Hello! I’m back with a recap of our Ben content on Monday and Tuesday – more than I expected, and it’s always nice when that happens. A little arc with Isaac over the two episodes, and a little Jay interaction too.
Screencaps for the 6th can be found here and the 7th here.
So on Monday, as part of the aftermath of the attack on Keegan, Isaac confronts Aaron – who he’s just seen speaking to the guy he recognised as the troublemaker in the Vic just before Keegan was attacked. But when Aaron makes out the guy was just a tourist asking for directions, it’s obviously not the truth and Isaac knows it too. Aaron’s sarkiness and general indifference makes Isaac angry and he slams the bar top in frustration, asking Aaron what kind of man he is – and he’s just right! Aaron makes me feel like losing my temper too; a racist who thinks he’s untouchable.
As he gets Aaron suggesting he calm down and asking if he’s got problems, we see Lexi (who Isaac’s supposed to be minding) edging away from the table and calling Isaac’s name. He doesn’t hear her at first, trying to get through to Aaron about the seriousness of what happened to Keegan (not that Aaron cares, of course.) He hear’s Lexi calling to him the second time, but by the time he turns round and before he has a chance to reassure her, Ben arrives and Lexi runs to him. And that’s all Ben knows – for him, Lexi looking upset is enough to kick up a bit of a stink and he demands Isaac tell him what’s gone on, all while Aaron smirks in the background at Isaac getting into trouble (someone give him a punch already.)
In our next Ben scene, he’s accompanying Lexi to the cafe for a hot chocolate and then promises they’ll head home, and that she can stay up late to watch Drag Race with him and Cal. Firstly I love that the flat is referred to as ‘home’, and that it’s somewhere Lexi can now stay – either on the sofa or Ballum might even go back on the airbed so Lexi can have the bedroom… seems like the kind of thing they’d do. And also the inference that Drag Race is a thing that Ben and Callum watch on the regular, they’re just inviting Lexi to join them that night. And presumably not for the first time since Lexi was quoting from it before Ballum’s wedding.
Lola is in the cafe, and picks up on Lexi’s lack of spark and Ben’s attempts to cheer her up, and assumes it’s because of the nativity being cancelled – but Ben’s quick to correct her, informing her that it’s not about that, it’s about Isaac ‘having handbags’ with someone in front of her.
Now obviously people can interpret things differently, but to me personally, I’m seeing that as the sum of Isaac’s explanation to Ben. Ben didn’t see any argument happening when he entered the pub, and he asked Isaac for an explanation why Lexi ran to him scared. So I reckon Isaac would have downplayed the confrontation, or at the very least not gone into the detail he later goes into with Lola about Aaron’s possible involvement in Keegan’s attack. Because the main issue was Lexi being upset and I don’t think he’d try to justify that because he clearly feels bad about it, plus it was based on suspicions he had rather than concrete evidence, and he might have found that hard to explain to an angry Ben as well. And also Ben is clearly under the impression that whatever barney Isaac was having in front of Lexi was insignificant. Which I think is important, because although there’s hypocrisy there from Ben, having lost his own temper in front of Lexi more than once (though he’s protecting his kid regardless), he comes off better than Lola does when Isaac enters the cafe and explains to her what happened – because Lola is made aware of the nature of the confrontation from Isaac and is still disapproving, mentioning letting the police deal with it (the same police who tasered Isaac instead of helping him, you mean?) and reminding him that Lexi’s just a kid. Ben being dismissive of Isaac is expected, really – but Lola doing it too makes Isaac feel more in the wrong, like he shouldn’t have spoken up to Aaron and voiced his suspicions. It makes me wonder if Isaac’s involvement isn’t over with this – when he stopped taking his meds, he became fixated on the incorrect theory that Ruby’s dad Johnny Allen killed his half brother; so a theory that Aaron is a white supremacist might be similarly dismissed when it’s actually the truth. Hmm.
Things are still frosty in Tuesday’s ep (which is set the same day as Monday), as Isaac enters the cafe to see Ben, Lola and Lexi sitting together, with Ben fussing over Lexi’s hot chocolate, asking if it’s sweet enough, if she wants more sugars. It’s curse of the plate shots in this scene as it seems quite clear that none of them are reacting to each other properly – Lexi doesn’t answer Ben’s questions and neither Ben or Lexi acknowledge Lola leaving the table to go and speak to Isaac either.
