As the second episode of One Night begins, Lindy Fletcher (Helen Thomson) talks about the One Night novel while Simone (Nicole da Silva) and Andrew Sharma (Chum Ehelepola) listen from the audience. Lindy explains that the author has felt it important to hide her identity. Simone receives a call from Hat (Yael Stone), but she doesn’t answer it. A flashback shows the girls preparing to party until the sun comes up. Hat enters the building to ask whether the author of the book is there. She can’t believe the author has decided to remain anonymous.

On the back, it says it is a Friday night in the summer of 2002. A flashback shows a young Hat (Bella Ridgway) getting more alcohol for the party. As Hat opens the book, it starts with Simone asking, “What do you remember?” She remembers working with young Joey Calley (David Howell) while Tess (Mikaela Binns-Rorke) and Simone (Bridgette Armstrong) party. Hat agreed to let them borrow her camera. Andrew tells a woman that the proof copy is for literary reviewers only. When she asks why he cares, Andrew says he is an agent although he won’t say whose agent he is.

The woman, Eden Murray, thinks the author should be proud to show her face. Andrew says he’ll tell her, but the woman says she’ll tell her herself. After remembering something from that night, Hat buys the book and leaves. At home, Hat continues reading the room. Young Trevor (Shane Osborne) comes over to joke with Hat until Joey tells him to lay off. When three bikies enter, Trevor tells them to pull around the side because he has the stuff ready for them. Joey tells Hat that the keg is out so he steps out and seems to follow Trevor. Simone comes over to Hat to ask her if she has seen Tess anywhere.

Everything seemed to freeze when she opened the back door. She saw three emotionless figures looking over someone. Hat wakes up Mark (Damien Strouthos) to complain about Simone’s book. She reminds him of the assault at the pub that night. Hat claims Simone lied about it. There are lies from the mouth of a character that is clearly meant to be Hat. They talk about Hat’s attitude back then as she says she was the only one who had to work. Hat worries that everyone will work out that she is the bartender in the novel. In the past, Mark comes over to help Hat who is overwhelmed. In the present, Hat confronts Simone about the book.

Simone insists no one was supposed to know. She goes on to say she had to carry what she saw for the rest of her life. Hat urges Simone to tell her. She complains about the implications Simone has made about her. Hat goes through the similarities and suggests Bec will read the book. She says Simone accused Joey and Trevor of being drug dealers who raped her friend near the back of their pub. Simone knew Hat never believed her. Hat questions whether she was a bad friend for blaming Tess because she was drunk. She always defended Tess. Simone says Tess never got justice although Trevor was sent to prison on drug charges.

Hat thinks that is justice and that the world is a safer place. What upsets her is that there are details in the book that only come from her. Hat worries about her reputation and how Tess will feel about the book because it is her story. Simone claims it is her story too. She says they blame the woman when it happens so she should be able to write about it. Hat tells her to come to the party because Raf would be devastated otherwise. Moments later, Hat gets Laura (Fiona Press) to watch her daughter so she can go out. Laura says she saw Tess at the café and she seems a bit remote. She invited her to Raf’s party.

Hat admits she wanted them to be in the same place again. Her mother doesn’t think it is her responsibility to take care of everyone. Next, Hattie speaks to Joey while preparing for the party. He questions when Simone is going back to Sydney. Hattie says she is taking care of her dad who has dementia. Joey suspects Simone is there for a different reason though. When he says Hat used to like him, she says they were kids. Simone asks Hat why she is still friends with him, but Hat alludes to the fact that she isn’t. Mark thinks he should’ve punched him back in the day although Simone doubts that would’ve worked out well for him.

Once Tess (Jodie Whittaker) arrives, Helen (Tina Bursill) says she and the kids were thinking it’d be nice if she stayed there for summer. Tess doesn’t want to commute every day. Helen tells her to remain here and commute with Hat. Mark agrees to help Hat. Tess gives Simone a picture of her mom. After posing for a picture, Tess asks Simone if she is still going to try to get her novel published. As they ask for a synopsis, Hat texts Simone warning her not to tell her because it’ll ruin Raf’s party. Vicki says they shouldn’t stare when Lily goes over to look at a shark with some teenagers. Arthur (Jude Hyland) says he is only monitoring the situation.

