The show begins with Ken (Hyoie O’Grady) waiting in the car in front of Megan Pierce’s house. He has a flashback of a stage performance, where he is a sailor. Barbie “Josephine” (Poppy Gilbert) releases the rope connected to a net, sending a female performer, Lucy to her death. The theater director (Andrew McLay) calls for Josephine. She meets Ken for the first time.
Barbie asks Kayleigh Shaw (Bethany Antonia) when her mum will be home. She grabs Kayleigh when she tries to attack her, placing a cloth over her face. Kayleigh gaps for air before falling to the floor.
Detective Michael Broome (James Nesbitt) and detective Erin Cartwright (Jo Joyner) interview Megan “Cassie” Pierce (Cush Jumbo) about Attorney Harry Sutton (Eddie Izzard). Harry was murdered between 12 noon and 6pm. The killer was probably at Harry’s office when Megan dropped him off. Broome doesn’t believe Megan is Harry’s killer. Megan remembers seeing a woman and man at Harry’s office when she dropped him off.
Fester (Youssef Kerkour) is with Ray Levine (Richard Armitage) at a pub. Fester says Megan is engaged to be married. She pulled away when Ray kissed her. He can’t understand why Megan and Dave Shaw (Daniel Francis) weren’t already married. Fester describes Dave as “hot.” An online news article reveals Dave got into an altercation on a night out. Ray says it is strange, Megan shows back up and Harry and Guy end up dead. He believes Dave has problems controlling his anger.
Dave’s friend escorts him blindfolded into a hotel room, where his other friends are waiting on him. His friends are wearing Megan masks. Ray is in his car outside the hotel searching through his cellphone, finding a post of Dave and his friends.
Brian Goldberg (Jack Shalloo) cries as his daughter (Aleksandra Penlington) plays the piano. The piano instructor (Aleksandar Mikic) joins Brian in the audience. He alerts Brian of his canceled debit card and there is 700 left owing on the bill.
Megan provides the police with a description of Barbie and Ken. Broome tells Brian, Megan may be a witness in Harry’s murder case. He is stunned when Broome shows him the facial composites of Ken and Barbie. Broome is ordered to send the composites to Brian before the media gets access to them. Brian panics and calls Barbie to ask if they killed Harry. She reminds him, they work for Carlton’s father, Del Flynn (Ross Boatman). He is asked to identify Megan in a photo but denies knowing her. Kayleigh is lying in the backseat of Barbie’s vehicle.
Dave and his friends arrive at a bar, with Ray in tow. He follows Dave into the restroom and makes conversation. He says this is my stag party. Ray says you don’t seem so happy about it. He is super-excited about Megan. Dave returns to his friends, leaving Ray in the restroom. Dave calls him over to the table and tells his friends, they met in the restroom. He joins them at the table.
Broome tells Megan about the suitcase found in Stewart Green’s basement. She listens as he tells her about the men who disappeared at Carnival every year since Stewart’s disappearance. He demands to know who saw Stewart Green (Rod Hunt) at Vipers. She tells him it was Lorraine Griggs (Sarah Parish). Dave and Kaleigh do not answer her call. She calls Laura Shaw (Tallulah Bryne) who is at a sleepover. Lorraine invites her to Harry’s memorial at Vipers. Megan warns her about Broome knowing she is the one who saw Stewart.
Dave’s friends tease him about Megan declining his marriage proposal several times. Ray asks if he is sure Megan has never been married or engaged before. He is positive. Ray grabs his arm and asks what changed her mind. When he mistakenly says “Megan,” Dave becomes suspicious. He denies knowing Megan and takes the opportunity to leave. Dave follows him outside the bar, where they get into a scuffle over Megan. Ray picks up a barrier stand and aims it at Dave. A woman’s scream brings him to his senses. He sees Dave lying on the ground and has a flashback of beating someone bloody. He runs away from the scene.
Megan arrives at Vipers to meet with Lorraine who orders them some alcohol. As Lorraine gets on the podium, Broome walks in. She describes Harry as “pure”. She talks to Broome about Stewart. When she saw Stewart at Vipers, she didn’t think because her cancer diagnosis took priority. He is there to support her because she loved Harry.
