The episode begins with DI Linda Calgetti (Gwynne McElveen) processing Sienna Ryan’s (Joni Morris) crime scene. This will eventually lead her to the Oxley house where Dani (Kara Tointon) has just discovered a hung-over Tim (Emmett J. Scanlan) sleeping on the couch. Despite everything, Dan and Tim appear to be on the verge of reconciliation until Calgetti shows up and starts pointing fingers. Tim’s face and his reliance on Dani for an alibi does not ease tensions, but once at the station, Calgetti goes hard at Dani for not coming forward with Sienna’s confession.

While Calgetti leads the blame back to Tim and takes DNA samples, Matt Spenser (Forrest Bothwell) learns about Sienna’s death. Returning home to be immediately besieged by a very concerned Jimmy Spencer (Will Mellor) doesn’t do either of them any favors. After a very brief dispute, Matt will leave home and shut off his phone.

When Jimmy turns to Dani for help locating Matt, she goes to Chloe Novak (Ebby O-Toole-Acheampong). Chloe isn’t interested in sharing anything until Dani mentions the pregnancy. Chloe appears genuinely hurt to not have had prior knowledge of the pregnancy, but a text from Zac Webster (Cal O’Driscoll) makes her suspect that he knew. Chloe will not only share the text with Dani but she will tell her where Matt is.

Dani and Jimmy will locate Matt at what appears to be an abandoned indoor swimming pool, littered with an array of old furniture and paraphernalia. As brief as this encounter is, it is incredibly revealing. Matt also appears genuinely surprised and hurt to not have known of Sienna’s pregnancy. He will admit to deeply caring for Sienna and taking the knife, in hopes of sparing Zac some shame. Matt appears to be fairly certain that he isn’t the father, which Dani agrees with thanks to the text Chloe shared with her. Apparently, Sienna was worried that the father might go to prison if their relationship was discovered.

On a very rare occasion, Nina Webster (Niamh McCann) will lose her temper with Headmaster Robert Caulfield (John Nayagam), accusing him of being more concerned with himself and the school as opposed to the students. Although not uncharacteristic, Tim confronts Dani for not being a stauncher ally with the police. This will ultimately lead to her confessing that she wants out of their marriage. She apparently feels that he’s preventing her from being who she needs to be.

Both Jimmy and Matt will roll out the red carpet for Dani during her split from Tim. Jimmy even offers her use of the master bedroom, which may turn out to be his downfall because Dani will recognize the floral light fixture from Sienna’s artwork. Although Jimmy immediately detects the shift in her mood, he lets her leave. He later confronts her at the school when she confirms her suspicions.

Jimmy will do his best to justify his actions but the harder he tries the angrier Dani gets. She’ll eventually lose all empathy for him and practically taunts him when he threatens suicide with Zac’s knife. After a bit of arguing, it will be revealed that Zac has found out about Jimmy and Sienna’s relationship and was threatening to turn them in. Jimmy would manipulate Sienna into murdering Zac to protect them.

Sienna would however complicate things and force his hand when she refused to give up the child. Calgetti will eventually be called in to make the arrest and Jimmy goes without much resistance. The series ends by suggesting that Tim and Dani are amicably splitting. Caulfield is apparently resigning, and Dani’s position at the school is there if she wants to resume.

 

The Teacher Review

I can’t say I was completely disappointed, although I was fully satisfied either. I will have to admit that I was a bit surprised by the way things turned out. Not completely taken by surprise, but I would have never imagined that Sienna would have actually been the killer.

The finale was concise and on point but at the same time drab. I was continually surprised by the suspense. For such a slow, slow drama, the episode could be incredibly suspenseful at times.

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