Ringer 1.13 'It's Easy to Cry, When This Much Cash is Involved'

And so the saga continues. Still riddled with sloppy motivations, cheap plot devices and a foggy sense of direction, it’s amazing that 'Ringer' is still one of the most entertaining hours of my week. I’m finding a lot to love underneath its many flaws, which are still prominent, but are showing signs of waning. Though, it’s not the first time I’ve anticipated a positive change in 'Ringer’s writing and been left wanting.

Bridget continues to investigate Siobhan’s disappearance in ‘It’s Easy to Cry When This Much Cash is Involved’ when she decided to retrace her sister’s final steps. Worried that she may be getting too close to the truth, Siobhan attempts to stop her before it’s too late. Juliet’s case against Mr Carpenter takes an unexpected turn.

I’ve talked in previews reviews about how much I love anything to do with the exploration of Bridget and Siobhan’s history. Considering the fact that the foundations of this show’s story hinge on their mysterious, and volatile past, I still find it questionable that they haven’t taken a lot more time out to divulge some of their hidden secrets. Bridget has spent the past weeks thinking that she had finally won back her sister’s love, before tragedy struck, and now that that illusion has been shattered, it was great to see some sort of love and heart break show, since losing her sister hasn’t been something Bridget’s been too vocal about.

Given ‘What Are You Doing Here, Ho-Bag’s game changing ending, I was glad to see the episode take the right amount of time to get Henry and Siobhan back into their original pattern, which they’d fallen out of since her faked suicide. Sarah’s portrayal of two different characters hasn’t been one that has showcased her ability to differentiate a whole lot, but it always seems to shine most when she’s around the two prominent love interests, with Siobhan’s obvious affection for Henry contrasting starkly with her cold indifference towards her husband, the latter of which was plainly obvious in the ways the two sisters reacted to his approaches. Sadly, more lies and deceit have ensured Siobhan’s true motivations remain hidden from viewers, and I’m not sure it was a sound move on the writers’ part, given how much of an enigma she’s been since the pilot. Shouldn’t we be getting answers and moving forward, not teasing stories out, and layering them up unnecessarily?

Then there’s the rape plot, which took a rather unexpected turn. The real reasons behind their ploy to con Andrew remain under wraps for now, but I’m already wondering how it will all make sense, given the hostility of the initial interactions between the three involved. I definitely didn’t see it coming, which is something, I guess? Well done, 'Ringer', you do cheap, unfounded plot twists like no other.

One of the show’s greatest commodities is Jamie Murray and her sharp portrayal of Olivia Charles who along with new resident Andrea Roth (Catherine), who deservedly retained a spot in this week’s instalment, have allowed the series to greatly exaggerate its soapy roots in some fun, if slightly juvenile ways. Similar to Siobhan, Olivia’s true intentions are another part of the show’s rapidly inflating mysteries, but I’m enjoying a lot of the back stabbing and slyness on our journey towards the truth.

Though its methods of advancing the central stories are still a little wobbly, I think the decision to move Ringer past that stagnant Siobhan-in-Paris stage has been a credible one, but I’m still a little frustrated that it hasn’t truly gotten better yet.

7/10