Guilt this week sees Grace on trial in “The Court v Atwood.” Quite a lot happens. Bruno reneges on testifying against the prince. Roz testifies in his stead and Neville, poor little blighter, is found hanged. Bruno and Natalie head to Hertfordshire and find the amazingly well preserved body of Jessica Marshall. A plot is hatched between the van driver and Miss Daisy.
As Stan Gutterie is shut down on every turn, Grace looks close to being railroaded for the Irish girl’s murder. Although Gutterie still manages to bring the prince into the proceedings via Roz. The DJ “madam” also provides proof that Molly was impregnated with the royal’s seed…
Patrick comes close to using his IRA weapon against Theo but the stricken testimony causes the royal to hide. With the hospital visit cancelled Patrick’s mate suggests he use Kaley (Amber Jean Rowan) as bait. Ryan refuses but later it appears that Kaley has different ideas.
The Elephant in the Plot:
With the truncated recap sorted it is now time to look at the flaming great elephant in the plot – The Driver and Miss Daisy.
While there have been moments in Guilt that were far off the mark in terms of reality, this one takes the biscuit. There are a number of things wrong with this portion of the plot.
Firstly: Police vans, which this clearly is, are not used to transport prisoners, even ones on remand. The accused would be transferred via HMPS van, in a very few cases, or, most likely, via a company like G4S or the new GEOAmey.
Secondly: The driver would not be on his own. (Neither, for that matter, would Grace have the entire van to herself, she would be in a cubicle and not have contact with anyone else. This includes the driver.) Standard protocol for escorting officers is two; a driver and an officer.
Lastly: Escort officers are not prison officers and would not be allowed access to prisoners, even those on remand, i.e. innocent until proven guilty inside the prison. Escort personnel are not allowed access inside any prison apart from the sections that deal with prisoner transport.
Ergo, this plot line is beyond nonsensical as it could never happen.
Oh dear.
It should also be pointed out that as the case, in the show, is meant to be high-profile, Atwood could have a police escort but she would not be escorted via police van.
Back to the Rest of the Episode:
So Neville, the eyewitness who saw the prince standing over Molly’s dead body; knife in hand, has been murdered. Daisy has talked her escort into helping her escape. Bruno was told that if he testified Natalie Atwood would die. The woman missing since last November has been found, dead, sans one earring. Patrick still wants to kill Theo and Kaley has placed herself in danger.
At this point in Guilt the finger of blame is placed squarely on the prince. Grace is now firmly in the role of innocent girl being set up to take the fall for Molly’s murder. The missing woman has been found, buried where Theo met Ryan, and this will, once again, change things in the case.
Or will it? Thus far, Theo’s minder Philip Baker (Osi Okerafor) is clearly the obvious suspect for Molly’s murder. This same man threatened Bruno, telling the suspended cop that Natalie would die if he testified. It takes little imagination to then place Baker in role of murderer to protect his charge.
(We did actually include Baker early on as a favorite suspect.)
Guilt airs Mondays on Freeform. Tune in and see if we ever find out who really killed Molly Ryan and if Grace manages to escape.
CAST:
- Daisy Head – Grace Atwood
- Billy Zane – Stan Gutterie
- Emily Tremaine – Natalie Atwood
- Anthony Head – James
- Cristian Solimeno – DS Bruno
- Sam Cassidy – Prince Theo
- Simona Brown – Roz Walters
- Kevin Ryan – Patrick Ryan
- Naomi Ryan – Gwendolyn Hall
Mikes Film Talk 