Episode 1 (S01E01): Monday 4th September 2017

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Episode 1 (S01E01): Monday 4th September 2017

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


 * REAL-TIME PUBLICATION: Monday 4th September 2017
 * EPISODE THUMBNAIL: Josh Rowland (Colin Salmon) and Tess Rowland (Sally Dexter) outside their new home, Acacia Cottage
 * EPISODE SYNOPSIS: A familiar family return to Miller village. Dan and Helen's business proposition proves controversial. Deepak's antics arouse Claire's suspicions
 * WRITER & PRODUCER: Noxy
 * LICENSEE: Equanox Media

Plot
The Rowland family - dad Josh, mum Tess, eldest child Molly, sons Luke and Flynn, and baby daughter Jessica, return to Miller village, seven years after they originally returned to Josh and Tess's native home, Oxford. The new cottage, Acacia, is not the one they originally lived in. The whole family are a little disoriented, but Molly in particular is distracted and aloof, worrying her parents. Later, Josh suggests they do a little shopping to get some food and drink in, but Tess is reluctant, saying she doesn't want to see anyone today as she doesn't want familiar faces asking questions; they have enough to deal with. However, before any decision is made, one of the removal men (uncredited) knocks on their door - having only just left - to present Tess with Jessica's carrycot, which was left in the van. Tess thanks him as he leaves, but is interrupted by her surprising new neighbour - old acquaintance, Mindi Singh. Tess and Mindi did not have a great relationship when Tess originally lived in the village, but both agree to put the past behind them and start afresh. As they do so, Mindi tries to get Tess to open up about why the Rowlands have unexpectedly returned to Miller to live after seven years away. Tess is reluctant to say too much, but does reveal that the beloved family dog, Arthur, passed away a month ago. This has hit the family hard, but particularly Molly, for whom Arthur was a Christmas present when she was a five-year-old. Tess then becomes emotional, the stress of recent times getting on top of her, but Mindi offers her comfort. Later, Tess implores Josh to leave the rest of the unpacking until tomorrow, and he agrees. He also admits he has not seen Molly since Tess went next door to Sunnyside View (the cottage inhabited by Mindi and her family). This prompts a concerned Tess to go and check up on Molly. We see that Molly has barely done any unpacking, and is instead texting someone who refers to themselves as 'BB' in the messages. 'BB' tells Molly that he misser her, and she responds in kind. But their exchanges are paused when Tess emerges in Molly's bedroom. She tries to reassure Molly about her insecurities, but leaves Molly to it, no less worried than before.

Elsewhere, we are introduced to Chalet Peaks - a holiday village owned and run by the Sheldon family, and their residence, Blossom Wood cottage. Husband Dan tells wife Debbie, who is cooking, that his parents, Frank and Helen, have invited themselves over for dinner tonight, scuppering Dan's plans to have drinks at The Mulberry Arms, with friends Deepak and Neil. However, Debbie says it is a good opportunity to mention their business ideas to Frank and Helen. Dan is not so keen, but Debbie advises him that there will never be a right time. Sure enough, the meal goes ahead, and both Dan and Debbie awkwardly put to Frank and Helen that they would like to buy out Chalet Peaks from them, since they've been running it single-handed for the past two years anyway. They further explain that, apart from some basic admin, Frank and Helen leave the general running of Chalet Peaks to Dan and Debbie now, as they focus on their new business, the tearooms High Tea. Dan mentions that the holiday village would still remain a Sheldon-run one, and that one day, he and Debbie may want to pass it on to their kids, as it was passed on to them by Frank and Helen. Frank begins to sound receptive, but Helen is dead against the idea, feeling the change is unnecessary, and ushers Frank abruptly out the door once the meal is over. Dan insists he tried, but Debbie implores him to try harder.

Meanwhile, deputy headteacher Mindi returns home from an INSET day at The Mary Mackworth Academy to ask husband Deepak why there are police at his workplace, Singh Motors, and why it is cordoned off with police tape. Deepak explains that he was arrested earlier, as a tip-off lead police to believe there was a stolen vehicle at his garage. Deepak vehemently denies any involvement, though Mindi's feelings are ambiguous, given that Deepak has a conviction for a similar type of offence from a long time ago. Later, local detective constable Claire Thorne visits Sunnyside View to inform him that no further enquiries into the situation will involve Deepak, and he has not been implicated. She also tells him that the cordon round his garage has now been removed. Claire heavily insutates however that he 'got away with this', rather than being innocent, and that living in the village makes it easier for her to keep an eye on him than it is for her colleagues! Once Claire leaves, Mindi rails that her behaviour amounts to harrassment, but Deepak just wants to forget about it. Mindi complies, telling him she believes his innocence, and hugs him. However, Deepak's face is guilt-ridden; we know he was involved to some extent because we overheard a suspicious phone call between him and the presumed perpetrator earlier on, just before Mindi returned home from work.

