Season 3 Episode 1

Episode 141

 

 Sky One Transmission Date:

Tuesday 21st September 1999

 

 Written By

Jane Hewland

 

 Directed By

Ray Kilby

 John Black's funeral

 

 Michael, Leon, Kelly, Julie

 

 Luis, Scott

 

 Lynda, D.I. Dawson

 

Luis, Sean, Scott

GS: Nurse Penny (Lisa Williamson)  D.I. Dawson (Eddie O’Connell)

One week after the FA Cup Final, the funeral is held for the person killed in the Wembley shootings. It is revealed that two people were shot during the post-match celebrations; Lynda, who survived after her skull was grazed by one bullet, and John Black, who was killed by the other and whose funeral it is today. Jerry is the club representative at the private service and sits amongst John Black's family and friends, with only he knowing his guilty secret.

Four months pass to late September, and the day of the official opening of Harchester United's new stadium, The Dragon’s Lair. Due to face Wimbledon in their first ever home-fixture at the Lair, Luis assures his new captain Michael Dillon that he doesn't expect him to be John, and to look after Billy out there today. Julie and Kelly are on duty serving, and when topic of how the Wembley gunman still hasn't been caught arises, Julie voices her theory of it being "some Falklands nutter" after Luis. New striker Scott Lucas has seemingly already marked Sean out by playing on his nerves for today's game and the upcoming Ajax match next week. Also not helping for Sean is Scott being Fletch's replacement, having been sold to Real Mallorca this summer. As Luis awaits the build-up, Jerry informs him he will have to do the post-match press conference on his own, and with a smirk adds he is bringing "Mrs Block" home from the hospital today.

The fans are let into the new stadium, and in the Executive Box another new signing, midfielder Eddie Moliano is introduced to Michael's partner Ann Patterson. As the first half gets underway, Jerry leaves to collect Lynda, and takes her back to their new home which she is seeing for the first time. Inside, Jerry finds more flowers for Lynda, but upon learning they are from Luis, tells her they are from her mother. At half time, Scott blames Sean for the team's poor performance, and is incensed to hear Luis won't be taking him off. As Jerry watches Harchester go down 1-0, D.I. Dawson arrives to inform Jerry he is now heading the investigation into the Wembley shootings. He tells Jerry and Lynda that he thinks someone was out to get one of them, having targeted Lynda with the first shot and only John Black saving her from the second.

Into the second half, Sean is substituted for Billy, and shortly afterwards a header from Scott draws the score. Inside, all a gutted Sean can do is listen to Scott’s jibes, as he continues to fret over his future at Harchester. Lynda's memory of the Cup Final day and following events is unclear following her injury, and D.I. Dawson remarks on how odd her and Jerry's behaviour was at the time of the team's win. Jerry tries to explain it away as being shock from the victory. As Luis speaks to Sky Sports outside the dressing room, Sean cannot take anymore of Scott’s taunts, and a fight between the pair spills out into the tunnel. Luis is furious and yells at Scott and Sean for their lack of respect for John Black's memory, adding he doesn't know what is wrong with this club.

Notes:

 

·         First appearances of new regular characters Ann Patterson (Heather McHale), Eddie Moliano (Ed Sanders), Michael Dillon (Noah Huntley) and Scott Lucas (Luke Mably). Viktor "Tank" Tankayev is another new signing, a defender from Dynamo Kiev. Andy Ansah appears in the team, in the Left Defence position, for the first time in this episode.

 

Best Known For: Ed Sanders had prominent presenting jobs on “RI:SE” and “Fear Factor UK” before making a move stateside where he put his carpentry skills to use on-screen in “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”.

 

Noah Huntley had successful roles on “Ruth Rendell Mysteries” as John Burdon (1987-1990) and “Emmerdale” as Luke McAllister (1993-1995). Following Dream Team, he had another regular role as Will Curtis on “Holby City” (2004-2005) and has appeared in the big-budget films “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” as Older Peter (2005) and “Snow White and the Huntsman” as King Magnus (2012).

 

Luke Mably earned recognition with the role of Private Clifton in “28 Days Later…” (2002) and garnered Stateside attention with “The Prince & Me” films (2004 & 2006). He has since appeared in TV shows “The Gates” (2010) and “Combat Hospital” (2011).

 

Lisa Williamson played original “Hollyoaks” character Dawn Cunningham, from the series’ first episode in 1995 to Dawn’s tragic and memorable Christmas demise in 1997.

 

·         The Best: Scott Lucas makes the biggest immediate impact of the new regulars.

 

Foreshadowing: The haunting game against Ajax is on the way – next Thursday according to Gary Bloom reporting.

 

·         Continuity: We see who is supposedly John Black’s mentioned wife Angela with Jerry at the funeral. His eight-year-old nephew features, placing John’s number #3 shirt on his coffin. Billy and Leon are settled into the First Team, with Dion Osbourne and goalkeeper Simon Coggan also moving up with them. The Youth Team, its academy and featuring characters surrounding it (Frank, Trudi Peyton, Denise Wilkinson, Clare) have quietly faded away, though Clare reappears in 3.6 [146] and Frank the following episode 3.7 [147].

 

Additional Info: Dream Team was sponsored by Brylcreem for Season 3. Harchester spent £15M on signings over the summer, including a £5.5M move from Liverpool for Scott. Harchester were beaten on penalties by Manchester United on their return to Wembley in the Charity Shield. Since then they have only had one league win in eight games and hold the lowest goals tally in the Premiership. After the bullet grazed her skull, Lynda was released from hospital only to collapse from swelling around her brain, and has since suffered memory lapses from the day of the shooting.

 

·         Surprise!: That there were two shots fired when at the end of 2.76 [#140] we only saw one. Jane explained the reasons behind this at the series’ end. It wasn't planned for anyone to die, just Lynda to be injured. But all summer the production were being asked who died, so used Gary McDonald (John Black) leaving as the chance to answer that dilemma.

 

What Was The Score?: Harchester draw with Wimbledon 1-1.

 

Soundtrack: Fatboy Slim: "Right Here Right Now",  New Radicals: "You Get What You Give",  The Chemical Brothers: "Hey Boy Hey Girl",  Tina Turner: "The Best."

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