Now we’re talking. It’s taken two episodes to bring Trust Me to a riveting place, but it’s there. The third instalment was an involving hour that not only gave us much-needed clarity into Cath’s until-now opaque motivation for lying, it also placed her in some gripping situations. Cath is clearly as bright and capable as any doctor, but her single-parent family lacked the resources and crucially, the precedent (medicine being one of those careers that, like diabetes, tends to run in families) for her to become one the usual way. When she took Ally’s qualifications out of that bin, it wasn’t on a whim; it was fuelled by years of measuring herself against her friend’s taken-for-granted privilege. We now know what Cath’s been thinking this whole time. It wasn’t about the trips to Zizzi; it was about righting a social injustice. Why shouldn’t daughter Molly have the same right to discard her career as the real Ally? As she said, isn’t that real choice? The reason Cath’s lies have felt so out-of-character these past weeks too, is that they are. As ex Karl said in this episode, she hates liars. She was raised to tell the truth and do the right thing so this deception runs entirely against her grain. That much was clear from her trembling reaction to doctoring the abscess patient’s records in Brigitte’s cover-up. Why did she go along with it? To avoid the inevitable scrutiny of an investigation. Oh what a tangled web, etc. Andy choosing to collude in Cath’s deception was this drama’s first real surprise. On the surface, it seems like a remarkably pragmatic move showing respect for Cath’s obvious skill as a doctor. Underneath though, there seemed to be a less favourable side to “Dr Perfect”. His actions—confronting her in such an isolated spot, pressuring her to move in with him—felt more about his ability to control Cath than to help her. In the space of one episode, their relationship has grown satisfyingly in complexity. As has Cath’s work situation, thanks to Brigitte’s loss of control and the expected revelation about her drinking on the job. Now Cath has another tricky decision to make: turn in Brigitte, stick by her, or—who knows?—confess all and blackmail her for her silence? The various plot strands are pulling together neatly in time for next week’s finale. Read Louisa’s review of the previous episode here.
