest of pain and sees photos of Lucien, his wife, and daughter in Singapore in 1940. She is moved to tears. Ah, sweet Jean.
20. Matthew takes Violet’s effects to Doug’s house. Doug suggests Matthew investigate further and perhaps not settle on David.
Things I learned in Episode 1.8: Game of Champions – Originally Broadcast Mar 22, 2013
1. TV Station: Alan Coleman walks down the corridor with Dawn doing preshow vocal exercises. Red leather, yellow leather. Try saying that three times fast.
2. TV Studio: Matthew Lawson in civvies sitting in the TV audience. Matthew is wearing a brown shirt, dispelling rumors on social media, based on season 5, that he owns two shirts and they’re both green. I think this is the second time we’ve seen him in civvies. (See ep. 1.4.) The two contestants are Simon Lo – the man with all the answers – and the very charming James Holbrook.
3. Blake’s: Mattie, Danny, and Jean are sitting in front of the TV when Game of Champions comes on. Blake joins them. Mattie and Jean think James Holbrook is attractive.
4. TV Studio: Alan asks Simon the term for the lowest IQ according to the Standford-Binet IQ test. How many remember taking those? (See answer at the end.) Simon thinks hard, but gets it wrong, making James the champion. James goes into the champion’s dressing room
5. A family is watching TV outside Tyneman’s Electrics store. Why don’t they just watch the show on their phones? Oh, yeah, 1959. (See ep. 5.3 for this store playing an important part in solving the crime.) Also, there are two adorable children in this shot. Are all children in Ballarat adorable?
6. TV Studio: Everyone is looking for Simon. Simon confronts Alan and says you made me lose; this is fixed. (Shades of US game show scandals in the ‘50s. There are some interesting parallels. Wikipedia has a good article, and Redford’s film “Quiz Show” dramatized the events.) Dawn screams and is found crying over James.
7. Outside TV Station: Lucien pulls up and compliments Matthew on his civvies. Matthew tells Lucien that he’s there because he likes quiz shows. Hmm…possible date night for Matthew and Alice – trivia night at the local pub? Patrick Tyneman arrives. He and Alan don’t want Simon back on the show. Alan’s wife Verity is a bit more sympathetic to Simon and also says it’s the rules.
8. Morgue: Dawn’s family members are patients of Lucien’s. He does have some. They aren’t all scared off, at least, not until ep. 5.7. Lucien at first assumes a hereditary heart problem is the cause of death, but quickly realizes James was electrocuted. Lucien doesn’t understand why the ambo boys didn’t catch it. I’m concerned that I’m adopting too many Australian slang words. Rego is one thing, but if I call emergency services and ask for an ambo, will they know what I mean? UPDATE: @Corinne Rockliffe has clarified that ambo only refers to the ambulance attendants.Off to bone up on Australian slang before I get myself into real trouble.
9. Police Station: Lucien tells Matthew that James was electrocuted. Matthew springs into action (this is pre-cane) and picks up the phone to close down the TV station. Lucien quizzes Matthew on the first practical use of the telephone? See answer at end.
10. TV Station: Roger, the part-time station technician who also works part-time at Tyneman’s Electrics, says using a volt meter, he checked out everything electronic in the champion’s dressing room. Lucien discovers the TV was tampered with. He picks up evidence with what appears to be a plaid handkerchief for what I think is the first and only time. Eagle-eyed people please verify this anomaly.
11. Still at the TV Station: Roger brought the TV in the day of the show. Others who had access are Verity, Dawn, Alan, and Simon. But, the room wasn’t locked and anyone could have gotten in.
12. Matthew learns Roger was at school with Simon, James, and Dawn. This has to be the worst school reunion ever. Spoiler Alert – Two of the alum wind up dead, the third is a murderer, and, worst of all, the fourth works for Patrick Tyneman. No success stories here for the alumni magazine.
13. Police Station: While questioning Simon, Matthew gets angry when Simon avoids giving specific answers. Matthew says you don’t get to piss me about in my own country. Lucien calms things down – sort of a role reversal, similar to when Matthew is questioning Patrick in the telemovie. Simon admits to having knowledge of TV circuitry. Simon leaves. Lucien says that Simon must be from the Philippines because he’s speaking Tagalog. Where did Lucien acquire this knowledge? We find out in the telemovie. The letter from his father is addressed to Lucien in the Philippines.
14. Blake’s: Danny in civvies (does he live there?) and Lucien move the TV onto the floor so Lucien can figure out how to turn a TV set into a murder weapon. Jean is concerned – Sunny Side Up is on. Sunny Side Up was a very popular variety show in Australia at that time. Lucien doesn’t want to blow the tube, but, oops, there’s a crinkly sound and all the lights go out. Roger arrives to fix the TV. Jean tells him Lucien was conducting an experiment – trying to see if he could get from the living to the fuse box in complete darkness. Lucien says and I did. Roger asks “trouble on the home front”? They are so married. Roger has figured out how the TV at the station could have been sabotaged. Roger tells Lucien he was in a special academic program with Simon. Simon would have been able to sabotage the TV.
15. Outside Tyneman’s Electrics: Simon claims Patrick pushed him into the road. Simon and Lucien converse in Tagalog. Patrick: we talk English here. Simon tells Lucien that Patrick rigged the show and talked to Waterman, Simon’s former teacher.
16. At a school: Lucien tracks down Waterman. Waterman says Simon didn’t belong in our school system. James, Roger, and Simon got into fights at school, and Roger was expelled because of it. James snitched on Roger. Where I went to school in Brooklyn, snitches were not, shall we say, popular. Waterman shows Lucien a critique by Simon of Waterman’s teaching methods, including use of terms of abuse, especially the word “idiot.” (See #4 above.) The other students picked up on it. Waterman writes questions for the show, and the idiot question was one of his. Patrick and Alan came to him wanting to know how to unsettle Simon.
17. Blake’s: Roger returns the repaired TV. Lucien, having an irresistible urge to confront a murder suspect, asks Roger about his expulsion. James and Roger beat up Simon. They would call him an idiot and a fight would ensue. They made a game of it. Roger confirms that James snitched saying Roger was the sole instigator, resulting in Roger’s expulsion. Lucien sees a motive, but Roger says it was years ago and he didn’t do it.
18. Police Station: Simon is lodging a complaint that Tyneman tried to kill him. Lucien tells Matthew what he has found out about the idiot question and that Matthew should look at Roger as a possible suspect, and also look at Simon because he had a motive – losing the money.
19. Blake’s: Lucien brings Simon home. Simon has no social skills and is rude to Jean. She asks Lucien what he’s doing. He admits he’s really not sure and then asks Jean to make tea. Lucien explains to Simon how the very mention of the term idiot triggers a fight or flight response in Simon, making him incapable of calm, logical thought. Lucien tells Simon he’s the farthest thing from an idiot he can imagine. Lucien thinks Alan and Patrick conspired with Waterman to get Simon off the show. Lucien, in the second of a series of asking suspects if they are guilty, asks Simon if he murdered James. Simon says no, and Lucien asks him who else had motive. They do a chalk board thing, where it surfaces that the questions were skewed to James’ strong subjects and James and Verity may have had an affair. Can you imagine Lucien today with a white board, downloading Venn diagrams, etc.?
20. Blake’s Kitchen: Mattie asks Jean why Lucien brought Simon to the house. Jean says why does the doctor do anything? Well, he has no impulse control, he indulges in risky behavior, and he’s trying to solve murders.
21. Blake’s Garden: Lucien tells Jean that Simon will be staying for dinner and overnight. Jean says what if he electrocutes us all as we’re sleeping? Lucien replies with a grin that at least he won’t be wondering who killed James. Lucien also shares with Jean the gossip that James and Verity may have been having an affair. We have to believe Jean loves hearing this stuff. Can’t you just see her sharing with the Unorthodox Film Society Ladies (ep. 5.2)? Have we determined whether “Unorthodox” modifies “Film” or “Ladies”?
22. TV Land Offices: This set is very ‘50s in color scheme and furniture style. Lucien asks Dawn if James was having an affair with Verity and did Alan know about it. Dawn says James loved her, and the prize money was going to set them up for life. Lucien puts his arm around her to comfort her. This is a change in M.O. He usually does this after he’s identified the murderer.
23. Blake’s: Everyone is watching TV, and Jean is also knitting. The TV show confirms that Simon will be back on the game show the next night. His opponent will be Waterman.
24. Police Station the next day: Lucien tells Matthew that Dawn confirmed the affair. Did Alan know? If so, it’s a possible motive. Lucien defends Simon.
25. Blake’s driveway: Simon is leaving for the show and says he’s ready for any question. Lucien tells him he doesn’t have to go and tells Danny to keep an eye on him. Jean gives Simon sandwiches. Aah sweet Jean.
26. TV Land: Danny and Simon arrive. Danny is gaga over Verity. Matthew is in the audience in civvies – cream shirt, brown tweed jacket. Questions – #75 on the periodic table? Who was the 7th King of England after the Norman invasion? See answers below. I googled Kings of England. Some of those pre-Norman invasion kings had fun names: Ethelred the Unready, Sweyn Forkbeard and his son Cnut the Great (is the “C” silent?) were my personal favorites.
27. Back at Blake’s: They are all watching TV. Simon is asked what is no. 75 on the periodic table. Lucien is talking out loud and says they are asking the wrong question – James wasn’t expected to win. The light has unfortunately dawned too late for Simon.
