The beginning of Trial Week in Hollyoaks

So far this week, we've witnessed the rape trial against Gilly Roach kick off in Hollyoaks, and I must say the way it's been handled so far has been fantastic. All the actors, particularly Claire Cooper have put in some impressive performances so far. The way she retold her experience in the increasingly atmospheric court room was very credible and convincing, but the tension within this story is ever present as the outcome of the case could go either way. What's made this whole story so good, is that both Gilly and Jacqui are genuine, likeable characters so we are torn over who to believe. I think this story highlights just how complex a rape case is and how the lines between rape and consensual sex can be so easily blurred. It's not a case where either Jacqui or Gilly are lying about what happened, but it's clear to see that both characters are being truthful with their points of view and how they perceived the events of that night. Gilly genuinely believes he didn't do any wrong, juxtaposed to Jacqui who genuinely believes that he took advantage of her. It's really left the viewer torn over who to side with and with Gilly's fate being too hard to predict, the result is the viewer being left hooked over this particular story. Moreover, the flashbacks that have been used to compliment the characters' testimony has proved to be really effective and successful. Sometimes, the flashbacks that Hollyoaks uses can feel contrived and shoehorned into the script, but these flashbacks alongside the court room scenes really work well. When Hollyoaks gets it right, it demonstrates why it's so unique when compared to the other three British soaps.

Meanwhile, it's not just the trial that's unfolding this week. We have Ricky dumping Ruby and her planning revenge, alongside the scenes with Cindy, Noah and Ste. I think these stories were meant to help balance the tension and drama we have been witnessing in the court room, and whilst it may be refreshing to see some other characters, I was itching to get back into that court room and see more of the drama unfold. I was left feeling a bit bored with seeing the likes of Ricky, Ruby and Cindy, whose acting leaves a lot to be desired. However, it's nice to see Ste and Noah getting close. After everything Ste went through with Brendan, it's nice to see a possible new interest on the horizon for him.