You can always tell when a character is about to leave a soap alive - that character suddenly displays a very nasty side to their personality. Patsy Palmer left Eastenders and Bianca became a lying, deceitful, little slag who wasn’t above sleeping with her mother’s man and deserting her nice-but-dim spouse. Ross Kemp left and Grant Mitchell became an even more psychotic thug. Mike Reid’s Frank Butcher became a callous two-timer. Raquel Watts became a bit of a hard bitch and so on and so on ...
The only times actors serving their notice become nicer is when they are about to be killed off (Tiffany Mitchell, Des Barnes), but even that’s not a given (Susannah).
But Brookside have never been one to do things by the book, so - with Claire Sweeney about to leave the show - we now see Lindsey Corkhill bordering on becoming a likeable character.
One almost wishes she would stick around, if only to offer a viable alternative of friendship for Jacqui Dixon, or Dixon-Farnham, as she’s now known.
It’s almost as if Brookside is cocking a snoot at those of us who found the character of Lindsey tiresome at best, downright hateful at most, and the acting skills of Claire Sweeney severely lacking.
Still, she’s managed to leave the show - no thanks to Brookside - and bag a tacky gameshow on ITV and a three-month run in a West End musical, courtesy of a close association with the impresario nephew of the Everton chairman, who has been promptly dumped now that Ms Sweeney has begun rehearsals.
The jury will be out on her performance in Chicago until she treads the boards in January, but her ambition throughout her career has been curiously associated with the male gender. Although Brookside has left the door open for her return, I wouldn’t bet she’d be coming back prior to making a play for Sam Mendes (and a film breakthrough) should he get bored changing Kate Winslet’s baby’s nappies.
Watch out, Kate!
Another day has dawned and we begin the day on The Parade, in the flat of the Naughty Nurse. Now this is really weird, because last week, which was only days before the trial began, we were led to believe that Nisha was winging off to Tenerife with some mates for a last-minute hols. But here she is, only days later, sans suntan lotion, dressed for work and about to begin her day.
She stands in the middle of the flat, as poor, pitiful, ugly, stinky, self-pitying Katie staggers hurriedly from her bedroom. She’s late for court, she moans. Why didn’t Nisha wake her?
Nisha says she tried to wake Katie, but it was no surprise that Katie didn’t respond, considering the amount of booze she put away last night. Nisha’s short tone of voice leads one to believe that her limited patience and innate selfishness is wearing thin with Katie.
Nisha begins to lecture her, telling her that she shouldn’t drink to forget Clint; she should be facing up to reality and getting on with her life.
Katie admits woefully that she doesn’t drink to forget Clint; she drinks to forget herself. It’s really hard being called a slag in public by Gobby Moffatt.
Next stop: Sitcom House, where else? Dire and Marty stand at the sitcom counter and remark about how relaxed the Antichrist seemed in attending school this morning. Adele was OK about accompanying him too.
Dire whinges that this has only come about because Imelda’s been off school this week. She actually wishes the girl would return to school so that Mrs Plummer would get the full story about the bullying. Dire is worried that when she does return to school, the head won’t do anything about the problem, instead try to sweep it under the carpet, just to spare the school’s good name.
Marty swears to Dire that if the school tries to play down the bullying incidents, he’ll go to the papers. Dire remarks that if he does that, he’s sure to lose his job. It’s worth it, he says, if it means that there’s a chance of stopping a little thug like Imelda from growing up assuming that she can get whatever she wants by coercion.
Ron and his family are in their usual location these days, in the court corridor, awaiting the trial. Ron’s about to re-commence his testimony and remarks to Mike that his salvation was all in the hands of the defence now. He hopes his barrister is up to the job - and also that Anthea is as well. The two look at a visibly shaking Anthea, literally fouling herself in terror on the corridor bench.
Jimmy’s out in front of Hotel Corkhill, preparing to rectify the shutters, when Ray passes by on his way out, carrying a bouquet of flowers. Jimmy asks where he’s off to, and Raymundo replies that he’s off to the cemetary to visit Reenie’s grave. It’s their anniversary tomorrow. (But, Ray, you’re married to Jessie now; and you didn’t like Reenie, remember?)
He’s off to deliver the flowers to the graveside and to have a bit of a chat with Reenie, although he admits he feels a bit awkward talking to other people about it. Anyway, when he returns, he’ll give Jim some help with those shutters.
In the courtroom, Ron’s in the dock. His barrister asks him to recount the events leading up to the night that Clint Moffatt was shot. Isn’t it true that Ron and his family had been driven to distraction by repeated burglaries and harassment? Ron’s home had been burgled twice. Could Ron tell the court about the first time his home was burgled?