28. TV Land Studio: Simon is electrocuted when Alan moves a dial. Lucien arrives. Lucien and Matthew go to the office where Matthew tells Patrick to shut up. Lucien says it’s a needle in a haystack. I’m thinking – not really – you’ve just rattled off the names of four suspects. Hardly a haystack.
29. Matthew interview suspects in his civvies. Patrick yells at Matthew. Matthew yells back that he’ll tell Patrick to shut up when he needs to. We and Danny are pleased. He also tells Danny to go home.
30. Blake’s: Jean, the enabler, comes into Lucien’s office with liquor for him. She’ll regret that in future episodes. Someone please give her the contact info for Al-Anon. Danny comes in. I guess he does live there, but why does he leave in that scene in ep. 1.9? Is this the Blake version of “The Man Who Came to Dinner”? Lucien asks each one to portray a suspect and examines why they would have murdered James. Mattie wants to be Dawn because she’s the smartest. Danny groans. Jean asks was it an accident. Lucien says now we’re asking the right questions.
31. TV Land Studio: Lucien confronts Dawn by simulating a quiz show. She didn’t know Patrick and Alan were conspiring to get Simon off the show. She meant to kill Simon. Matthew comes out from behind the curtain and arrests her.
32. Blake’s: The gang is watching Game of Champions. Lucien says he’s had enough TV while patting Jean’s arm, because, well.... They all decide they’ve had enough TV and Jean suggests a game of Pontoon. I google Pontoon.
1. TV Station: Alan Coleman walks down the corridor with Dawn doing preshow vocal exercises. Red leather, yellow leather. Try saying that three times fast.
2. TV Studio: Matthew Lawson in civvies sitting in the TV audience. Matthew is wearing a brown shirt, dispelling rumors on social media, based on season 5, that he owns two shirts and they’re both green. I think this is the second time we’ve seen him in civvies. (See ep. 1.4.) The two contestants are Simon Lo – the man with all the answers – and the very charming James Holbrook.
3. Blake’s: Mattie, Danny, and Jean are sitting in front of the TV when Game of Champions comes on. Blake joins them. Mattie and Jean think James Holbrook is attractive.
4. TV Studio: Alan asks Simon the term for the lowest IQ according to the Standford-Binet IQ test. How many remember taking those? (See answer at the end.) Simon thinks hard, but gets it wrong, making James the champion. James goes into the champion’s dressing room
5. A family is watching TV outside Tyneman’s Electrics store. Why don’t they just watch the show on their phones? Oh, yeah, 1959. (See ep. 5.3 for this store playing an important part in solving the crime.) Also, there are two adorable children in this shot. Are all children in Ballarat adorable?
6. TV Studio: Everyone is looking for Simon. Simon confronts Alan and says you made me lose; this is fixed. (Shades of US game show scandals in the ‘50s. There are some interesting parallels. Wikipedia has a good article, and Redford’s film “Quiz Show” dramatized the events.) Dawn screams and is found crying over James.
7. Outside TV Station: Lucien pulls up and compliments Matthew on his civvies. Matthew tells Lucien that he’s there because he likes quiz shows. Hmm…possible date night for Matthew and Alice – trivia night at the local pub? Patrick Tyneman arrives. He and Alan don’t want Simon back on the show. Alan’s wife Verity is a bit more sympathetic to Simon and also says it’s the rules.
8. Morgue: Dawn’s family members are patients of Lucien’s. He does have some. They aren’t all scared off, at least, not until ep. 5.7. Lucien at first assumes a hereditary heart problem is the cause of death, but quickly realizes James was electrocuted. Lucien doesn’t understand why the ambo boys didn’t catch it. I’m concerned that I’m adopting too many Australian slang words. Rego is one thing, but if I call emergency services and ask for an ambo, will they know what I mean? UPDATE: @Corinne Rockliffe has clarified that ambo only refers to the ambulance attendants.Off to bone up on Australian slang before I get myself into real trouble.
9. Police Station: Lucien tells Matthew that James was electrocuted. Matthew springs into action (this is pre-cane) and picks up the phone to close down the TV station. Lucien quizzes Matthew on the first practical use of the telephone? See answer at end.
10. TV Station: Roger, the part-time station technician who also works part-time at Tyneman’s Electrics, says using a volt meter, he checked out everything electronic in the champion’s dressing room. Lucien discovers the TV was tampered with. He picks up evidence with what appears to be a plaid handkerchief for what I think is the first and only time. Eagle-eyed people please verify this anomaly.
11. Still at the TV Station: Roger brought the TV in the day of the show. Others who had access are Verity, Dawn, Alan, and Simon. But, the room wasn’t locked and anyone could have gotten in.
12. Matthew learns Roger was at school with Simon, James, and Dawn. This has to be the worst school reunion ever. Spoiler Alert – Two of the alum wind up dead, the third is a murderer, and, worst of all, the fourth works for Patrick Tyneman. No success stories here for the alumni magazine.
13. Police Station: While questioning Simon, Matthew gets angry when Simon avoids giving specific answers. Matthew says you don’t get to piss me about in my own country. Lucien calms things down – sort of a role reversal, similar to when Matthew is questioning Patrick in the telemovie. Simon admits to having knowledge of TV circuitry. Simon leaves. Lucien says that Simon must be from the Philippines because he’s speaking Tagalog. Where did Lucien acquire this knowledge? We find out in the telemovie. The letter from his father is addressed to Lucien in the Philippines.
14. Blake’s: Danny in civvies (does he live there?) and Lucien move the TV onto the floor so Lucien can figure out how to turn a TV set into a murder weapon. Jean is concerned – Sunny Side Up is on. Sunny Side Up was a very popular variety show in Australia at that time. Lucien doesn’t want to blow the tube, but, oops, there’s a crinkly sound and all the lights go out. Roger arrives to fix the TV. Jean tells him Lucien was conducting an experiment – trying to see if he could get from the living to the fuse box in complete darkness. Lucien says and I did. Roger asks “trouble on the home front”? They are so married. Roger has figured out how the TV at the station could have been sabotaged. Roger tells Lucien he was in a special academic program with Simon. Simon would have been able to sabotage the TV.
15. Outside Tyneman’s Electrics: Simon claims Patrick pushed him into the road. Simon and Lucien converse in Tagalog. Patrick: we talk English here. Simon tells Lucien that Patrick rigged the show and talked to Waterman, Simon’s former teacher.
16. At a school: Lucien tracks down Waterman. Waterman says Simon didn’t belong in our school system. James, Roger, and Simon got into fights at school, and Roger was expelled because of it. James snitched on Roger. Where I went to school in Brooklyn, snitches were not, shall we say, popular. Waterman shows Lucien a critique by Simon of Waterman’s teaching methods, including use of terms of abuse, especially the word “idiot.” (See #4 above.) The other students picked up on it. Waterman writes questions for the show, and the idiot question was one of his. Patrick and Alan came to him wanting to know how to unsettle Simon.
17. Blake’s: Roger returns the repaired TV. Lucien, having an irresistible urge to confront a murder suspect, asks Roger about his expulsion. James and Roger beat up Simon. They would call him an idiot and a fight would ensue. They made a game of it. Roger confirms that James snitched saying Roger was the sole instigator, resulting in Roger’s expulsion. Lucien sees a motive, but Roger says it was years ago and he didn’t do it.
18. Police Station: Simon is lodging a complaint that Tyneman tried to kill him. Lucien tells Matthew what he has found out about the idiot question and that Matthew should look at Roger as a possible suspect, and also look at Simon because he had a motive – losing the money.
19. Blake’s: Lucien brings Simon home. Simon has no social skills and is rude to Jean. She asks Lucien what he’s doing. He admits he’s really not sure and then asks Jean to make tea. Lucien explains to Simon how the very mention of the term idiot triggers a fight or flight response in Simon, making him incapable of calm, logical thought. Lucien tells Simon he’s the farthest thing from an idiot he can imagine. Lucien thinks Alan and Patrick conspired with Waterman to get Simon off the show. Lucien, in the second of a series of asking suspects if they are guilty, asks Simon if he murdered James. Simon says no, and Lucien asks him who else had motive. They do a chalk board thing, where it surfaces that the questions were skewed to James’ strong subjects and James and Verity may have had an affair. Can you imagine Lucien today with a white board, downloading Venn diagrams, etc.?
20. Blake’s Kitchen: Mattie asks Jean why Lucien brought Simon to the house. Jean says why does the doctor do anything? Well, he has no impulse control, he indulges in risky behavior, and he’s trying to solve murders.
21. Blake’s Garden: Lucien tells Jean that Simon will be staying for dinner and overnight. Jean says what if he electrocutes us all as we’re sleeping? Lucien replies with a grin that at least he won’t be wondering who killed James. Lucien also shares with Jean the gossip that James and Verity may have been having an affair. We have to believe Jean loves hearing this stuff. Can’t you just see her sharing with the Unorthodox Film Society Ladies (ep. 5.2)? Have we determined whether “Unorthodox” modifies “Film” or “Ladies”?
22. TV Land Offices: This set is very ‘50s in color scheme and furniture style. Lucien asks Dawn if James was having an affair with Verity and did Alan know about it. Dawn says James loved her, and the prize money was going to set them up for life. Lucien puts his arm around her to comfort her. This is a change in M.O. He usually does this after he’s identified the murderer.
23. Blake’s: Everyone is watching TV, and Jean is also knitting. The TV show confirms that Simon will be back on the game show the next night. His opponent will be Waterman.
24. Police Station the next day: Lucien tells Matthew that Dawn confirmed the affair. Did Alan know? If so, it’s a possible motive. Lucien defends Simon.
