As the finale of The Pact begins, Jack Evans (Aneurin Barnard) approaches Tamsin (Gabrielle Creevy) and asks what she is doing. She tells him to mind his business before learning Jack owns the place and can have her removed. She encourages him to go ahead and do it but Jack heads inside. We jump to the present and Anna (Laura Fraser) pleads with her daughter to tell her exactly what happened. She turns to Ryan (Aled ap Steffan) and asks what happened but he has nothing to say. Nancy (Julie Hesmondhalgh) tries to get everyone to calm down. Once Nancy tells Tamsin they just need to understand what happened, she admits she wishes she never met Jack. We jump back and see Tamsin playing at the arcade with a friend. She encourages Harri (Owian Gunn) to get in touch with Ryan before Jack interrupts. He knows Tamsin’s name and the fact her mom works at the brewery.

Jack learns she doesn’t have a boyfriend and she wins at the arcade games because people underestimate her. They end up hanging out and Jack wonders what Anna would think about their relationship. Tamsin says she doesn’t care. That leads Jack to believe she doesn’t get along with her mother just like him and his father. He eventually tells her she is very pretty. Then, we jump forward and Tamsin learns she is pregnant. She approaches Jack and tells him. He doesn’t believe it since they used protection. Then, he begins asking her if it is about money and how much it’ll cost to get rid of it but Tamsin isn’t sure she wants to get rid of it. He is adamant that he is never having kids and he tells her to get rid of it again. When she starts crying, he tells her to stop crying and go get rid of it. She leaves and Ryan is the first one to find out.

Ryan approaches Jack and tells him he gives straight guys a bad name. He says he doesn’t like his sister being bullied and she’ll decide what she wants to do. Jack reveals he recorded their sexual encounter on his phone and he threatens to upload it. Ryan punches him but it doesn’t hurt Jack. He quickly grabs Ryan, pushes him against the wall, and orders him to tell Tamsin to do what he says. Jack believes he is turned on so he plays with him before ordering him to tell Tamsin. Ryan returns to Tamsin who reminds him she told him not to interfere. Tamsin wants to tell her mother but Ryan doesn’t think she should since she is at the party and Jack will be there. She decides to go anyway so he goes with her. Once they arrive, they watch as Anna and the others put Jack in their vehicle. They follow Anna into the woods and listen from nearby. When Anna and the women leave, Jack begins calling out for whoever is nearby.

Anna pleads with her daughter to tell her what happened before we see Tamsin and Ryan approach Jack. Tamsin asks why her mom brought him there so Jack admits he doesn’t think Anna likes him. Ryan says no one likes him. Ryan tries to get his sister to leave Jack there but Jack continues running his mouth and demanding she get rid of the baby. Tamsin wants to be left alone with Jack but Ryan doesn’t like that idea. He eventually agrees to give her a few minutes with him. He tells her about the video. She claims she isn’t worried about it. Then, he tells her she’ll be connected to him for life if she has the baby. He threatens to make her life a living hell and turn the kid against her and her family. Jack laughs and says he’ll have fun ruining the kid’s life. Tamsin walks away before Jack’s laughing turns to crying. Someone sneaks up behind him and puts a bag on his head.

In the present, Tamsin claims she had to kill Jack. Then, we see a flashback of Tamsin killing Jack. She returns to Ryan. Later, Ryan finds out about Jack’s death and confronts his sister immediately. Ryan helps her dispose of Jack’s phone where it will never be found. Anna splashes her face with water while trying to come to grips with what she has learned. She tells Tamsin she is going to take her to the hospital because she needs to be seen by a doctor. Ryan takes her out to the car while Nancy and Anna discuss what they should do. Max (Jason Hughes) calls Anna and tells her he has found something. He explains the CCTV footage shows Tamsin and Jack so they agree to meet at the hospital. After a checkup at the hospital, Anna tells her daughter she has options. Then, Anna asks if her daughter was forced but Tamsin admits she wasn’t.

She says Jack was nice at first. She explains she doesn’t want to have the baby in prison. Anna meets with Ryan in the hallway and asks why he didn’t tell her but he says he didn’t know where to start. Max shows up and finds them hugging. Seconds later, Nancy gets a visit from Cat (Heledd Gwynn) who admits she thinks people deserve a second chance. They go in to watch television. Back at the hospital, Anna tells Max their daughter is a murderer and she doesn’t know what to do. Louie (Eiry Thomas) sits down with Dylan (Richard Elfyn) and asks how Nancy is doing. He says the police seem convinced she is responsible and he wouldn’t be able to represent her if she was out of respect for Arwel. Louie says she isn’t. Louie learns that Arwel signed his house, investments, and brewery to her. She has other ideas and pulls out a bag containing all of the mementos of her family. She explains she wants it all gone just like Arwel and Jack.

