Last night's EastEnders episode promised heartbreak and action and it did not disappoint.
Mid-way through the episode, I assumed that we wouldn't see much of the aftermath, and that the cliff-hanger would be Alfie realising that Kat was in the house... But I was wrong, and the last 10-15 minutes were so beautifully cinematic. Hearing the drama, after the explosion, through Alfie's ears made you feel as though you were there, in the thick of the action.
Every cast member involved looked at the top of their game - we saw Roxy's genuine care for Alfie, like the friendship she used to share with 'grandad,' and Laila Morse, who plays Mo, gave the performance of a panic-striken nan, which really stood out to me, even if she didn't have too many lines. I hope that this marks the start of Mo being an even more permanent fixture on the Square once again.
Back to Alfie, though, and his hospital scenes were brilliant. Shane Ritchie deserves a hell of a lot of merit for such a heartbreaking performance. At one point it looked like he was about to confess all to the nurse, and we went through a rollercoaster of emotions with him. Upset, guilt, heart-break, and this is only the beginning.
As actors say, when they win awards, it's not just them who deserves accolades for their work. The crew backstage do, too. And this is true for the EastEnders make-up department, as Kat's horrific burns looked so realistic.
Tamwar's scenes, simple yet powerful, also stood out. The fire bringing back horrid memories for him, will I think mark the start of his close friendship with Nancy.
With that - and after a big 'well done EastEnders' - I'm off to look forward to Thursday's episode!
What did you all think of last night's show?
