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Big Middle
Small Post at 9-12-2012 03:31 Author Only
Season 9
Episode 1:
The new series kicks off with The Chatsworth Estate in a time of darkest austerity.
The Gallaghers and half the estate are evicted as part of Operation New Start - a multi-agency crackdown on the benefits culture of those in social housing, led by Carmen Kenaway - played by Morwenna Banks and her toxic sidekick, Feeney - played by Judy Flynn.
Jamie and Karen are thrust into the roles of guardians of the estate when evictees turn to them for help. While things look bleak for the majority, all is bright for Jackson, who is now a fully qualified teacher.
Carl is just days away from qualifying as a policeman, but Frank's disapproval threatens his graduation.
But worse than this - Frank needs glasses. For the first time, he must confront the possibility that he may be a less than perfect physical specimen.
Episode 2:
Desperate, the Chatsworth residents engineer a plan of action, scratching away at the facade of Operation New Start to discover the shocking real objective behind their presence.
Using this information to their advantage, the Chatsworth troops mobilise and the fightback for the estate begins in earnest.
Marty struggles with the notion of becoming a father again, while pregnant Kelly visits one of her oldest and most regular punters in hospital.
Meanwhile, Frank makes it clear that Carl is no longer a son of his, and with evictions and convictions continuing, everyone on the Chatsworth is expected to play a part in resistance tactics.
Elsewhere, a confused Gloria tries to remember who took advantage of her in the snug...
Episode 3:
Mimi worries that she can't be everything that Billy needs so proposes an open marriage, which he reluctantly accepts.
While everyone thinks Kelly is coping with losing the baby, Marty is worried - he can see that she's refusing to grieve and is spinning out of control.
At a funeral, Patty finds herself under scrutiny from the deceased's son, Alan, who believes she is an old friend of the mother he never knew.
Episode 4:
On a lads' night out Micky slopes off looking for love in all the wrong places and becomes the victim of a savage attack that leaves him mentally and physically scarred.
On the same night out, Carl falls for the beautiful Clem, but struggles to handle the truth of her situation.
Aidan has fallen in with a gang of older mates, led by gang leader Frasier Kane. Hanging around on the Chatsworth one night, events spiral out of control and Aidan is faced with a life-changing decision.
At the Maguire's house, Mimi's 22-year-old sexy and challenging niece Ruby Hepburn arrives with a plan to get her life together.
Episode 5:
A figure from Jamie's past shows up on the estate, looking to call in a favour.
Brooksy, or, more accurately, D.S. Brooks, is currently suspended pending serious charges. When Brooksy calls in the debt, Jamie doesn't know if he can go through with it and the safety of his family hangs in the balance.
Aidan avoids school, haunted by nightmares and the knowledge that he did nothing to stop Frasier attacking his school teacher, Lara.
But when Frasier turns his attention to Letitia, Aidan feels compelled to act.
Micky faces a life-changing decision when a debt collection goes disastrously wrong. Running from an angry guard dog, he finds himself trapped in a room with a heavily pregnant woman who goes into labour.
Episode 6:
Desperate for cash, Jackson agrees to help Shane Maguire rob a cigarette van at a supermarket.
It doesn't go well and they barely escape the guards, but the unlikely pair may have hit upon a Freegan-inspired business idea for selling out-of-date food.
Gloria's brother Dominic, a whisky priest who's recently stepped away from the church, causes mayhem on the estate when he's threatened by the husbands of two of his conquests, neither of whom he can remember having sex with.
And there's upset all around when Chesney advises Carl that he can do much better than Clem, who Carl plans to move in with.
Episode 7:
Everyone is seriously concerned about Kelly. While Marty is still grieving the loss of the baby, Kelly is punishing herself physically and mentally and fast losing control. Marty's intervention is futile and Kelly ends up in a critical state.
Across the bar, eyeing newly arrived Ruby, Karen and Dom get into a debate about the sexual and personal morals of young women today. Karen champions empowerment, but Dom's assessment of the female nature unsettles her.
Karen shocks herself by agreeing to the terms of a bet that involves Dom bedding Ruby and potentially Karen too.
Meanwhile, Avril becomes concerned when she clocks her colleague Calum dispensing incorrect medication at the pharmacy.
Episode 8:
Times are hard and Marty and his apprentice Aidan attempt to redirect a power line to the Gallagher house to get free electricity.
The plan goes disastrously wrong and a power cut plunges the whole estate into darkness. An air of menace builds on the streets and people retreat indoors.
But the girls gather at the Maguire house and as the drink starts to flow hidden truths emerge. Jamie agrees to a lock-in for the guys at the Jockey, where Frank accepts the challenge to re-enact The Hare and the Tortoise, but loses something valuable in the process.
Chesney protects the shop from lawlessness, but pushes himself too far in the process, while Marty, charged up by having half a million volts pass through him, believes he's been spared for a purpose.
Episode 9:
Chesney arrives home from hospital to find his cousin Toof waiting for him. Sent as Grandad's emissary, Toof has come to negotiate Chesney's future. But when he reveals his plan to shut the shop and take Chesney back to Bradford, Chesney refuses.
Taking Chesney home with him, Toof shows him what the future could hold - nice house, car, wife - but Chesney knows it all comes at a price: to be forever under the cosh of Grandad.
At the brothel, business is going well, but the girls need time off and Lillian has to find new staff. Taking the talent show format to a whole new level, Lillian holds auditions for new hookers, putting the real X into X-Factor.
Elsewhere, Jamie is irked by Gloria's refusal to acknowledge what happened during the blackout.
Episode 10:
After a conversation with Frank, Jamie and Shane engineer a plan to raid Manchester's former War Rooms (now owned by the Lottery) with the aim of lifting a stash of scratch cards as a way to make some easy money.
Frank is recruited along with Aidan, while Ruby persuades Shane to take her along. And although the heist starts off well, tensions quickly surface between the gang down in the crumbling network of tunnels, and Frank's cowardice leads to catastrophe.
Letitia and friends have formed a girl group. Posting their own home-brew pop videos online, the girls harbour dreams of becoming the next big internet sensation. But they're in for a surprise when their latest video is hacked.
Elsewhere, it's collection day, but when Jamie doesn't arrive home, Karen is determined to prove to Mimi that she can handle Maguire business.
Episode 11:
The situation underground is perilous for the trapped five and the pressure builds as truths, lies and confessions abound. Frank's adult life has come full circle, rat run to rat run.
Jamie worries Karen may uncover the truth about Gloria. Ruby wants to be accepted as a Maguire, while Aidan is sick of being treated like the idiot child.
Frank finds the brick he carved into all those years ago with his 35-year-old time capsule. But the overwhelming worry comes from the realisation that nobody knows where they are.
Desperate and worried, Karen searches for clues, while Gloria wrestles with her guilt over Jamie.
Shane's plans discovered, a search party is swiftly formed, but time isn't on their side and decisions have to be made whether to involve the authorities for help.
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