Ron recounts the night of the dinner party, saying that he and Anthea had had two neighbours and the elderly mother of one of the neighbours over for a meal and to show off their new kitchen. The old lady, Kitty Hilton, was in her 80’s and suffered a massive stroke as a result of the events that happened that evening. She had never recovered. And during the course of the raid, Ron had suffered an angina attack and was left for dead.
They were having dinner, when three vicious thugs smashed their way into the house and started smashing things up and demanding money. The thugs tied everyone up and gagged them. Then they stole items from the victims’ pockets, even taking their wedding rings. They had also drawn on his face. Ron explains how they had gagged the victims with masking tape and then had drawn ludicrous grins on their faces with lipstick.
One had even groped Anthea, his wife. He had even thought that they might have raped Anthea.
How did Ron feel as he witnessed these events?
Ron says he felt terrified and helpless, powerless.
And wasn’t it true that his baby granddaughter was upstairs?
Yes, replies Ron.
And wasn’t it true that his son was involved in the second burglary? When Ron replies in the affirmative, the barrister turns to the judge and advises her that the next piece of evidence will be exclusively hearsay, but he wants to show how it affected Ron’s state of mind.
The prosecution offers no objection, on the basis that the incident had been reported to the police.
The defence barrister continues. Mr Dixon’s son, who was in a wheelchair at the time, was in the house during the raid, is that correct?
Ron confirms that this is so. The thug in question broke into the house, tipped Mike from his wheelchair and proceeded to terrorise and abuse him.
And there was yet another member of the Dixon family who had been the victim of an attack, was there not?
Yes, answers Ron, that would be his daughter Jacqui, who had been beaten by Gobby Moffatt. Afterward, Gobby wouldn’t leave the girl alone. He threatened her and came around the house, terrorising the family when he knew Jacqui would be there. Finally he locked her in her place of employment to try to force her to go back with him. It was down to Ron to intervene, whereupon Gobby Moffatt had threatened Ron and referred to him as a ‘dead man’.
And so as a result of this catalogue of provocative action, what exactly did Ron do?
Ron replies that he bought a gun. (NO! NO! NO! Ron didn’t buy the gun. He never paid Tim for it and he never asked for it!!!)
The barrister presses the point. Ron doesn’t deny that he bought what constituted an illegal firearm?
Ron asserts that he bought the weapon in order to protect his home, his family and himself.
Jimmy’s busily painting the shutters at Hotel Corkhill when Dire Murray steps onto her front step. Jimmy jokes that he’s doing a bit of DIY in hopes of making his house a contribution to Liverpool’s bid as Capital of Culture. For a moment, Dire is shocked and believes him, but Jimmy laughs off the joke.
On a more serious note, with his Sage’s cap firmly in place, he asks Dire how her pursuit of IVF is going. Dire replies that they have decided to back off that track for the time being, in order to give the family a bit of breathing space. It wasn’t fair that her family should live their lives according to her wants and needs. Jimmy pensively remarks that he feels that the same is true of Lindsey.
Ron continues his testimony, moving onto the events that happened the night of the shooting. His barrister asks if there had been a party on the Close the night of the shooting. Ron replies that there was, and the party drove him mad, with music blaring and cars tearing around the Close.
The barrister asks if he’s correct in assuming that the party started the chain of events that led to the death of Clint Moffatt.
Ron describes the wild atmosphere that emanated from the Johnson home - the gangs of youths racing cars around the street, several even approached the Dixon house and were kicking at the front door. One shoved his face up against the front window of the house, frightening the life out of him and Anthea.
Were the police called? Asks the barrister.
Ron shakes his head in disgust. Yes, but they were a complete waste of time, he says. They told the youths to turn their music off, but the minute the police had gone, the noise started again, only louder, as if they were taunting the police’s inability to silence them.
And so, the barrister surmises, the Dixons gave up and went to bed, only to be awakened by the sound of an intruder in the house, is that correct? Could Ron tell the court what happened then?
Jimmy confronts Lindsey about the job in Newcastle. She admits that she still hasn’t made her mind up about what to do about it. It’s such a massive change.
But it’s also a massive opportunity, says Jim, taking the positive approach, and Lindsey shouldn’t blow it for his sake. She’d only regret it in the long run.
Ron’s obviously relayed his version of events, prompted by the defence’s line of questioning; and now it’s the turn of the Crown to take a pop. The tall, spare barrister begins. The man outlines Ron’s movements later that fateful evening. Ron heard a noise, went downstairs to investigate, saw an intruder, returned upstairs, loaded the gun, returned downstairs, shouted a warning to the intruder and fired the gun. Was that the correct order of events?
