Suranne Jones and Lesley Sharp return to ITV this autumn for a fourth season of crime drama Scott & Bailey.
Amelia Bullmore reprises her role as plain-speaking DCI Gill Murray who keeps control of Syndicate 9 and ensures the team delivers in spite of the pressures of modern day policing.
> Order Season 4 on DVD on Amazon.
Episode 1
Wednesday 10 September 2014, 9pm
Battle-scarred from their shocking conflict last series, Rachel (Suranne Jones) and Janet (Lesley Sharp) determine to move forward with focus and honesty.
For Rachel, that means giving her career her best shot, unencumbered by the chaos of her personal life. For Janet, it means giving herself the opportunities she deserves, and enjoying her autonomy.
In this spirit, both Scott and Bailey find themselves in front of the promotion board, interviewing for Sergeant. When both pass with flying colours, the task falls to DCI Gill Murray (Amelia Bullmore) to choose which one stays on as Sergeant at Syndicate 9.
The story of the week involves the kidnap and murder of a vulnerable young adult, Robin McKendrick. When Robin doesn’t turn up at the pub for work on payday, his ex-copper landlord alerts the police. With a brother involved in local gang rivalry, there’s a chance that Robin has been caught up in some sort of reprisal.
When a photo of Robin, bound and gagged in the boot of a car, shows up on Facebook, Syndicate 9 know that he’s probably already dead. But the body they recover from a flooded quarry is a woman.
Episode 2
Wednesday 17 September 2014, 9pm
Syndicate 9’s new Sergeant is thrown in at the deep end with a historical missing person’s case. Their biggest challenge is to hide their contempt for the poor police work that hampered the original investigation.
Janet keeps Gill’s secret but shares another secret with Rachel; she wants a boyfriend.
When Mandy Sweeting’s body is discovered, 23 years after she went missing, the new Sergeant takes on huge proportions. Wading through narrow-minded police work and re-interviewing bruised and bereft family members, makes this a particularly challenging case.
Episode 3
Wednesday 24 September 2014, 9pm
After promising that the chaos of her personal life was behind her, Rachel is torn when she discovers that her mother’s new boyfriend is a violent domestic abuser.
Janet goes on her first date, but gets cold feet at the last minute, when the idea of having to sell herself to a stranger makes her heart sink.
When Rich Hutchings is found murdered in the flat he shares with his husband Adam, their neighbour Barry, an outspoken and violent homophobe, is the prime suspect. But as Adam’s friend, Tim, struggles to remember the events of their night out, it seems that Barry might be in the clear.
Episode 4
Wednesday 1 October 2014, 9pm
At a Police Initiative launch, Gill introduces her new sergeant to Det Sup Will Pemberton, an ambitious man on his way to ACPO rank. But it soon becomes clear that Rachel didn’t need the introduction – she and Will have been enjoying a passionate and discreet relationship for the last few months.
And whilst Will would like to shout it from the rooftops, Rachel would prefer to keep it secret, concerned that rumors might fly about her motives. When Gill lets slip that Janet was first choice for the sergeant’s job, Rachel’s old defensiveness rears its ugly head.
Having been blown away by Eleanor Goodhead and the happy home life she has created with Ade, Janet is inspired to keep going with the dating game. But a speed dating evening proves unfulfilling when she realizes she’s unable to take off her police goggles, interviewing every man as if they’re a suspect. Unaware that Gill has spilt the beans, Janet is baffled as to why Rachel is suddenly pulling rank.
The story of the week involves the murder of a woman in a hotel room in Manchester. With only a necklace and the name ‘Lola’ to go on, Syndicate 9 tries to piece together the woman’s last known movements. When a witness comes forward to report a sexual encounter that left her feeling uneasy, it seems that a hook-up site could hold the answers.
Episode 5
Wednesday 8 October 2014, 9pm
Unable to make peace with being second choice, Rachel punishes Janet for keeping the truth from her. And whilst Will seems to be everything she ever wanted, not even he can persuade her that she needs to drop the attitude.
