Loveday Writing

Liz – The episode kicks off with Liz getting ready to leave Stuart’s place in the morning, narrating that she always felt that someone would leave the house, specifically that Harry or Ainsley would leave first, but she didn’t expect that she would. It’s revealed that Liz has been offered to complete her Masters Degree at Cambridge, and she will be going to the UK with Stuart. Before she tells the others, she calls Simmo to tell him as she knew he would see it in a positive way and she believes he would be the best person to rent out her bedroom while she’s gone for the next year or two.

While Simmo is happy for her and views her invitation to rent her room out as an honour, he turns her down, claiming that if Ben and him live together, they’ll be spending too much time together, which will have a negative affect on everyone.

Later, the housemates go out to lunch and Harry drops the bombshell before Liz gets the chance. Everyone is surprised but happy for her (although Harry isn’t). During the lunch, Liz lets it slip that Simmo used Ben as a reason not to move in, which upsets him. Harry and Liz go to see Manju to tell her the news, and Manju is happy for her and admits that out of all of Harry’s housemates, she was her favourite.

Later that evening, the housemates and Stuart go out to dinner. While it appears Stuart is about to propose to Liz, he’s actually getting a phone out for Liz to use while they’re in the UK. Afterwards, Stuart approaches Harry and tells him that she needs everyone’s support. Harry tells him he’s always supported her but Stuart counters that she hasn’t been feeling it lately.

The next morning, the housemates have interviews with four people they know that could possibly replace Liz from their own social circles – Martin, Rowan Mullins (Ben’s mate, Fridgey), Ray Maplethorpe (Heather’s Facebook friend, although she has no idea who he is), and Edwina Crowe, (Liz’s old workmate).

During his interview, Martin admits that he only wanted to become a housemate in an attempt to win Manju back, whilst Fridgey lets it slip that Simmo has feelings for Ainsley. Edwina pulls out and Colin turns out to be Ray Maplethorpe. Colin tells them that he actually doesn’t want to become a housemate, rather he proposes that they rent out Evie’s old room on Airbnb and give him a cut of the profits.

After the interviews, Heather tells Liz that the way she’s leaving is abrupt and unfair, and Harry agrees, whilst Ainsley and Ben disagree. During their argument, Ainsley gets a message from Lachlan informing her that Mel had her baby, which ends the argument. Later that evening, Liz visits Stuart and tells her that she can’t fly out tomorrow due to the fact that her leaving abruptly is upsetting the housemates. She also admits to him that they kept her going when he left her penniless and alone.

The next day, when Harry, Ainsley and Heather find Liz drinking out in the rain, they encourage her to go to the UK, apologising to her. Harry calls Stuart and tells him that Liz will be flying out with him after all. The housemates quickly pack Liz’s things and take her to the airport. They say quick but meaningful goodbyes, however she hesitates moments before getting to the departure lounge. They encourage her, but it is Harry’s support and encouragement that gets her over the line and into the lounge. The episode and the season ends with Liz and Stuart on the way to their gate.

Heather and Ben – There wasn’t much of a focus on their relationship, however Heather and Ben both agree to Colin’s idea to rent out Evie’s old room on Airbnb, as the money would enable the housemates to keep themselves afloat, and for Heather to study her Masters Degree at uni, like Liz suggested in the previous episode. When Ben finds out that Simmo used him as a reason for not taking Liz’s room, he goes to Simmo’s worksite, where he admits that his feelings for Ainsley is the real reason why he turned down Liz’s offer. He tells Ben that Ainsley needs to heal from her loss and that she doesn’t need his feelings for her adding to her stress.

Ainsley – There wasn’t too much of a focus on Ainsley either. She is the most supportive of Liz’s move, coming up with the idea of future housemate interviews, and is the first point of contact for their social circles. During Harry, Liz and Heather’s argument on Liz’s abrupt departure, Ainsley receives a text from Lachlan informing her that Mel has had her baby. While this upsets her, when Harry and Heather find her packing up the baby stuff, she tells them she wants to give everything to Mel, dropping it off at hers and Lachlan’s house before she comes home from the hospital.

