Monday, 5 August 2019

Beyond The Hub Un Bore Mercher/Keeping Faith, Series 2 by DJ Forrest



Un Bore Mercher returned to our screens on May 12th, 2019 with a continuation of the story arc from the first series, only with a dash of a murder trial of a young disabled woman, Madlen Vaughan, played by Aimee-Ffion Edwards, accused of killing her husband. As with the first series, the twists and turns appear to connect with not just Faith’s husband, Evan, but with a blonde bombshell who is still ruffling feathers, and is determined to get what she wants, in whatever way she can.

Gael Reardon returns but not as you remember her, and she’s a lot feistier than her predecessor. The actress who played Gael in the first series was unable to continue as the character in this series, and so in to take her place is Anastasia Hille, who really turns on the Reardon charm, and I’d be more inclined to mistrust this Gael than the previous. In fact, I wouldn’t want to bump into her in a dark alley, or one in daylight – she's scary!

Things have changed in the police house too. Matthew Gravelle does not appear in this series, sadly. I miss him! And in his place, demoted down to black uniform and riding a push bike, is Susan, his former boss, who in the last series we saw carted off for all manner of offences against Faith in the previous series. Could this be a better Susan we see? Will we be able to trust her judgement? Will Faith trust it?

Demi Letherby is one to watch. I just love her performance as young Alys. Although we’re not sure who was driving the car in the episode of the ‘hit and run’ it’s fair to say that, the Reardon’s are not far from the scene.

This season we see that Evan is not as squeaky clean as he first appears to be. His dealings with the Reardon’s have driven a wedge between his family, to the point that eldest daughter Alys is just not ready to have him back in her life. Everything is happening too fast for her to cope with. The memories of the first season where she was held at gunpoint, still fresh in her memory.

Happy to see that down and out, ex-Army, Arthur is part of the family now, by managing the children while Faith works. Evan also has no qualms about the young man looking after his family, but he draws the line at Steve Baldini, and strong threats are issued when they meet at the hospital.

Whereas the first season centred around Faith’s search for the truth of her husband’s disappearance and the fake identity he had used, for whatever reason, she was still trying to uncover. Series Two explores more of the continued relationship that Gael Reardon has with Evan Howells and how she manipulates both to get what she wants.

Although, new Police involvement, by DI Laurence Breeze played by Rashan Stone, blows trouble back towards Faith and her family, and the knowledge that the secret deals in garden centres, and watches handed over to jewellers hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Season 1 set the scene for Evan’s disappearance, and Faith’s search for the truth. Season 2, has discovered the truth and the lies, which continue to grow throughout, and by so many, and leaves Faith reeling from it all, feeling extremely exhausted and unable to hold it all together. 

You feel for her character, not just because it’s Eve Myles playing the role, but because Faith has been a character you’ve seen go through the mill and come out the other end, a far stronger person for it. But by god, what a struggle she’s had.

Keeping Faith is a brilliantly well casted series, full of terrific background scenery, and aerial shots. Full of Welsh accents and Welsh language. Full of tension and high drama, and laughter and silliness, and fun, and sadness, and edge of the seat stuff and oh, so many familiar faces, and finger pointing at the screen, and whoops of delight.

I’d love to see a third series but I guess we’ll have to wait and see if that is at all possible.





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