When she does go over, she just repeats what she said to him before, about having a go at Aaron in front of Lexi. But Isaac is looking to make amends, hating the idea of Lexi being upset. Ben approaches and announces he’s taking her home, but then Lola says she’ll do it. Will she? But what about Drag Race night? I feel like the writer of the episode maybe forgot that neither Ben or Lola live in the Mitchell house anymore; even if Lola and Lexi were still there, for example, at least Ballum still could have gone over and watched Drag Race with Lexi before she went to bed (I can’t see them doing that round at the Fox/Trueman house.) Or maybe it is just as simple as Ben not putting up a fight of any kind at Lola taking Lexi home instead of letting him take her to his. Who knows!
After Lola ushers Lexi out, Ben fixes Isaac with a decidedly disapproving look, which annoys Isaac and he warns Ben not to try and make out like he’s any better than him. To be fair, Ben would be fighting an uphill battle there, and he acknowledges that. He admits he’s not perfect, but this is about keeping Lexi happy, something that takes priority for him and for Lola; and he issues his own warning to Isaac not to forget that Lexi is Lola’s number one, regardless of the fact they’re loved up right now. It’s totally unnecessary of course – Isaac I’m sure knows full well the importance of Lexi as Lola’s daughter – but that was Ben’s protective dad mode coming out, as well as his existing bias against Isaac, ie the jealousy that he lives with his daughter and Ben doesn’t. It’s what I interpret it as anyway. Never underestimate Ben’s ability to be extremely petty at times.
However, perhaps his words were important after all, as Isaac pulls out the stops to make Lexi happy – which means putting her in the Nativity as Mary after all, even if it is round at Jay’s house with Billy and Honey as the only other cast members. It does make her happy though, and that in turn makes Lola happy, and Isaac as he’s relieved his efforts paid off.
Later at the Vic, we catch a glimpse of Ben putting a note into the collection jar for Keegan, but it weirdly gives me the extra warm and fuzzies because he seems like he’s trying to do it with stealth, supporting someone in his community but making sure he’s not seen to be doing it. Got a reputation as a grumpy Mitchell to uphold and all that.
He’s approached by Jay, who’s looking for Janine. Ben can immediately tell it’s not good news and enjoys telling Jay he told him so, commenting dryly that no one listens to him. He’s already moving onto the next subject, talking about Phil’s house and remarking on what Kat’s done with the decor – obviously not a fan. If he’s been round to see the house though then surely he’ll have seen that his wedding picture with Callum is in a prominent place on the livingroom wall? So it’s not all bad, really.
Jay, still in a very bad mood, snaps at him before he can continue and catches Ben by surprise by the force of his anger. But Ben, unaware of the details of Jay’s troubles, assumes he’s being especially arsey with him because of the phone bill he got. Which in turn catches Jay by surprise because how did Ben know about that? And then he learns of the chats Lexi and Janet were having while Janet was in Miami, and the phone bill on Jay’s end because it was Janet ringing Lexi the whole time instead of the other way round. Ah Janet, you should have used Whatsapp or some other wifi-based connection. I dread to think what the phone bill was if it was hours. And Jay is not particularly impressed to discover that it’s not a mistake, the phone bill is real. All Ben can do is pull a face at him to say ‘afraid so.’
Jay then catches sight of Janine and leaves Ben to it, who watches their exchange for a bit and then turns to his phone.
He’s still on the phone when Lola and Isaac come into the Vic, in a good mood after the success of the Nativity. He clocks their arrival though, referencing Lexi’s absence by sarcastically asking if Mary’s staying at the stable. Isaac’s looks a bit hesitant, possibly (or probably) anticipating another row, but Ben explains that Lexi’s sent her a picture, and he shows them it – Lexi in her Mary get-up, cradling a sheep. Isaac and Lola both laugh at the sight of it, a cute little moment where all three of them show fondness for Lexi finally getting her wish to be Mary. And Ben has got to give it to Isaac for being the one to give Lexi that, telling him he played a blinder. And as begrudging as it is (it is still Ben we’re talking about), it’s still acknowledgement that Isaac did good, and Lola and Isaac are both pleased. There’s a notable thawing of atmosphere between Ben and Isaac, and hopefully it continues that way. If they’ve all got Lexi’s best interests at heart, then all is well. One hopes…
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