Ed’s judgement day

Radio Times: Usha pleads mitigation.

Characters: Clarrie, David, Ed, Eddie, Magistrate, Prosecuting Counsel, Ruth, Usha

• Usha visits Ruth on her morning off to find her all behind and flustered with the calves after trying to make Pip’s costume for the Hallowe’en Party at Lower Loxley. Pip is obviously expecting a result that is up to Jill’s standard and Ruth expresses her inadequacies when compared with the other creative Archer wives. Usha reassures her that she has quite different amazing talents and they joke about just how much longer Ruth must wait for Jill’s return!
• Eddie, Clarrie and Ed are waiting anxiously at the Magistrates’ Court for Usha. Clarrie talks about having one of the turkeys this week ‘with all the trimmings’ to cheer Ed up and suddenly realizes what she is saying – but they assure him that whatever happens they’ll always be there for him. Usha arrives and is pleased that they are in good time.
• The Prosecuting Counsel paints a dramatic and damning picture of the whole incident, but Usha’s mitigating evidence, especially Ed’s saving Emma’s life and the traumas of the past year since the Grundys lost Grange Farm, result in the Magistrate sentencing him to a Community Punishment Order of 120 hours, a ban from driving for a year and thereafter having to pass an extended driving test. He must write a letter of apology to Emma expressing his sorrow and regret and repay the prosecution costs of £75 to his parents by working for them in some way.
• The Grundy family are all relieved and very grateful but Usha tells Ed that he has been very lucky and that a Community Punishment Order is not an easy option. Clarrie assures her that they will see that Ed turns up for whatever is assigned to him.
• David and Ruth are exhausted after their day’s work and at 9pm, eventually resort to putting a supermarket curry from the freezer into the microwave. It seems that Pip has a tummy bug and may have to miss the long-looked-forward-to party at Lower Loxley tomorrow. The curry emerges from the microwave still frozen in the middle – and they laugh about all the palaver over the quality of their Hassett Hills’ lamb when all they can manage to prepare for themselves is underdone ready made lamb curry! David declares ironically, “The decline and fall of the Brookfield kitchen – my Gran must be spinning in her grave!”