The cliffhanger of this episode involves 'BB' and Molly resuming their text exchanges, once Tess has left Molly alone and returned downstairs. 'BB' pleads with Molly to come back (to Oxford) - to which Molly replies that she will see what she can do. Forlornly, she then casts the phone aside, heads for her bedroom door and disappears out of view.

Regular Cast

 * Claire Thorne (Emily Maguire)
 * Dan Sheldon (Tom Lister)
 * Debbie Sheldon (Alex Kingston)
 * Deepak Singh (Ramon Tikaram)
 * Flynn Rowland (Taye Junaid-Evans)
 * Frank Sheldon (Duncan Preston)
 * Helen Sheldon (Sue Johnston)
 * Jaimee Sheldon (Kacey Hebden)
 * Jessica Rowland (Uncredited)
 * Josh Rowland (Colin Salmon)
 * Kayley Sheldon (Ciara Lucking)
 * Luke Rowland (Cuban Burdett)
 * Mindi Singh (Shelley Conn)
 * Molly Rowland (Georgie Henley)
 * Olly Sheldon (Scott Harrison)
 * Tess Rowland (Sally Dexter)

Guest Cast

 * Rowlands' Removal Man (no dialogue, uncredited)

Locations (in order of appearance)

 * Acacia cottage, Laburnum Grove (Rowlands) - exterior/front garden
 * Blossom Wood cottage, Lydgate Lane (Sheldons), interior - kitchen
 * Sunnyside View cottage, Laburnum Grove (Singhs), interior - living room
 * Acacia, interior - living room
 * Sunnyside View, exterior - front garden
 * Acacia - interior, Molly's bedroom

Continuity Notes

 * Very first episode
 * First appearance of (in alphabetical order): Claire Thorne (Emily Maguire), Dan Sheldon (Tom Lister), Deepak Singh (Ramon Tikaram), Debbie Sheldon (Alex Kingston), Flynn Rowland (Taye Junaid-Evans), Frank Sheldon (Duncan Preston), Helen Sheldon (Sue Johnston), Jaimee Sheldon (Kacey Hebden), Jessica Rowland (uncredited), Josh Rowland (Colin Salmon), Kayley Sheldon (Ciara Lucking), Luke Rowland (Cuban Burdett), Mindi Singh (Shelley Conn), Molly Rowland (Georgie Henley), Olly Sheldon (Scott Harrison) and Tess Rowland (Sally Dexter)
 * Molly blames herself for the Rowlands' relocation from Oxford to Miller
 * It is revealed early on that the Rowlands previousy lived in Miller village
 * Dan mentions to Debbie that he is looking to go for a drink with Deepak and Neil, suggesting that the trio are friends
 * As Deepak explains the situation to wife Mindi involving Singh Motors, the police and a stolen car, it is heavily insinuated that Deepak has a previous conviction for a similar offence (fraud/handling stolen goods etc.)
 * It is revealed that Kayley is a college student (second year), and will be returning to Malrith College in two weeks (18th September 2017)
 * In conversation, Tess and Josh reveal that the cottage they have just moved into - Acacia - is not the one the family lived in when they left Miller seven years ago
 * As Tess and Mindi catch up, it is revealed they did not get along well when Tess previously lived in the village
 * Tess reveals the family dog, Arthur, died a month ago. This has hit the family hard, but particularly Molly, who received Arthur as a Christmas present when she was five-years-old. Tess also reveals that Arthur was named after her late father/Molly's beloved grandfather
 * It is strongly suggested throughout that Debbie and mother-in-law Helen do not see eye-to-eye
 * Mindi believes Deepak is innocent, and enquiries against him are dropped. But the audience know that Deepak was in fact in on the stolen car situation to some degree, making Deepak feel visibly guilty
 * 'BB', Neil McIntyre and Ruth Hardy are all mentioned for the first time in this episode, but not seen

September 2017 Episodes
• Mon 4th • Wed 6th • Fri 8th • Mon 11th • Wed 13th • Fri 15th • Mon 18th • Wed 20th • Fri 22nd • Mon 25th • Wed 27th • Fri 29th