The episode opens with a very brief scene showing Bernice Price (Kris McQuade) in the well, assumingly on the day she died. Elsewhere, Thelma Connell (Tasma Walton) looks to learn more about Marjorie Watson’s trauma (Lynne Porteous) by visiting Bells Hills. Being that the place is now being turned into a bed and breakfast by the new owner (Robert Roy Jackson), she hits a dead end.

At the jail, SC Meredith Nelson-Moore (Frances O’Connor) and Rana Billings (Jennah Bannear) attempt to discuss trial strategy with Sasha Price (Amy Mathews) now that the defense controls the witnesses. Sasha is only interested in securing a visit with her baby, which appears to be the furthest thing from either Meredith or Rana’s minds.

The jurors become antsy when they aren’t called into the courtroom at their regularly scheduled time. It’s not long after Jury Officer (Kate Neylon) shows up to pull Joey Novak (Josh McKenzie) outside that they learn about Pete McKirney’s (Will McNeill) death. Joey learns about the news from Alice Jinx (Lila McGuire).

Meredith’s first witness is Doctor Amal Hadid (Menik Gooneratne) which reveals that she and Bernice didn’t get along so well. Hadid even refers to her as a racist at one point during the testimony. The biggest takeaway from her testimony is that Bernice suffered from a high blood pressure condition known as Orthostatic Hypertension. Although the condition causes lightheadedness when one goes from sitting to standing, it can easily be treated with medication, which Bernice wasn’t taking according to the autopsy. Jude Persand (Fayssai Bazzi) does the best he can on cross by establishing that Hadid isn’t a specialist in neurology. Even more, Hadid’s diagnosis wasn’t confirmed with the tilt test.

While the rest of the jurors debate the discovery of Bernice’s medical condition, Columbus Evans (Brad Francis) approaches Joey about hosting a memorandum in Pete’s honor. Joey shows very little interest. Meredith’s next witness is Sasha’s hairdresser, Wanda Tsiolkas (Megan Hollier). Wanda’s testimony ultimately ends up revealing that Sasha made a hair appointment for her mother when she was supposedly dead. Although Jude only questions Wanda briefly, he points out the fact that Bernice always cut her own hair at home, which makes Sasha’s booking of the appointment incredibly suspicious.

Later that evening after court, Wendy Hang (Grace Chow) meets Teddy Hardcastle (Domenic Anthony) during a brief visit with her father, Winston Hang (Anthony Brandon Wong). This eventually leads to her discovering the gummies. At nearly the same time Joey is questioned by Constable Damo Scullin (Nelson Fannon) about Pete’s death. Being that Damo was a ruck halfback, he remembers Joey from school, he gives him quite a bit of leeway. Despite this, Alice ends up lying for Joey. This only later leads to an argument and more lies.

Before the trial resumes the following day, SC Brett Colby (Sam Neill) speaks with Meredith about using her next witness as a positive character witness for Patrick Harrows (Erroll Shand). According to Nina Distazio (Kaila Ferrelli), Vicki Koslowski (Sarah Light) was very pro-Patrick and his relationship with Sasha. This doesn’t turn out to be the case and blows up in Colby’s face when Jude questions her. During cross, he gets her to refer to Patrick as a gold digger. Although Vicki’s fickleness does not go unnoticed by the jurors, the majority of their focus appears to be on Columbus’s offer of free drinks in Pete’s memory over the weekend.

After leaving a brief message checking in on her children, Meredith attempts to apologize to Colby for Vicki’s blowup. This doesn’t go so well due to him telling her that if she was on her a-game, it would have never happened.

Pete’s bar memorial doesn’t go so well for Joey when Alicia overhears his conversation with Marty McKirney (Chris Stollery) which further corroborates that he was lying about his whereabouts on the night Pete overdosed. After another argument, he tells her the truth.

Winston is surprised the following day when Marlene (Claire Munday) shows up in Teddy’s place. A phone call later, he learns that Wendy spoke with the facility and had Teddy replaced. While this discovery leads to a huge blowup about his own family not caring for him, Colby extends an olive branch to Meredith by taking her to visit Patrick and Sasha’s waterfall. After a very brief stint at the waterfall, it is revealed that Colby has another visit planned, the well. Although his discovery is not fully revealed, it appears that the well’s light has some type of safety/backup light that would come on even without the main light functioning properly.

Fleur Hepburn (Katherine Pearson) and Rana take Baby Eddie (Esme Cometti) to visit Sasha. This doesn’t end well when they have to practically pry her from Sasha’s arms. While Meredith and Colby find themselves back in bed together, Thelma continues her research of Bells Hills. Although this discovery isn’t fully explained either, it is suggested that Bernice and Marjorie were at Bells Hills together. The episode ends with Patrick declaring that he wants to change his plea.

 

The Twelve Review

I honestly can’t put my finger on it but I felt like I enjoyed this episode more than the others. It certainly wasn’t that it was packed with great scenes or content, but there was something about it jarring. The Bells Hill plot was even interesting as was Joey and Alice’s dispute. I didn’t even mind Colby and Meredith’s brief spat. It could be that the fact that the series is starting to grow on me. I’m not entirely sure that I fully understand Colby or Thelma’s discoveries, which I’m sure, will be explained in further episodes.

Nonetheless, it was nice to take a step away from the D’Angelo side plot as well as Meredith’s familial dispute, although there were brief mentions of Meredith’s problems. I’d give the episode a 5.6 out of 10.

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