Brotherly Love

Best Viewed in

Microsoft Explorer

Sign Guestbook | View Guestbook | Message Board

BROTHERLY LOVE (SERIES 3)

Written by: Jimmy McGovern

Produced by: Hilary Bevan Jones

Directed by: Roy Battersby

Originally Screened: 22/10/95 (Part 1), 23/10/95 (Part 2), 29/10/95 (Part 3)

It is four months after Penhaligon threatened Beck with his own gun - Beck himself pulled the trigger but the gun was not loaded. Beck is now nearing the end of a stay in a mental hospital, apparently recovering from his guilt over the death of Bilborough. Fitz pays Beck a visit in the hospital, but he still refuses to admit that he raped Penhaligon. Fitz and Penhaligon have hardly spoken since the incident, and she is less than happy when he visits her to tell her he has been to visit Beck. Fitz is further shaken by the sudden arrival of his brother Danny who tells him that their mother has died. Beck returns to the force just as they are investigating the brutal murder of a prostitute, Jean McIlvanney, by David Harvey, a married father of four. The evidence against Harvey is strong but whilst he is custardy another similar murder takes place and DNA samples seems to indicate it was the same man. Beck returns to work, but the tension between himself and Penhaligon is unbearable - and her attempts to try and trap him into a confession are thrawted by Beck. Fitz meanwhile begins to suspect David's brother Michael, a catholic priest who is also conducting Fitz's mothers funeral. Fitz enters into confession for his mother's funeral, but turns what is meant to be discussion about him into an accusation of murder against Michael. After the emotional funeral of Fitz and Danny's mother, Judith goes into labour and gives birth to a boy.

Penhaligon and another female officer dress up as prostitutes in order to try and catch the killer, a move which doesn't help Beck's increasing stress. Fitz later discovers Beck holed up in a pub. Beck soon starts hyperventilating and unable to cope anymore finally confesses to Fitz that he raped Penhaligon. He puts Fitz in a difficult position, forcing him to swear on the life of his children and claiming the meeting is one between "doctor and patient", therefore Fitz cannot tell anyone - not even Penhaligon - of his confession. The police and Fitz eventually work out that killer is a woman and that it must be David Harvey's wife, Maggie, who is copycat killing in order to get her husband David released from prison. Ironically, it is Beck who finally catches Maggie at the home of another prostitute and arrests her. Fitz interrogates Maggie who proceeds to claim that she murdered Jean McIlvanney and not her husband. With Maggie's confession, DCI Wise has no other option but to release David Harvey from custordy. After another confrontation with Penhaligon, and his anger at David Harvey's release, Beck finally sees the opportunity to achieve some justice. He re-arrests and handcuffs himself to Harvey then contacts DCI Wise and threatens to jump from the roof of the Ramada hotel. As Penhaligon and Fitz desperately reach the top of the hotel, he finally confesses his guilt. He makes a sincere apology to Penhaligon before jumping off the roof, taking David Harvey with him.