Jacob Masters’ shocking abuse storyline escalates in Casualty this week, Ethan Hardy’s grief manifestation of his dead brother Cal Knight continues, and Teddy makes a shocking discovery about his Aunty Jan...
If we’ve learned anything recently, it’s that things can always get worse in Holby-land.
This week’s Casualty episode ‘Same Old, Same Old’ (BBC1, 9.25pm, Saturday 21 August 2021 - See our TV Guide for listings) follows Ethan Hardy and Jacob Masters over five consecutive days, putting their private lives and feelings under the microscope. The result is an up close and personal examination of grief, despair and isolation, with both men making shocking, life-changing decisions after an excruciating week…
Full Casualty spoilers below.
Jacob Masters’ nightmare worsens in Casualty
Jacob Master’s homelife takes a horrific turn in Casualty when his abusive girlfriend Tina Mollett viciously assaults him.
How it begins…
Following Jacob over five working days, this week’s nail biting episode of BBC1’s medical drama opens with a fraught exchange between the couple when Jacob (Charles Venn) discovers Tina (Adele James) has thrown out his deceased mother’s jewellery.
Upset, Jacob goes for a run, witnesses a suicidal woman, Jo, jumping into the sea, and bravely saves her. While Jo (Line of Duty’s Elizabeth Rider) is being treated at the ED Tina turns up frantic that she could have lost him. She apologises and they declare their love for one another, but this is just the calm before a terrible storm…
Tina’s jealousy turns violent
The next day Tina’s jealousy flares up when she overhears flirty new consultant Stevie Nash calling Jacob a hero. As the week progresses Tina bristles every time she sees Jacob and Stevie working together and, at home, explodes with anger. She smashes up a framed photo of his mum, Omo, and violently attacks Jacob!
The aftermath…
Following the attack Tina attends to Jacob’s wounds, while persuading him that he’s at fault for her actions. Meanwhile, Jacob begins suffering nightmares and extreme panic… Fast becoming a shell of himself, Jacob is left in helpless floods of tears when Tina gifts him with a newly framed photo of Omo.
Later, at work he plasters on a smile, makes excuses to colleagues about his visible injuries and, outside the ED, makes an unexpected gesture.
Getting down on one knee Jacob proposes to Tina...
MORE: Charles Venn on Jacob and Tina's shocking domestic abuse storyline in Casualty
Ethan Hardy struggles to balance life, work and grief...
Ethan Hardy returns to work this week and he’s not alone - he’s joined by a manifestation of his murdered brother Cal dressed as a superhero!
Imaginary Cal (Richard Winsor) is on hand to help Ethan grieve fiancée Fenisha’s traumatic death...
Ethan’s first day back at the ED
On the surface Ethan (George Rainsford) appears to be coping admirably with looking after baby Bodhi. He’s seeing a grief counsellor, sticking to a strict schedule, and accepting help from Fenisha’s parents Pen (Ackley Bridge’s Narinder Samra) and Ashley (Emmerdale’s Alison Dowling).
In his mind, however, Ethan is deep in conversation with his dead brother Cal, who’s helping him negotiate every step of his first day back in the ED.
Ethan’s despair comes to the fore
As the week wears on Ethan’s veneer begins to blister.
Cal encourages Ethan to open up and share the burden of his grief as he starts to avoid interacting with Bodhi, loses his temper with Fenisha’s ex Matthew Afolami (Osi Okerafor), and begins to rely more and more on Pen and Ashley for child care.
As a gruelling week draws to a close, Ethan seems a bit brighter, but is actually putting in place a shocking plan with heartbreaking implications…
Also in Casualty this week
Teddy (Milo Clarke) discovers that Jan (Di Botcher) is living at the ambulance station. She swears him to secrecy, but Jan’s secret is too big for Teddy to keep to himself.
He finally confides in Iain (Michael Stevenson), who confronts Jan. She explains that her marriage with Ffion (Stirling Gallacher) has broken down and that she’s bunking at work until her luck changes… But is Jan hiding something?
Elsewhere, the team rally around Ethan, but have no idea how deep his struggles run.
This episode of Casualty will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer after it airs on BBC1 on Saturday 21 August 2021 at 9.25pm.