25. Blake’s driveway: Simon is leaving for the show and says he’s ready for any question. Lucien tells him he doesn’t have to go and tells Danny to keep an eye on him. Jean gives Simon sandwiches. Aah sweet Jean.
26. TV Land: Danny and Simon arrive. Danny is gaga over Verity. Matthew is in the audience in civvies – cream shirt, brown tweed jacket. Questions – #75 on the periodic table? Who was the 7th King of England after the Norman invasion? See answers below. I googled Kings of England. Some of those pre-Norman invasion kings had fun names: Ethelred the Unready, Sweyn Forkbeard and his son Cnut the Great (is the “C” silent?) were my personal favorites.
27. Back at Blake’s: They are all watching TV. Simon is asked what is no. 75 on the periodic table. Lucien is talking out loud and says they are asking the wrong question – James wasn’t expected to win. The light has unfortunately dawned too late for Simon.
28. TV Land Studio: Simon is electrocuted when Alan moves a dial. Lucien arrives. Lucien and Matthew go to the office where Matthew tells Patrick to shut up. Lucien says it’s a needle in a haystack. I’m thinking – not really – you’ve just rattled off the names of four suspects. Hardly a haystack.
29. Matthew interview suspects in his civvies. Patrick yells at Matthew. Matthew yells back that he’ll tell Patrick to shut up when he needs to. We and Danny are pleased. He also tells Danny to go home.
30. Blake’s: Jean, the enabler, comes into Lucien’s office with liquor for him. She’ll regret that in future episodes. Someone please give her the contact info for Al-Anon. Danny comes in. I guess he does live there, but why does he leave in that scene in ep. 1.9? Is this the Blake version of “The Man Who Came to Dinner”? Lucien asks each one to portray a suspect and examines why they would have murdered James. Mattie wants to be Dawn because she’s the smartest. Danny groans. Jean asks was it an accident. Lucien says now we’re asking the right questions.
31. TV Land Studio: Lucien confronts Dawn by simulating a quiz show. She didn’t know Patrick and Alan were conspiring to get Simon off the show. She meant to kill Simon. Matthew comes out from behind the curtain and arrests her.
32. Blake’s: The gang is watching Game of Champions. Lucien says he’s had enough TV while patting Jean’s arm, because, well.... They all decide they’ve had enough TV and Jean suggests a game of Pontoon. I google Pontoon.
Things I learned in Episode 1.9: All That Glitters – Originally Broadcast Mar 29, 2013
Episode 1.9 – All That Glitters. Writer – Tim Pye. First aired March 29, 2013
I think this episode talks about Lucien’s PTSD and the effects of Lucien’s war experience more than any other. We see his anxiety going down into the mine, his hands shaking with Nell, the reference at the morgue to torture, and the near panic in the jail cell. At the Consul’s reception, we also see Lucien’s anger at the abandonment of the soldiers and his grief over his missing wife and daughter. And, of course, there’s his excessive drinking, leading to the debacle at the Consul’s reception. In ep. 5.4, he tells a grieving father that because of the loss of his family, he volunteered for dangerous missions and tried to drink himself to death. I wonder if also this explains some of Lucien’s reckless behavior – it’s become almost instinctive for him.
Kudos to the casting department: As I watched Eric Reid and saw how well the actor embodied that character, it struck me that we see that in every episode of TDBM. The folks who do the casting do a superb job at finding the right actors for guest roles every week.
1. The Pub: Unusually, Lucien is in the opening shot. Lucien and Danny are playing darts when Joe comes in. Joe throws off “Dr. Dart’s” game by asking him if he’s given any thought to giving a speech the next night. The speech is at the Club, and it’s to introduce the new British Consul. The Consul also served on the Malay Peninsula. No surprise, Lucien would rather have malaria than give the speech. We know this is not going to end well. Arthur, a young, bearded man enters the pub and offers to buy drinks for everyone, paying for them with a gold nugget he says he dug up. Joe is watching with interest.
2. Arthur’s room: Arthur is in his long Johns shaving off his beard. Australian friends: Are they called long johns in Australia?
3. Scene of the crime: Arthur gets out of his car in a wooded area at night. Never a good idea. I still haven’t adjusted to the Australian cars and wonder why he’s getting out on the passenger side. Arthur hears a noise, is attacked, lantern falls. End scene. End Arthur.
4. Scene of the crime the next morning: Danny is questioning Jan Vennick, who apparently was out shooting and discovered the body. Not sure how he found a body down a mine shaft. Matthew is down the mine shaft with the body, and Lucien goes down to join him. There are posts on Tumblr showing Lucien going down and then later up the ladder. These shots are posted so that various body parts and muscles can be admired. I, of course, am interested in the more intellectual aspects of the episode. However, I do have screen shots for those interested. J That aside, Lucien appears hesitant to go down the ladder, but he does, grunting and breathing heavily. He tells Matthew that the dead man is Arthur. Matthew notices that Lucien’s hand is shaking and asks if he’s alright. Lucien says he’s fine. Lucien examines the body, noticing that he’s wearing Bay Rum aftershave, which according to online ads makes one smell like a real man and is making a comeback. Lucien asks Matthew if they can discuss the murder somewhere else. Matthew ignores Lucien’s obvious distress and continues talking. Lucien says he has to get out of there.
5. Out of the mineshaft: Lucien’s hands are shaking, and he’s visibly upset. However, even in that state, he notices a clue – motorcycle tracks made after Arthur’s car arrived on the scene. Focusing on work is a way Lucien escapes reality. I think of that 10-year old packed off to boarding school and wonder if burying himself in school work was a coping mechanism for him and a way to deal with grief. Perhaps that’s why he takes such pride in his intellect and tends to escape into his work. We see this in the last episodes of series three when he’s avoiding the issue of Jean’s move to Adelaide.
6. Home of Margaret and Eric Reid: Margaret asks Lucien not to mention her tests in front of Eric. He tells her that her tests came out fine and there’s no reason she shouldn’t be able to conceive a child. If there is a physiological problem, it isn’t hers. He assumes Margaret knows that Arthur is dead. How does Lucien know Arthur was the Reid’s boarder? Matthew and Danny arrive. Margaret is visibly shaken when told of Arthur’s death. The police go to look at Arthur’s room and Matthew tells Lucien to leave. Lucien instead peaks into Arthur’s room. Matthew yells at him, and he leaves. Eric Reid says he was at the Club the night before.
7. Blake’s kitchen: Jean and Mattie are admiring Mattie’s friend Eadie’s engagement ring. Jean gives Eadie a necklace for the something borrowed. What did Jean have for her something borrowed? I can’t get that wedding out of my mind. Lucien tells Jean the victim was a gold prospector, Arthur Pike. All talking stops as Eadie listens. There’s also a discussion about Eadie’s plans to quit working after she’s married. Jean says some women are more than happy to be wives and mothers. Any speculation on what Jean will be doing with her time in season 6?
8. Blake’s Surgery: Nell Clasby asks Lucien if he’s going to the reception. She says he might have something in common with the Consul. Lucien doubts it. Nell notices Lucien’s hands are shaking, and he deflects by saying he gets nervous in her presence. She brushes off his vest and straightens his shirt collar and tie. Lucien looks at her like a little boy. Such a tender scene. We can’t help but think of the little boy who missed out on his mother’s care. This woman is the closest thing to her.
9. Blake’s Kitchen: Jean looks over at Lucien leaning with his hands on the sink. She asks with concern if he’s alright. He says yes, right as rain. Eadie’s fiancée Russ arrives, and they leave.
10. Morgue: Gus and Lucien agree that Arthur was hit with a pipe, but he hit his head when falling into the mineshaft and that’s what killed him. Arthur also has burn marks on his arms of unknown origin. Gus speculates that Arthur was tortured. Lucien says what self-respecting torturer would focus on the forearms and leave the genitals untouched. He tells Gus that at one time he knew a whole squad of torturers. This episode seems to have the most mention of Lucien’s time in a POW camp. Any episodes after this that focus on the camp? The only one I remember is the discussion with Mei Lan in ep. 4.8 about how, in the camp, Derek broke, and Lucien saved his life. Gus and Lucien also notice atrophy in the leg and a scar on the ankle.
11. Station: Danny tells Lucien that someone broke into Arthur’s flat after he died, that Arthur’s driver’s license was hidden in a book, and that the rego for the car was in transit. Lucien doesn’t believe Arthur was a prospector – his hands were as soft as a baby’s butt – he never lifted a shovel in his life.
12. Scene of the Crime: Jan confronts Lucien and pulls out his rifle. Lucien leaves. Has he come to his senses? No, see #30.
13. Blake’s: Mattie is dancing. Danny offers to help her practice for the Consul’s reception. Mattie’s not sure the Consul appreciates barn dancing. Sometimes, she can be such a snob. I think these kinds of interactions are a tribute to the writers. These characters are human and sometimes flawed. I did notice that Danny is a much better dancer at the wedding.
14. Pub: Lucien borrowd the nugget Arthur left at the pub. Brian mentions blow-ins. For the American fans, blow-ins are apparently unwanted strangers – something the wind blew in?
15. Joe’s Gold Shop: Lucien asks Joe to examine the nugget. Joe asks Lucien again about the speech, saying he has a fear of public speaking. Lucien says he does, too. As he leaves the shop, Lucien sees Eric Reid parked across the street watching him. I don’t think this is ever explained. Anyone notice if this is explained?
16. Hospital: Mattie tells Lucien she thinks the scar is from tendon transfer surgery performed on polio patients. That would also fit with the muscle atrophy. This is basically a diversion. Lucien does go to Melbourne to examine the patient records, but it yields no information.
