Dead Man’s Time – As the fourth series of Grace begins, Marion Dupont (Jessica Ellerby) calls Aileen Daly (Carolyn Pickles). Marion has to call when two men arrive at the door. The men claim to be from East Sussex Water and say they’re there to investigate a leak in the area. Once the men come inside, Marion tells Aileen about a portfolio of flats and villas in Spain. Aileen hangs up because she doesn’t need a flat in Spain. She soon learns that the men aren’t there to check the water pressure. DI Glenn Branson (Richie Campbell) tells DSI Roy Grace (John Simm) about a tie-up robbery in Lavinia Gardens. Aileen was tortured and may not survive. Her brother, Gavin Daly, informed the police.

Glenn reveals there’s evidence of cigarette burns. Grace decides to go speak to Aileen who says one man was Irish. The other one was darker and he hurt her. One of the men took his glove off for a second. Sarah Courtney (Laura Aikman) finishes the news report before speaking to Molly Daniels (Jennifer Macbeth) about possible corruption. Molly finds out that Sarah has a wound on her shoulder. Sarah insists it’s nothing. If Molly says anything, it will come between them. Gavin Daly (Robert Glenister) and his son Lewis (Ash Hunter) approach Roy to ask about Aileen. Gavin learns that Aileen has suffered blunt force trauma to the spine and might be paraplegic. When Roy leaves, Gavin speaks to Aileen.

They talk about the riddle. Gavin says they never solved it and never found pa. He doesn’t think this is a coincidence considering what today is. Roy goes to the crime scene. Glenn tells him they need to find out what’s missing. DC Nick Nicholl (Brad Morrison) is told to get the lab to pay attention to the phones. Lewis speaks to Sarah Courtney about Aileen’s injuries. She asks if he’ll inherit anything if she dies. Lewis questions who she can ask that. Sarah tells him that Molly saw the wounds today. Glenn shows Roy that Aileen has a collection of books about crime in the area. Roy finds a letter from a possible knocker-boy who charms his way in and makes low-ball offers for valuables. Roy asks about Alvin Morris Smallbone since the paperwork says AMS Valuables. Glenn thinks he’s lying low after attacking Larry Brooker.

Gavin arrives and interrupts to ask about the safe. They check it and confirm it has been emptied. Gavin says they took his father’s watch. Gavin guided Aileen’s purchases. The watch was a Clairmont Leroux. There are only three left in the world. It wasn’t insured because registering it would make it a target. Glenn tells Roy that the hospital says Aileen has taken a turn for the worse. Gavin learns before being taken back to the hospital. DS Norman Potting (Craig Parkinson) tells Roy and Glenn how Gavin made his money. Bella says the number on the AMS paperwork is a burner, but it is pinging a mast on the Drakefield estate. She got a hit on Donna Grant who was sometimes a girlfriend to Alvin Smallbone. They approach Alvin (Niall Greig Fulton) who claims they’re harassing him.

Alvin admits he tried to get money from Aileen. Roy says he’s going to get warrants because he believes Alvin is connected to this. He arrests him on suspicion of assaulting Larry Brooker. Alvin knows all about Roy’s new girlfriend and her bun in the oven. Alvin tries to escape but gets into a scuffle with Roy in the elevator. Alvin ends up getting away and Aileen passes away. Grace speaks to the team and suggests this was a targeted robbery. He believes the stolen paintings and antiques were a sideshow. He thinks they were really after the watch. Bella Moy (Laura Elphinstone) mentions that Aileen took a call from Crescent Cove Open Villas just before the attackers arrived. Later, Nick tells Roy that none of the prints match anything in the database.

Norman tells Roy that they haven’t found Alvin yet. Roy looks through the crime scene once again. After removing a phone cord, he calls Nick to ask him to come and pick up the evidence. Roy hears something upstairs. He’s nearly attacked by Gavin who has a crowbar. Gavin claims he was hoping they’d come back for the rest. Roy wants to know more about the watch because he doesn’t think it’s about the money. Gavin explains his pa was apprenticed to a watchmaker called Barlow in Stepney Wick. Gavin was seven and fascinated by that watch. One night, their lives were torn apart by Ian Padmore. Ian (Alan Mooney) bangs on the door and yells for Brendan Daly (Alan Mahon) in a flashback. Brendan makes Gavin promise that he’ll look after Aileen no matter what happens.

