Reaching Out

What with the Edinburgh Festival and Fringe in full flow, I'm having difficulty seeing any TV at all right now. Nevertheless here is the synopsis for last week's episode, which I'm just about to watch... playing catch up.

The Bill
Reaching Out: Episode 019
Thursday 20 August 2009 21:00 to 22:00 ITV1Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 21 August at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 24 August at 23:00.

D.I. Neil Manson (Andrew Lancel) and D.C. Grace Dasari (Amita Dhiri) continue to work together on an investigation involving a psychiatrist that Neil knows from a previous investigation, Dr Julia Bickham (Emily Hamilton).

Neil is convinced that someone has a vendetta against her and that the suspect also injured her partner, Harry Gilmartin (David Michaels) in a hit and run. As the investigation continues, Neil discovers that their main suspect, Jared Miles (Brett Goldstein), is innocent and when Jared realises the police believe him, he opens up.

He explains to Neil that the previous day, he saw young Thomas Sands (Ethan Edwards) standing alone in a road with a crying man who quickly got into his car and drove away. Neil realises that the man Jared describes also has to be the same person that attacked Thomas’ nanny, mistaking her for Julia.

From the description Jared gives of the car, Neil and Grace are able to trace the vehicle to Stephen Fairfax (Jonathan Slinger), who insists he’s never heard of Julia or Harry. However, when Neil talks to Thomas and shows him some mug shots, he quickly identifies Stephen as the man who attacked his nanny...

Neil has Stephen followed and he is later seen coming out of Angela Hayne’s (Heather Tobias) house, arguing with her. Neil and Grace visit Angela who explains that Stephen was her daughter Danielle’s partner, with whom he had a daughter, Lily.

When Danielle died a couple of years previously, there was a dispute about her life insurance. Stephen was convinced that Danielle took an accidental overdose, but Danielle’s psychiatrist, Julia, stated that she was suffering from depression and committed suicide.

Julia’s verdict at an inquest meant that Stephen lost the claim and eventually custody of his daughter. Grace and Neil realise that Stephen is a man on the edge and the pair are horrified when they discover he has kidnapped Julia, with a gun.

For Neil, this is his worst nightmare happening all over again. Officers finally track down Stephen and Julia to a deserted warehouse, but Neil refuses to wait for back-up and despite Grace’s pleas, enters the building to face the gun-man alone...

THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Emma Goodwin, directed by Paul Wroblewski and produced by Matt Strevens.