17. Blake’s: Lucien looks out the window and sees Eadie and Russ pull up on a motorcycle. Russ has a splinter, and the story that he tells Lucien of where and when he got it doesn’t jive with what Lucien knows. Lucien goes out and asks Jean to prepare a penicillin shot and call the police. He also says to Eadie – you work in the Land Titles office, don’t you? (Same friend of Mattie’s from Ep. 1.5? Must be.) Eadie looked up the information on the mine, and Russ went there the night of the murder. Lucien goes back into the surgery, stabs Russ in the butt with the needle and tells him the police are on the way and he should call a solicitor. Ok, by the end of season 5, we’ll have seen two naked butts, neither of which we’re interested in. Just saying.
18. Later at Blake’s: Lucien is smoking and listening to music on the radio. An interview with Richard Lambert, the new British Consul, comes on the radio. Lucien has a bottle of whiskey in his hand. Lucien opens the chest of pain open and reads a letter. We know this is not going to end well. The last time we see the chest of pain is in the telemovie when he takes out the pocket watch his father gave him. Hopefully, the chest of pain is not moving into the newly refurbished studio.
19. The Club: Lucien comes up the stairs with his collar open and askew. He looks at the sign-in register. Eric Reid confronts him about the test results. Lucien accuses Eric of being a liar because he was not at the Club the night of the murder. The British consul walks up the stairs and Lucien says hoorah for Singapore. Oh, God.
20. The Club’s Reception Room: Joe is making an awkward introduction. Matthew is sitting next to the Consul. Surprising, I wasn’t even sure Matthew was a member. But, I guess they have to seat him there because of what ensues. Lucien takes the mike and proceeds to call the Consul Dick. The Consul is not amused. Lucien then talks about famine, neglect, and revenge killing by the Poms in Singapore. (I run to Google. According to the Urban Dictionary, Poms stands for prisoner of mother England or pomegranate – a reddish fruit that native Australians thought had a similar color to the skin of the sunburnt Brits.) Lucien goes on to say the Brits abandoned the soldiers in Singapore to die when the Japs attacked. He then mentions other areas of contention: the Suez, the Somme, and Gallipoli. Consul says it’s about time you left. Lucien says no you’re the ones who leave. I lost my wife and child in Singapore when your lot buggered off. The Consul replies your lot were cowards. Lucien takes a swing at him, misses, and hits Matthew. Just as well. He probably would have been in a lot more trouble if he’d hit the Consul.
21. Blake’s: Jean, Danny, and Matthew return. Jean, by the way, has that hat on. (Ref. ep. 1.5 Hindsight List #26) I guess she thinks it’s her special occasion hat. They all say good night. Folks, this is the problem I mentioned in the list for ep. 1.8 Where is he going? He’s not in uniform, so he’s not going to work. Where the hell does this guy live? If not at Blake’s, why is he always there?
22. Jail: Lucien is pacing, and Russ is in the next cell. Russ says he went to the mine the night of the murder to see if he could find gold to pay for his honeymoon. Russ asks Lucien what’s wrong with him. Lucien says he’s a bit anxious because a few years ago he was put in a small space for forty days for stealing a can of pineapple. He asks Russ to talk as a diversion. Russ babbles on and sings “The Wild One.” Lucien finally lies down on the cot and puts his jacket over his head. Side note: ‘The Wild One” is considered the birth of Australian rock ‘n roll and is also heard in ep. 1.1.
23. Police Station the next morning: Homicide detectives arrive to pick up Russ and insult Matthew in the process, speaking condescendingly and asking him to get tea for them. They’ll regret that.
24. Jail: Matthew talks to Lucien. Says he didn’t know Lucien’s middle name is Radcliffe. I tear up. “I, Lucien Radcliffe Blake, take thee Jean Mary Beazley….” I may have to re-watch the telemovie before I finish this list. Lucien apologizes to Matthew and tells him he really should look into Eric Reid because he didn’t sign in at the Club on the night of the murder. Matthew tells him that Arthur Pike was not the bloke’s real name. Matthew says that given Lucien’s arrest, he’s required to sack him. Lucien says he’d rather Matthew didn’t, and Matthew doesn’t, at least not until ep. 5.8 when Lucien gives him no choice.
25. Outside the station: Jean arrives to pick up Lucien. Lucien’s hair is a little messy, and I like that. Jean is angry. She believes Lucien thinks he is the only one who matters, and everyone in that room lost somebody. She says Lucien insulted everyone.
26. Station: Eric Reid arrives for questioning. The detectives go to question Russ. Matthew grins. Hmm…what does he have in mind?
27. Blake House: Jean answers the door to Joe. He wants an apology from Lucien and for Jean to tell Lucien he’s an arrogant fool. Jean agrees to tell Lucien about the former, but not the latter. Joe says you know what people say about the two of you? Is this the first mention of gossip about Lucien and Jean? I know the murderer in ep. 1.1 made a snide remark about his housekeeper. There’s also a mention of gossip by Jack in season 2 and a whole episode on gossip in series 5.
28. Blake’s later in the day: Margaret arrives and says she agrees with everything Lucien said at the reception. She also thinks that she is pregnant and that the baby is Arthur’s, who is really John Strickland. Arthur/John was overjoyed about the baby, and she was going to leave Eric. Good judgment in leaving Eric. He’s obnoxious and not even good looking. However, she admits she knows little about John. She also tells Lucien she saw the gold.
29. Pub: Lucien meets Matthew and tells him Arthur’s real name. Matthew tells Lucien that Eric is off the hook. He is having an affair and was with his lover the night of the murder. Lucien says “happy family.” We hear this expression at least one more time in ep. 2.9. Lucien tells Matthew that Margaret saw the gold.
30. Scene of the Crime: When Lucien goes to investigate the area past the mine, Jan is there with a rifle. Lucien uses one of his favorite investigative techniques—when you are alone and unarmed, confront a man with a lethal weapon. He usually gets away with this, well, except for that unfortunate incident in ep. 5.5. Lucien tells Jan that he must have been angry that Arthur, now John, found gold on Jan’s old claim. Lucien walks away and Jan fires a shot at the ground next to Lucien. Lucien tells Jan that he has a decision to make: You either shoot me in the back or you get the hell out of here right now. Jan leaves.
31. Blake’s Surgery: When Lucien tells Jean that Jan took a shot at him, she says people are probably lining up for the chance. He asks her what she would do if she were leaving town with her adulterous lover. She immediately comes up with a plan. Has she thought about this? The last thing she lists is packing the car. Lucien gets his thoughtful face on. You know the one.
32. Police Station: Matthew tells Lucien that John Strickland was interviewed about a £20,000 gold theft two years ago. Nothing was found. Danny finds the gold in the car. (Thank you, Jean.) The ingots are stamped, and Lucien speculates that stamping the ingots is how
John/Arthur got the burn marks on his arms. Lucien mentions a car at the mineshaft and Matthew says Jan doesn’t have a car. Hmm…whose car is it?
33. Blake’s: Jean is folding laundry. She mentions that Joe dropped in and Lucien and Joe have something in common – they both inherited the family business. She then proceeds to tell him that Joe’s family was gold merchants in Melbourne, but the business was robbed and they lost everything. Lucien: it’s his car; he’s still looking for the gold! As I re-watch these episodes, I’m becoming convinced that Jean solves most of the crimes with her knowledge of gardening and town gossip and she does it while she’s doing other things: cooking, knitting, folding laundry. What will happen in season 6 now that one of her sources – the church – has dried up? She’ll have to find another group.
34. Scene of the Crime: Lucien now knows that Joe killed Arthur/John. He sees Joe’s car and knows that Joe is down the mine shaft. Lucien calls for help and waits for backup to arrive. Oh, no, wait, that’s a rational person who doesn’t have a death wish. Lucien descends into the mine shaft. He rescues Joe, who has been injured by a cave-in.
35. Police Station: Matthew gets his revenge. He tells the detectives they had the wrong man and gives them Joe’s confession. Strickland told people he struck gold to explain away the theft.
36. Blake’s: Lucien helps Margaret by apologizing to Eric about the Consul’s reception. Eric thinks the Brits have always done the right thing by them. Lucien also tells him that the lab made a mistake, and there’s no reason he and Margaret can’t have children. Poor Margaret. Looks like she’s saddled with this guy, at least until the next boarder arrives. Lucien sits with Jean in the surgery and apologizes for insulting her. He acknowledges that he knows he’s not the only one who lost someone. So, the episode ends with Lucien apologizing to two people, Although some in his life may think he’s arrogant, he shows that he’s not above swallowing his pride to help someone in a difficult situation or to acknowledge someone else’s pain. The scene also highlights Lucien and Jean’s common loss.
I think this episode talks about Lucien’s PTSD and the effects of Lucien’s war experience more than any other. We see his anxiety going down into the mine, his hands shaking with Nell, the reference at the morgue to torture, and the near panic in the jail cell. At the Consul’s reception, we also see Lucien’s anger at the abandonment of the soldiers and his grief over his missing wife and daughter. And, of course, there’s his excessive drinking, leading to the debacle at the Consul’s reception. In ep. 5.4, he tells a grieving father that because of the loss of his family, he volunteered for dangerous missions and tried to drink himself to death. I wonder if also this explains some of Lucien’s reckless behavior – it’s become almost instinctive for him.
Kudos to the casting department: As I watched Eric Reid and saw how well the actor embodied that character, it struck me that we see that in every episode of TDBM. The folks who do the casting do a superb job at finding the right actors for guest roles every week.
