Loveday Writing

Dale and Helen – Dale and Helen’s developing relationship, specifically Helen staying with Dale in last week’s episode, has become the talk of the office, with camera crew, Tim and Gary, constantly pestering Dale for details. When Dale goes to visit Helen, he asks her if she has been receiving comments about them at work. She says no, but that her workmates will talk about her anyway, and tells Dale to ignore the lewd comments. Dale then tells Helen that he’d prefer to only hang out with her at work events after hours, so the gossip dies down.

Throughout the episode, Helen is struggling to cope emotionally. After another argument with Dennis on her story, she leaves the editing suite to look for more pills to take, only to find none. She then calls Dale and asks him to bring a glass of water to her, only for him to refuse as he has to leave the office to do his live cross at the Melbourne Observatory. Helen later goes into the make-up suite to cry.

Helen then goes on air with Geoff, where she manages to keep her composure, only to walk away from the desk while they are briefly off-air and cry even more, which leads to her struggles being noticed by the other staff. Lindsay then comes up to her and tells her that they’re going to have a chat once the broadcast has finished. Helen leaves the desk and locks herself in the make-up suite before Lindsay comes back to chat with her. Lindsay then gets make-up artist, Cheryl, to get a bottle of Valium from his desk. When she returns, Lindsay gives them to her (telling her it’s a small dose) and offers to give her a lift home.

When Lindsay takes her home and they have drinks, we get more of an insight into their working relationship. Lindsay tells Helen that Geoff’s not going to be at the desk for much longer, and that he wants to recommend to the CEO that Helen do The Bulletin solo, however he is unsure about recommending her due to her emotional struggles. He also tells her that no-one goes into bat for her harder than him, which she admits she knows, but he feels she forgets that, especially due to their recent screaming matches. Moments later, Dale comes in (after Cheryl relays her concerns about Helen to him at work) to check on Helen. Dale ends up spending the night at Helen’s and suggests that she takes a couple of days off work. Helen then informs Dale that Geoff will be stepping down, and she also tells him as he leaves that Tim is gay, after Dale tells her that Tim invited him to his place to watch the Comet.

Later when Dale’s mother visits him, she tells him about Adam Lindell, the man who left him a message on his answering machine in the previous episode who he went to school with. Adam is apparently out and proud, much to the chagrin of his family. When his mother asks if he has heard from Adam, he lies and says no. His mother then tells him that Adam’s family owes him an apology, but it’s not made clear why the apology needs to be given. Afterwards Dale calls Tim, who tells him that everyone else he invited has bailed and it will just be the two of them watching the Comet, however Dale tells him he’s going to Geoff’s birthday party.

Helen and Dale go to the birthday party together, where they share a kiss, and they end up sleeping together at the end of the episode.

Overall, I enjoyed the progression of Helen and Dale’s personal and professional relationship. As Dale’s possible homosexuality has been hinted at (and interestingly Rob and Lindsay admit to believing that he’s gay), I honestly didn’t see him and Helen both kissing and hooking up coming. It will be interesting to see where their relationship goes from here.

Geoff – Geoff, specifically the fate of his career, was another major focus in this episode. Lindsay and Geoff have drinks together, with Lindsay telling Geoff that he has sold the idea of having him return to the field to the CEO. While he is happy at first, Geoff does question whether the CEO is pushing him out of the network, but Lindsay denies this.

Meanwhile Geoff’s 60^th birthday party is coming up with nearly everyone from the office attending. Geoff asks Noelene to type up his speech for the party, in which he reveals that he will be leaving The Bulletin. Rob finds this out when he takes a page it from Noelene when he tells her to watch a news report on the Comet. Noelene asks Rob not to tell anyone, but he does anyway, which she chastises him for, as she was almost fired for a mistake Geoff made when reading off the autocue.

Later, when Geoff is practising his speech at home with Evelyn listening, Evelyn is surprised to hear that he will be going back into the field. Geoff tells her that The Bulletin doesn’t interest him as much as it used to. Evelyn tells him that breaking news, not being out in the field, is his passion and that he is being diminished by the network.

At the party, Geoff gives his speech and reveals that he has decided to stay at The Bulletin until the end of the century, instead of going out in the field, to the shock of everyone in attendance. Later, Lindsay talks to Evelyn, believing that his change of heart was caused by her, and she in turn informs him that the public love Geoff and that if he or the network mistreat him, the public backlash will be devastating.

Later that evening, Geoff tells Dale that he is a wonderful young reporter and sees a lot of himself in him, and asks for his support to prevent The Bulletin shifting away from serious news. Dale tells him he does have his support. I imagine this will come back to haunt Dale (and by association Helen) later in the season.

Overall I enjoyed this insight into Geoff’s character, both on a professional and personal level. I could see his decision coming from a mile away as the conflict between Geoff, Lindsay, Helen and the network provides more story arc opportunities then Geoff leaving gracefully would.

Rob and Noelene – Rob and Noelene interact more in this episode but not much more insight is provided into their characters. While we see how Noelene is treated as a PA – constantly ordered around and mistaken as Japanese by Dennis at one point (Dale points out that she’s Korean), we also see that Rob clearly likes Noelene. I’m hoping their dynamic is explored more later in the season.

Overall I felt that this was a solid episode with progression in many relationships, as well as minor progression in the conflict between Geoff, Lindsay, Helen and the network.

Stray Observations:

Running gag – Everyone thinking that the wardrobe department is pulling a prank on Rob when they give him a pink bow tie to wear with his tux.

-Apparently Rob is a gossip.

-This episode is set days after the Space Shuttle Disaster (30 January to 1 February 1986).

-Geoff has been with the network for 30 years and at The Bulletin since its inception.