The Headmaster’s absence provides the resistance with a chance…

Andrew Burrell’s story removes the Headmaster from proceedings for much of the time, but his influence is felt throughout. The story focuses on the gang’s attempts to persuade Angelika’s mother, the deputy head, to come over to their side, using her former girlfriend, now a journalist, to investigate. Perhaps not too surprisingly things don’t work out quite how they plan – but there are more than a few hints at the end of the episode that their efforts have been rewarded in a rather different way.

The story advances the overall plot with confirmation that the Headmaster is seeking to extend the Hazelbrook way much further, and – almost in passing – the discovery that he doesn’t appear to have a name, or at least not one that he will admit to. Nicholas Gleaves shows a nice moment of almost uncertainty when he’s challenged on that. Truth is a commodity in short supply at Hazelbrook.

There’s a strong guest role for Moyo Akandé as journalist Kerri, with Shonagh Price credibly wavering between the Headmaster’s pet deputy and the real person she evidently was before. There’s an equally strong performance from Jordan Cramond’s Tyler as he steps up to battle Jordan Rankin’s Blake, and Ellie Botterill continues in fine form as Lizzie faces various dilemmas.

Verdict: Halfway through the first series, and the battlelines are drawn. 8/10

Paul Simpson