There are wedding bells this week in Bedlam, and as usual it’s not just the ghoulies and ghosties of the former asylum that are up to no good.

Sleazy Dan (Nikesh Patel) takes on a new role as a wedding planner, as Brightmoor resident – and funnily enough, Max’s ex-girlfriend – Reeta (former EastEnder Tiana Benjamin) plans to wed in the building. But slippery Dan manages to set a vengeful Ghost Bride (Jennifer Howson) after Reeta once they inexplicably, yet predictably end up sleeping together despite a distinct lack of chemistry between the pair of them.

But while Dan’s penchant for illicit encounters with rather wooden female residents continues to surprise us – just how does he do it? – his attitude towards Warren (Hugo Speer) has changed drastically. And while Warren appears to be becoming more vulnerable following his recurring nightmares featuring the Branded Man (Tam Dean Burn), Dan is doing his best to gaslight Warren, but for what reason? Meanwhile, Warren has finally realised that Something Is Not Quite Right with his behaviour, although the fact that Kate is missing still eludes him.

Elsewhere, Max’s (Jack Roth) attraction to Ellie (Lacey Turner), which is obvious to everyone but Ellie (oh, the irony, she can see the dead, but not real, living, gooey feelings) has increased considerably – although, his somewhat insensitive actions of putting Ellie’s drawings on the Bedlam Watch blog without her prior knowledge or consent act against him, and lead him to temporarily close the blog.

But while Max pines for the loveable medium, slithery Dan, in yet another unbelievable twist of fate, manages to not only sleep with Reeta for a second time, but also Ellie a few days later. However, poor old Max, perhaps the nicest and most sensitive bartender to ever appear on British television, hears it all, and is predictably heartbroken by the whole thing.

Meanwhile Keira (Gemma Chan) manages to shoehorn in a brief subplot that involves her getting quite upset by Warren’s increasingly erratic behaviour. Also, following her time between Dan’s suitably stained sheets, Ellie discovers more about Eve (Sydney Wade), specifically that she was killed by the Branded Man who is currently haunting Warren’s nightmares.

For all the drama, sex and blood in this episode, it’s by far the weakest of the series so far; Reeta and the Ghost Bride are one dimensional characters, with no depth. While serious issues are raised by Ellie’s flashbacks, which allude to the Ghost Bride being brutally raped and imprisoned against her will, the episode is shallow, and ultimately, disappointing.

Of course, Bedlam is meant to make horror sexy yet commercial, but its treatment of rape is sensationalist; the Ghost Bride’s past isn’t delved into, and by the end of the episode she is still a nameless and forgotten victim. In fact, all of the female characters, including the usually strong Ellie, seem to have been reduced to mere sexual playthings and bit-parts as the men take centre stage in a bland and disappointing episode.

Aired at 10pm on Wednesday 20th June 2012 on Sky Living.

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