Key characters take centre stage in the fourth episode of In the Club, as tensions run high, secrets are exposed and relationships show fractures when examined up close.

Hannah Midgely and Katherine Parkinson are the stand outs this week. Midgely is given the most she’s had to do since Episode 1, but its piled on her here as she deals with her Dad’s recovery, social services, discovering Kim and Neil’s secret and the revelation of who the father of baby Dinah is. The weight of it all is felt and Midgely, for such a young actress, is very accomplished here, displaying the teen mother’s confusion, frustration, immaturity and emotional vulnerability.

Kim’s life is explored to its greatest depth too. Her and Neil’s relationship is further developed and comes to a head as Susie discovers the two in a passionate moment. It’s great to see Kim and Susie’s scenario explode in the way that it did, as each other is finally brutally honest about the disintegration of their relationship, having watched the two simmer away over the last few weeks.

With Neil and Kim exposed, their baby born and the break up of Kim and Susie seeming imminent, could they be on their way to a happy ending though? Kudos must also go to Tara Fitzgerald who, despite limited screen time this week really leaves her mark as the wounded, conflicted Susie.

It’s great to see Christine Bottomley’s maternity ward nurse Vicky further expanded upon too, with this episode developing her character’s circumstances and allowing her to show Vicky’s layers of frustration, aggravation and sensitivity. Bottomley’s approach is subtle, but very much felt.

She and Taj Atwal (Jasmine) are given some screen time together, and in a lovely honest moment, display their mutual histories about their conceptions and the men in their lives. Similarly, Hermione Norris and Parkinson are given a similar moment later, adding momentum to both their storylines.

It’s a lovely episode, peppered with genuinely tense moments: Kim and Susie’s explosive fight which reveals a few home truths, Dev and Jack’s punch up in the restaurant and Kim’s birth, which is wonderfully jarring, given how zen Kim has tried to be regarding the baby.

As we gear up for the final two episodes, In the Club continues to surprise and offer scintillating and honest performances from the show’s lead actresses.

Aired at 9pm on Tuesday 26 August 2014 on BBC One.

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