Ian bursts in with Clive Ellis and others who take Brendan out of the house. Ellis doesn’t seem thrilled. Gavin explains that the watchmaker was robbed that night. Barlow was killed and his dad disappeared. Aileen and Gavin were sent to live with pa’s sister Vi. Ellis stops them and tells them to watch the numbers. He gives them the watch and a gun. Ellis tells them to shoot them if they come for them. Aunt Vi sees the newspaper article with a number written on the side. In the present, Gavin shows Roy that 158 was written on the newspaper. The watch was set to just after four on March 26. Gavin doesn’t know what that means though. Gavin explains they had the books because they never stopped looking for their father. Brendan was taken on the 6th of April 1964.

That’s 60 years ago to the day. Gavin doesn’t think that’s a coincidence. Nick arrives to pick up the evidence. He says Aileen’s housekeeper, Nancy, claimed Aileen and he brother had a big row the day before yesterday. He allegedly kicked a spindle on the stairs. Roy asks him to pull some files about the abduction of Brendan Daly and the murder of Max Barlow. Back inside, Gavin pretends the argument with his sister wasn’t a big deal. He says it had nothing to do with Aileen’s death. Aileen said she could’ve had a husband and children if it wasn’t for him. That night, Roy looks at a picture of the watch. Gavin looks at pictures of the Barlow crime scene. Glenn rushes to get ready in the morning. Ari (Rebecca Scroggs) and Glenn discuss whether they need a nanny. Cleo (Zoe Tapper) and Roy talk about the books and the Padmore family.

Cleo says Ian was a sadistic gang leader and slum landlord. Roy says Brendan Daly was forced to rob the watchmakers where he worked or face eviction. Roy asks Cleo if she’s seen a silver link bracelet. It was Sandy’s and it seems to have disappeared from the jewelry box. Sandy (Clare Calbraith) gets an envelope from a DNA and paternity lab. She seems shocked by the paternity test results. Glenn asks Roy about old man Daly. Norman and Bella visit Crescent Cove Open Villas. Marion Dupont approaches. She confirms she remembers Aileen who wasn’t interested in her offer. Marion heard a man when they were interrupted but not much else. Glenn and Roy check in with Dr. Fraser Theobald (Henry Miller) who says the attack was cautious and controlled. Cleo believes she was attacked using an old-school knuckle-duster.

Sandy walks toward the police station. When she sees Cassian Pewe (Sam Hoare), she turns around and leaves in a hurry. Sandy watches Roy arrive with a pregnant Cleo moments later. Next, Roy speaks to Lewis and Sarah about Lewis being into antiques. Lewis says Alvin Smallbone doesn’t mean anything to him. Lewis last saw his aunt on his dad’s birthday about a month ago. Sarah claims Gavin doted on his sister to a fault. That didn’t leave much room for the rest of them. Roy learns they have broken windows. When he asks about it, Lewis and Sarah blame kids who thought they damaged one of their bikes. Bella is tasked with seeing if there is a connection between Lewis and Alvin. Roy notices an advertisement for Dentaswift outside. Nick tells Roy what happened to Ian Padmore and his gang. Clive Ellis seems to be the only one left, but he vanished in 1973.

The name of the key prosecution witness against Padmore is redacted in the court files. Nick suspects Ellis was put in witness protection. Lewis tries to sell a replica chair, but the client is not impressed. Gavin calls to complain about Daly’s Vintage Emporium being closed. He wants Lewis to earn his salary. Lewis looks for East End London Cafes. He finds one that matches Barlow’s shop. Alvin is found in the hospital after being attacked. He claims he didn’t enter Aileen’s house. They keep pushing until he admits she invited him in. Alvin says hurting old ladies is not his thing. Roy threatens to send him down for this unless he provides them with names. Alvin mentions Frank Tudor (Gordon Kennedy). Nick calls to tell Roy that a print from the phone socket at Aileen’s house matches convicted robber Sean Barnes. They try to apprehend him.

