Loveday Writing

Helen then goes to see Ray to talk to him about her latest case, Hopkins v. Hopkins, a brother and sister arguing over their inheritance – the brother, Brandon, got the farm, his sister got the family bible despite working at the farm her whole life, and the fact that Brandon drives a party bus for a living. Ray informs her that Alice Pike is representing the sister and she’ll be gunning for a lot more than half of the inheritance, which is what Ray tells Helen to argue for.

Alice Pike arrives at the office, and Helen tries to negotiate the split, while Alice constantly takes phone calls via her Bluetooth earpiece, to no avail. Later she goes into see Ray, only for Roz to order her to find more clients for the firm.

At the end of the day, Helen goes home to find May hosting her book club. While she only joins in to eat the snacks, she finds some new clients after having to endure May’s friend, Leslie, talk about her late mother.

The next day, Helen goes into work and tells Roz about her new clients and that book clubs are the best place to find the new clients she is looking for.

Alice Pike returns to the office and informs Helen that her 50/50 offer was rejected, counter offering with 60/40. Helen rejects the offer and Alice leaves, telling her she’ll see her in court. Ray tells her they’re not going to court, showing her a video he took of his efforts to prepare Brandon to present well in court, only for his efforts to be wasted.

At the end of the day, Helen overhears singing and finds Roz rehearsing with her all-women harmony/singing group for an upcoming funeral. Helen stays and watches their rehearsal while drinking wine. One of the women, Bobbie, tells Roz she has her book club meeting to go to and Helen asks if she can tag along.

The next morning, Helen informs May that she now has several book clubs to attend after attending Bobbie’s book club to find clients. Later, she goes to a nearby book store to buy copies of all the books for these clubs. Later, Roz recruits Helen to replace Maggie on The Sadrigals.

Helen later performs with Roz and The Sadrigals in front of Alex Walker, Terry, George and Ray to clear Roz’s name. She uses the pitchpipe in the performance and forgets to breathe properly, almost passing out afterwards.

Alice arrives to sign paperwork for the 60/40 deal, Helen gets George to inform Alice that Ray is hiding in his car. At the end of the episode, Helen tries to return the books she bought, only for the store employee to refuse to give her a refund as she got hummus on them.

Roz – Roz was in the spotlight this episode for two different but related reasons – her rivalry with Alice Pike and her role in an all-women harmony/singing group, The Sadrigals. When Alice Pike is leaving after her brief meeting with Helen, Roz runs into her at reception. George informs Alice about Roz’s suspension, but she’s already aware of it as Alice is the person that persuaded two of Roz’s clients to report her to the Legal Services Board and have her suspended.

When Roz picks up the business card Alice left on the reception desk, she goes to see Ray in his office and informs him that Alice is looking to specialise in wills and probate. Roz tells Ray that they need to get more aggressive in the wills and probate market. Helen walks in and Roz orders her to find more clients for the firm.

When Roz is having another meeting with Terry the next day and after meeting with Helen, Alice takes pictures of Roz’s meeting with Terry on her way out.

At the end of the day, Roz is rehearsing with The Sadrigals when Helen walks in. She invites Helen to stay and she does.

The next morning, Ray shows Roz the photos Alice took of her and sent to the Legal Services Board. Ray tells her the Board are requesting a meeting and he offers to give Alex Walker, who is on the Board, a call to resolve the issue. However, Roz says she wants to go through with the meeting as she wants to defend herself and clear her name. We later see Roz on the phone to Maggie from The Sadrigals, who informs Roz she is in labour and can’t perform. Roz then recruits Helen to replace her.

Roz, Helen and The Sadrigals put on a show for Alex Walker, Terry, and Ray to prove that Roz is not breaching her suspension, as Terry is not a client of the firm but of Roz’s singing group.

Ray – Ray only made brief appearances in this episode but provided a great running gag when he continued to hide from Alice Pike, as well as at the end of the episode where he formed his own book club with George, Alex Walker, Terry and Bob Stanley. The book club is promptly abandoned by all of them for the pub, with Ray telling them to leave the books behind as he’ll recycle them.

May & Graham – In all honesty, their appearances were only brief with May hosting a book club, Graham wanting to talk about sex scenes from one of the books that the club was focusing on, and their shared pride at Helen admitting she’s lonely and has no friends (even though she said that to other people to go to their book clubs to find new clients).

George – George only made brief appearances, reading a book on how to find the dark web, and to comment to Roz on his scepticism of Alice actually talking to people on her phone constantly.

Overall, I enjoyed the spotlight on Roz with a brief look into a passion project/hobby of hers, as well as the professional and personal rivalry she has with Alice Pike, although we’re yet to find out why she was suspended, we did get more of an insight into the suspension. I also enjoyed how passionate and determined Helen became in trying to find clients through multiple book clubs.

Stray Observations:

-George is reading a book, The Dark Web for Beginners, and playing Solitaire on his computer at work.

-One of the ladies in Roz’s all-women harmony/singing group mistakes Helen for a cleaner.

Best one liners and interactions:

• “It’s apparently a very nice bible. It’s got Jesus and prayers in it, there’s a burning bush…” (Ray to Helen on their opposing client inheriting a family bible)
• “Did you know Pike was here?” “Why do you think I sat in the car for an hour.” (Roz-Ray on Alice Pike)
• “Where’s our client base?” “The post office? Old people love the post office? Michel’s Patisserie? The movies, specifically talking through the movies. Church, you can always find them at church.” (Roz-Helen)
• “We don’t want old people. We want middle-aged people squabbling over inheritance.” (Roz to Helen on the clients she wants for the firm)
• “Oh no May, I haven’t read the book. Ooh snacks, I’m in.” (Helen to May on the book club)
• “Two new clients and I know where to find a whole lot more.” “Do not say Michel’s Patisserie, because they banned me the last time I was there handing out business cards. It’s a shame, they do such excellent coffee.” (Helen-Ray)
• “What about the vertical blinds?” “Hmm. There’s no doubt they’re tired.” (Roz-Ray discussing the office)
• “I’ve told everyone I’m lonely and I’ve got no friends.” “Good on you for admitting it.” “That’s a good first step.” (Helen-Graham-May on Helen going to book clubs to find clients)
• “Alice Pike has made a complaint to the Legal Services Board.” “Oh no, not about me.” (Ray-Helen)
• “Did you cuckold Alice Pike?” “Did you just say ‘cuckold’?” “Yeah, we’re doing The Millers Tale at one of my book clubs, it’s about cuckolding apparently.” (Helen-Ray-Helen)
• “For God’s sake Fisk, enough! You sound like a cow with a vuvuzela stuck up its arse!” (Ray to Helen on her singing)
• “Thank you ladies, that was not only unexpected but also a complete waste of my time.” (Alex Walker to Roz and her singing group)
• “Roz, two of your black lady Wiggles are in reception.” (George to Roz, informing her that the other members of The Sadrigals have arrived)