As the episode begins, Marsha (Nikki Amuka-Bird) puts on lipstick and looks at a card she has received in the mail. That card is from Julia (Julia Ormond). When Ted (Alex Jennings) enters the room, she quickly hides the card under the other mail. They kiss before heading to the kitchen for food. Next, Marsha visits Julia’s house and Julia explains that she doesn’t have long. Marsha asks about Benjamin (Ben Barnes) before Julia says she doesn’t get to ask about him. Julia hits her using her shoulder before their conversation turns to the card and Cali. Marsha asks if she would come with them before changing her mind. She confesses that Ted isn’t going to come.

They agree to stop discussing things related to Ted before saying they do not want to fight. They go outside and begin chatting about Clayton. While Clayton was a good father, he wasn’t very nice to his wife. Marsha claims Julia is an excellent mother but she doesn’t believe her kids would say so. Marsha says she misses these conversations. Julia isn’t going to let her live down what she did though. Marsha wants to be forgiven but she is going to let Julia make that decision. Marsha tries to explain herself, Julia walks off, and Benjamin enters. Julia watches Marsha and Ben chat with one another and gets jealous immediately.

Julia returns and introduces Ben to Marsha. Marsha leaves after that. She finds that Cali (Karla-Simone Spence) was going to leave without her and she doesn’t understand that. Ted interrupts before Cali leaves without them. Ted asks Marsha where she has been before she leaves again. Marsha heads to the cemetery and puts flowers on Clayton’s grave. She returns home later that night and tells Cali that she is allowed to miss him too. Benjamin asks Julia if they’re going to stay at home all day because he has a few ideas on how to kill time. They’re interrupted by the arrival of Patrick (Sebastian Armesto) and Della (Jemima Rooper). Ben is asked to leave so Julia can speak with her kids privately.

When he leaves, they confront her with the evidence they’ve collected against Ben. This includes a picture of him with another one and his eviction notices. Marsha finds Benjamin walking down the road so she picks him up. Leo Day (Archie Renaux) joins Julia and the others. Marsha and Ben chat about the kids not liking his relationship with Julia. She warns Benjamin that he should watch his back. Julia has a flashback in which she has a bloody lip and a man leaves her home. Her kids check on her and she promises that she is okay. Marsha tells Ben that she was married and she moved there for his work. He died from a heart attack and she found him on the ground. She believes he would’ve survived if she had gone outside a bit sooner.

She says it was very difficult to be alone with Cali went to university. One night, she was supposed to have dinner with Julia and Ted. She canceled but Ted didn’t get the message so he visited and comforted her. That led to an affair and their relationship. Marsha encourages Benjamin to go back bearing gifts. Marsha gives him money and says they shouldn’t linger since that would cause people to talk. The kids leave Julia alone and we see another flashback. Julia looks through a notebook before calling someone on the phone. She notices her face is bloody so she hangs up. Moments later, Marsha receives a call from Julia who wants to know if she slept with Benjamin. She denies it and says Benjamin is not her type but she can see why other women would like him.

When Julia hangs up, she sends Marsha a message telling her they’re not friends. Benjamin buys flowers and takes them to Julia. She lies about the kids and pretends everything is okay. Later, Benjamin tells her that Zac is on a power trip at work. Next, Julia asks Benjamin if he finds Della attractive. She believes he might since they’re closer in age. Ben says she is a pretty girl but she is not the type of girl he would go for. He believes she has consumed too much wine and she turns the conversation to Ben’s relationships. She asks Ben if she is his first. After that, he finds her burning stuff in the yard. Julia begins accusing him of scamming old women and such.