1. The Pub: Unusually, Lucien is in the opening shot. Lucien and Danny are playing darts when Joe comes in. Joe throws off “Dr. Dart’s” game by asking him if he’s given any thought to giving a speech the next night. The speech is at the Club, and it’s to introduce the new British Consul. The Consul also served on the Malay Peninsula. No surprise, Lucien would rather have malaria than give the speech. We know this is not going to end well. Arthur, a young, bearded man enters the pub and offers to buy drinks for everyone, paying for them with a gold nugget he says he dug up. Joe is watching with interest.
2. Arthur’s room: Arthur is in his long Johns shaving off his beard. Australian friends: Are they called long johns in Australia?
3. Scene of the crime: Arthur gets out of his car in a wooded area at night. Never a good idea. I still haven’t adjusted to the Australian cars and wonder why he’s getting out on the passenger side. Arthur hears a noise, is attacked, lantern falls. End scene. End Arthur.
4. Scene of the crime the next morning: Danny is questioning Jan Vennick, who apparently was out shooting and discovered the body. Not sure how he found a body down a mine shaft. Matthew is down the mine shaft with the body, and Lucien goes down to join him. There are posts on Tumblr showing Lucien going down and then later up the ladder. These shots are posted so that various body parts and muscles can be admired. I, of course, am interested in the more intellectual aspects of the episode. However, I do have screen shots for those interested. J That aside, Lucien appears hesitant to go down the ladder, but he does, grunting and breathing heavily. He tells Matthew that the dead man is Arthur. Matthew notices that Lucien’s hand is shaking and asks if he’s alright. Lucien says he’s fine. Lucien examines the body, noticing that he’s wearing Bay Rum aftershave, which according to online ads makes one smell like a real man and is making a comeback. Lucien asks Matthew if they can discuss the murder somewhere else. Matthew ignores Lucien’s obvious distress and continues talking. Lucien says he has to get out of there.
5. Out of the mineshaft: Lucien’s hands are shaking, and he’s visibly upset. However, even in that state, he notices a clue – motorcycle tracks made after Arthur’s car arrived on the scene. Focusing on work is a way Lucien escapes reality. I think of that 10-year old packed off to boarding school and wonder if burying himself in school work was a coping mechanism for him and a way to deal with grief. Perhaps that’s why he takes such pride in his intellect and tends to escape into his work. We see this in the last episodes of series three when he’s avoiding the issue of Jean’s move to Adelaide.
6. Home of Margaret and Eric Reid: Margaret asks Lucien not to mention her tests in front of Eric. He tells her that her tests came out fine and there’s no reason she shouldn’t be able to conceive a child. If there is a physiological problem, it isn’t hers. He assumes Margaret knows that Arthur is dead. How does Lucien know Arthur was the Reid’s boarder? Matthew and Danny arrive. Margaret is visibly shaken when told of Arthur’s death. The police go to look at Arthur’s room and Matthew tells Lucien to leave. Lucien instead peaks into Arthur’s room. Matthew yells at him, and he leaves. Eric Reid says he was at the Club the night before.
7. Blake’s kitchen: Jean and Mattie are admiring Mattie’s friend Eadie’s engagement ring. Jean gives Eadie a necklace for the something borrowed. What did Jean have for her something borrowed? I can’t get that wedding out of my mind. Lucien tells Jean the victim was a gold prospector, Arthur Pike. All talking stops as Eadie listens. There’s also a discussion about Eadie’s plans to quit working after she’s married. Jean says some women are more than happy to be wives and mothers. Any speculation on what Jean will be doing with her time in season 6?
8. Blake’s Surgery: Nell Clasby asks Lucien if he’s going to the reception. She says he might have something in common with the Consul. Lucien doubts it. Nell notices Lucien’s hands are shaking, and he deflects by saying he gets nervous in her presence. She brushes off his vest and straightens his shirt collar and tie. Lucien looks at her like a little boy. Such a tender scene. We can’t help but think of the little boy who missed out on his mother’s care. This woman is the closest thing to her.
9. Blake’s Kitchen: Jean looks over at Lucien leaning with his hands on the sink. She asks with concern if he’s alright. He says yes, right as rain. Eadie’s fiancée Russ arrives, and they leave.
10. Morgue: Gus and Lucien agree that Arthur was hit with a pipe, but he hit his head when falling into the mineshaft and that’s what killed him. Arthur also has burn marks on his arms of unknown origin. Gus speculates that Arthur was tortured. Lucien says what self-respecting torturer would focus on the forearms and leave the genitals untouched. He tells Gus that at one time he knew a whole squad of torturers. This episode seems to have the most mention of Lucien’s time in a POW camp. Any episodes after this that focus on the camp? The only one I remember is the discussion with Mei Lan in ep. 4.8 about how, in the camp, Derek broke, and Lucien saved his life. Gus and Lucien also notice atrophy in the leg and a scar on the ankle.
11. Station: Danny tells Lucien that someone broke into Arthur’s flat after he died, that Arthur’s driver’s license was hidden in a book, and that the rego for the car was in transit. Lucien doesn’t believe Arthur was a prospector – his hands were as soft as a baby’s butt – he never lifted a shovel in his life.
12. Scene of the Crime: Jan confronts Lucien and pulls out his rifle. Lucien leaves. Has he come to his senses? No, see #30.
13. Blake’s: Mattie is dancing. Danny offers to help her practice for the Consul’s reception. Mattie’s not sure the Consul appreciates barn dancing. Sometimes, she can be such a snob. I think these kinds of interactions are a tribute to the writers. These characters are human and sometimes flawed. I did notice that Danny is a much better dancer at the wedding.
14. Pub: Lucien borrowd the nugget Arthur left at the pub. Brian mentions blow-ins. For the American fans, blow-ins are apparently unwanted strangers – something the wind blew in?
15. Joe’s Gold Shop: Lucien asks Joe to examine the nugget. Joe asks Lucien again about the speech, saying he has a fear of public speaking. Lucien says he does, too. As he leaves the shop, Lucien sees Eric Reid parked across the street watching him. I don’t think this is ever explained. Anyone notice if this is explained?
16. Hospital: Mattie tells Lucien she thinks the scar is from tendon transfer surgery performed on polio patients. That would also fit with the muscle atrophy. This is basically a diversion. Lucien does go to Melbourne to examine the patient records, but it yields no information.
17. Blake’s: Lucien looks out the window and sees Eadie and Russ pull up on a motorcycle. Russ has a splinter, and the story that he tells Lucien of where and when he got it doesn’t jive with what Lucien knows. Lucien goes out and asks Jean to prepare a penicillin shot and call the police. He also says to Eadie – you work in the Land Titles office, don’t you? (Same friend of Mattie’s from Ep. 1.5? Must be.) Eadie looked up the information on the mine, and Russ went there the night of the murder. Lucien goes back into the surgery, stabs Russ in the butt with the needle and tells him the police are on the way and he should call a solicitor. Ok, by the end of season 5, we’ll have seen two naked butts, neither of which we’re interested in. Just saying.
18. Later at Blake’s: Lucien is smoking and listening to music on the radio. An interview with Richard Lambert, the new British Consul, comes on the radio. Lucien has a bottle of whiskey in his hand. Lucien opens the chest of pain open and reads a letter. We know this is not going to end well. The last time we see the chest of pain is in the telemovie when he takes out the pocket watch his father gave him. Hopefully, the chest of pain is not moving into the newly refurbished studio.
19. The Club: Lucien comes up the stairs with his collar open and askew. He looks at the sign-in register. Eric Reid confronts him about the test results. Lucien accuses Eric of being a liar because he was not at the Club the night of the murder. The British consul walks up the stairs and Lucien says hoorah for Singapore. Oh, God.
20. The Club’s Reception Room: Joe is making an awkward introduction. Matthew is sitting next to the Consul. Surprising, I wasn’t even sure Matthew was a member. But, I guess they have to seat him there because of what ensues. Lucien takes the mike and proceeds to call the Consul Dick. The Consul is not amused. Lucien then talks about famine, neglect, and revenge killing by the Poms in Singapore. (I run to Google. According to the Urban Dictionary, Poms stands for prisoner of mother England or pomegranate – a reddish fruit that native Australians thought had a similar color to the skin of the sunburnt Brits.) Lucien goes on to say the Brits abandoned the soldiers in Singapore to die when the Japs attacked. He then mentions other areas of contention: the Suez, the Somme, and Gallipoli. Consul says it’s about time you left. Lucien says no you’re the ones who leave. I lost my wife and child in Singapore when your lot buggered off. The Consul replies your lot were cowards. Lucien takes a swing at him, misses, and hits Matthew. Just as well. He probably would have been in a lot more trouble if he’d hit the Consul.
21. Blake’s: Jean, Danny, and Matthew return. Jean, by the way, has that hat on. (Ref. ep. 1.5 Hindsight List #26) I guess she thinks it’s her special occasion hat. They all say good night. Folks, this is the problem I mentioned in the list for ep. 1.8 Where is he going? He’s not in uniform, so he’s not going to work. Where the hell does this guy live? If not at Blake’s, why is he always there?
22. Jail: Lucien is pacing, and Russ is in the next cell. Russ says he went to the mine the night of the murder to see if he could find gold to pay for his honeymoon. Russ asks Lucien what’s wrong with him. Lucien says he’s a bit anxious because a few years ago he was put in a small space for forty days for stealing a can of pineapple. He asks Russ to talk as a diversion. Russ babbles on and sings “The Wild One.” Lucien finally lies down on the cot and puts his jacket over his head. Side note: ‘The Wild One” is considered the birth of Australian rock ‘n roll and is also heard in ep. 1.1.
