As the finale of The Wives begins, Annabelle (Christine Bottomley) picks up the gun and asks if anyone is going to say anything. Beth (Jo Joyner) hits her. After the intro, Beth and Natasha (Angela Griffin) complain that Annabelle let them and her own daughter think she was dead. Sylvie (Tamzin Outhwaite) wants to know where she’s been. Sean (Jonathan Forbes) urges Frankie (Ben Willbond) to call Beth and tell her the truth. Frankie doesn’t want to destroy lives. When Frankie turns around, Sean quickly sends a message using his phone. Meanwhile, the women argue about what they should do now. Annabelle says her plan was to leave Charlie (Jamie Bamber) and take Sky (Catriona Chandler) with her. She alleges that Beth was so desperate to keep the family together and the business that she set her up.

Annabelle says Beth sent a message saying she’d meet although Beth claims she never sent her a message. Annabelle believes Beth lured her out with that message so Luca could do Charlie’s dirty work. She says she’s been hiding because Charlie paid Luca Vella (Louis Boyer) to kill her. Charlie gets up and talks to Sky. Sean begins to worry because Natasha hasn’t responded. Frankie claims they act like teenagers. Sean asks why he slept with Annabelle. Beth watches as Annabelle and the others try to deal with Luca. They hear someone coming so they have to hurry. Jade (Katie Clarkson-Hill) is surprised to see Annabelle with the others. Beth begins telling Jade about Luca who isn’t dead yet. The women argue about what they should do with him. Sylvie argues they should go back and figure out what they’re going to do. She reminds Annabelle that only Luca can back up her story.

They follow Jade back in the van and discuss the allegation that Charlie hired a hitman to kill his wife. Annabelle says Charlie is going down and Jade won’t stop it. The other women go inside. Jade speaks to Beth who admits she doesn’t know what to think. Beth says she doesn’t trust Annabelle. Sylvie decides to question Luca who wants to help his brother. She asks who paid him to kill Annabelle. Luca says he didn’t go through with it and he wasn’t given a name. Jade approaches Charlie who wants to push their wedding forward. Jade argues it’s a big thing. She asks whether he’d pick her or Annabelle if she walked through the door. Beth tells Natasha that’s not the Annabelle she used to know. Natasha believes she’s changed as well. Sylvie returns and says Luca admitted he was paid. They said they wanted Annabelle dead. Annabelle interrupts to ask if they’ve taken Jade into the fold.

Natasha says they have because they like her and she’s clever. Annabelle asks if it mattered that Jade was having sex with Charlie while they were still together. Beth reminds her that she slept with Frankie. Meanwhile, Frankie tells Sean that Annabelle made the first move and made it like it was a great adventure. Frankie admits he might’ve done it because it was Charlie who always gets what he wants. Annabelle says she paid off Luca to let her disappear. He said he had corrupt people on the inside. Annabelle tells Beth she thinks the world works a certain way because nothing bad happens to her. Next, Beth approaches Sean and Frankie. Sean leaves. Beth asks Frankie if he’s Sky’s dad. Frankie promises everything else is real. Sylvie tells Annabelle they should wait for Beth. They discuss whether Charlie was actually responsible.

Natasha brings in the evidence board so they can discuss it more. Annabelle mentions Officer Caesar who was dealing with the case. She’s contacted him to meet. Sean enters and finds out about Annabelle. Frankie tries to explain himself to Beth. She gets upset and calls him pathetic. Beth says she doesn’t want to hear anymore. Frankie says they were at one of those diabolic parties his mom used to throw every Christmas Eve and it just happened. Frankie argues they don’t have to tell anyone or ruin everything although Beth thinks this has already ruined everything. Natasha tells Sean about Luca who is their only witness. When they check the van, they find that Luca is missing. Annabelle tells Beth she wanted to tell her and she should’ve. Sylvie calls Beth to tell her about Luca. Frankie calls Charlie to ask if he’s spoken to Sean or Beth. He apologizes. Charlie says he promised Jade and Sky that they would go out and do something fun.