Sean Barnes (Alan Turkington) watches them storm his residence from a distance. He rides away on a motorcycle. Frank Tudor is questioned about Sean Barnes. Frank claims he’s too old to get caught up in robberies now. He tells Glenn that Smallbone told him the basics. Smallbone told him the target was Aileen. Frank says Gavin is not a man you’d want to cross. He knows they stole watches because Mark Devlin is in from Marbella. Glenn calls Roy and they talk about Gavin possibly snatching and torturing Gavin. Glenn is told to find Mark Devlin. Then, Roy is introduced to Mark Drake who owns the farm. Drake says Sean left yesterday and paid two months on top for the inconvenience. Sean meets a man to warn him that the police are onto him. He argues they need to get out of Brighton and the country.

Sean points out that Daly is offering a 100k reward. Since they have the watch, they can ask the boss for a bigger cut. His partner isn’t sure that’s a good idea considering who the boss works for. Drake’s paperwork connects Sean to Green Ash Estates. Glenn believes he’s found Mark Devlin at the Flint House. At the station, Norman says the initial Z appears in her diary on the morning of Aileen’s death. Roy says the focus is finding Barnes and identifying his partner. Marion Dupont is shown meeting Sean. Bella says Green Ash Estates is owned by Padmore Partnership. She explains that the company is a Europe-wide concern due to its size. They discuss the possible link between the Padmore family and Aileen’s death. Norman wonders if it’s just random stuff. Roy believes they should see if the Padmores are linked to timeshares. Marion calling Aileen could’ve been set up.

Sean his partner tells Marion that they want 80 grand cash today. Otherwise, they’re going to collect Gavin’s reward. Sean’s partner kills him. Marion asks why they had to kill the old lady. Sean’s partner explains that she wouldn’t give up the code. Norman traces Marion back to Chance Credit. Bella confirms that Crescent Cove Open Villas and Chance Credit are owned by Padmore Partnership. Norman is asked to look for any of Sean’s contacts who work in rental debt collection. Molly asks Sarah about Lewis. She thinks they need to speak. Sarah tells her to leave it alone for both of their sakes. Bella finds CCTV of a woman who looks like Molly collecting a package from Lewis at his residence. Norman pinpoints Robert Macario who loan sharked for Marion was Chance Credit. He was Barnes’s cellmate at Eastville Prison.

Glenn calls to tell Roy that Sean’s body has been found. At the scene, they learn that Macario could’ve been involved and a woman drove away in an Audi TT. It’s confirmed that Sean was likely asphyxiated. At the station, Norman thinks they should start with Sarah because she has a Z on her bracelet. When Norman and Bella confront her, Sarah says Zoe is her real name. She admits she saw Aileen before her death. Sarah and Aileen used to sit and chat for and listen to old records. She claims Gavin is controlling and sees the worst in people. He thought Sarah was trying to muscle in on the will. She believes he felt the same way about Lewis. Bella and Norman see a picture of Molly before approaching her seconds later. Molly explains that Sarah was assaulted so she confronted Lewis who denied it. Previously, Lewis paid her to research his grandfather’s disappearance.

As they leave, Bella and Norman discuss whether Macario would’ve attacked Sarah Courtney. Roy speaks to Gavin about Marion and Padmore Partnership. Roy threatens to charge him with the assault of Alvin Smallbone. Gavin denies all charges. Off the record, Gavin admits he did it and Smallbone denied it. Gavin believed him. He wonders what else they know about his father. Glenn calls Roy to say Devlin has ordered lunch in his room times three. Roy tells him to tread carefully. Roy approaches Sarah because he believes Lewis owes some dangerous people money. Roy asks her about Robert Macario. Sarah admits he came to her to collect a debt. Roy doesn’t believe she hid her relationship with Aileen because of Gavin. She went there for money and Aileen believes her other visits were just trying to butter her up.

Sarah denies that was the case though. Roy asks if Lewis was scared enough to point Macario in the direction of Aileen and the watch. Lewis visits Gavin so he can see the page. He thinks they might be able to find grandpa together. Glenn and the others keep an eye on Mark Devlin. Marion and Macario arrive to meet with him. Macario sees Glenn on the phone so he puts on brass knuckles. Marion sees a police officer and gets spooked. Both are apprehended without much effort. Glenn finds the watch in Glenn’s coat pocket. Lewis suggests 158 is actually letters. Lewis keeps going on and on. Gavin doesn’t think he’ll get anywhere. Lewis points out that the London Sewage Board was decommissioned in ’65. Gavin remembers Barlow’s shop was right over some drains. They find out that the manhole covers have numbered IDs.

