Sherwood series 2, episode 5 sets up thrilling finale as the Bransons and Sparrows clash

Virgin Radio

9 Sep 2024, 08:45

The drama moved towards a conclusion with the penultimate episode of series two of Sherwood.

After episode four saw a tense standoff between Daphne Sparrow (Bridgerton’s Lorraine Ashbourne) and Ann Branson (Monica Dolan from Mr Bates Vs The Post Office), in last night’s instalment (8th September) things turned deadly. 

We picked up with the cliffhanger from last week, with sheriff and councillor Lisa Waters (Ria Zmitrowicz) in a critical but stable condition. It turns out she had been poisoned with synthetic cannabinoids in her vape. But who did it? One of the drug gangs or rich businessman/former spy Franklin Warner (Robert Lindsay).

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Ian St Clair (David Morrissey) learns of Franklin’s past, and also gives a starly honest statement to the press about the city’s dark past and about how “nothing happens in a vacuum”

A big revelation is that Franklin and Daphne Sparrow (Lorraine Ashbourne) got together back in the day, meaning that he is the father of her daughter, Rachel (Christine Bottomley). Daphne explains to Ian that this is why she couldn’t keep her, given that she was a constant reminder of Franklin. “Our last contact wasn’t a happy one,” she says, somewhat ominously.

Meanwhile, Rory Sparrow (Perry Fitzpatrick) is busy trying to get some legitimate businesses off the ground, including renting their farmland to the Franklins for solar panels and building up a fleet of minibuses.

Elsewhere, Roy Branson (Stephen Dillane), however, has less legal things on his mind. He tells an associate that he wants the drug competition eliminated while he is unable to do anything himself due to the police protection following him around 24/7. More importantly, he wants the “grasses” Sparrows taken out. 

Talking of grasses, in prison, Ryan Bottomley (Oliver Huntingdon) sets up Scott Rowley (Adam Hugill) so that he is caught using a burner phone. This means a longer sentence and moving to a different wing. 

As the episode moves to a big denouement, Rachel recalls Roy tossing away a blood-stained cigarette after killing the Bottomleys. This leads to Roy and Ann getting nicked, with some relish, by DCS Harry Summers (Michael Balogun).

As they are led off, Roy shares a glance with bent copper, DI Marcus Clarke (Jorden Myrie). Does this allude to something?

There is relief all round following the arrest, but it’s short lived. Roy says he acted alone, meaning that Ann is released, given that there is not enough evidence to hold her.

Having found out that Ann is free, Daphne puts two and two together and races home, but it’s too late. In a heartbreaking scene, she lays down alongside his body.

Will she seek revenge? We’ll find out as the final episode in series two airs tonight (Monday 9th September). 

Star David Morrissey recently joined the Chris Evans Breakfast Show to speak all about the new series. “The fact that something will happen in one part of the city, and then within weeks, the repercussions of that is affecting so many other people. That's happening on our streets,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Liverpudlian actor is also starring in a very different series, sitcom Daddy Issues, alongside co-star Aimee Lou Wood. Read what he had to say about it here.

Sherwood concludes at 9pm on Monday 9th September on BBC One and iPlayer.