Yes, Ron confirms.
How many seconds would Ron say elapsed between the time he shouted the warning to the intruder and fired the shot?
Ron says that five seconds elapsed from the time he shouted a warning and fired the gun.
Oh, really? Asks the Crown. Robbie Moffatt had told a different version. In fact, Robbie Moffatt had said that Ron shouted the warning, then fired immediately.
Ron exclaims that Robbie Moffatt is a liar. Ron holds up the Bible, telling the prosecutor that he’s sworn on this book to tell the truth about events that happened that night. He fired in self-defence, believing the intruder about to jump him.
The prosecutor asks Ron pointedly if he’s lying, before confirming that he has no further questions and asks that Anthea be called. As she enters the courtroom and takes the stand, Ron smiles at her nervously. She can barely meet his gaze.
(Hang on a minute - I know a bit about court procedure. Our procedure in the US isn’t THAT different from British court etiquette, our system being based on Blackwell and all that. Anthea is a DEFENCE witness and therefore, should have been called by the DEFENCE barrister, questioned by him and then cross-examined by the prosecution - as it was with Gobby, who was a witness for the State, was questioned by the State and crossed by the defence. BIG faux pas here, Brookside!)
The Clerk of the Court goes to the door of chambers and calls for Anthea, who enters the courtroom nervously and is sworn in. In the gallery, Jacqui, Max, Mike and Rachel exchange uneasy glances, before Mike mutters under his breath, ‘Here we go.’
The Crown prosecutor begins his questioning. Is it true that Anthea had told Ron not to go into the room where the intruder was and not to use the gun?
Anthea mouths the affirmative.
Why weren’t the police called when the couple realised they were being burgled?
Anthea confirms that the phone was in the room where the intruder was at the time.
So, her husband had returned upstairs, got the gun and went back downstairs. Did he move swiftly? Asks the Crown.
No, Anthea answers, he moved slowly.
And was he calm?
Calm, yes, says Anthea, but he was frightened.
Would Anthea say that Ron was in a heightened, emotional state when he saw the burglar?
Anthea agrees.
And where was she at this time?
Anthea replies that she was on the stairs in the foyer.
And did she hear any sounds from the room that might sound threatening? Any sound of the burglar rushing her husband, for example?
No, replies Anthea, softly and nervously.
Any sound of ransacking?
No, replies Anthea, again.
No sound that would seem to indicate her husband’s need to defend himself?
Anthea wordlessly answers in the negative.
The barrister then asks Anthea what made her husband feel he needed to use the gun?
Anthea is forced to admit that she doesn’t know.
So nothing happened, says the barrister, and Clint Moffatt was standing some fourteen feet away from her husband. It’s been said that Clint Moffatt wasn’t there to burgle or to harm the Dixons. What could he possibly have done to make Ron Dixon feel so defensive that he had to fire the gun? Could it be said that Ron had fired the weapon in cold blood?
Anthea looks squeamish.
Lindsey brings Jimmy a cup of coffee as he works on the shutters. She jokes by asking if it’s possible to bring one’s father a cup of coffee withouth care. Oh, and by the way, Jimmy was due his tablets. Jimmy confirms that he’d already taken the tablets. What did he have to do to convince her that he could cope without her constant presence.
Lindsey replies that it’s the things that he couldn’t cope with that worries her. Jimmy reiterates that Lindsey’s been offered a top job in Newcastle and here she was trying to talk herself out of it.
Back on the witness stand, the Crown prosecutor is driving home another point. Ron Dixon had estimated a five-second lapse between the time he shouted a warning to the intruder and when he fired the shotgun. Is that correct, in Anthea’s estimation?
Anthea hesitates for a moment before replying that it SEEMED like five seconds.
Well, let’s clarify it, suggests the prosecutor. He would time five seconds. He shouts WARNING and starts his stopwatch. One second ... Two seconds ... Three seconds ... Four seconds ... Five seconds. Would Anthea say that was the correct lapse of time?
Again, Anthea wimps out and says that it SEEMS like the correct lapse of time between the time Ron shouted the warning and the time he fired the gun.
The prosecutor reminds Anthea that she’s under oath. Now how long was it ACTUALLY between the time her husband shouted a warning and fired the weapon? Why, if the time lapse were really five seconds, argues the prosecutor, then surely Clint Moffatt would have had time to have made some sort of reply. Her husband shouts his warning and Moffatt shouts, ‘It’s me, Mr Dixon, it’s Clint. There’s some misunderstanding.’