23. Police Station the next morning: Homicide detectives arrive to pick up Russ and insult Matthew in the process, speaking condescendingly and asking him to get tea for them. They’ll regret that.
24. Jail: Matthew talks to Lucien. Says he didn’t know Lucien’s middle name is Radcliffe. I tear up. “I, Lucien Radcliffe Blake, take thee Jean Mary Beazley….” I may have to re-watch the telemovie before I finish this list. Lucien apologizes to Matthew and tells him he really should look into Eric Reid because he didn’t sign in at the Club on the night of the murder. Matthew tells him that Arthur Pike was not the bloke’s real name. Matthew says that given Lucien’s arrest, he’s required to sack him. Lucien says he’d rather Matthew didn’t, and Matthew doesn’t, at least not until ep. 5.8 when Lucien gives him no choice.
25. Outside the station: Jean arrives to pick up Lucien. Lucien’s hair is a little messy, and I like that. Jean is angry. She believes Lucien thinks he is the only one who matters, and everyone in that room lost somebody. She says Lucien insulted everyone.
26. Station: Eric Reid arrives for questioning. The detectives go to question Russ. Matthew grins. Hmm…what does he have in mind?
27. Blake House: Jean answers the door to Joe. He wants an apology from Lucien and for Jean to tell Lucien he’s an arrogant fool. Jean agrees to tell Lucien about the former, but not the latter. Joe says you know what people say about the two of you? Is this the first mention of gossip about Lucien and Jean? I know the murderer in ep. 1.1 made a snide remark about his housekeeper. There’s also a mention of gossip by Jack in season 2 and a whole episode on gossip in series 5.
28. Blake’s later in the day: Margaret arrives and says she agrees with everything Lucien said at the reception. She also thinks that she is pregnant and that the baby is Arthur’s, who is really John Strickland. Arthur/John was overjoyed about the baby, and she was going to leave Eric. Good judgment in leaving Eric. He’s obnoxious and not even good looking. However, she admits she knows little about John. She also tells Lucien she saw the gold.
29. Pub: Lucien meets Matthew and tells him Arthur’s real name. Matthew tells Lucien that Eric is off the hook. He is having an affair and was with his lover the night of the murder. Lucien says “happy family.” We hear this expression at least one more time in ep. 2.9. Lucien tells Matthew that Margaret saw the gold.
30. Scene of the Crime: When Lucien goes to investigate the area past the mine, Jan is there with a rifle. Lucien uses one of his favorite investigative techniques—when you are alone and unarmed, confront a man with a lethal weapon. He usually gets away with this, well, except for that unfortunate incident in ep. 5.5. Lucien tells Jan that he must have been angry that Arthur, now John, found gold on Jan’s old claim. Lucien walks away and Jan fires a shot at the ground next to Lucien. Lucien tells Jan that he has a decision to make: You either shoot me in the back or you get the hell out of here right now. Jan leaves.
31. Blake’s Surgery: When Lucien tells Jean that Jan took a shot at him, she says people are probably lining up for the chance. He asks her what she would do if she were leaving town with her adulterous lover. She immediately comes up with a plan. Has she thought about this? The last thing she lists is packing the car. Lucien gets his thoughtful face on. You know the one.
32. Police Station: Matthew tells Lucien that John Strickland was interviewed about a £20,000 gold theft two years ago. Nothing was found. Danny finds the gold in the car. (Thank you, Jean.) The ingots are stamped, and Lucien speculates that stamping the ingots is how
John/Arthur got the burn marks on his arms. Lucien mentions a car at the mineshaft and Matthew says Jan doesn’t have a car. Hmm…whose car is it?
33. Blake’s: Jean is folding laundry. She mentions that Joe dropped in and Lucien and Joe have something in common – they both inherited the family business. She then proceeds to tell him that Joe’s family was gold merchants in Melbourne, but the business was robbed and they lost everything. Lucien: it’s his car; he’s still looking for the gold! As I re-watch these episodes, I’m becoming convinced that Jean solves most of the crimes with her knowledge of gardening and town gossip and she does it while she’s doing other things: cooking, knitting, folding laundry. What will happen in season 6 now that one of her sources – the church – has dried up? She’ll have to find another group.
34. Scene of the Crime: Lucien now knows that Joe killed Arthur/John. He sees Joe’s car and knows that Joe is down the mine shaft. Lucien calls for help and waits for backup to arrive. Oh, no, wait, that’s a rational person who doesn’t have a death wish. Lucien descends into the mine shaft. He rescues Joe, who has been injured by a cave-in.
35. Police Station: Matthew gets his revenge. He tells the detectives they had the wrong man and gives them Joe’s confession. Strickland told people he struck gold to explain away the theft.
36. Blake’s: Lucien helps Margaret by apologizing to Eric about the Consul’s reception. Eric thinks the Brits have always done the right thing by them. Lucien also tells him that the lab made a mistake, and there’s no reason he and Margaret can’t have children. Poor Margaret. Looks like she’s saddled with this guy, at least until the next boarder arrives. Lucien sits with Jean in the surgery and apologizes for insulting her. He acknowledges that he knows he’s not the only one who lost someone. So, the episode ends with Lucien apologizing to two people, Although some in his life may think he’s arrogant, he shows that he’s not above swallowing his pride to help someone in a difficult situation or to acknowledge someone else’s pain. The scene also highlights Lucien and Jean’s common loss.
Things I learned in Episode 1.10: Someone's Son, Someone's Daughter – Originally Broadcast Apr 5, 2013
Matthew: After viewing the lovely scene between Matthew and Lucien in the telemovie where Matthew tells him to be his best self every day for Jean, I find myself viewing their relationship through a different lens. I used to think Matthew was hard on Lucien and sometimes unfair. I remember Matthew telling Danny it wasn’t his job to save Lucien from himself. But, now in hindsight (See what I did there? :)), I see that Matthew uses a bit of tough love to try and save Lucien from his self-destructive, impulsive behavior. I think in the last scenes of this episode we see the sweet side of their relationship, as we do in ep. 4.1 when Matthew is injured, in ep. 5.3 when Matthew moves in, and in that lovely telemovie scene.
1. Hospital Staff Room: Staff is gathered in a party atmosphere awaiting the radio broadcast of the 1959 Melbourne Cup. Two points: 1. We know it’s a party atmosphere because people have drinks in hand and some are wearing party hats, some of which are made of newspapers – I made those as a kid, didn’t know adults wore them - why? 2. My new year’s resolution is not to obsess over the timeline and I refuse to take note of the date of the 1959 Melbourne Classic. (It was November 3, 1959 for those still obsessed with the timeline.) Chief Surgeon Geoffrey Nicholson says Hazel’s funding application hasn’t a hope of being approved. The race is called. I wonder if they used a tape of the actual race or they recreated it. There’s so much effort put into these period details.
2. Hospital that evening: Mattie and another nurse, find Hazel’s body hanging.
3. Crime Scene at the Hospital: Police arrive. Nicholson and Lucien butt heads. Lucien tells Nicholson off regarding postmortem etiquette. Nicholson gets back at Lucien by saying Lucien should not perform the autopsy because Lucien knew Hazel – post mortem etiquette. Matthew says Gus should do it, telling Lucien that he’s trying to reduce the number of times Lucien pisses people off. Good luck with that.
4. Blake’s: Lucien receives another letter from Singapore. Jean comes from upstairs in the pink robe of chastity and the hairnet of despair (thanks, Mari Etta for that phrase). The good news is that we’re in a countdown to the end of the hairnet sometime in series 2. Keep a look out people. I think it’s gone by ep. 2.8, but will verify as we do the hindsight lists. Jean notices that Lucien is concerned about the letter.
5. Morgue: Lucien arrives while Gus is examining the body. Lucien questions why there is no hangman’s rotor. Gus says it’s because it was only a 3-foot drop. Lucien notices puncture wounds and asks for a toxicology report. Gus announces he’s moving to Melbourne. Lucien: Why? Because I asked for a toxicology report? Nope. Gus has been offered a job at Royal Melbourne hospital. (Yay! We’ll have Alice in ep. 2.3.) Lucien notices that there is a saliva trail going from her mouth around her neck - not down her chin, which means she was horizontal when she died. She died before she was hanged. Of course, otherwise the episode would be over in 11:58 mins.
6. Police Station: Lucien tells Matthew that Hazel was murdered and she had puncture marks on her legs. Matthew tells Lucien to leave his personal feelings out of the investigation. Lucien agrees, oh, no, this is Lucien. He says he’ll find proof that Nicholson was involved and leaves. Lucien doesn’t have a good track record when he prejudges. Mattie tells Matthew and Danny that Hazel and Carol were having a disagreement and that Hazel said that Nicholson wouldn’t give her any peace in her lifetime. Mattie says the knot wasn’t tied as a surgeon, like Hazel, would have knotted it.
7. Carol’s Room: Danny searches the room and finds Hazel’s record book.
8. Police Station: Carol tells Matthew and Danny she doesn’t know how the record book got in her room. Oh, please. She claims she’s not holding a grudge, and that that the argument with Hazel on the night she died was about treating patients. Danny reads from his notes “you’ll pay for what you have done.” She still maintains she didn’t take the book. This reminds me of ep. 5.2 when Jean tells Rose she’s going downstairs to look for her knitting. (Is that what the kids are calling it these days?) Carol’s a terrible liar, but is she a murderer?