Sean gets a message because Frankie wants him to tag along. Natasha asks Sean to go and keep them busy while they try to find Luca. Once Sean joins them, Frankie tells him they need to stick together. Frankie doesn’t let the family or business fall apart. Beth goes to the police station with Annabelle. Charlie checks on Sean. Frankie says he suggested Sean should join the business. Charlie argues things are tricky at the moment. Beth speaks to Caesar who still believes Annabelle’s death was an accident. Beth points out Annabelle who is sitting nearby. Natasha accuses Sylvie of letting Luca go but Sylvie denies it. They don’t think they’re going to find him by sitting around. When they drive away, Luca gets up. It appears he sees Annabelle nearby. Beth and Annabelle tell Caesar about Luca. Caesar says Luca will talk or he’ll go to prison for life.

Charlie tells Sean and Frankie that he’s going to tell their mom about Jade. Sean blurts out he can’t get married because he’s married to Annabelle who is not dead. He tells them that Annabelle has been messaging Sky. She’s going to the police to say Charlie tried to have her killed. Annabelle speaks to Caesar at the police station and blames Charlie. She explains why she believes Charlie paid to have her killed. Charlie hopes people don’t believe that because he loved Annabelle. Meanwhile, Annabelle shows Caesar payments made to a supplier that doesn’t exist. The account was set up by Charlie so he could take out money from the company. Annabelle suspects a large sum was taken out on the day she disappeared. Charlie tells Jade they have to go back to London today. He insists he hasn’t done anything wrong. Charlie can’t get tickets. Jade suggests getting a boat to Sicily.

Frankie calls Beth who doesn’t want to answer his calls. When she does, Frankie tells her that they know about Annabelle and Charlie is leaving. He says he’ll go with Charlie and text her to let her know where they end up. Annabelle finds out. Caesar and the others rush to the port to stop Charlie. Charlie learns that Jade isn’t going with him. Beth arrives and tries to stop Charlie from leaving with Sky. Caesar arrives and pulls a gun on Charlie who agrees to come back. Charlie insists he’ll be back because he hasn’t done anything. He sees Annabelle as he’s taken away in handcuffs. Sky is reunited with her mother. Frankie goes to the jail to speak to Charlie who worries about his chances at trial. He tells Frankie he signed the papers he wanted him to sign. Frankie says it’ll come back to him once he gets out. Charlie admits he isn’t worried about that anymore. He asks about Sky and Jade since he hasn’t heard from them.

Charlie thinks he let Sky down when she needed him the most. Frankie tries to convince him that it’s not over. Next, Frankie meets Beth to tell her about his visit with Charlie. He says he’s got the business until Charlie is out. Beth believes he has everything he ever wanted. Charlie wrote to her and he’s adamant that he didn’t do it. Beth says the police checked her phone. They found a text to Annabelle on that night, but it was deleted almost immediately. Frankie tries to convince her relationship is worth saving. Sean and Natasha decide to go for a walk. Natasha has the poker chips in the closet. Luca is at the old radar tower. Frankie meets him and gives him a bag. He tells Luca to finish the job he paid him to do last year and leave Malta. Once Frankie leaves, Luca tells someone they can come out of the van. Annabelle hangs out with Sky before the other women join them.

Sean and Frankie join them. Beth ends up pushing Annabelle into the pool.

 

The Wives Review

The Wives was somewhat watchable throughout as long as viewers have the right expectations going in. However, expectations have to be reduced even more based on the lackluster finale. The series was far too long at six episodes, yet it still didn’t provide a satisfying conclusion.

Instead, this was a pretty weak attempt to secure another series which is definitely not warranted. The show just wasn’t good enough to justify another installment and Channel 5 should really be looking for higher quality content. The finale didn’t work because it was too long and achieved so little.

Charlie was locked up awaiting trial, yet the series made it seem that Frankie was actually responsible. The ending also made it appear that Luca was working with someone to bring Frankie to justice. That’s not really surprising considering it would be too obvious for Charlie to be guilty. It’s also annoying that everyone forgot about Luca when Charlie was locked up.

He was somehow brought into it much later. Overall, the series was watchable but it definitely got worse in the later episodes with the finale possibly being the worst. The finale scores a 4 out of 10. Recaps of The Wives can be found on Reel Mockery here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link.

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