After a tumultuous ending last week, The Straits returns with a much more sombre episode. Killing Lola (Emma Lung) has a mentally crippling effect on Marou (Jim Bani) as he lies in the hotel room next to his dead wife. The event plays out again and again in his head. As Marou lies in his agony, Noel (Aaron Fa’aoso) escapes from jail and sets out on his escape from the country. His plan is to flee to South America, but cannot leave without meeting with his ex-wife Toni (Kate Jenkinson), just to see if she’ll come with him.
Noel is a head strong man with much insecurity. Vulnerable and anxious, he thinks that there is a chance for him and his ex-wife, clearly living in a state of delusion. His nature is anarchical and yet he has really meant to do well all along.
Back home, Harry (Brian Cox) and Kitty (Rena Owen) make respective attempts in Cairns on and the island to restore order to the business, and settle some scores with competitors. It is the first time we see Kitty as an agent of change and action, rather than pulling strings from the side lines. Owen is strong, authoritarian and one fascinating actress to watch as Kitty, while Cox stammers with his usual leader-of-the-pack mentality.
Sissi’s (Suzannah Bayes-Morton) boyfriend Joel (James Mackay) stumbles across some of her nefarious and yet innocent activities on the crocodile farm, learning that perhaps she isn’t too far removed from his criminal family and their way of making a living.
Rowan Woods creates a strong sense of constant pace, especially with Noel’s movements. Woods balances this flow with stagnant stillness with Marou, which expands into a vendetta against Gary (Firass Dirani) and the revelations of his quick affair with Lola.
As the series comes to a close with one final episode, many loose ends are beginning to be tied, still with room for a big finale. While not packing the punch of the previous week’s episode, this week sees a necessary calm before what will hopefully be an unimaginable storm.
The Straits screens on Thursdays at 8.30pm on ABC1. It also screens on ABC2 and on iView. Click here to view other episode reviews.