9. Hospital Scene of the Crime: While trying to re-create the crime scene using a sack of potatoes, Lucien and Mattie manage to get Danny to leave them alone with Nicholson’s file. Sigh. Why do they enable him?
10. Hospital Corridor: Lucien runs into Nicholson, and Lucien agrees to go to the board meeting. They get into an argument about Hazel. Lucien questions Nicholson about his whereabouts. Lucien brings up a Mrs. Ferguson who died on Nicholson’s watch and left him her estate, a fact gleaned from the purloined file. Lucien leaves. Patrick arrives agrees to get Lucien off Nicholson’s back
11. Blake’s: Lucien is continuing his experiment regarding Hazel’s hanging and asks Jean to get up on a step stool. Lucien has to add a few more pounds to the calculation after Jean weighs herself. Jean is not pleased about that and she doesn’t want to jump onto the scale. I don’t blame her. Jumping from three feet onto a home scale while wearing heels just doesn’t seem like a good idea. I fear worker’s comp and Lucien helping Jean around on crutches, apologizing profusely. The doorbell rings. Jean is saved. Joy enters.
12. Police station: Carol tries out another story, but finally admits she stole the book to help Nancy who was worried about passing. Matthew questions Nancy about burns on her hands.
13. Blake’s Office: Joy tells Lucien that Patrick asked her to write a profile of Lucien, apparently part of Patrick’s plan to get rid of Lucien. Lucien tries to get her to write about Nicholson. This is going to turn about as well as the article on the migrant factory workers in ep 1.6. He mentions Mrs. Ferguson. Joy says Nicholson murdering Hazel is a long bow to draw. Can’t argue with that. She’s right, but Lucien is obsessed. Lucien says he may have to bring Nicholson to trial in front of a room full of hospital board members. Oh, God. Public humiliation two episodes in a row. Jean interrupts and says Matthew wants him to look at Nancy’s burn marks. Jean gives Joy a, shall we say, disapproving look.
14. Hospital: Lucien looks at Nancy’s burn marks and realizes Nancy is harming herself. Apparently, self-harm is almost as common in Ballarat as murder. Lucien is going to arrange for someone to see her. Physician, heal thyself!
15. Police Station: Gus arrives and tells Matthew and Lucien that Hazel had morphine in her system. Lucien says the only people with access to morphine are senior medical staff, like Nicholson.
16. Hospital: Joy pulls up and calls out to Lucien. He doesn’t hear her and rushes into the board meeting. Daughter does not understand why Joy didn’t call to him again in the corridor, which I think is progress. She’s adjusted to 1959 and didn’t ask why Joy didn’t text him. Patrick is at the door when Joy gets there and closes the door in her face. Patrick is apparently the chair of the hospital board. What will Ballarat do without him in series 6? Seriously, will there be someone else running the newspaper – maybe Susan and the slimy lawyer? (Did anyone else notice how she glanced up at him during the funerals?) Will the shoe factory and electrics store go out of business? Or, are all the Tynemans gone till the spawn of Satan grows up? I hope they name the baby Damien, Lucien re-proposes Hazel’s project. Lucien is a man of principal and likes to tilt at windmills. Won’t he be fun in the mid-60s? I’m betting on an arrest at a protest. What do you think? Lucien confronts Nicholson about Mrs. Ferguson leaving him money. Turns out it was Nicholson’s birth mother. Patrick tells Lucien to get out. Lucien resigns in embarrassment. Lucien realizes that Nicholson and Patrick conspired to keep information from him.
17. Hospital Corridor: Joy tells Lucien she has a colleague based in Kuantan following the Malay emergency. (Australia was involved in this from 1950-1960.) He might be able to help locate Mei Lin and Li. She’s going to see what she can do.
18. Police Station: Carol makes a statement to Danny, trying out another alibi for the time of the murder. Patrick arrives and demands Matthew sack Lucien or he’ll go over Matthew’s head. We know from ep. 2.1 that Patrick holidays in Sorrento with the police commissioner. This will actually work to Lucien’s advantage in the telemovie. Do you think they have stock footage of Patrick demanding Lucien’s resignation?
19. Blake’s Office: Lucien tells Jean what he did. Jean gets angry, cries, and says your patients need you, we need you. Who does she mean by “we”? Hmm… One day, people might stop forgiving you. No, you won’t because well…blue eyes, muscles, and “he is very kind despite what he’s been through.” (Points on the obsessive scale if you know what episode that quote is from and who said it.) Jean leaves. Lucien opens the letter. It says his wife is dead, and he believes this until that knock on the door in ep 4.3. Matthew arrives and says he’s there to fire Lucien at the behest of Patrick. They talk over whiskey. Matthew rehires him saying “you get it right more often than you get it wrong… Truth is I can’t do without you.” Very sweet of Matthew to help Lucien save face. Matthew offers to handle Patrick.
20. Blake’s Kitchen: Mattie and Lucien discuss that Hazel didn’t behave like she was on morphine. Lucien says he’s never questioned an autopsy report.
21. Hospital: Blake searches morphine prescriptions. One is made out to Giovanni Morgagni, whom we later find out is a famous Italian pathologist. Hmm…who’s a pathologist n this episode?
22. Morgue: Lucien tests Hazel’s blood. It’s a different type than the blood in which Gus found the morphine. Lucien compares the signature on the prescription to Gus’s signature on the autopsy report. The lights go off. Lucien confronts Gus who is there to inject him with potassium chloride, same way he killed Hazel. Lucien extends his arm for Gus to give him a shot and taunts Gus. This is an interesting variation on the risky behavior we see from Lucien in ep., well every episode. Usually, the murderer is holding a gun or knife. Matthew and Danny arrive in the nick of time.
23. Blake’s Driveway: Lucien pulls up as a telegram is being delivered. A man named John Wright from Reuter’s news desk has located Lucien’s daughter. Is this Joy’s doing? It’s never mentioned, but one would think so. If so, she’s managed to do in less than two days what Mr. Kim couldn’t manage in years. BTW, telegrams being delivered on a bike have to be explained to an American teenager.
24. Blake’s Driveway: Lucien leaves in a taxi. Jean returns. Where was she? Does she have a secret lover? If so, she packed light. She only had a handbag but then again this was only one night and we know she can go away for four months with one suitcase. Reminds me of Grace Kelly with her Mark Cross handbag in Rear Window. Does Jean have a nightie and a tooth brush in that handbag? Jean finds a letter from Lucien in his office
“Dear Jean,
I have received word that my daughter is alive and arrangements have been made for me to meet with her in Shanghai. This is the journey I have longed to make for so many years. You of all people will understand how much I need to see her, to hold her, to tell her I love her.”
25. Blake’s: Jean greets Matthew at the door wearing the brooch Lucien gave her for her birthday in ep. 1.3. I love these subtle notes that the writers put in. It’s like the small, wooden horse on Lucien’s desk in the Mortal Coil episode. I think the brooch says a lot about Jean’s feelings after reading Lucien’s letter. They join Mattie and Danny in the kitchen. Lucien called Matthew at the station. He’s on his way to Shanghai. He wants to take some leave from work. Matthew gives Jane a parcel and says Lucien wants her to open it. It’s a new brass plaque for the driveway entrance. It replaces his father’s name with Lucien’s. While Danny is mounting it, Lucien’s voice is heard:
“Who knows what will happen or how it will end, but please know this, I’m coming back to Ballarat, to my father’s house. I have found a place of light in the darkness. I have found my home .Thank you for caring and for being my friend. For the first time in a very long time, this feels like the beginning and not the end.
Yours with much affection,
Lucien"
We can see the emotions on Jean’s face as she reads the letter and watches Danny install the plaque. The fact that Lucien has the plaque changed is tangible confirmation of what he tells her in the letter, “I have found my home.” It mirrors what happens at the end of series 2 when he tells Jean that this is your home. And, what must it have meant to her for Lucien to express his gratitude for her friendship. And, oh, that signature line….A perfect letter from our perfect TDBM creative team.
1. Hospital Staff Room: Staff is gathered in a party atmosphere awaiting the radio broadcast of the 1959 Melbourne Cup. Two points: 1. We know it’s a party atmosphere because people have drinks in hand and some are wearing party hats, some of which are made of newspapers – I made those as a kid, didn’t know adults wore them - why? 2. My new year’s resolution is not to obsess over the timeline and I refuse to take note of the date of the 1959 Melbourne Classic. (It was November 3, 1959 for those still obsessed with the timeline.) Chief Surgeon Geoffrey Nicholson says Hazel’s funding application hasn’t a hope of being approved. The race is called. I wonder if they used a tape of the actual race or they recreated it. There’s so much effort put into these period details.
2. Hospital that evening: Mattie and another nurse, find Hazel’s body hanging.
3. Crime Scene at the Hospital: Police arrive. Nicholson and Lucien butt heads. Lucien tells Nicholson off regarding postmortem etiquette. Nicholson gets back at Lucien by saying Lucien should not perform the autopsy because Lucien knew Hazel – post mortem etiquette. Matthew says Gus should do it, telling Lucien that he’s trying to reduce the number of times Lucien pisses people off. Good luck with that.
4. Blake’s: Lucien receives another letter from Singapore. Jean comes from upstairs in the pink robe of chastity and the hairnet of despair (thanks, Mari Etta for that phrase). The good news is that we’re in a countdown to the end of the hairnet sometime in series 2. Keep a look out people. I think it’s gone by ep. 2.8, but will verify as we do the hindsight lists. Jean notices that Lucien is concerned about the letter.
