I Heart BLTN – The episode begins with a live stream of Ashley Banister (Natalie Blair) in a room at St. Edmund’s Medical Centre. Several people make fun of her for having to share her hospital room. A girl calls her a “fu**ing idiot.” A guy promises it’s the day.

Wren Davis (Amelia Clarkson) and Rachel Davis (Natalie Gavin) meet with officer Warren (Daniel Coll). Wren tells Warren that the person who murdered Rochelle Mason (Isis Hainsworth) also tried to kill her and attacked Ashley. Warren asks when she last saw Rick Bennett (Adam Nagaitis). Wren says she saw him yesterday. Rachel claims he left karaoke early. Irate, Wren assures him that Rick isn’t responsible. He promises to only be protecting her. She suggests he find the Gardener.

Jaya’s mother blames Wren before breaking down in the hallway. Wren asks where Jaya Mahajan (Ashna Rabheru) is at. Girish Mahajan (Rupi Lal) comforts her.

Wren informs Antony Longwell (Ellis Howard), Tariq “Taz” Sadiq (Ali Khan), and Noah Royston (Harry Redding) that Jaya is gone. After accepting the blame, Antony tells them that Mrs. Taylor (Emma Rydal) gave him a tablet with videos of Jacob Taylor (Charlie Hiscock). Wren asks why he kept it from them. He says there is a Red Rose website on the dark web. She assures him it isn’t his fault before telling them about the Gardener. A nurse (Kamilah Shorey) approaches with a base of red roses. Noah says there are five roses for each of them. After removing the roses from the vase, Wren tosses her cellphone into the water. Noah, Taz, and Antony follow suit. Taz tells them that he wants to be there when Ashley comes through. She gives her brick phone to Antony. They toss the red roses in a trashcan.

Andrea (Jennifer Hennessy) is waiting when Antony emerges from the hospital. He tells her that Jaya is gone but Ashley will be okay. She says, “I could’ve lost you and I wouldn’t have none.” As Taz talks to Ashley, her finger moves.

Andrea goes into a store, leaving Noah inside the vehicle. A man hits the passenger side window and orders him to move the vehicle. He locks his door. When she returns, he immediately checks the bag. She says it’s for a pie.

Liam Longwell (Leo Ashton) stops playing his video game to give Antony a hug. After Antony refuses to play, Liam returns to his game. A male voice (Walles Hamonde) can be heard asking him about his relationship with Antony.

Shelley Royston (Nia Roberts) tells Noah that she’s done everything to keep in safe. He asks her to trust him. She says he’s all she has left. He suggests she not stand in his way of doing what needs to be done. She gives him money for the bus trip to the hospital.

Wren informs Rachel of her plan to look for Rick. Rachel reminds her of how the police were asking about Rick. She receives two texts from Rick warning her it’s too dangerous for Wren to go out. Wren says he’s the only person who believes her. Rachel suggests she stay at home. Jen (Emma Fryer) says Rick is right.  After some prodding, Wren unhappily relents to Rachel’s plea to stay home.

Antony scolds his mother for drinking. She assures him that she didn’t drink. He admits to being sick of feeling ashamed of her and hoping things will change because she doesn’t want it enough. When he accuses her of having the alcohol delivered to their home, she tells him that she didn’t order it.

Someone in a car blows his horn at Noah as he walks down the sidewalk. He flees into the woods. When the driver catches up with him, he takes off in the opposite direction. He is shot in the neck with what appears to be a tranquilizer dart.

Taz looks at Ashley’s Princess Diane album when Jill Banister (Lynsey McLaren) and Dave Banister (Graeme Hawley) enter the room. They promise to stay with Ashley so he can leave. He tells them that he can’t leave the hospital.

Rachel discovers Wren’s bedroom empty and the window open. Someone on the Red Rose sings “I’m Gonna Be” while watching Wren walk down a sidewalk in the dark.

Noah is tied up and gagged. A woman questions if he’ll be like the Buddhists who don’t scream when they set themselves on fire. He asks if she’s the Gardner. While igniting an object, the woman asks where he heard it from. He says she can’t be the Gardner. She assures him even women can be cruel even herself and Wren. He describes Wren as “good” before professing to love her. The woman tells him that Wren was cruel to him and Rochelle. He blames her for Wren’s behavior. She removes his restraints. As he flees into the woods, she yells, “The Gardner wants someone to die tonight. I’m rooting for you.”

Liam tells Antony that someone walks to speak with him. Antony puts on the headset to hear a man say his name. He asks Liam to leave the room for a while. The man describes Liam as “hilarious.” Antony demands he leave him alone. The man questions if he will turn out to be like him, a “fa**ot.” Anthony says to tell everyone his mum’s a drunk and he’s gay, but he’ll never commit suicide like Rochelle. The man promises to enjoy watching all his friends perish. After removing the headset, he asks Liam to keep the game off and doors locked while he’s gone.

In the hospital waiting room, Pigfuck34 (Gary Fannin) intently stares at Taz as he walks past. He calls him a “Dickhead” before entering the Staff Room. Taz rushes up to Ashley’s room to find her missing. A nurse informs him of Ashley’s transfer to another ward. He asks which ward. She looks at the transfer paperwork to discover the ward isn’t documented.

Jaya stands outside her burning home.  She enters a room full of computers before calling Taz. She warns him that Ashley’s in a metal box. He suggests she’s in the morgue before taking off running.

An unknown man approaches Antony as he walks in the dark. Ashley panics after discovering she’s trapped. Taz rushes toward the morgue. Antony starts to flee the area, running directly into three women. Frantic, he tells them someone is following him. One of the women yells, “Fu** off.” They agree to accompany him to the hospital. When Taz finds Ashley in the morgue, the Red Rose screen goes black.

Taz tells Ashley that he thought he’d lost her before kissing her on the lips. They meet Noah in the waiting room. As he starts to give her a hug, she tells him it hurts too bad. Sudden laughing diverts their attention to the hospital entrance, where Antony is with three women. Antony thanks the women as they group hug. Jaya informs Noah that the cameras are deactivated.

Wren enters Rick’s flat to find it empty. Red Rose appears on a TV as “Daddy Cool” plays in the background. Rick is restrained to a chair. When she smashes the TV screen, a cellphone lying on a table rings. Rochelle says, “At Le Mans Crescent, Rick’s waiting for you. Hurry up, Wren. Quick, quick, Quick.”

Jaya informs the others that Rick is with the Gardner. Antony suggests Red Rose is utilizing Rick as bait. Noah says Wren will go to Rick. Jaya warns them that people have been watching them for months. Wren encounters a group of people as the episode comes to an end.

 

Red Rose Review

The episode was overwhelmed with filler. It’s disappointing to see this much filler in the episode before the finale. Not that the episode was terrible, but it could’ve been so much better if only it stayed on target.

A battered and brushed Ashley survived her attack only to find herself locked inside a morgue refrigerator. Luckily, Taz saved her. In the meantime, Jaya found herself inside the Red Rose website. She successfully deactivated the cameras, which will probably have little impact on the outcome.

Liam was unknowingly playing games with a man linked to Red Rose. Fortunately for him, Antony put two and two together.

Antony runs headlong into trouble on his way to the hospital. Three unknown women saved him from a deadly fate. Unbeknownst to his friends, Antony has an alcoholic mother. If I’m correct, there hasn’t been any mention of his father.

Red Rose utilized Rick to lure Wren to Le Mans Crescent. Until the next finale, we will have no idea what to expect.

The episode deserves a 6.5. Get more Red Rose recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by clicking the link.