Mixed emotions DRAMA
FAIR CITY THIS IS US
RTE One, 8pm C4, 9pm
Debbie is starting to worry something may have happened to Jodi.
Rose quickly phones Eoghan and Emmet to come over and Eoghan tells her about seeing Jodi with Cathal.
Cathal tells poor Jodi that if she doesn’t fetch him something belonging to Katy today he’ll send her back to her pimp Luka.
Jodi makes her way back to O’brien’s where Debbie is relieved to see her.
Terrified of what Cathal might do, Jodi lies about her whereabouts and tells Debbie she ran away as someone was following her and her phone died. SOMETIMES you start watching something new, doubtful that it could possibly tear you away from your online Christmas shopping, and you find yourself completely absorbed.
That’s what happened when watching this funny, sweet drama from across the pond, made by the writer and directors of the hit movie Crazy, Stupid, Love, about various people whose lives intertwine.
It’s a bit like Love, Actually as you slowly find out how everybody’s stories are connected.
But don’t be put off because I’ve mentioned a rom com – the drama successfully avoids being too saccharine or schmaltzy.
It begins by following various individuals who share the same birthday, and they are all turning 36.
Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) wants his wife Rebecca (Mandy Moore) to uphold a birthday tradition of giving him a dance, although she’s pregnant with triplets so not feeling too sexy. Then her waters break and that puts a dampener on the whole thing.
Meanwhile, Kate (Chrissy Metz) is desperate to lose weight, but can’t stop opening the fridge door. When she falls off her bathroom scales, it’s a bit of a wake up call.
Actor Kevin ( Justin Hartley) plays the shirtless lead in a sitcom called The Manny, but he’s disillusioned by the frivolous role and wants to get stuck into something more gritty.
And elsewhere, Randall (Sterling K Brown) is not feeling in a celebratory mood as he finally tracks down his estranged father, who abandoned him at a fire station as a newborn baby.
It all makes for some high drama and big laughs – and just when you least expect it, you’ll be sucker punched with emotion and a twist that you won’t see coming. Debbie insists she stays with them until she’s completely safe - an idea Emmet isn’t happy with.
Later on Jodi frantically starts rooting through Katy’s belongings and manages to grab a letter just before Debbie walks in on her.
When Jodi goes to the bathroom, her phone buzzes which causes Rose to become suspicious – especially after she spots Jodi’s charger in her bag.
Jodi lies to Eoghan and Debbie and tells them her pal in Limerick is looking for Katy.
Rose tells Emmet about her phone and suspicions grow with her lies.
Elsewhere, Kerri-ann’s attempt to take a tough stance with Charlotte fails.