5. Morgue: Lucien arrives while Gus is examining the body. Lucien questions why there is no hangman’s rotor. Gus says it’s because it was only a 3-foot drop. Lucien notices puncture wounds and asks for a toxicology report. Gus announces he’s moving to Melbourne. Lucien: Why? Because I asked for a toxicology report? Nope. Gus has been offered a job at Royal Melbourne hospital. (Yay! We’ll have Alice in ep. 2.3.) Lucien notices that there is a saliva trail going from her mouth around her neck - not down her chin, which means she was horizontal when she died. She died before she was hanged. Of course, otherwise the episode would be over in 11:58 mins.
6. Police Station: Lucien tells Matthew that Hazel was murdered and she had puncture marks on her legs. Matthew tells Lucien to leave his personal feelings out of the investigation. Lucien agrees, oh, no, this is Lucien. He says he’ll find proof that Nicholson was involved and leaves. Lucien doesn’t have a good track record when he prejudges. Mattie tells Matthew and Danny that Hazel and Carol were having a disagreement and that Hazel said that Nicholson wouldn’t give her any peace in her lifetime. Mattie says the knot wasn’t tied as a surgeon, like Hazel, would have knotted it.
7. Carol’s Room: Danny searches the room and finds Hazel’s record book.
8. Police Station: Carol tells Matthew and Danny she doesn’t know how the record book got in her room. Oh, please. She claims she’s not holding a grudge, and that that the argument with Hazel on the night she died was about treating patients. Danny reads from his notes “you’ll pay for what you have done.” She still maintains she didn’t take the book. This reminds me of ep. 5.2 when Jean tells Rose she’s going downstairs to look for her knitting. (Is that what the kids are calling it these days?) Carol’s a terrible liar, but is she a murderer?
9. Hospital Scene of the Crime: While trying to re-create the crime scene using a sack of potatoes, Lucien and Mattie manage to get Danny to leave them alone with Nicholson’s file. Sigh. Why do they enable him?
10. Hospital Corridor: Lucien runs into Nicholson, and Lucien agrees to go to the board meeting. They get into an argument about Hazel. Lucien questions Nicholson about his whereabouts. Lucien brings up a Mrs. Ferguson who died on Nicholson’s watch and left him her estate, a fact gleaned from the purloined file. Lucien leaves. Patrick arrives agrees to get Lucien off Nicholson’s back
11. Blake’s: Lucien is continuing his experiment regarding Hazel’s hanging and asks Jean to get up on a step stool. Lucien has to add a few more pounds to the calculation after Jean weighs herself. Jean is not pleased about that and she doesn’t want to jump onto the scale. I don’t blame her. Jumping from three feet onto a home scale while wearing heels just doesn’t seem like a good idea. I fear worker’s comp and Lucien helping Jean around on crutches, apologizing profusely. The doorbell rings. Jean is saved. Joy enters.
12. Police station: Carol tries out another story, but finally admits she stole the book to help Nancy who was worried about passing. Matthew questions Nancy about burns on her hands.
13. Blake’s Office: Joy tells Lucien that Patrick asked her to write a profile of Lucien, apparently part of Patrick’s plan to get rid of Lucien. Lucien tries to get her to write about Nicholson. This is going to turn about as well as the article on the migrant factory workers in ep 1.6. He mentions Mrs. Ferguson. Joy says Nicholson murdering Hazel is a long bow to draw. Can’t argue with that. She’s right, but Lucien is obsessed. Lucien says he may have to bring Nicholson to trial in front of a room full of hospital board members. Oh, God. Public humiliation two episodes in a row. Jean interrupts and says Matthew wants him to look at Nancy’s burn marks. Jean gives Joy a, shall we say, disapproving look.
14. Hospital: Lucien looks at Nancy’s burn marks and realizes Nancy is harming herself. Apparently, self-harm is almost as common in Ballarat as murder. Lucien is going to arrange for someone to see her. Physician, heal thyself!
15. Police Station: Gus arrives and tells Matthew and Lucien that Hazel had morphine in her system. Lucien says the only people with access to morphine are senior medical staff, like Nicholson.
16. Hospital: Joy pulls up and calls out to Lucien. He doesn’t hear her and rushes into the board meeting. Daughter does not understand why Joy didn’t call to him again in the corridor, which I think is progress. She’s adjusted to 1959 and didn’t ask why Joy didn’t text him. Patrick is at the door when Joy gets there and closes the door in her face. Patrick is apparently the chair of the hospital board. What will Ballarat do without him in series 6? Seriously, will there be someone else running the newspaper – maybe Susan and the slimy lawyer? (Did anyone else notice how she glanced up at him during the funerals?) Will the shoe factory and electrics store go out of business? Or, are all the Tynemans gone till the spawn of Satan grows up? I hope they name the baby Damien, Lucien re-proposes Hazel’s project. Lucien is a man of principal and likes to tilt at windmills. Won’t he be fun in the mid-60s? I’m betting on an arrest at a protest. What do you think? Lucien confronts Nicholson about Mrs. Ferguson leaving him money. Turns out it was Nicholson’s birth mother. Patrick tells Lucien to get out. Lucien resigns in embarrassment. Lucien realizes that Nicholson and Patrick conspired to keep information from him.
17. Hospital Corridor: Joy tells Lucien she has a colleague based in Kuantan following the Malay emergency. (Australia was involved in this from 1950-1960.) He might be able to help locate Mei Lin and Li. She’s going to see what she can do.
18. Police Station: Carol makes a statement to Danny, trying out another alibi for the time of the murder. Patrick arrives and demands Matthew sack Lucien or he’ll go over Matthew’s head. We know from ep. 2.1 that Patrick holidays in Sorrento with the police commissioner. This will actually work to Lucien’s advantage in the telemovie. Do you think they have stock footage of Patrick demanding Lucien’s resignation?
19. Blake’s Office: Lucien tells Jean what he did. Jean gets angry, cries, and says your patients need you, we need you. Who does she mean by “we”? Hmm… One day, people might stop forgiving you. No, you won’t because well…blue eyes, muscles, and “he is very kind despite what he’s been through.” (Points on the obsessive scale if you know what episode that quote is from and who said it.) Jean leaves. Lucien opens the letter. It says his wife is dead, and he believes this until that knock on the door in ep 4.3. Matthew arrives and says he’s there to fire Lucien at the behest of Patrick. They talk over whiskey. Matthew rehires him saying “you get it right more often than you get it wrong… Truth is I can’t do without you.” Very sweet of Matthew to help Lucien save face. Matthew offers to handle Patrick.
20. Blake’s Kitchen: Mattie and Lucien discuss that Hazel didn’t behave like she was on morphine. Lucien says he’s never questioned an autopsy report.
21. Hospital: Blake searches morphine prescriptions. One is made out to Giovanni Morgagni, whom we later find out is a famous Italian pathologist. Hmm…who’s a pathologist n this episode?
22. Morgue: Lucien tests Hazel’s blood. It’s a different type than the blood in which Gus found the morphine. Lucien compares the signature on the prescription to Gus’s signature on the autopsy report. The lights go off. Lucien confronts Gus who is there to inject him with potassium chloride, same way he killed Hazel. Lucien extends his arm for Gus to give him a shot and taunts Gus. This is an interesting variation on the risky behavior we see from Lucien in ep., well every episode. Usually, the murderer is holding a gun or knife. Matthew and Danny arrive in the nick of time.
23. Blake’s Driveway: Lucien pulls up as a telegram is being delivered. A man named John Wright from Reuter’s news desk has located Lucien’s daughter. Is this Joy’s doing? It’s never mentioned, but one would think so. If so, she’s managed to do in less than two days what Mr. Kim couldn’t manage in years. BTW, telegrams being delivered on a bike have to be explained to an American teenager.
24. Blake’s Driveway: Lucien leaves in a taxi. Jean returns. Where was she? Does she have a secret lover? If so, she packed light. She only had a handbag but then again this was only one night and we know she can go away for four months with one suitcase. Reminds me of Grace Kelly with her Mark Cross handbag in Rear Window. Does Jean have a nightie and a tooth brush in that handbag? Jean finds a letter from Lucien in his office
“Dear Jean,
I have received word that my daughter is alive and arrangements have been made for me to meet with her in Shanghai. This is the journey I have longed to make for so many years. You of all people will understand how much I need to see her, to hold her, to tell her I love her.”
25. Blake’s: Jean greets Matthew at the door wearing the brooch Lucien gave her for her birthday in ep. 1.3. I love these subtle notes that the writers put in. It’s like the small, wooden horse on Lucien’s desk in the Mortal Coil episode. I think the brooch says a lot about Jean’s feelings after reading Lucien’s letter. They join Mattie and Danny in the kitchen. Lucien called Matthew at the station. He’s on his way to Shanghai. He wants to take some leave from work. Matthew gives Jane a parcel and says Lucien wants her to open it. It’s a new brass plaque for the driveway entrance. It replaces his father’s name with Lucien’s. While Danny is mounting it, Lucien’s voice is heard:
“Who knows what will happen or how it will end, but please know this, I’m coming back to Ballarat, to my father’s house. I have found a place of light in the darkness. I have found my home .Thank you for caring and for being my friend. For the first time in a very long time, this feels like the beginning and not the end.
Yours with much affection,
Lucien"
We can see the emotions on Jean’s face as she reads the letter and watches Danny install the plaque. The fact that Lucien has the plaque changed is tangible confirmation of what he tells her in the letter, “I have found my home.” It mirrors what happens at the end of series 2 when he tells Jean that this is your home. And, what must it have meant to her for Lucien to express his gratitude for her friendship. And, oh, that signature line….A perfect letter from our perfect TDBM creative team.