Hamish Macbeth episode reviews: series 2 episode 3
Isobel Pulls It Off
- yes, I'm sure the title was tongue-in-cheek. Two strands in this: Isobel happens on a potential news story involving a prototype car, and the village collectively wins the lottery... except that Lachie Sr, who was in charge of the ticket, can't lay his hand on it.
That second plot, by the way, doesn't really work if you think about it, because losing a lottery ticket is not necessarily disastrous; there are ways around it. And in truth this strand is, I think, a bit predictable, even moralistic; there's a whiff of "money can't buy happiness" about it which is unworthy of a series that was not in general at all superficial. Dominic Minghella is the writer, and not the best for the series (the Daniel Boyle episodes are usually the best).
But the other strand not only develops Isobel as a strong character whose journalistic ambitions, though real, are hampered by her keen sense of morality; it also progresses the triangle situation between her, Alex and Hamish. Isobel's sudden decision to have a (very successful) makeover is more career-inspired than to do with wanting to attract Hamish, but it does have that incidental effect. Far more effective is the fact that Hamish thinks she is interested in another man. He goes into jealous mode just as he once did with Alex's publisher - a comparison Alex herself makes. And in her insecurity about Hamish, Alex is becoming both unreasonable and too possessive.
Lochdubh Island gets another mention, and we learn that it has shared history for Alex and Hamish. And Lachie Jr has begun working as a DJ, which also sets up the situation for a later episode. All through, this episode stresses, quite delicately, the bond between Hamish and Isobel: their attachment to the village, their unconventional but strong moral sense, even the fact that Isobel, when she jettisons a binbag of cuddly toys, saves one - a Westie like Hamish's. At the end of the episode there is an interrupted near-kiss which is, effectively, their acknowledgement that they are still in love. From this point on, Hamish ought, unequivocally, to tell Alex that his feelings have changed and that he cannot marry her.
- yes, I'm sure the title was tongue-in-cheek. Two strands in this: Isobel happens on a potential news story involving a prototype car, and the village collectively wins the lottery... except that Lachie Sr, who was in charge of the ticket, can't lay his hand on it.
That second plot, by the way, doesn't really work if you think about it, because losing a lottery ticket is not necessarily disastrous; there are ways around it. And in truth this strand is, I think, a bit predictable, even moralistic; there's a whiff of "money can't buy happiness" about it which is unworthy of a series that was not in general at all superficial. Dominic Minghella is the writer, and not the best for the series (the Daniel Boyle episodes are usually the best).
But the other strand not only develops Isobel as a strong character whose journalistic ambitions, though real, are hampered by her keen sense of morality; it also progresses the triangle situation between her, Alex and Hamish. Isobel's sudden decision to have a (very successful) makeover is more career-inspired than to do with wanting to attract Hamish, but it does have that incidental effect. Far more effective is the fact that Hamish thinks she is interested in another man. He goes into jealous mode just as he once did with Alex's publisher - a comparison Alex herself makes. And in her insecurity about Hamish, Alex is becoming both unreasonable and too possessive.
Lochdubh Island gets another mention, and we learn that it has shared history for Alex and Hamish. And Lachie Jr has begun working as a DJ, which also sets up the situation for a later episode. All through, this episode stresses, quite delicately, the bond between Hamish and Isobel: their attachment to the village, their unconventional but strong moral sense, even the fact that Isobel, when she jettisons a binbag of cuddly toys, saves one - a Westie like Hamish's. At the end of the episode there is an interrupted near-kiss which is, effectively, their acknowledgement that they are still in love. From this point on, Hamish ought, unequivocally, to tell Alex that his feelings have changed and that he cannot marry her.