Absolute Power

Catch up time again... here's the synopsis on last Thursday's episode... or next Monday's if you are watching in Scotland.

THE BILL
Absolute Power: Episode 005
Thursday 6 August 2009 9.00 to 10.00pm ITV1
*Guest starring Danielle Brent as Lucy Fuller*

Officers are called to a pub where Joel Fuller (Nicholas Aaron) has smashed a bottle over a fellow drinkers head in an unprovoked attack.

The following morning, D.S. Stevie Moss (Lucy Speed) is tasked with questioning Joel who is horribly hungover and in no mood to talk. Stevie attempts to get Joel to open up by asking him about his work and his wife, Lucy (Danielle Brent), but as soon as she is mentioned, Joel retreats into himself and begs Stevie to let him go.

After bailing him, Joel continues to play on Stevie’s mind: he didn’t give any explanation to the random, unprovoked attack and the Sergeant senses that he is a man on the edge.

However, the case takes a shocking turn when Stevie is called to the pub where Joel was arrested, to talk to the landlords’ young son, Alex Burrows (Drew Blackall). The terrified child eventually summons up the courage to tell Stevie that he saw Joel in the pub toilets the night before - and that Joel threatened him with a gun...

In a desperate bid to find Joel, Lucy is brought in and questioned by Stevie. Lucy is stunned to hear that her normally passive, quiet husband is in possession of a gun while clearly experiencing a breakdown. She admits that Joel had been depressed after losing his job a few months previously.

However, as more evidence comes to light and Stevie pushes Lucy, the officer discovers that Lucy has been having an affair with her boss, Dave and Joel has found out about it. Lucy is overwhelmed when she soon realises that her actions are the catalyst for Joel’s breakdown and is horrified when she discovers Joel is on his way to Dave’s house, with the gun.

With no time to spare, CO19 troops are brought in to cover Dave’s house, while Stevie and Inspector Smith (Alex Walkinshaw) track down Joel in his car and discreetly follow him.
Stevie, adamant that she can help Joel, insists that Smithy stop the car so she can talk to him.

Smithy infuriates her by flatly refusing, highlighting the clear danger. By the time they reach Dave’s house, Stevie is devastated as she watches CO19 order Joel out of his car and arrest him.
At Sun Hill, Stevie and Smithy are still awkward around one another as they are congratulated on the arrest by D.I. Neil Manson (Andrew Lancel) who notices the tension.

Stevie, certain that she could have helped Joel earlier, despite Smithy’s intervention, interviews Joel again. It quickly becomes clear that she can’t handle his confused state of mind when Joel eventually snaps, he grabs Stevie by the throat and pushes her up against a wall...

THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Chris Murray, directed by Richard Signy and produced by James Hall.