He shows her a text message from work asking him to take one for the team with Lady Shenbrook. That gives him an excuse for being out with the woman in the picture. He confesses that he missed a few bills and has been put on notice with his flat. He says that doesn’t give her a right to burn his stuff. She puts out the fire a short time later. He checks his phone again and cannot connect to a network because he is out of credit. Once Julia calms down, Benjamin tells her that Ally asked him to move in with her. He ended up sleeping on a friend’s sofa until he found a one-room flat. He tells Julia about the debt he has accumulated and the fact that he doesn’t have family to help. Benjamin doesn’t want Julia’s help since that would give her kids more ammunition against him.

He promises Julia that he won’t hurt her like Ted did before she apologizes. They have intercourse a few moments later. Once they’ve finished, Leo arrives and Julia heads downstairs. Leo is surprised to find out that Benjamin is still there and the relationship continues. Marsha wakes up next to Ted and they have sex. Meanwhile, Benjamin tells Julia that her children have gone overboard. Patrick calls her a few seconds later and believes her relationship has ended. Patrick chimes in and Benjamin is upset that Julia hasn’t ended the relationship. Benjamin hangs up the phone and ends the conversation. After that, Ben and Julia go for a walk together before returning home for dinner. Before dinner is ready, they jump into the pool together.

In the morning, Benjamin prepares to leave but Julia stops him and invites him to move in with her. He isn’t sure that would be a good idea. Benjamin tells her that he wants to go to school and get a master’s in history and she encourages him to do that. He says he has a lot of loose ends to clear up if he is going to move in with her. She gets in the car with him. Marsha returns home to Leo and her family. Marsha tells them that Benjamin is alright but Ted didn’t know that she had met him. Ted says they have better things to discuss so Leo hopes he isn’t talking about Brexit. That night, Leo and Marsha share a cigarette outside. Cali and Leo decide to go out to the pub later. Marsha wonders if Leo is a bad influence on Cali. Ted wonders why Marsha concealed her meeting with Julia and Benjamin.

She accuses Ted of being jealous ever since he found out about Ben but he refutes that. He says it is laughable and everyone things so because Ben is a child. Marsha suggests otherwise and their argument continues. When Marsha tries to walk out in the middle of the conversation, Ted grabs her wrist. She tells Ted that she believes he wants her back. He smashes his head against the wall causing blood to pour from his forehead. The following day, Julia visits Ted and Marsha at home. Julia asks about the cut on Ted’s forehead before Julia requests a courtesy message when Leo decides to spend the night with them. Marsha says she told him to call her but he didn’t listen. Ted accuses Julia of poisoning the kids against him but says it hasn’t worked on Leo.

He says Leo knew about him and Marsha for a whole year but he never said anything to Julia. Marsha follows Julia outside and tries to calm her down but she leaves quickly. Benjamin arrives at Julia’s house the following day and they embrace. He tells her that he has brought everything he has and there is nothing else. Leo finds out that Ben is moving in and he questions why they didn’t consult him. Leo curses at his mom before Ben tells him not to speak to her like that. Ben and Julia rearrange the furniture after that. Julia gets a call from Patrick but she doesn’t answer. Then, the couple brings in a Christmas tree and Leo brings the decorations. Julia can see that Leo is not happy with her relationship. Next, Julia goes for a walk with Ben and says he seems quiet today.

He tells her not to move before pulling his camera out of his backpack. He approaches her before nearly pushing her off of the cliff. Julia tells him to stop before he asks her to marry him and the episode ends.

 

Gold Digger Review

Gold Digger is interesting because you don’t know who is right and who is wrong. Right now, I am siding with Patrick and the kids. I think Benjamin is up to no good but I could be wrong. There is a good chance that many out there have the opposite opinion. The show is slightly slow and I am not sure how long they’ll be able to carry this on until something explodes. It is enjoyable so far though.

The relationship between Julia and Ben is progressing rapidly and they’ll likely get married before too long. Is she getting herself into a bad situation that she won’t be able to escape? Will Patrick be able to convince his mother to change her mind before it is too late? Is Julia making the right decision? I can’t wait to find out the answers. The episode scores a 7 out of 10. Previous recaps of Gold Digger can be found on Reel Mockery.