Jodie Whittaker puts in a powerfully emotional performance as Cath Hardacre’s world begins to tumble down around her in Trust Me Episode 3.
An awful lot happens in this episode – emphasis on the awful! – and Cath’s problems begin right from the word go. We pick up right where Episode 2 left off, with Cath rushing to the hospital to visit her father. Turns out he’s in a very bad way and actually dying of pneumonia. Cath’s initial reaction is to get all medical on him, but his carers insist there is no use. “You’re his daughter, not his nurse”. This sad opening sequence ends with a cold, grey close-up of Arthur Hardacre’s final breath. Cath, understandably, breaks down in an ea toothachey understated way. Jodie Whittaker plays the grief well in both these and the funeral scenes, completely upset while also well aware this was coming. Her time as grieving mother Beth Latimer in Broadchurch certainly set her in good stead here.
But this is just the first of many, many things about to go wrong in Cath’s life. The fact that a parent dying turns out to be the least shocking twist in the episode only goes to reinforce that. Instead, we’re more focused on Andy, who is still reeling from his revelation last week. He’s still scouring the internet for clues and he’s not answering any of Cath’s calls. This kind and sweet-seeming man is hurt and betrayed. A darkness is clearly brewing in him. His sideways glances suggest that Mr Nice might become Mr Nasty, and we’re left wondering what he’ll do next.
“I think we need to be honest with each other, don’t you?”
This build-up works well because we get plenty of scenes centred on Andy himself. Whereas Episode 1 was very much Jodie Whittaker’s show, the lesser-known cast are finally getting to take centre stage here. Which is to the show’s benefit, really. We love Jodie and she’s absolutely acting the role. But we already know she’s great, so getting to see what everyone else can do is a welcome opportunity too. With Cath temporarily out of the picture, we get to see Andy fester. The upset bubbles up inside him, and he very nearly confesses all to Brigitte. When Cath finally does return, he suggests a weekend away in the country. The inevitable showdown is coming, but will his rage put Cath’s life in danger?
The hillside confrontation was probably the stand-out from last week’s ‘next time’ trailer. Luckily, it doesn’t disappoint – although it may end a little unexpectedly. Andy plays it cool to start with. “Talk to me, please” he insists. When Cath refuses and walks away, Andy lets out the truth. You know it’s coming, but it’s still just as shocking. “CATH!” he calls after her, and she freezes in blind panic. The stunned silence and blurry camera gives us a heart-stopping sequence. He knows. But, rather than the full-on fury some had predicted, Andy’s kind heart wins out in the end. He understands Cath’s plight, and he still wants to help. But at what cost to them both?
“Cath never lies, she can’t stand it!”
We imagine this might split opinions. Andy professing his love and willingness to self-sacrifice might, to some, feel underwhelming. But if Trust Me has done anything well, it’s subvert our expectations. We do still have an episode left to go, after all. Rather than giving Cath a happy ever after though, this turn of events actually complicates proceedings. As day turns to night, Full Moon Friday begins. Cath and Brigitte are the only two doctors on duty. Patients are pouring in by the masses and they’re struggling to dish out equal treatment. So, naturally, something goes wrong. Something goes very, very wrong. A patient who was diagnosed with toothache turns out to have a deadly abscess. His airways are blocked and he’s violently convulsing. The clock is quite literally ticking for them to save his life.
The final sequence is horrifying in almost every sense. Not only is it the goriest scene in the show so far – seriously, don’t watch this if you don’t like blood! – but the ramifications are immense. Cath’s botched improvisation leads to the man bleeding to death. Brigitte’s chat about patients she’d killed last week should have given us fair warning. Now, not only has Cath got blood on her hands, but a looming investigation threatens to uncover her completely. She and Brigitte make a pact to alter the records and watch each other’s back. As the cliffhanger lands, Cath finds out that Brigitte had actually been drunk on the job. Will she stand by her boss or twist it to her own advantage?
“We need to support each other…”
The trailer for next week’s finale promises that Trust Me will go out on a high. It’s going to be an action packed hour, that’s for sure. The investigation! Burn victims! Molly gone missing! And we thought this week was dramatic. This third episode sets us up with a truly explosive send-off and cements the series as a success in its own right. Jodie Whittaker still leads the way as the star of the show, but no longer does it feel like she’s carrying it. With the inevitable edging dangerously close on the horizon, we’re hoping that Jodie can live up to the promise: “show me what a real doctor can do!”
