As this episode of Guilt begins, Skye Burns (Amelia Isaac Jones) approaches Danny (Anders Hayward) and his boys while wearing a costume. Skye pulls a gun on them and fires only to find that the gun doesn’t work. When it doesn’t fire, Skye runs away from the group. Once the group loses her, one of them says they know where she lives. Skye makes it home and complains to Big Al about not getting a real gun. Her mom enters to ask what is going on. Skye looks outside and sees the kids coming, but Big Al McKee (Jonathan Watson) insists they won’t come there.

Skye watches from above as the kids enter her flat. One of them says Maggie can’t push them about without Roy. After Roy is thrown from the ledge, Danny tells Skye’s mom that he’ll be back. Max McCall (Mark Bonnar) gets up and gets out of bed. He grabs something from the safe while Angie Curtis (Ruth Bradley) meets with Jake McCall (Jamie Sives) who tells her why the hats are still there. She questions whether this is working for him. The more Angie tries to save them the more it feels like they’re sinking. Jake suggests he could do something although he isn’t sure what just yet. Angie tells him to go to the bar and only come back when he has a better answer.

Once Jake goes to the bar, he speaks to Max about the bar and how it isn’t doing very well. Jake says he has some ideas. He reminds Max that Roy Lynch is dead so he can always go back to Edinburgh. Max says Maggie Lynch would be angry about that so he can’t back to Edinburgh. Jake can’t tell Angie that they’ve gone bust because it isn’t a good time for that. Jake wonders how Max has prepared if the end is coming. If he isn’t telling him his plan, he believes it is at his expense. Max says he has slept above a pub for a year and grafted like a madman trying to make it work. If he had a better plan, he probably would’ve used it by now. They go about their business.

Later, Jake tries to get into the safe, but can’t get the passcode. After watching Max come in, Jake tries to open the safe again and gets it this time. He takes the paperwork back to Angie. Jake thinks he has found Max’s weakness after 40 years. He has raised 300 grand in credit using the bar as collateral. It is in a different account in Jake’s name so he’ll get into trouble if something happens. Angie says Max really commits to screwing him. Jake thinks they should take the money and leave Max there in a pub going bust with no visa. Angie can finish her course and Max can get back into the vinyl game. If they got married, Max’s visa problem would go away. Angie agrees that they should take the money.

Once they go back to the pub, Jake tells Max that they’ve taken the money. Max says that money was an investment opportunity. Angie tells Jake that Max would find a way to take the money if he has it. Someone has to come out of this with something and she is the only one left. Angie tells them good luck. They see police lights outside as Angie leaves the pub. Max tells Jake that they’re going home. Kenny Burns (Emun Elliott) hangs out with Yvonne Nixon. He talks about having kids. She believes it’ll happen so he just needs to relax and enjoy the process. Teddy McLean (Greg McHugh) is busy working at his weed-growing operation. He tells Archie that he has been reading this book about Zen.

He hopes that finding a little Zen will help him with the anger because it is no longer compatible with his lifestyle. They’re growing the purest organically cultivated marijuana in Scotland. When it is legalized, they’ll be the first out the traps to get licensed. He sees that Archie is about to put a cigarette in his mouth and release toxins into the atmosphere. There is a battle going on in Teddy’s head between Zen and something awful happening to Archie. Teddy is interrupted because there is a policeman outside. The policeman says they’ve had a few calls about the traffic during the night. Teddy tells him to get a search warrant and he’ll show him around. Sir Jim Sturrock (Euan Macnaughton) speaks to a crowd about community and Leith.

He speaks about the community center and how he hopes it provides some help. Jim thanks the people of Leith for making him the man he is today. Stevie Malone (Henry Pettigrew) listens to a woman’s complaint. After listening to the complaint, Stevie leaves The Sir Jim Sturrock Community Centre. He notices a vehicle blinking its lights nearby. Yvonne learns about a dealer who has been found dead. The marijuana is being grown as clean as it comes so it could be sold immediately when it is legalized. Maggie Lynch (Phyllis Logan) about being a community policeman. She tells him to call an officer at Borders Police and tell him the address he visited this morning is subject to an active Lothian Police investigation so he should stay away.