When Harry, Ainsley and Heather arrive at Mel and Lachlan’s house the next morning to drop the baby stuff off, Lachlan comes out the front door. Lachlan tells them that Mel discharged herself early as her mother was driving her crazy. Lachlan invites her in, and when Mel sees her, she tears up and apologises for her loss. Ainsley walks over and sees Starlette and declares she’s beautiful. Mel asks Ainsley if she would like to hold Starlette, she politely declines and tells her about the baby stuff. Mel again tears up, this time in joy over the offer.

The final moments of the episode and the season show Ainsley visiting Simmo onsite and having lunch with him, implying that they may be starting a relationship.

Harry – There wasn’t much of a focus on Harry, other than his obvious resentment and jealousy towards Liz for leaving to go to the UK with Stuart, which he admits to at the end of the episode. He is also the housemate to finally get through to her about going to the UK when she hesitates at the last moment.

Overall I felt that this was a solid season finale, despite only establishing one future story arc and one future subplot – Liz leaving and who might replace her in the house (if she doesn’t come back), and Ainsley and Simmo’s possible romance. The season finale had Ainsley find some sort of closure with her loss and Liz is moving on to another chapter in her life. While Five Bedrooms has been renewed for another season, it’s unclear whether Kat Stewart is returning for it. I hope she does, however there is a part of me that is interested in seeing Harry, Heather, Ainsley and Ben living with another person, and how their dynamic would change with that person. I also hope she returns as I felt that her and Stuart going off to the UK was rushed and came out of nowhere.

In regards to the season as a whole, I felt it was a solid season. As the previous season had us get to know the housemates and the type of people they are, this season gave us rich character development, a tragedy out of left field, and a new house that in all honesty, was probably better for the gang then the first one.

My hopes for season 3 are that Ainsley and Simmo get together, Liz returns, and that Harry finds love.

Thank you to the incredible cast and crew for a fantastic second season, and even more so for producing this season during a global pandemic. Congratulations on being renewed and I’m looking forward to reviewing the next season.

Stray Observations:

-Ben’s mate, Fridgey’s, real name is Rowan Mullins. Ben didn’t realise he was on Facebook.

-Fridgey describes Liz as a “well dressed lady on the wrong side of 40.”

-When the housemates are having lunch at the pub, Ben tells Heather she’ll want a steak and chips. Heather tells him to let her look at the menu so she’ll decide. She ends up wanting a steak and chips.

-The night Colin proposed to Heather, it involved six hours of yelling and slamming doors, followed by a simple yes at 3am. Heather decides she’s on board with the Airbnb idea at 3am.

Best one liners and interactions:

• “Will I have to call you doctor?” “No” “Well I’d be happy to.” “I won’t be a doctor, Simmo.” (Simmo-Liz-Simmo on Liz doing her Masters)
• “I get a bit nervy flying solo, even driving long distances…I won’t head to Echuca on my own.” (Simmo to Liz)
• “Look, when Benny and I spend too much time together, we can rub off on each other in some funky ways. Best case scenario, we end up with a beautiful home brew, worst case, one of us ends up in jail.” (Simmo to Liz)
• “I feel like four decades of my life are in question here.” “You’re in your 30s.” “Yeah but our mums are mates too, we basically met in utero.” (Ben-Harry-Ben on his friendship with Simmo)
• “If you start putting on a British accent, I’m going to run you down with Ben’s ute.” (Heather to Liz)
• “I think they took it pretty well.” “Heather threatened to run you over.” “In a good way,” (Liz-Harry-Liz on the housemates’ reaction to her news)
• “I’m sad to see you go, you were my favourite.” “What about Ainsley?” “Lovely, but you’re much more sensible.” “What about Heather?” “So many opinions.” “Ben?” “I don’t understand a word he says.” (Manju-Liz going back and forth on the housemates)
• “Heather you’re an attractive older lady, but you terrify me and you’re spoken for.” (Fridgey on Heather)
• “I’ve never had more genuine love for a lady I let down in the sack.” (Ben’s goodbye to Liz at the airport)