What to watch
Handbrake turns have become the norm in the extraordinary second series of Mike Bartlett’s ripe melodrama, with showdown following showdown, passive aggression increasingly supplanted by straightforward aggression, and twists galore threatening a lurch into the territory of Fatal Attraction, only in reverse. The Fosters are in disarray – Simon (Bertie Carvel) is estranged from his second family and income stream, while Gemma (Suranne Jones) is concerned that her actions have pushed away their son (Tom Taylor, the show’s unsung star).
We left Gemma driving at speed towards Simon – what happens next remains under wraps, but suffice to say that the most unexpected twist in tonight’s conclusion is one of tone: from operatic melodrama (albeit sustained by brilliant performances) into sombre contemplation – the fallout after the explosion. Flashbacks illustrate both the affection once at the heart of the family and a failure to meet the needs of its most vulnerable member. The door is left wide open for a third series; it’s been fun, but has strained credibility – it might be wise to emulate the Doctor Foster of the nursery rhyme and never go there again. Gabriel Tate