As the fifth episode of Territory begins, Emily Lawson (Anna Torv) is shown speaking to Daniel Lawson (Jake Ryan) in a flashback. Daniel talks about selling the station and paying off their debt. He calls her a Dodge before riding away. Emily shoots at his horse. Daniel returns and says Emily and Graham are gone when he gets back. Emily shoots his horse again causing it to knock Daniel off. In the present, Emily tells Eliot she only meant to scare Daniel. When she says what he wants, Eliot says the cave which the blackfellas call a Sorry Place. He owns the stories about that place now. He wants her to stop the new road from coming through. Eliot tells her to prevent Sandra from coming there and he’ll keep her safe. He questions whether Emily will shoot him as well. Uncle Bryce (Hamilton Morris) speaks to Keeley Redford (Tuuli Narkle).

Keeley says Sandra’s money is going to fix their houses and employ their young people. At home, Colin Lawson (Robert Taylor) listens to Keeley and Sandra Kirby (Sara Wiseman) speak on television. He shoots his television. Graham Lawson (Michael Dorman) is released thanks to Sandra. She explains that Daniel was going to sell Marianne Station to her. They were going to meet to discuss the details but he didn’t make it. Graham ends up hanging up on her. Susie Lawson (Philippa Northeast) speaks to Marshall (Sam Corlett) who only says he messed up and people got hurt. Susie tells him to get it together because she needs his help. She ignores a call from Lachie before Graham returns. Graham goes inside and begins pouring out the alcohol. He tells Colin he wants to get Marianne out of the crap he got it into. He’s going to muster the whole place. Then, he wants Colin to sign the place over to him.

Colin refuses and says you sometimes have to skip the messed-up generation. He takes Graham out to the shed and says you bleed for the land. Graham begins assaulting his father and whipping him. He reminds him that he used to make him and Dan fight. He also shattered Graham’s eardrum because he left the gate open. Graham tells him that Dan was going to sell Marianne out from under him to Sandra Kirby. Marshall and Susie find out what is going on. When Colin finally gets up, he hugs Graham. Emily visits Nolan who is with Dezi. She warns Nolan and Sandra is going to bend him over. Nolan says Sandra will build it and he’ll run it. Then, all the stations will run their stock through there. Emily says Sandra is going to put a road through Marianne because of this. Nolan argues that’s Emily’s problem. Graham talks to Susie about mustering the place and earning enough money to keep the banks away. Colin tells Graham that he has four days.

Emily returns and finds out that Graham is out. She tells Colin that Sandra is out to cut a road through Marianne. Since she’s a miner, she can do whatever she wants. Colin is going to fight it. In private, Susie tells Emily she organized most of them. She thinks they should let them believe they’re in charge, but she’s the one sorting this place out. Graham joins Marshall. They talk about being strong Lawson men. Graham knows he has every right to feel how he does. He says they can only go forward now. Rich Petrakis (Sam Delich) visits Sharnie Kennedy (Kylah Day) at the hospital. They talk about how Marshall left them both to die. Rich apologizes for getting her mixed up in all of that. She questions who he’s mixed up with now. Rich says he’s working for Campbell Miller. Sharnie can’t believe that, but Rich insists it’s just business. Emily speaks to Marshall to see if he’s okay.

She says it’d be good if he could help. Emily says no one is making him stay. Colin briefly speaks to Susie and tells her she’s doing good. Graham speaks to everyone about why they have to fight for the land. Then, the work begins. Colin tells everyone good work and that they’ll do it all again tomorrow. After they finish, Graham speaks to Emily who thought he was gone. Graham realized he needed to come back and fight for this place. He says he’s doing it for them. Lachie tells Sandra that he’s going out with Ethan Hodge. He blames her for ruining it with him and Susie. Sandra insists she knows what’s best for him. Campbell Miller (Jay Ryan) contacts Emily to ask her about the muster. When he asks about them, Emily apologizes and hangs up. Later, Emily and Graham talk about what happened to them. Graham thinks it was fear, but he insists he’s done with that now.

After they make out, Graham says they should stay out there forever. He tells her that Sandra bailed him out because she wanted him to wreck the family. Sandra told him Dan was going to sell Marianne to her. Graham admits he believes her because Dan had been acting shifty. Sandra seems to think there might be more to Dan’s death. Emily says she needs to tell him something. Graham says he already knows about Campbell Miller. Colin tells Marshall about Tommy Angel and the devil birds. Everyone gets up in the morning. Marshall finds out that Graham’s hand is shaking and it’s still a work in progress. The work continues. Lachie (Joe Klocek) hangs out with Ethan (Conor Merrigan Turner). Ethan tells him to go get Susie if he wants her. His mom can’t do anything. They agree to do it. Graham and the others find out that something is going on with Quarantine.

Colin asks Trent what is going on. The officer says they got a call that bovine leucosis has been detected on the property. The station will be in quarantine for at least two weeks and the mustered herd must be yarded. They immediately suspect Campbell is responsible. Lachie tells Susie he wants to get back together with her. Susie tells Ethan to take him home. Ethan tells him to finish it up because she didn’t say no. Campbell arrives moments later. He claims he’s just trying to uphold the integrity of the industry. Emily asks if he’s going to hold their cattle and bleed them dry. Colin wants the snakes off his station. Emily warns Campbell that she’s coming for him when this is over. Ethan pleads with Susie to listen to him. Marshall interrupts and asks Ethan to leave. Emily watches them fight. A bull runs over and impales Susie.

 

Territory Review

The fifth episode of Territory was okay since it tried to develop the characters to some degree. It attempted to turn some of these characters into likable individuals with mixed results. Everyone has been a little too easy for Sandra and Campbell though. Just as Marianne Station was getting things together, they were shut down on a whim.

It’s questionable whether it’d be that easy to shut down the biggest station in the area. In a way, this really might be too little too late. The series had plenty of time to make some of the characters sympathetic. At the very least, it did well at setting up the finale with Susie being injured and possibly fatally injured.

Overall, the episode was okay with not a lot going on because of the mustering scenes. The episode scores a 6 out of 10. Recaps of Territory can be found here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising with us here. See what others are saying here.