Episode 2 (S01E02): Wednesday 6th September 2017

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Episode 2 (S01E02): Wednesday 6th September 2017

 * HIGH PEAK WEEK: 001
 * HIGH PEAK TITLE CARD: 1.1


 * REAL-TIME PUBLICATION: Tuesday 5th September 2017
 * EPISODE THUMBNAIL: Dan Sheldon (Tom Lister) and Helen Sheldon (Sue Johnston) arguing outside on Laburnum Grove
 * EPISODE SYNOPSIS: Molly's behaviour worries her parents. Claire trolls Alan, but why won't he stand up to her? Bad feeling escalates between Dan and Helen
 * WRITER & PRODUCER: Noxy
 * LICENSEE: Equanox Media

Plot
Josh prepares a sermon for his first service in Miller on Sunday morning as the new parish vicar, whilst wife Tess is busy preparing sons Flynn (Year 7) and Luke (Year 9) for a high school induction with deputy headteacher (and neighbour) Mindi at Barton Road Comprehensive, as Tess mistakenly calls it (it is now actually called The Mary Mackworth Academy). Tess is then flustered by a phone call from the school offering her an interview for Head of English, which she accepts, feeling by doing that and getting her sons' induction out of the way, she can kill two birds with one stone. However, both Josh and Tess fear the worst when Luke reveals that Molly left the house early this morning without telling anyone. Has she gone back to Oxford? Later, Tess's interview is successful and she lands the job. Meanwhile, Molly is out walking when Olly - complete with family dog Bella - bumps into her and recognises her. The two strike up a brief conversation, in which Molly - still grieving over the very recent loss of her labrador Arthur - takes a shine to Bella. She opens up to Olly about losing Arthur, before suddenly turning cool, handing Bella back to him and walking off. She then checks her phone - only to find several missed calls and texts from her concerned parents. When she later returns home, she mocks Josh and Tess's concern, and tells them she feels like they don't trust her, before disappearing upstairs. Josh warns Tess they are probably putting too much pressure on her, in spite of their worries, and should perhaps try giving her the benefit of the doubt. As the subject changes, Tess feels it is awkward that the family are back in Miller, but people are only finding out in dribs and drabs. To quell this, Josh suggests they all go out for a meal to The Mulberry Arms tomorrow night, where everyone can see them 'front and centre' at the same time, to which Tess agrees.

Elsewhere, Claire winds up local shopkeeper Alan Hardy about his and wife Ruth's imprisoned son, Keiran. Both head barman Pete Fairfield and Ruth urge him to stand up to Claire or report her, but Alan feels it is not that simple, due to Keiran's previous actions, which are not explained. Also, Mindi realises that Olly holds a torch for Molly, which embarrasses him. She promises not to say anything to Molly, but also encourages him to make a go of things with her. Mindi also learns from Pete that his son Stuart is keeping a low profile today, as he is worried about his daughter Casey, who has been suffering from blood cancer (leukemia) until recently, but is now on the mend. Casey has a hospital appointment in Malrith tomorrow to find out if her illness is in remission.

Meanwhile, Frank tries unsuccessfully to try and persuade Helen that selling Chalet Peaks to Dan and Debbie might be worth thinking about. Dan later calls round to discuss the issue with Frank, but does not like what he hears. Frank advises him that Helen will not listen to either him or Debbie, but she might listen to Dan. Later, Frank and Helen are coming home from an evening at The Feathers when they and Dan cross paths. As Dan wants a word with Helen, Frank leaves them to it and heads home nearby. As Dan cross examines Helen's motives and wonders why she will not even consider selling the holiday village - let alone actually do it - he accuses her of having a grudge against Debbie. Helen denies this and accuses Dan of being paranoid. However, Dan sees red and stuns Helen with a stark ultimatum.

The cliffhanger of this episode is Dan warning Helen that if he she has a problem with Debbie, then she has a problem with him. As such, Frank is still welcome at Blossom Wood cottage - but Helen is not.

Regular Cast

 * Alan Hardy (Peter Davison)
 * Bella Sheldon (dog)
 * Claire Thorne (Emily Maguire)
 * Dan Sheldon (Tom Lister)
 * Debbie Sheldon (Alex Kingston)
 * Flynn Rowland (Taye Junaid-Evans)
 * Frank Sheldon (Duncan Preston)
 * Helen Sheldon (Sue Johnston)
 * Josh Rowland (Colin Salmon)
 * Luke Rowland (Cuban Burdett)
 * Mindi Singh (Shelley Conn)
 * Molly Rowland (Georgie Henley)
 * Pete Fairfield (Frazer Hines)
 * Ruth Hardy (Paula Wilcox)
 * Tess Rowland (Sally Dexter)

Guest Cast

 * Two male school governors (no dialogue, uncredited)

Locations (in order of appearance)

 * Acacia cottage, Laburnum Grove - interior - kitchen, stairwell
 * High Tea living quarters (elder Sheldons) - interior - kitchen
 * Unknown stream/riverbank area - exterior
 * The Mary Mackworth Academy - interior - headteacher's corridor, headteacher's office
 * High Tea living quarters - interior - living room
 * The Mulberry Arms -  interior - bar area
 * Acacia - interior - living room, stairwell
 * Millbrook cottage (Hardys) - interior - hallway, kitchen
 * The Mulberry Arms -  interior - bar area
 * Laburnum Grove - exterior

Continuity Notes

 * First appearance of (in alphabetical order): Alan Hardy (Peter Davison), Bella Sheldon (dog), Pete Fairfield (Frazer Hines) and Ruth Hardy (Paula Wilcox)
 * First appearance of the High Tea living quarters, The Mary Mackworth Academy, the Mulberry Arms and Millbrook cottage
 * Tess mentions that Josh starts his new job (as parish vicar) on 'Sunday'
 * Frank listens to a local MOR radio station called Peak Gold
 * Tess mistakenly thinks the high school in Malrith is still called Barton Road Comprehensive - and refers to it as such in her first scene - but later realises it has been renamed 'The Mary Mackworth Academy', named after a (fictional) local Victorian philanthropist. Mackworth is also a Derbyshire village
 * When Tess gets the job, Ruth describes her Head of English, who would be deputy head if the school did not already have Mindi in that role
 * Flynn appears in this episode - alongside brother Luke at their high school induction - but has no dialogue
 * Frank reads a local newspaper called the High Peak Herald
 * Pete mentions to Alan that the till is a tenner down
 * First mention of High Tea waitress Bina Singh, though she is not seen
 * First mention of trainee lawyer Ash Singh, though he is not seen
 * First mention of Stuart Fairfield and Casey Fairfield. Neither is seen, though Casey's cancer is mentioned
 * First mention of the never-seen village pub, The Feathers

September 2017 Episodes
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