Last Tango in Halifax Series 5

[Cary2012]

It's back!
Sunday 9pm BBC
Sunday night telly at its best.
Anyone else looking forward to it?

There was a potato peeler in the chopping board, Flora was hacking a carrot with it when Gillian arrived.

I have loved this programme but I'm very disappointed in this series. To whacky and mad. And those sheep weren't Swaledales, Swaledales have black and white faces and curly horns.

I found the peeling of the carrots scene quite therapeutic for some reason. I did however notice that Gillian chopped off about an inch of carrot (at the 'top' end) which didn't seem very frugal of her!

@apatchytomcat 😂

^^
Ah,
The English teacher in me (nothing like Ruth, I swear), has noticed a metaphor here. Gillian attacks the carrot, as she does life-straight in, attack, job done. Caroline skirts around life, chipping away cautiously.

Caroline needs to be more Gillian.

So, Ted's been scammed (although what happened to the house he bought to downsize?), Celia/Alan have been scammed (that was obvious)-is the young kid going to save them all??!!

So Ted knows that he's in the shed, doesn't he as he spotted him in the supermarket & saw the smoke.

Oh you're onto something there @Cary2012.

I think you might be onto something as to why Sarah Lancashire has seemed much more timid or cowed in this series. Maybe she feels self-conscious because of the weight gain and so she doesn't comport herself in the manner of the earlier Caroline(?). Please know I am not judging her for weight gain. Good Lord I am overweight myself. Just trying to piece together why SL has been so tepid in this series.

SL is a very accomplished actor. She is acting a part. How she feels herself is surely not going to affect this. We are not seeing the real SL. Maybe Caroline was supposed to be less full on. Although I found her reaction to Ruth’s outburst very annoying. She should have told her in no uncertain terms what’s what.

After all SL was the same size when she played the politician in the series with Richard Gere. That part was certainly not timid!

How are they going to wrap up this number of silly plot lines in one episode. I agree with PPs - this has been a disappointing series without any of the moments of profundity that we've come to expect from Sally Wainwright.

I agree, she's acting, it's Caroline who has changed, not Sarah. I think comments about her weight are pretty uncharitable TBH. I would like the feisty Caroline to come back though.

Caroline has changed. She's sole parent to a young child, she's lonely and she's bereaved.

It's SO weird how they set up the Gary storyline to make you think that it was all going to come to a head somehow..and then nothing really happened. Ditto the ghost in the barn.
I didn't realise series 5 was only 4 eps! I think Sally W is brilliant, but I wish she had brought in a writing team, or at least a writing partner on this series, and that they had made at least 6. There is no way all the storylines can be properly explored in 4 episodes! And I don't believe the bbc wouldn't give her at least 6.
Caroline was definitely a lot softer and more timid. I liked when John showed up after Judith dumped him though, and she kept saying "yes but what are you doing here?" and he was totally not understanding, as if he was completely entitled to rock up back at Carolines! It illustrated his selfishness perfectly.
I want the Oliver Twist Urchin to fuck right off.

Is interesting all the posters saying the scenery is beautiful. I grew up not far from there and I just think it's bleak and cold (although I do like Blackie's dad's hens )

Yes all of you pointing out it's not SL the person/actor but Caroline the character who has changed are right I'm sure. I guess it's just odd that what is a core personality trait of that character would be mostly absent in this series. But maybe if we'd had more episodes? I did love her interaction with John at the end of last week's episode when he shows up with his black trash bags of belongings. Hilarious.

HepzibahGreen (great name btw) Has Gary even been mentioned this series?

What happened to Rupert Grave's character. He is always brilliant

Caroline has changed. She's sole parent to a young child, she's lonely and she's bereaved

She was also managed out of her previous headship and has been accused of predatory behaviour by her current head of English. On top of that her mother’s childcare support is being downgraded or withdrawn, I forget which.

I’m looking forward to the finale, but not at all sure if it’ll satisfy.

HepzibahGreen (great name btw) Has Gary even been mentioned this series?
Why thank you! I wanted BathshebaEverdene but she was taken
Someone said Gary was mentioned in passing but I must have blinked and missed it,
He was really sinister, and the relationship with his wife was peculiar, I felt like there must be more to that story.
I think there should be a rule that no TV drama is allowed to be less than 6 eps. I get invested!

Raff mentioned giving up teaching to Ellie and going to work for Gary

Gillian said "Don't you Dare!"

Episode 2 it must have been

Who's Gary? Can't remember.

The rich long lost son

Nope cant remember him. Must have wiped him from my memory.

Gillian mentioned Gary in the first episode very briefly when she said to someone that he asked Raff to join his business but Raff refused.

Watched ep 2 now and it's disappointing that it is so dire. It's turned in to a whatever can go wrong will go wrong farce with annoying people and silly plot lines