Bang (S4C) Episode 7 Review

Folkestone is home to the world’s highest brick arched viaduct but it is not home to a new distribution centre for the company Sam works for. His lie that he’s suddenly transferring location is easily uncovered by a quick google search, as was that fascinating fact about Folkstone. While Gina is tracking him down with her clever cop mind, not one to let the grass grow. stepdad Ray is clearing out the house already. In reality Sam is just heading down the welsh coast on his trusty bike.

Gina finds him in a church holding a gun to his head and not because the sermon is boring but because he feels it’s the only way to free himself. Finally we see Gina’s response to Sam owning the gun. Perhaps it’s the shock of her brother about to commit suicide that means her familial instincts kick in rather than the anger expected. Not much is said between the two but we can assume she has made the connection between Sam and all the recent crimes but strangely, on screen at least, she never asks where he got the gun from. It feels a waste that there isn’t much communication between the two at this late stage of the series, especially is there is so much to talk about. Gina was already reluctant to draw Carl towards Ela’s connection with her brother and now she’s in possession of the firearm looks set to protect him at all costs. That cost could be her job and a criminal record. To be honest, she seems more preoccupied with her father’s past so that’s likely to have strong relevance to next weeks finale.

The truth is spilling out elsewhere. In a kitchen showdown we discover Ray not only knows about Sam raiding his yard but the stealing from work too. On the flip of the coin, Sam knows about Ray’s misdemeanours with ladies (who must have terrible taste in men) too. Another connection is made as we get an answer to who Patricia has been gossiping to on the phone all this time and in a twist nobody saw coming it turns out to be grumpy stepdad Ray. Madness. Don’t sit there, smugly reading this and claim you saw that coming. You are lying!

Lots is going on elsewhere too. Carl is being plagued by a mysterious caller who we soon learn is Mel and she clearly wants to use knowledge of his affair with Gina to her advantage. Wide boy Rhys is also back on the estate and with his girlfriend by his side, raids Sam’s home in a quest for the gun but they’re rudely interrupted by the hasty and welcome return of Ela. Things are left with a tense stand off (or sit off) as Sam hides upstairs.

It’s a pretty weak cliffhanger compared to what Bang has treated us to previously but judging by the quality of the show so far, we are in very good hands indeed as things heat up for the last episode. What will Gina sacrifice for her brother? Will everyone get out alive? More to the point, will we ever find out who bloody killed Stevie Rose? One thing is for certain, even though the gun is out of Sam’s hands, things are going to be explosive. 8/10

Bullet points:

• Anyone spot the guest appearance of Alabama 3’s Rob Spragg (AKA Larry Love) as coughing villian Douglas Rose? Not content with supplying the music he also gets a bit of screen time too.
• Is it wrong to hope that Sam shoots grumpy Ray in the head?
• Rhys is obviously a wrong ‘un because when it comes to pizza toppings his first thought was pineapple.