Maggie knows that he has a weakness. She gives him tips for an upcoming horse race. Max tells Jake that they need to get out of the airport and get a taxi to Haymarket. They must get a train out of Edinburgh before Maggie Lynch knows they’re there. Jake thinks he needs to realize that the life he had before is gone. Max thinks one of them can’t see failure as a natural bedfellow. Yvonne knocks on Skye’s door, but they do not answer. Then, she gets a call from Stevie who says there is something she’ll want to hear. Skye tells her mother that Al was a scumbag. She also claims he had been stealing from her. Skye says she is going to uni. Max tries to talk his way past security since he has parole violations.

The man leads them away and says they’ll get one phone call each. Yvonne meets with Steve because he claims to have some information for her. He wants her to put in a word for him when his disciplinary comes up so he can get back into a proper role. When Max calls Kenny, he quickly gets hung up on. Jake calls him and lets Max talk to him. Kenny tells Max about his sperm and how they’re old and tired. Having contact with either of them is not going to do him any favors. Kenny hangs up on them again. Skye runs into Nicola at the university. She tells her that she can’t get any more of the stuff so people can sort themselves out. Nicola isn’t happy because it is a vegan rave and they can’t buy stuff off the street.

Skye is told that she isn’t welcome at the party. Once Nicola leaves, Skye looks outside and sees Kenny. Max and Jake discuss what is going to happen next. Jake mentions that 1981 was the code to his safe and also the year their dad left. Max claims that was a great day because it made him the man he is. The security guard comes back and admits he doesn’t have jurisdiction over this stuff. Kenny talks to Skye. He says her mom called and said she was in some sort of trouble. She tells him that she has been selling weed. He learns that the dead man was his sister’s new man. He got her the weed, she sold it, and he was supposed to pass on the money.

He didn’t pass on the money. When they chased them, Al thought he could scare them off. Skye says she owes 20 grand. She isn’t going to take any money because this is her problem to sort out. Kenny tries to find out who she owes. Max is told good luck. They’re led out back and stuffed in a white van. Skye shows Kenny the men that are involved. They watch a possible drug transaction. Kenny is going to find out who she owes because it isn’t the boys outside. Max and Jake discuss what she’ll do to them. Max insists he was going to split the money with him. They argue and blame one another for their troubles. They’re taken to Maggie Lynch who says they’ve had to be creative because Max left them with nothing.

Max is shocked when Roy Lynch (Stuart Bowman) enters with Teddy. Roy reminds him that the police say he is missing and presumed dead. He claims Max gave him a great gift and a chance to rebuild. Max says he knows more about Roy’s money than he thinks he does. Roy tells him that he tried to ruin them and cost him his daughter. In good news, it will be quick. When the police show up outside, Roy tells Teddy to take Maggie over the field and he’ll draw them away. While they’re alone, Max tries to convince Roy’s man to let them go. Jake sprays his eyes with chemicals and gives them a chance to escape. As police raid the property, Jake and Max flee the property.

When Roy is approached by police, he tells them that he is Roy Lynch. He is shot. A man in a white van stops to use the bathroom. Stevie tells Yvonne that this could make her career, but she thinks it could ruin it. Carol is told to bag his phone and get the data. Yvonne goes inside and looks at the bagged marijuana. Kenny has a similar bag. Danny tells Skye that the debt is hers and his now. Jim calls someone to say they should do the deal and do it quick. Max drives the white van while Jake sits next to him. Max tells him that now would be the time if he wants out. He says they’re going to the only place they can.

 

Guilt Review

I’ve always enjoyed Guilt so it was nice to see the series back. Through two seasons, I think it is clear the first was the strongest because the second one was a bit messy and difficult to follow. The third season is just getting started so there is plenty of time for it to develop and really get going. Max and Jake’s relationship remains the best part of the series. Mark Bonnar and Jamie Sives could shine in anything together.

Nevertheless, the opening episode felt a little bland to be honest because there needed to be more reason to genuinely care. There might be too much going on with the addition of so many new characters and storylines. I wasn’t blown away or instantly hooked by the episode, but the potential is there for this to be a great final season.

The show looks good enough without overusing the shaky camera technique even if some of the scenes are a little too dark. The soundtrack is also very good. Although the first episode was just okay, I am willing to give Guilt the benefit of the doubt and see where it goes. At the very least, we’ll get to see what happens to Max, Jake, and the others after following their journey all this time.

The opening episode scores a 6 out of 10. Recaps of Guilt are available on Reel Mockery here. Find out how to support our independent site here. Learn more about advertising on Reel Mockery at this link.