There's a song that I love, called "
Landslide" by Beirut, one of my favorite bands. I don't know why, but this episode of "Finding Alice" or, to be precise, a scene in the episode made me think about that song. It is interesting to see how little we know about the people around us just because we don't ask the questions; for example, in this episode we learn that Nathan does what he does because he has lost his daughter to cancer and he wants to give other people the care and attention they deserve when they are no longer living. I might have gotten a little teary-eyed watching that scene and I want to learn more about Nathan and the kind of person that he is. You never fully know anyone, you really don't know what kind of battle they are fighting within. Sometimes, all it takes is a question.
In this episode, Roger, Alice's dad, also emerges and lets us see a side of him that it hadn't been explored. As a viewer, you know from the start that he is a kind soul and a good man, married to a woman that is the complete opposite of who he is. What we learn is that he knows that his wife is having an affair with the man living next to them and he seems to be kind of unbothered by the whole thing; maybe unbothered is the wrong word, but the way he tells Alice makes you think he is trying to supress pain and disbelief, especially because he seems to be pretty scared of his wife. I loved that moment between him and Alice, because it sheds light on their relationship. Alice needed some legal advice about George (who turns out to be Harry's biological son), but she seems to genuinely care about her father's advice. Of course the news of her mother cheating on him comes as a shock, but it's a very brief shock, because Alice has other things on her plate to think about. She truly has no time.
#MeToo. If you've watched the episode, you know what I mean!
Charlotte is finally ready to go back to school and to a normal routine. She starts talking to a school counsellor about what she's going through, something that she can't do with her mom at the moment. This lack of communication causes a rift between the two and it reaches its boiling point during my favorite scene from this week's episode: the car scene I was talking about in the beginning. Charlotte doesn't want her mom to pry and to sit on with her during her meeting with the counsellor. She then storms out and Alice has to catch up with her. Firstly, Alice saying to Charlotte "
Please, don't ignore me, I can't bear it" killed me; I think it's the most transparent indication of how much Alice loves her daughter and, most importantly, how much she truly needs her. It is probably less obvious at the beginning of the show, because the focus is on Alice and we feel like Charlotte is there mainly to pick up the pieces. As I've said before, Alice is the heart of the show and Charlotte is the soul, the rock on which Alice can stand on. Secondly, Charlotte doesn't hold back and Isabella Pappas blows me away with her performance again; have you ever noticed how teen rage is often portrayed on TV shows? Teenagers are mostly seen as irrational, difficult, whiny, problematic, unpleasant and the list goes on; here, Charlotte's anger is quite, almost invisible. She is grieving in silence because she doesn't want to be a burden for her mother. And that, of course, can't go on forever. So Charlotte calls out her mother's behavior, letting her know how she feels and telling her that she needs help. Wow, the honesty of that car ride, two completely different approaches to the situation, where the adult becomes the teenager and the teenager becomes the adult. Alice breaks down in tears and Charlotte looks out the window. *Alexa, play "Landslide" by Beirut"*.
I feel so lucky to get to witness two incredible performances by two amazing actresses who carry each other with ease during their scenes together. It speaks to the authenticity of the show and to the brilliance of the Keeley Hawes and Isabella Pappas.
At the inquest into Harry's death, George shows up (after saying he wouldn't) and clears up the air on what happened the night that Harry died. He is indeed the man on CCTV and he had gone to the house to talk to Harry, because he wanted to get to know him and his family. He couldn't have saved him, because the fall was fatal for Harry, there was nothing that could have been done.
Now, is George the real deal? Is he really genuine in trying to be part of the family or is he not being truthful? Sarah has already warned him, so he better watch out! And what about Harry's parents who are desperately trying to sell the house? There seemed to be truce between them and Alice, but how long will it last? And finally, I'm curious to know more about Nicola, because Sharon Rooney is a queen and I need to get to know her character more.
Let me know your thoughts about the episode in the comments below!
