This should be an emotional roller-coaster, a tearjerker that pays tribute to one of the show's most popular characters.Instead, what it is is a mess.The flaws of this episode and of the storyline in general are laid bare for all to see.Amanda, Belle's mother, doesn't discover she's dying until the episode where it happens, a week after everyone else found out and far far too late for her reaction to be explored properly.So instead she's made to look the bad guy because she, quite reasonably, thinks that if her daughter's ill she should be in hospital with doctors trying to make her better.
Then there's the return of Liam, which seems to be squeezed into the episode simply because someone's suddenly realised they're about to kill the only person on the show who actually knows him, so if they're going to bring him back they need to do it now.All he does is hang around for a bit and then leave without even really speaking to Belle.
Aden gets a last chance to act like a possessive jerk about Belle, sniping at Amanda and Liam in a way that's most unlikeable.Not that O'Donnell's behaviour towards Sid is any better.As has been the case ever since these two got together, all Belle's other relationships are badly neglected, with Geoff and Annie barely uttering a word and most of the important conversations happening off screen.And the flashbacks to the beginning of Aden and Belle's relationship just reminds us that their getting together made no sense in the first place.Oh-and Leah pops up just so she can be a cow towards Sid.
The only redeeming features are the little scene of Miles comforting Nicole and the last conversation between Belle and Amanda.Elsewhere, we have to rely on Jessica Tovey to make Belle's last scenes a lot better than they deserve to be.
Then there's the return of Liam, which seems to be squeezed into the episode simply because someone's suddenly realised they're about to kill the only person on the show who actually knows him, so if they're going to bring him back they need to do it now.All he does is hang around for a bit and then leave without even really speaking to Belle.
Aden gets a last chance to act like a possessive jerk about Belle, sniping at Amanda and Liam in a way that's most unlikeable.Not that O'Donnell's behaviour towards Sid is any better.As has been the case ever since these two got together, all Belle's other relationships are badly neglected, with Geoff and Annie barely uttering a word and most of the important conversations happening off screen.And the flashbacks to the beginning of Aden and Belle's relationship just reminds us that their getting together made no sense in the first place.Oh-and Leah pops up just so she can be a cow towards Sid.
The only redeeming features are the little scene of Miles comforting Nicole and the last conversation between Belle and Amanda.Elsewhere, we have to rely on Jessica Tovey to make Belle's last scenes a lot better than they deserve to be.