Fester ways to a disturbed Ray standing in the doorway. He orders him to go with him, without questions. Fester is concerned with Ray’s strange behavior.
Broome asks Lorraine why she told Ray Megan was dead. She didn’t want him to get the wrong idea. He suggests telling him, Megan relocated to Canada. Lorraine laughs and says Ray was there when Stewart went missing and Megan left. Ray was addicted to Cassie.
Megan arrives home to discover Kayleigh’s bedroom a mess and a note from Barbie, with a phone number. She tries Kaleigh’s phone before calling her friend, Bea (Rachel Andrews). Barbie tells Megan to meet her at a track near Rigby Road. She threatens to harm Kayleigh like Harry if she tells anyone. Megan hysterically hangs up and calls Broome’s phone that goes to voicemail. She grabs a knife from the kitchen before leaving the house.
Devastated, Del Flynn (Ross Boatman) is lying in a bed, looking at a photo of his son, Carlton Flynn. He visits a woman in the hospital. Nurse Jen exits the room as he enters. Goldberg calls Del to discuss Barbie and Ken. He is concerned about them killing Harry and possibly, Megan. Del says he hired them to find Carlton. Brian says they have gone too far and he is freaking out. Del grabs the lady’s hand and says Marlene doesn’t understand because she is not Carlton’s mum. He promises to find Carlton and breaks down sobbing.
Ray has a flashback of beating someone with a small ax. Fester frightfully looks around when Ray says he was there before he visited him.
Megan arrives at the track off Rigby Road. She walks down the track and sees Barbie standing a short distance away. Kayleigh is sitting on a cot inside a house. She pleads with Ken to let her out to urinate. He tells her to use a bucket in the room. Megan slowly approaches the rear of the house. She motions for Kayleigh to be quiet and cuts a rope holding the door shut. Ken hears a noise and walks around the side of the house. He sings and returns to his seat on the porch. Kayleigh and Megan make it to their car just in time to lock the doors. Ken hands onto the car until he loses his grip. He lands on the ground while his head hits a rock. Megan hysterically apologizes and tries to call Broome who is with Lorraine.
Goldberg alerts them of Broome being away. Megan tells him about Barbie and Ken abducting Kayleigh. He escorts them to a room downstairs in the police station. Brian promises to send someone to their home. She believes Ken is dead. He locks the door behind him and calls Barbie to tell her to come to the side entrance of the police department. Kayleigh doesn’t believe Megan when she denies knowing why Ken and Barbie are after them. She loved dancing at Vipers because she was good at it. She tells her about Stewart and continues to deny knowing Barbie and Ken. She gets up to get them something to drink and discovers the door is locked.
Brian escorts Barbie to a room in the basement and locks the door. He calls her to say Megan and Kayleigh are safe and will turn himself in. He has a flashback of his daughter playing the piano as Ken strangles him.
Broome checks his phone. Dave stares into space as his friends eat breakfast. Ray has a flashback of Cassie and Stewart while driving. Through the rearview mirror, Stewart’s blood body is lying in the backseat of Ray’s car. He yells and grabs the steering wheel as the episode comes to an end.
Stay Close Review
The show’s decline is gradually approaching, as more ridiculous scenes is added. Ken’s resurrection, Kayleigh’s escape, and Ray’s encroachment on Dave’s stag party are not convincing in the least.
From the starring roles, Lorraine, Broome, Harry, and Fester deserve my empathy. The rest of the characters are unforgettable in more ways than one.
Harry’s memorial party was a nice touch, especially Lorraine’s heartfelt speech.
The endless plot twists are no longer confusing, but more annoying and cringeworthy than anything. Nothing about the show gives me the urge to push forward to the finale.
The show deserves a 6. Get more Stay Close recaps here. If you like what the ReelMockery team does, click on the link to support our work.
Jay Skelton is a fan of all television shows and movies. He tries his best to keep up with the latest foreign television shows and movies. Jay loves skinny dipping in the dark too.
