It's the most dangerous small picturesque village outside of Midsomer, so in case you missed it, catch up on what's happening now before no one lets you in from the cold because they're too busy talking about it
Alec's health condition is getting worse
We know there's "something" wrong with his heart, but we're not totally sure what it is. What we do know is it's causing Alec to have sweaty dreams about drowning, then waking up and crying even more than Olivia Colman. His doctor isn't calling him back, so is he gearing up for a dramatic chest clutch at a pivotal moment?
He's also putting himself about a bit
After last week's bombshell (but sadly untrue) accusations about him and Miller, Lee "OK, he probably didn't do Sandbrook, but he is quite obsessive" Ashworth has accused him of sleeping with ex-wife Claire "Did you notice her bluebell screensaver?" Ripley. He didn't deny it when quizzed by Ellie, and a quick flash of "morning after" face confirmed that dirty DI Hardy did in fact cross that line. Oops. Now he's in bed with Ellie (accidental room mix up – that old chestnut) but they're being very chaste. Unlike Lee and Claire "Oh they probably did it together" Ashworth/Ripley. One takeaway and she's on him like white on (egg fried) rice. And she's asking to be tied up. Sus-pic-ious.
Joe isn't safe to take the stand
This whole series has been about casting doubt on Joe Miller's guilt, and it's still anyone's guess. When baby barrister Abby eloquently declared "Sh*t Sharon, he totally did it", M J-B finally mooted the alternative killer theory. If Joe didn't do it, who did? Well, according to M J-B, it's "pretty obvious". Not to us! Tom? Mark? That overly fake-tanned vicar? Cue a shock reappearance by Pauline Quirke's Susan, who plods into court and promptly accuses son Nige of being the one who left poor dead Danny's body on the beach. What?! We doubt all is as it seems, but it's certainly starting to feel like all the suspects are being shuffled back into play.
Alec caused a "gulp" moment
He's the most enigmatic detective since Sherlock Holmes, but suddenly the facts about DI Hardy's past were coming thick and fast. On a road trip with Ellie, they didn't mess about playing I Spy or that license plate game (you know the one), instead he revealed that he had been the one to find Sandbrook Pippa's body floating in the river (Oh. Explains that drowning dream without the need for a book). Not only that, but she had been the same age as his daughter. His cry face again rivalled Colman's and had us all sniffling into the Horlicks.
There are new suspects in the Sandbrook case
Most notably, poor dead Pippa's dad. Ricky Gillespie is one angry man. Which is fair enough, as Alec did mess up the case. But Alec had been in town for less than two minutes before he'd uncovered more evidence than in the whole of his previous investigation - most of it centring around Angry Ricky. Angry Ricky who, as it turned out, was sleeping with Dodgy Claire when they were LIVING NEXT DOOR TO EACH OTHER!
Angry Ricky also wasn't where Alec thought he was on the night the girls went missing, meaning he doesn't have an alibi. And it didn't even stop there! Oh no, remember when Ellie stole the numbers off Claire's phone last week? It turns out she has been in touch with Angry Ricky all along. Our heads are spinning!
Next week:
Dodgy Claire and Angry Ricky meet up, Charlotte R should have gone to Specsavers and Alec is accused of sleeping with the woman who cleans the courtroom. But it's anyone's guess!