Loveday Writing

Later that evening, a couple, Xavier (Andrew Shaw) and Carly (Alex Malone) come to the clinic with their son, Mason (Ethan Phillips). They tell him that Mason was riding his bike without a helmet, fell off, was knocked unconscious and his wrist hurts. Pete calls Wayne to pick them up and on his way out, Wayne asks Eliza to do a telehealth consult to help them out. As Pete is getting Mason some pain killers, Eliza witnesses Xavier holding Carly by the throat, discovering that he is violent and most likely responsible for Mason’s, as well as Carly’s rib injuries. Eliza tells Pete not to alarm them but try and find a way to separate Xavier from Carly and Mason.

Pete manages to convince Xavier to go back home and pack some supplies for Carly and Mason, which gives them about ten minutes. When Pete hears him coming back, he turns the lights out and calls Xavier to tell him that they had to leave. Pete tells him to drive to town to meet them there, but just as he leaves, he sees Mason through the window run over to Carly. When Mason tells Xavier to go away, Pete stands up and confronts him. Xavier then uses a pipe to break the glass in the door. When Pete goes outside to confront him, Xavier hits him. Against Pete’s advice, Carly opens the door to go outside but collapses. Pete yells at him to stay back and let him treat her as he’s already up for assault charges, and if Carly dies, murder charges will be added. Mira and Wayne arrive to help out, with Mira telling Xavier he won’t be getting on her plane.

On the flight back to the base, Pete tells Carly that he has to report Mason’s injuries to Child Services, and that other family support services will be in touch to help her decide what she wants to do about her domestic violence situation.

Afterwards, he tells Taylor that he distanced himself from them, especially Nate, as the drought and its ripple effects made Nate miserable and difficult to be around. He apologises to Taylor, but Taylor tells him that it’s not his fault Nate and Rhiannon died, and that Nate made his choice.

The episode and the season ends with Pete listening to the final voicemail Nate left him, then deleting it and looking up to the sky to say goodbye. He and Taylor then go on a morning run.

Eliza – There wasn’t really as much of a focus on Eliza as there was on Pete, but she had her moments in the spotlight. At the start of the episode, Eliza and Matty return to the base where Leonie informs her that Ed and Henry are waiting for her, as Henry has locked himself out of the house. After Matty asks Ed and Henry if they are attending the RFDS fundraising ball, Eliza ends up inviting Ed.

At the ball, Eliza tells Ed she wants to talk to him privately. She tells him she came to the ball with him for Henry’s sake and that they’re not getting back together. Ed tells her that he thought that was the case, which leads to Eliza asking him why he’s come out to Australia. He tells her that they need to work through their problems as a family and in person.

After she and Pete deal with the domestic violence situation, she checks Pete’s ribs. When they joke about her fees, he tells her about the bet he made with Leonie at the start of the series on how long she’d last. Eliza tells him he won as she will be going back to London to sort things out with her family. She admits that she doesn’t want to leave but she needs to, and they kiss.

Wayne and Mira – At the start of the episode, Wayne informs Mira that he’s thinking of staying in Broken Hill, which angers her as they broke up because he was leaving. Later at the ball, Ursula arrives and Mira introduces her to the group, with Ursula revealing they met at the car crash Mira attended (in episode 5).

When they fly out to assist Pete, they have a heart-to-heart. Wayne apologises for not being honest about what he wants but that’s because most of the time he doesn’t know what he wants. Mira tells him that she kept thinking during the crash how much she needed a plane and a doctor like him.

Towards the end of the episode, Leonie asks him about rumours she’s heard about him staying, he tells everyone it’s true and he will stay.

Matty – There wasn’t that much of a focus on Matty in this episode, but he did make his drag queen debut as Miley High at the ball. After he gets off stage, he tells Ferret that he should have warned him but Ferret tells him he was awesome and hopes that he doesn’t find him boring. Matty kisses him to reassure him.

Leonie – Leonie spends the episode on the fundraising ball with her main focus on an auction that will provide funding for the mental health clinic in Rhiannon’s name. While the auction doesn’t seem to be raising enough money, Shaun (portrayed by show creator and writer, Ian Meadows), the young man who was treated for his suicide attempt-related injuries by Wayne and Matty (in episode 6) gets on stage and thanks the RFDS for saving his life. He and his father, Brian, pledge to donate the money needed for the clinic to get up and running.

Overall I felt that this was a solid season finale with an exciting medical subplot with unexpectedly increased stakes that were realistically portrayed. Eliza’s story arc came to a close with her unsurprising decision to go back to London to sort out her unresolved issues with Ed. Wayne and Mira’s relationship, or rather lack thereof, wasn’t addressed but if Wayne is staying, there may be a chance they’ll get back together next season. Matty making his drag queen debut, with Ferret’s support, and the mental health clinic getting much needed funding were nice touches.  I would have liked to have seen more character development with Leonie and Graham, but perhaps that can be touched on next season.

I’ve enjoying reviewing the first season of RFDS and I hope it’s renewed for another, but if not, it ended on a good note.

Stray Observations:

Running gag – Kit calling himself and Wayne a ghost, and Pete going along with it.

Best one liners and interactions:

• “Matty, flight nurse, Gemini, cricket enthusiast.” “Ed, Scotsman, Aries, whiskey enthusiast.” (Matty and Ed introducing themselves to each other)
• “You’re wasting your time, there’s no point taking me, I’m a ghost.” “You’ve got a pretty good pulse for a ghost.” “It’s just a ghost pulse!” “We’ll get you to hospital for that scan and they’ll see if you’ve got a pulse.” (Kit-Pete going back-and-forth)
• “Oh my ancestors!” (Ursula to Mira on Wayne)
• “Don’t you all look fabulous! You should see the view from my cockpit, I know a few of you already have.” (Dolly at the ball)
• “I’m gonna get cooked alive!” “I thought you were already dead?” (Kit-Pete on the plane door being open and letting the heat in)