While walking together, Simone and Tess talk about what Simone has been doing all these years. When Tess asks her about relationships, Simone admits she’d rather have sex with people whom she will never have to see again. Tess says she met Vicki at a private equity forum in Geneva. Simone reveals she picked up a girl once and liked kissing her, but it wasn’t Tess. She tells Tess that the book is about her. Tess steps away when she decides to check on her family. Helen tells Hat that there is a rumor Trevor Calley could be getting early parole. Hat remembers doing something with Trevor and Joey at the beach. Back in the present, Helen argues that they shouldn’t warn Tess and Simone since it is only a rumor right now.

In another flashback, Hat remembers Tess being brought back to the pub where she falls to the floor. Joey comes in and carries Tess out. Hat thanks Mark for helping her, but thinks she should probably go. When Joey comes back, he tells Hat that Trevor found Tess having sex with some bloke downstairs and he went off. Joey urges her to take care of the customers and to tell her friends not to come if they’re going to drink that much. Hat goes into The Oceanview Hotel where she speaks to Mary (Noni Hazlehurst). Joey walks by and tells Hat that they’re not hiring. Mary complains about all the government forms they have to fill out.

Hat tells them about her job and kids before asking if Trevor is getting out. Mary says her boy is getting out on good behavior even though he shouldn’t have been there in the first place. Hat approaches Joey in private to see if he is okay. He reminds her that she wouldn’t even look him in the eye a few hours ago. Hat says she defended him and still does. Joey claims Tess has drunken sex with some bloke in their loading area and passed out. Hat argues that she wasn’t in any condition to consent. They argue briefly until Joey curses her and tells her to go home. When Hat returns home, she looks at a diary and other old stuff. She sees Detective Clemens’ name on a card and remembers speaking to him.

Detective Clemens (Les Hill) tells her to check the statement and sign it. Hat calls Baris (Wadih Dona) to talk to him about the statements in the novel. She tells him that there was a sexual assault that was reported, barely investigated, and dropped. Hat asks if she can pre-empt the situation to ensure the claimant never realized their reputation has been harmed. Baris doesn’t think it is possible without consent. Mark finds her crying so he checks on her. Hat admits he was right because she found her police statement proving she said all those things about Tess. Mark thinks what she said should’ve supported the case that it was non-consensual.

Hat doesn’t think she should be in this situation and blames having to work since she was 11. Mark wants to know what they’re dealing with, but Hat says she isn’t supposed to know. Mark gets the book out of the garbage. Hat listens to music and thinks about hanging out with Tess and Simone. In a flashback, a young Hat worries that the cops will come. Trevor says they won’t. If they do, they’ll say they’re fishing because the cops are idiots. Joey tells Hat that his number is there so she can call if she gets scared. Once he says he doesn’t like it either, Hat questions why they have to do it. Joey and Trevor take a boat out on the water. Hat is shown signing her police statement.

At home, Tess receives a visit from Eden.

 

One Night Review

The second episode of One Night continues to tell an important, emotional story in the most ineffective way possible. The performances are strong from the top to the bottom with Nicole da Silva, Jodie Whittaker, and Yael Stone leading the way. The scenery is beautiful and sometimes even adds to the overall mood of the story being told.

Unfortunately, the story isn’t being told in a comprehensive or enjoyable manner. There are too many flashbacks so the story jumps back and forth erratically. In the present, there are too many characters that probably won’t add anything to the core story in the long run. Viewers are obviously going to have difficulty keeping up with the characters and the overloaded flashbacks.

I sincerely doubt these recaps will make any sense even though they’re pretty much going scene for scene. The problem is the show’s erratic, uneven storytelling that eliminates any emotional impact the story could have. While each episode seems to be crammed full of information, very little is actually happening. It is also unbelievable that Tess wouldn’t know about the book despite the earlier event.

In case the recap is ineffective, the episode revealed a few key details. Eden, whoever the character may be, seems to be adamant about finding the book’s author for whatever reason. That character probably wasn’t even needed considering it is so outlandish. Hat read the book and confronted Simone before learning that Trevor could be getting released early.

Simone casually told Tess that the book was about her although she didn’t go into great detail. At the end of the episode, Eden shows up at Tess’s house. Hat seems to be hiding something since she told Mark that she did say certain things about Tess. The episode scores a 5 out of 10. Recaps of One Night can be found on Reel Mockery here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising on Reel Mockery here.