Me too, although I was hoping they'd restored the crescendo to the theme, but no...

They've had the guts to kill of characters children before (Josh's entire family spring to mind, in a fire) but admittedly not one born withing the franchise of the show and that has featured so much.

Given that Holby has a featured Nuerosurgeon and Transplant team, Grace's story really should carry on into Tuesdays (Guy would be operating on the bleed and if declared dead, Mo would lead the Organ donation process) but I don't think it will be.

Best bit... Joe Cocker. God could he sing.

Strong things:
* Direction gorgeous
* The incidental music
* Anyone who was professional without the script pointing a great big arrow at them saying 'Oooo, you're being professional'. Charlie was both professional and had the big arrow pointed at him by turn. Stands out instantly which scenes were best. The interaction between him and the old lady with the calcified foetus were beautifully done. The moments where he delivered rallying speeches were poor.
* I had a happy moment where at the car crash site I heard a voice speaking calmly and professionally and assumed it was an extra playing a perfect and realistic medic, only to realise it was Dylan all the time. So that's the truth then.
* Josh's face sitting in the pub on his own watching the VTs.
* I thought the helicopter crash came brilliantly out of nowhere and conveyed the destructive force of those blades.
* I love watching people work together, the way different specialisms and knowledge bases conspire to transform trauma into possible survival, so really enjoyed the launch of the air ambulance. Disappointed that those guys' deaths were kind of unimportant. Ditto the other folk who died at the second crash scene. There was one good moment in the way that the camera both looked and didn't quite look at a sheet-covered body as the doctor ran past.

C'mon, deal with it...
* Jacob is unreal
* Robyn is poor
* Could have done without the flirting under the scaffolding
* David isn't getting any better, alas
* Unpopular view but I don't like A Mealing's acting

To me annoying
* Why Grace?

Unless it doesn't come across, I thought it was a fab episode overall. My over-optimistic heart is hoping that Charlie's squishing of Jacob is the show recognising that ordinary, kind and dedicated medics are the heroes of the NHS. Maybe they're acknowledging they've taken a wrong turn with the Jacob and the soap... Time to turn around? The NHS could use some campaigning help right now.

'I'm tired of your posturing'. You and me both, Charlie

Oh yes, the incidental music.

In some shows I'm a sucker for it. I'm aware of the emotional manipulation (being told what to feel, or being made to feel it by the power of music when the acting or writing isn't enough) but still buy into it.

It felt forced here though, perhaps because it is new.

Of course it's not entirely a new thing. I stuck last year's opener on aftter this to compare and of course they used the Chopin a lot in that which served a similar function but it worked better because it fed into Charlie's mind and memories so made it clear it was a bubble away from reality.

I think they should keep it to things like that or source music as has been the case for the last 30 years.

Thank goodness I'm not the only one.

Oh yes, I think I'd largely blocked out the absurdly cartoony scene of Steph being run over. (The car's driving on the wrong side of the road, so must have seen the parked car and swerved out to avoid it, yet drives straight at the woman standing next to it?) They might as well have gone all the way and had her struck by lightning.

I will admit though that with the rumours about the helicopter hitting the pub I was kind of worried that they'd left Josh in there on his own...

A drone narrowly missed a NYPD helicopter a few years back and prompted news stories across the US & Canada on the dangers. While unlikely, it certainly can happen. But could have easily been a pigeon

My other half actually clapped at that and he only watches maybe an episode a month to get that annoyed by Jacob

I enjoyed it but I felt that it wasn't big enough. Remember the first Holby and Casualty crossover in 2004 where a truck crashes into the Hospital? That felt like a much bigger deal than tonights episode.

More Holby characters should've appeared and I believe it would've worked better as a 2 parter because it basically felt like 2 episodes joined together.

Having said that it was great seeing Charlie, Duffy and Josh together.

Sadly the days of true Casualty@Holby seem to be long gone, I guess this is budget reasons because for dramatic effect they are amazing and I can only imagine it would have positive affects (even if only short term) on the ratings. But it is still great to see the occasional cross over such as Jac's appearance tonight and Connie's on Tuesday.

