Trust Me (Part 2) / Long Gone

RECORDED in January of this year, the original TX date for this episode of The Bill was intended to be, if I recall correctly, 07/07/09. In other words, before the revamp of the series. It was interesting to note that the preview disc I received featured Claire Goose as Inspector Rachel Weston as well as boasting the old theme music and opening and closing credits.

These scenes have all be edited out of the version to be transmitted this week, and new scenes with Alex Walkinshaw as Inspector Smith filmed to replace them - an interesting insight into the making of an ongoing TV drama.

Oh, and talking of insights, the first two episode titles for October have been announced. Ep 009: Long Gone will screen on ITV1 on Thursday 1st October (see synopsis below), followed by Ep 006: Fall Out on Thursday 8th October.

Now for that synopsis, or should that be sneak preview...

THE BILL
Trust Me (Part 2): Episode 689
Thursday 24 September 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 26 Sept at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 29 Sept at 23:00
*Guest starring Kelly Harrison as Fran Morris*

A week after involving terrified Fran Morris (Kelly Harrison) in a sting to catch dangerous drugs’ boss Damian Tucker (Dorian Lough), D.S. Max Carter (Christopher Fox) and D.C. Jo Masters (Sally Rogers) are called to attend a scene at Fran’s house.

They are stunned to find her being wheeled into an ambulance with serious head injuries and quickly discover that her 12 year old son Noah (George Sear) is missing. Max is convinced that although Damian is behind bars, he has something to do with it.

Max questions Damian in prison, but he calmly insists he had nothing to do with Fran’s injuries or Noah’s disappearance. As the investigation continues, Max and Jo discover that one of Damian’s associates, Tyson Archer (Duane Henry), visited Fran’s flat before she was found unconscious.

Tyson is brought in for questioning where he eventually admits he tried to tempt ex-drug addict Fran with some heroin on Damian’s orders, but she refused. He left her with a sample but when he later found out it was uncut, he went back to the flat to warn her.

He swears that when he went back, she was already unconscious and he assumed that she had taken the drugs. However, Jo and Max are confused when forensics prove that Fran didn’t have any drugs in her system...

Later that day, Noah is finally found in a flat belonging to Fran’s friend, Lyn Emery (Lu Corfield). Lyn explains that Noah must have seen Fran being attacked and terrified, ran to her house to hide.

While Fran remains unconscious in hospital, Max is forced to bond with Noah in order to find out what happened, but Noah remains tight-lipped and nervous. Max re-visits Damian and says he knows that Damian tried to kill Fran with the uncut heroin. Max warns him that if he ever threatens Fran or Noah again, he’ll make it known to Damian’s cellmates that he’s a grass and leave him to deal with the backlash.

Back at the station and in a desperate attempt to get Noah to open up, Max suggests they head back to the flat and walk through the morning’s events. Noah agrees, but when they reach the flat, he shuts down again.

Frustrated, Max talks to the forensic department to see if they can shed any light on the situation and the Sergeant is stunned when he finally uncovers the truth...

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

THE BILL
Long Gone: Episode 009
Thursday 1 October 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 2 October at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 5 October at 23:00

P.C. Mel Ryder (Rhea Bailey) attends a scene where she finds a frightened seventeen year old man covered in bruises. As she tries to talk to him, he walks away and drops a piece of paper. Mel examines the leaflet which is a Missing Person’s appeal from five years ago concerning 12 year old David Jarvis (Alex Matten).
Mel gently approaches the young man again and he tearfully admits that he’s David.
At the station D.S. Stevie Moss (Lucy Speed) talks to David who is clearly traumatised. Through careful questioning David eventually admits that he was imprisoned and abused by a man called Gareth. He also tearfully recalls a crucifix above Gareth’s bed. D.S. Max Carter (Christopher Fox) examines the previous evidence from when David first went missing, but can’t find a connection to the name ‘Gareth’.
Meanwhile, David’s sister Michelle (Joanna Horton) is brought into the station. Overcome with emotion, she is asked to identify David on a television screen, but she is unable to confirm whether it’s her missing brother…
As the investigation continues, local man and known sex offender, Gareth Hartill (David Phelan) is arrested. Gareth appears genuinely stunned by the allegations that have been made against him and finally confesses to meeting David the night before and paying him for sex.
However, when the pair got back to Gareth’s house, David became hysterical and ran out. As gaping holes start to appear in David’s version of events, Max realises that David isn’t telling them the whole truth about his captivity.
After further investigation, the team are stunned to learn that David is actually missing person Simon Eastfield and Stevie breaks the devastating news to Michelle.
Despite lying about his identity, Max and Stevie are convinced Simon did suffer horrendous abuse at some stage in his life and work together to establish what really happened.
The Sergeants quickly discover that the prime suspect in the David Jarvis case, Terence Scanlon, could be linked to Simon and visit his house, which has been empty since his death a few years previously.
They are horrified when they think the Scanlon’s bedroom was the one Simon was abused in and their fears are confirmed when they find an imprint of a crucifix on the bedroom wall.
Back at Sun Hill, Simon reveals what really happened to him: it also becomes apparent Simon and David did know each other as 12 year olds. Simon clearly knows what happened to David when he went missing, but will he reveal the truth to Stevie…?
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV.
This episode was written by Chris Ould, directed by Reza Moradi and produced by James Hall.