Rachel is delighted when Will tells her that she’s been chosen for a Vice initiative, but it isn’t long before her self-doubt and Gill’s sharp comments make her worry about how her relationship with Will might be perceived.
Tired of being painted as the bad guy, Janet is keen to clear the air with Rachel and to make her understand that she was simply honoring Gill’s request. And having tried to be brave about Elise’s choice to live with Ade and Eleanor, Janet finds she’s missing her daughter and feeling inadequate as a mother.
Dorothy thinks a good man might be the answer, and whilst Janet hasn’t given up on the idea of a boyfriend, she’s certain he won’t be found online.
The story of the week involves the death of a baby boy. When an unconscious Andrew Redhead is admitted to hospital, staff become concerned that his injuries don’t match his parents’ explanation of events. But when an unregistered child-minder and her stoned boyfriend come into the equation, it’s unclear who had Andrew’s best interests at heart.
Episode 6
Wednesday 15 October 2014, 9pm
Still troubled by Gill’s comments about her relationship with Will, Rachel gets cold feet about being ‘out’ with him at an award ceremony. Convinced that people will think she’s sleeping her way to the top, Rachel makes excuses about her workload and ducks out. But Will has had enough of Rachel making such hard work of it all and Rachel is gutted when he ends what was possibly the best relationship she’s ever had.
Already struggling with Elise’s decision to live with Ade, Janet is challenged even further when she has to deal with Eleanor in a work capacity. And when she discovers that Elise’s heart is being broken by Eleanor’s son, her maternal instincts make her want to rescue her daughter and bring her home. But when Rachel suggests that Elise won’t thank Janet for wading in, she takes heed and her patience pays off.
The story of the week involves the murder of Tam and Pat Robbinson, shot at close range in their pub in the early hours. Having lost his sister when he was three, son Simon feels utterly alone.
But when Simon’s aunt is asked to identify the bodies, she tells them that sister Carla didn’t die, but was disowned after failed attempts at rehab. And when a connection is found between Carla and ex-offender Ben Townsley, it feels like Syndicate 9 is onto something.
Episode 7
Wednesday 22 October 2014, 9pm
Mindful of Gill’s imminent retirement, Rachel is keen to learn as much from her mentor as possible. But while Gill is dazzling Rachel with her brilliance, Janet is voicing concerns to Dodson about Gill’s drinking. Hoping it can be dealt with ‘between friends’, Janet is unnerved to discover that Dodson can’t ignore the allegations. And just as Rachel feels like she’s getting to grips with the job, she makes a fatal error that puts Janet and Chris in danger.
Having been alerted by Rachel to the charms of colleague Chris, Janet finds she’s enjoying his company, but when a car chase they’re involved in ends in a fatality, Janet wonders whether her flirtatious behaviour meant she took her eye off the ball. And as if being under investigation wasn’t enough, Janet has to face Gill’s anger at being under Dodson’s scrutiny.
The crime story begins with the discovery of a man’s body on the moors. With nothing to identify him, a roadblock is set up and an appeal put out. When the man’s ex-girlfriend comes forward to identify him, it turns out he disappeared 15 years ago and hasn’t been seen since. When enquiries lead Janet and Chris to a nearby farm, they discover something much more sinister and shocking than they could’ve anticipated.
Episode 8
Wednesday 29 October 2014, 9pm
The discovery of slaves on the Pritchard farm has turned a murder inquiry into a massive, multi-agency investigation. The enormity of the case brings Dodson to Syndicate 9, keen to establish Gill’s state of mind and efficacy as SIO.
Having been the driver involved in the fatal collision with Cal Pritchard, Janet is under investigation and unable to interview Evie Pritchard. Devastated by the consequences of their actions, Janet eventually finds solace in Chris’s calm and kind reasoning.
When an incandescent Evie Pritchard smells alcohol on Gill’s breath, she has all the ammunition she needs to discredit the investigation and to bring Gill Murray down. But Scott and Bailey are determined to get Gill over the finish line to retirement, with her phenomenal reputation in tact.
> Order Season 4 on DVD on Amazon.
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