Marion admits that Lewis came to her about money and had a lot of questions about the parent company. Two years later, Lewis defaulted so Macario roughed up his wife. The next day, Lewis told them about Aileen’s watch. Marion asks Roy to call her lawyer. Sarah calls Lewis to tell him the police think he’s behind the robbery. Hillman (Neill Hobbs) interrupts and asks Lewis if he can drive him and Gavin to London. Hillman asks what Sarah told the police. Lewis hits him and knocks him out. Roy says they need Marion to implicate Macario. They also need Lewis in custody. Nick says he found a death certificate for Mitchell Ellis. The cremation forms are countersigned by Clive Ellis. Nick traced him to a nursing home in Croydon. Staff there say a TV researcher has been making inquiries about him. Roy says they need to find Lewis or get Sarah to help them.

Clive Ellis (David Sterne) says he testified against Ian Padmore in ’73. After his brother died, he came back and was too tired to care. Clive admits he could never forget Gavin’s face that night. He says Brendan Daly didn’t die trying to save his boss. Instead, it was his idea to rob the watchmaker’s shop in the first place. He asked Ian’s men to drag him out of the flat so the kids would say that. Clive explains he sent the boy a code like a puzzle. It might be for the best that Gavin never solved the puzzle. Clive is asked where Brendan is. Norman calls Roy to say Hillman has been found and Gavin is likely in danger. Lewis and Gavin go back to the watchmaker’s shop. They go inside and look around, but they don’t find a drain cover. They begin moving stuff in the basement. Gavin ignores a call from Roy.

They find a drain cover with the number “326417”. They remove the cover and climb down inside. They open a heavy lid and find skeletal remains. Lewis tells Gavin that his dad didn’t abandon him. Gavin asks Lewis how he found him because he brought him straight there. He pulls a gun on Lewis and gets him to admit he’s been talking to the Padmores. Lewis blames Gavin for everything for not giving him money. When Roy and Glenn arrive, Gavin says he isn’t leaving until he gets answers. Roy tells him how Lewis set up Aileen. Lewis just wanted his attention. Roy says it was allotted to Aileen, his dad, and to the past. Lewis claims Brendan used to beat Gavin and Aileen. Roy says Clive painted a different picture of Brendan as well. Brendan allegedly had to be shot because he attacked Barlow.

Gavin tries to take up for Brendan despite remembering the abuse. Lewis claims he was defending the memory of a man who never existed. Roy thinks Lewis is right and Gavin should let the past go. Gavin says he tried to be strong, but he failed everyone. Glenn takes the gun from him. Gavin apologizes before hugging Lewis. Later, Roy and Glenn talk about people being stuck in the past. Roy believes even the most painful memories can become a refuge. Ari talks to Glenn when he comes inside. Cleo tells Roy about a delivery woman who said she was being made redundant. They had tea and biscuits. The woman told Cleo about her kids. Roy tells her he loves her. He asks Cleo to marry him. Roy is confident this is what he wants. Cleo agrees to marry him.

They hear a knock at the door. Cleo answers it and finds a burning baby stroller with a toy baby inside.

 

Grace Review

The opening episode of Grace’s fourth series was okay although nothing really stood out as being gripping. The backstory with Brendan Daly just didn’t sit right with me because it was a little corny. It just gave me A Christmas Carol vibe for whatever reason, but that might’ve been the point considering the outcome.

The episodes are far too long given the complexity of the story. After all, the same story could easily be told in forty minutes without losing anything important. I am still not sure about the whole Sandy situation. It’d be better to wait to see how that plays out before judging it.

The final scenes before Lewis’s arrest were a little awkward to be honest. I suppose the writers want us to see Roy Grace as this ultra-smart detective and negotiator. Otherwise, it made little to no sense for him to side with Lewis so much and berate Gavin. Or were the writers really trying to get us to sympathize with Lewis after the guy put everything into motion?

Regardless of the intention, it didn’t work out and just came across as being silly. If the series was only fifty minutes, it’d be a lot easier to overlook any issues. Otherwise, the episode was decent enough for viewers with good attention spans and incredible patience. The episode scores a 6 out of 10. Recaps of Grace can be found on Reel Mockery here.

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