The truth is that there was no time for Clint Moffatt to make a response, the man continues, because five seconds didn’t elapse and Anthea was lying.
Anthea says she isn’t lying and again states that it SEEMED like five seconds had passed.
The barrister dismisses her.
Jimmy has put on his Sage cap and is having a heart-to-heart with Lindsey. He points out that if she turns down this job opportunity, she will regret this for the rest of her life. Besides, it would make Jimmy feel responsible and really wreck his head knowing that. Why, he’d be in pieces in no time.
He asks Lindsey about the job in Newcastle. Is it a job she felt she could do?
No problem at all, says Lindsey confidently, although for the life of me, I can’t remember her being an ace whizz at management techniques at the Millennium Club, unless she relentlessly bullied staff.
And is it a job that she WANTS to do? Asks the Sage. Lindsey responds in the affirmative. In fact, she felt it would be the making of her. And it had good perks as well.
Then, encourages Jimmy, Lindsey should ring up the people and agree to take the job. If she did that, then that would be the making of Jimmy.
Time to visit Sitcom House, since it’s been awhile. It’s lunchtime and Marty and Ant have returned home. Ant’s a lot more relieved now. There’s been no sign of Imelda at school all week, but she might return on Monday. Ant’s a bit uneasy about that.
Dire says she’s only made sarnies for the two of them. She didn’t really have time to do a proper meal, as she’d only returned home, she tells Marty, to do a pregnancy test. Surprise, surprise. No baby.
Marty comforts her. Well, when they decided to try for a baby the old-fashioned way, a failure doesn’t mean they can’t stop trying, he jokes. Dire laughs and says she quite likes the old-fashioned way.
Anyway, she assumes a modicum of responsibility and says she has to return to work. The staff must be fed up to the hilt with Dire Murray’s long, whingeing list of failures. (Someone’s been reading some websites). But, she sighed, failure was sure hard to take time after time.
Marty jokes that Dire obviously hadn’t read any of his school reports.
Poor, pitiful, ugly, greasy Katie returns to Naughty Nurse Towers and pours herself a stiff one in memory of the stiff one, i.e. Clint. She drinks deeply. Nisha is concerned that Katie’s begun drinking so early in the day.
Katie brags that it’s been a perfect day. She had actually begun to believe that Ron Dikko just might get off, but the prosecution made mincemeat of Anthea’s testimony. They ran rings around her. And now Katie was celebrating Ron Dixon’s conviction.
Nisha is fast losing patience with this albatross and pointedly reminds Katie that Ron hasn’t even been found guilty yet.
Lindsey is trying to argue her way out of this job prospect. She has a jitter of doubt and asks Jimmy what would happen if she found that she couldn’t do the job after taking it. Jimmy tells her that there’s only one way to find that out. And the job won’t wait there whilst Lindsey’s here.
As Lindsey picks up the phone to dial Newcastle, Ray enters the house, ready to help Jimmy with the painting. Near to tears, Jimmy hushes Ray as he listens to Lindsey make contact with the Newcastle health club, identify herself and say that Jacqui Dixon had recommended her for the job. (Well, actually, Sol Bennett did, but hey, this is Brookside, who remembers?)
As Jimmy hears her say that she’ll send her details to the relevant address, Jimmy wipes away a tear.
Poor, pitiful, ugly, sodden, stinking Katie is really guzzling the bottle now. Nisha implores her to stop and look at herself. She’s drinking entirely too much. In a moment of exasperation, Nisha tells Katie that it’s time she let go of Clint; then maybe she wouldn’t need to drink so much to make her sleep at night.
As she drunkenly clutches the bottle to her and weaves off to her bedroom, Katie tells Nisha that she drinks so much to stop her from remembering at night that she’d slept with Clint’s brother.
When she disappears into her room, Nisha picks up the phone and makes a call ... To Sammy Rogers, telling her that she’s really worried about Katie.
Jacqui, Max and Anthea return to the Close in Max’s car. Anthea is verbalising to Jacqui about her testimony, when Mike rushes out the front door to confront them. Well, he snarls at Anthea, she certainly timed this one well.
The three others glance at each other with curiousity. What’s Mike on about? Asks Jacqui.
They seemed to have arrived after Ron had done one.
Again, Jacqui, Max and Anthea exchange looks.
After Anthea’s pathetic performance in court, shouts Mike, Ron had done a runner!
Summary © 2001 Marion Watts
Brookside and all related materials are © Mersey Television 1982-2001