True Dare kiss
The story so far....
Episode 1 (28th June 2007)
Meet the family!
There's Beth, Man Utd fan and alcoholic, first seen standing on a table in a local pub, drunkenly extolling the virtues of her football team. Nita, pushy, arrogant and very driven, who runs a catering business, interferes in her husbands business and embarrasses her children as a matter of course. Alice - quiet, nervous and totally unlike her siblings in every way.
Nita has her eye on a large house which she wants her husband to buy and convert into flats and is not afraid to use any means to get her way - resulting in the death of the old man who lives there.
As the story continues it transpires the old man was her father and we then meet the other siblings. The fourth sister Phil returns after a 20 year absence - back into the lives of her sisters and Nash, her ex-lover - who is now Nita's husband. And finally there is brother Dennis, who was still living with their Dad - wearing lipstick and mascara he is a bit of a surprise to the sisters!
This first episode very much set the scene and promised a lot - I have a feeling that when Mum disappeared 20 years ago, it may not have been to Marrakech!
Episode 2 (5th July 2007)
The plot thickens!
This episode was primarily about the relationships between Nita, Nash, Phil and Beth.
The spark between Phil and Nash is definitely still there and Nash, in particular, is keen to rekindle their relationship. Despite her plans for an early departure after her father's funeral, Phil decides to stay - and Nita invites her to stay with her and Nash. Nita is very wary of the possibility of the affair being rekindled and feels that by inviting her in, Phil will not want to destroy her sister's security. Whilst the family are all at the football match though, Phil leaves early to meet up with Nash - and he reveals that he and Nita have had no sexual relationship for 18 years. Their 16 year old twins were conceived using IVF and he informs her that she was in his thoughts during the process. It also transpires that he and Beth occasionally get together to 'help each other out' - nothing like keeping it in the family!
Dennis is aware of Nita's role in their father's death and is playing her at her own game. He is busy setting her up by pretending he is willing to sell the house. Whilst all this is going on, poor Alice, having had to give up her ticket for the game, goes to visit Bryce - an odd character she met up with who is an alternative therapist. Though his motives are not clear, I am sure he will turn out not to be as he seems - a dark character, though excellently portrayed by Ciaran McMenamin.
Episode 3 (12 July 2007)
The third episode of this increasingly addictive drama focused on Beth and her husband Kaz. He is blind and the reason for this unfolded throughout the evening. We saw Beth going back to Anfield with Nita, whilst Kaz was sat at home talking to Nash. Both are reliving the events of his 'accident' and it transpires that his blindness was the result of a fight between Liverpool and Man Utd supporters. But Beth had dealt the blows to him that made him lose his sight, mistaking him for a Liverpool fan. Beth had visited him in hospital initially out of guilt and their whole relationship had been built on this one event. As Beth reveals the story to Nita though, unbeknown to her Kaz is alos revealing the story to Nash - and though Beth is unaware of the fact, Kaz has has known all along that she was responsible, but had chosen not to tell her.
Episode 4 (19th July 2007)
Nita's new business contract depends on her producing a meal at short notice, so it's all hands on deck. Even Nash gets called on to help. Though he sets up for Nita, he has secretly been texting Phil, so leaves as soon as he can, even though Nita begs him to stay. He has arranged to meet Phil at the apartment where thye used to spend time together - he now owns the whole house and several other properties, a side of his life he has kept secret from Nita. After some small talk, Phil tells Nash she feels they need to spend one last time together to get each other out of their systems - but afterwards, as she walks away (watched by Nash) she phones her husband and tells him she has something to tell him.
Also in this episode Alice finally realises Bryce's game when she comes out of her trance early to find him starting to undress her and with his own trousers already undone.
Dennis has been playing Nita and Phil off against each other and plays Phil the tapes - audio and video - that he recorded in the days and hours leading up to their father's death. He then informs them both her and Nita that he has sold the house to a third party and, as they go outside to witness the arival of the digger, we see them from the upstairs window..... where they are being watched by their supposedly deceased dad!