Overall very enjoyable episode tonight and very well done.

Have to agree with what some others have said, Charlie giving big impassioned speeches at every major episode does start to get a bit grating. Hes brilliant supporting people individually or in more subtle ways, but turning around with a "Can I have your attention ladies and gentlemen" (or words to that affect) to what essentially are his everyday work friends was a bit cringe. If they want Charlie in a position to do these speeches they should put him back as the lead nurse so it at least makes a bit of sense. (This is a judgement on the writing, not at all the acting).

At the end of the day, any episode with someone telling that OTT goon "we're fed up of your posturing" is ok by me!

(Why they insist on having these characters they force to be great at everything I dont know. They had Mo's sister in holby recently who could do no wrong, this goon down in casualty currently and Rita until recently, Sharia a few years back in holby as well, and im sure theres been plenty more over the years! We want to see people earn their position and respect like Tess, Charlie and Max Gallagher and Harry Harper from back in the day).

She lived.

Are you serious? Other than Steph being hit by a car - the only thing that hadn't been mentioned - the spoilers were 100% correct. Which spoilers were wrong to you?

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were they unable to repaint the entire ward, in the moments between the episodes?

Just remembered a moment I liked, where Elle tells Dylan about the RTA with Grace and Connie, and calls her 'Mrs Beauchamp' for the distance. There's that little bit of a mistake where Dylan doesn't understand Mrs B is the victim. (Does he say something like 'What does she want’? Can't quite remember...) Elle says to keep the news to the resus team for the time being. Her emotions are all under control while she's in charge. But then she goes to one side and makes bloody sure Hanssen comes down to share the load

Anyone else think that there may be a potential romance between Lily and Iain? I say that because WAYY back when they were at the Gay Pride parade together I felt there was a chemistry between them, certainly more chemistry than Iain/Rita had anyway.

I feel we're bound to get Lily and Iain, Alicia and Ethan/Cal, in addition to Jacob and Beauchamp and that pairing of Robyn and David. Did I miss anyone out? Charlie and Duffy.



Meanwhile, how many closures and cuts?

C'mon, Casualty. Be what you set out to be

I just want to know if grace will make it

I hope we don't get another pairing (Iain and Lily.) I'm not looking forward to the Ethan/Alicia/Cal "love triangle" as it is.

The show is not believable most weeks with some of the featured storylines but it's entertainment. You have a moan about bits you didn't like for 10 minutes and move on. But this? On the biggest night of its history, all this hype and promotion and for what? Nothing imo. Everyone lives and we're all meant to feel warm and fuzzy inside. That isn't life.

It had a massive chance to show it hadn't turned into yet another soap but it did just that - because it all could have easily come from Eastenders or Corrie. Casualty was successful because it was different, now it's just the same

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I don't know the correct answer to that, but after seeing what they did last night I'm going to have a guess and say yes, she survives.

Me too. Would work much better IMHO.

She sent a recorded message to her mom before getting on the doomed helicopter. So sorry, but if I have any idea of soap scriptwriting, this is litterally going to be the last we'll hear from her, and probably quite a few times more.

th60

Exactly. Are these new romances and love triangles what Oliver Kent was referring to when he said the episode sets up storylines for the next 1-2 series? More relationships nonsense. The NHS in crisis with A&E units under threat of closure but Casualty in 2016 turns a blind eye. Political with a small p indeed.

Probably already posted somewhere but in case some of you missed them - Fall on Me: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p045zjh3

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p045z8h5

It beggars belief that Connie and Grace survived what they did with some cuts and bruises.

Grace has subdural hematoma and I think it's unlikely she will survive. I'm guessing it's one of the storylines that will play out for a year or two.

Am I the only one that doesn't mind Jacob? One of my favourite scenes was when he was telling Connie about Grace's injuries but did it in a medical way as he knew it would calm her down as she'd go into work mode rather than be in 'emotional mother' mode.

I found the messages annoying as they took the pace out of the programme.