Meanwhile, Anna and the family discuss what they should do. Tamsin says they can move countries but Ryan says that is a stupid idea. Max is worried that they’re going to find out what happened and come after Tamsin. He wonders if they can use the pregnancy to get the charge reduced to manslaughter. Then, he thinks they could claim self-defense. The police arrive outside. After Ryan takes Tam upstairs, Anna tells Max they have to protect her. DS Holland (Rakie Ayola) enters and tells them they need to ask Max some questions. DC Griffiths and DC Anford join her. Holland explains they want to talk to him about Anna and the party at the brewery. Griffiths stays with Anna and tells her about taking the family camping. Tamsin tries to get out of the room and causes a ruckus so Anna checks on them. Back downstairs, Max is asked whether Anna talked to him about Jack Evans. Anna returns and finds Griffiths going through her paperwork so she grabs it and reminds him it is private.

Max tells Anford and Holland about Anna coming on on the night of the party before the conversation turns to her relationship with Nancy. Holland asks to use the bathroom so he tells her it is upstairs. Anford finds out that Max didn’t find anything at the arcade and she says she won’t cover for him again. Holland exits the bathroom and runs into Tamsin who doesn’t say anything. Once the detectives go outside, Griffiths tells the others that he was the paperwork and Tamsin is pregnant. Max is forced to tell Anna and the others that the detectives are going after Anna and Nancy as the prime suspects. Max goes for the alcohol so Anna wants to talk to him in private. She encourages Max to get rid of the evidence he found. Then, Nancy visits Father Martin (Mark Lewis Jones) for a chat. Nancy admits she fantasized about herself and Martin like a teenager. She says she has spent much of her life focusing on the wrong people but she has clarity and purpose now.

Martin says control is an illusion because God makes the rules. Nancy asks him if he wants to break them up sometimes and he admits he does. Nancy says their actions reveal who they are and everything else is a facade. Before she leaves, she tells Martin they won’t see each other again. At work, Max learns that the governor has called a briefing. Louie goes to the brewery and Cat tells her that Gareth is looking for her. They go inside and sit with Tish (Abbie Hern) before Mandy (Sophie Melville) jokes about them going to jail. Once Mandy leaves, Cat and Tish talk to Louie about taking the brewery. She isn’t interested in taking over but Tish and Cat try to convince her to do so anyway. They tell her she can forget her family and pick them as her new family. When Cat steps away, Louie tries to make sure that Tish is going to take care of her. She threatens to kill her if she hurts Cat.

Ryan shows Anna a note Tamsin left and they quickly realize that she has gone missing. Anna calls Max who agrees to call in a favor and get a live trace on her phone. They soon learn that she is heading for the train station. Once the briefing ends, Max tries to find out what happened but Anford doesn’t want to tell him. She eventually relents and says Holland is convinced that the four women are covering for someone. All of them are going to be arrested tonight and they’re going to question Max’s children. She tells Max not to do anything stupid. When Anna and Ryan arrive, Tamsin runs away from them. Anna goes for her. Max arrives and he searches for them with Ryan. Ultimately, Ryan finds Tamsin and tells her that they’re a team. Max and Anna arrive too. Max says they’ll know it was her if she runs.

She claims they’re better off without her but they say otherwise. Ryan believes their father can figure something out but Max isn’t sure. Max gets a call from the station. He answers before Anna agrees to take the blame so the others can get out of it. Her family thinks she is crazy but she says she is going to do it anyway. She tells Max she is going to need his help or it won’t work. They take Anna to the station and she hugs everyone. She encourages them to look after each other before going inside with Max. Anford approaches Max and surprises him by saying they got a confession. Max asks who confessed before we see Nancy being interviewed by Holland. He admits to killing Jack and says she used a plastic bag to smother him. She also tells them where she can find his phones. She says her actions are impacting innocent people who don’t belong to be dragged into this. Louie receives a call from Anna and learns about it while Nancy gives up her personal items.

Cat learns about it while hanging out with Tish. Max approaches Nancy in her cell and tells her she can’t do this. He gives her a phone and Anna tries to get her to take it back. Nancy says they’ll all have to pay for it their own way. She admits she feels freer now than she has for years. Before the call ends, she tells Anna she’ll miss her most of all. Max deletes the video footage of his daughter with Jack. Later, Louie goes to the brewery at the new owner and it appears Anna has gotten a promotion. They meet with Tish and Cat while Nancy sits in her cell. It appears that Anna and Tam’s relationship has improved after everything that has happened.

 

The Pact Review

Although not totally realistic or jaw-dropping, the finale of The Pact at least wrapped everything up and answered most questions. When compared to other similar shows, The Pact sits right in the middle of the pack. The acting was respectable from start to finish but the story just wasn’t good enough to push the show past mediocrity.

I appreciate that the finale attempted to humanize the characters and bring emotions to it. Ultimately, it wasn’t bad but it wasn’t spectacular enough to elevate the series. The finale was one of the better episodes this season so it scores a 7 out of 10. Previous recaps of The Pact can be found on Reel Mockery here.