16 August - 14 September 1978
2995 - 3012
The aftermath of Diane’s ordeal went on a couple of episodes longer than I’d have expected. Usually with these things, once the person is taken away that’s that, barring a perfunctory reference or two in the following episode. Following Tom Clegg being carted off,
Xrds pressed on, reviewing the situation and showing us various characters’ responses.
What’s more, from a 21st Century viewpoint, the writing around his character is almost shockingly balanced. It is quite certain that a man terrorising a woman (especially a wheel on male guest terrorising an established character) would not be permitted to be discussed in a way that is at times compassionate and concerned.
As with many series portraying some kind of “issue”, both sides of the argument are put forth. Primarily, Police Constable Steve Cater is Devil’s Advocate, his detached analysis of the situation objectifying and pathologising the criminal as one who essentially needs locking up. The compassion comes from seeing things through Diane’s eyes. She feels her would-be captor is misunderstood and deserves a fair hearing, even going so far as saying she will speak up for him in court, should it come to that, saying that he didn’t lay a finger on her. Stockholm Syndrome is never mentioned (this is 1978, after all), and one is left feeling that Diane’s comments come from a place of free will and experience.
Because Diane is the character we know best, and Steve Cater a relative stranger, one can’t help seeing things a little more from her perspective and, as stated, it’s not the view one would expect to be spoon fed.
What’s more, the offender returns to check out of the motel and has a chat with Diane apologising. Even though he tells her he’s been in this situation before with more devastating consequences (it’s heavily implied he’s a serial rapist), he ends up coming across as a rather pathetic creature. When Diane later sadly reflects that he needs help, it feels truthful and accurate.
Should this situation be presented in this same way in 21st Century television, I can’t help feeling there would be outrage about a toxic male being humanised in such a way, and cries for a more acceptable, more politically correct, more black and white presentation to be made. Me - I’ll take the
Xrds version with its messed up characters responding to a tragic situation in a way that’s incredibly human, compassionate and flawed.
With Constable Steve Cater’s arrival, crime is suddenly everywhere in
Xrds. Indeed, he spends more time at the motel than most of the regulars. So much time that it feels as though he’s the property’s private PC. From drunk and disorderlies to car thefts. And if he’s not there he’s at the flat wooing Diane. It’s certain he can have no time at all for preventing crime anywhere else.
Many of the criminal stories end up tying together and can be associated with one loveable rogue: Diane’s brother Terry Lawton. Landing to crash on her couch as an uninvited guest, he’s gone from one blag to another.
One of these came about when the long-absent Vera sent Diane a bottle of exotic perfume (called something like
Mandongle) from Acapulco where she’s now living (oh, how these continued references must have added insult to injury for poor Zeph Gladstone).
Terry wasted on time in stealing the bottle and giving it to his slutty date for a party at the motel (where else?). He then fed Jane a line about having no choice because he’d only just found out it was his date’s 18th birthday. Jane then relayed the message to Diane, trying to soften the blow by pointing out that an 18th birthday is an important time as it was her coming out. Diane’s response:
Diane said:
The only thing she was coming out of was that dress. And it’s many a year since that one saw eighteen!
This isn’t the only quip she’s let flown in recent episodes, and I’m very much enjoying this side of her character. She was similarly cutting when Terry disappeared and left her a note and a present. As he couldn’t afford to replace the perfume, he’d left a bar of soap. Diane took in the fragrance and sarcastically declared:
Diane said:
It also emerged that Terry was the one who had stolen David Hunter’s Rover 3.5, which turned up reeking of
Mandongle and takeaway curry.
Over at the farm, schemers George (an Alf Stewart lookalike) and Linda (his skanky lover) have infiltrated the place and are trying to buy their way in, much to the chagrin of Benny and Doris.
What’s working particularly well about this story is how isolated Benny, Doris and “Gaffer” Ed Lawton are. Each of them is looking at things in a very different way.
George and Linda’s bullying of Benny feels surprisingly truthful. As with a lot of bullying, it hides behind a mask of good humour and disingenuous friendliness. They’re sending mixed messages by encouraging him to do things that they know will cause him to lose face, and in those moments when they’re alone with him they cut loose a bit more, knowing that he’s too good-hearted to either recognise or acknowledge what they’re doing.
Benny and Ed in particular are now worlds apart: Benny smiles through and says he’s OK. Ed willingly believes him because it’s convenient for him to do so. Doris - the only one of the three who can see the big picture - is making protests which fall on deaf ears.
This has given Kathy Staff some winning moments. Doris’s protectiveness towards Benny has given scene of her reading Ed the riot act for not looking after Benny’s interests, and she’s even given Linda a soapy slap in the face during their confrontation. Again, I’m feeling surprisingly invested in the story and glad to be so.
Even the loyalty between George and Linda is rather ropey, as proved when George was quick to respond to Mrs Bailey’s seduction in the
Xrds foyer.
Mrs Bailey’s story is the most bizarre thing in current
Xrds, which is quite some feat. She’s had some kind of breakdown over her husband wanting to divorce her and is behaving erratically, apparently suffering from some personality disorder. First was some kind of elaborate suicide attempt where she stopped taking her insulin and hid her diabetic medical card.
Then there was a curious scene where she sat in the hotel foyer, glaring at Sandy and - without saying a word - simply flicked a metal ashtray off the table so that it went flying into the middle of the floor. Neither one of them acknowledged it and the scene simply continued as though it hadn’t happened.
She’s also been monologuing in the foyer, not least the scene where she ripped her divorce papers in two and started speaking AT Meg. She also demanded Jane order her a curious drink made of vegetables and various colours. This is even more curious when one considers her seduction of George. After taking him back to her cabin, giving him a drink, unbuttoning his shirt and kissing him, she then sent him packing. This gave her a winning line in a post credits scene. After George demanded an explanation for her outrageous behaviour she melodramatically purred in a stilted tone that suggested great meaning:
Mrs Bailey said:
I’m allergic to the smell of vegetables.
This is one of those moments where you had to be there, but it’s been quite a while since I’ve laughed this hard.
Jill's array of 70s shag cuts gave me all kinds of shits and giggles while she was working at the Salon. Her almost assassination by hood dryer caught me completely unawares, much like Jill herself. 
