Breaking news! It’s a sunny day in Tarrant which makes Charles and Gerald’s breakfast business conflab aboard Charles’ boat visually appealing.  Charles, of course, is continuing to attempt to out-manoeuvre his father – maybe a new business associate, Serozawa, could turn out to be something of a lever or possibly David Lloyd might hold the key.  He promises to spill some juicy information about both Ken and Sir Edward ….

I should have known it, the bright spell doesn’t last.  After Tom and Avril return from a sail (business clearly, but they seem more relaxed in each other’s company than they have for a good while) Jan’s on hand to break the bad news.  Ken’s cheque for the next instalment of the powerboat has bounced and it seems the Tarrant weather taps into their mood by darkening considerably.

Ken might be bouncing cheques and coming increasingly under pressure from the bank (Ken’s banker, Sir John, remains a firm associate of Sir Edward remember) but he seems curiously unconcerned.  Feet up, reading a magazine, he affects an air of casual indifference whilst Sarah frets that Leisure Cruise’s days are numbered.  I wonder if Ken has a plan or maybe he simply has the Jack Rolfe mentality – always content to wait for his luck to change.

Ken’s encounter with Sir John is an uncomfortable one, albeit masked with a veneer of courtesy.  Sir John’s old-world charm never dims as he politely informs Kenneth why the bank has decided to call in Leisure Cruise’s loans.  Sir John does suggest a way out though – if Ken can raise venture capital (from someone like, say, Allan Parker) the bank would be content.

At present it seems if Ken is being used as an unwitting pawn in the endless chess game being conduced by Charles and Sir Edward.  The parallels between their manoeuvres and chess is an apt one – a few episodes earlier we saw Sir John playing several chess matches as his deliberations with Sir Edward continued, providing us with a not-so subtle visual signifier.

After indulging in some typically acid banter with Jan, a suited Jack’s heading off for a rendezvous.  Vanessa’s the lucky woman and the pair of them share an intimate moment aboard a boat (where else?) .  It’s obvious that, her marriage notwithstanding, Jack’s more than keen to restart their relationship (this would happen eventually, but she doesn’t pop up again until series five). I wonder if the original plan was to include Lana Morris in S4, but for some reason she wasn’t available?  If not, then this is an impressive piece of forward planning.

Leo and Amanda seem to have both decided that their marriage was a mistake.  They come to this conclusion on top of a windy hill whilst the incidental music plays out a synthy, sad refrain.  Much as I love Simon May’s various bombastic sailing themes, some of the other music (such as this piece) are rather less successful.  So I think this scene might have played better without any musical accompaniment.  We finally maybe get a glimpse of the real Amanda – a confused young woman who admits that she doesn’t really know what she wants.  Leo, sporting a bright blue jacket, is suitably mournful and doesn’t attempt to talk her around.  He too, seems to have come to his senses.

Leo’s jacket is a thing of beauty, but that’s not the only fashionable treat on show.  Charles is a vision in a white dinner jacket (clearly auditioning for James Bond) whilst Avril is glammed up as well as they, and the rest of Tarrant’s fashionable society, head off for the marina launch.  But both are mixing business with pleasure (with Charles is there any other way?) as they entertain Hitoshi Serozawa (Vincent Wong).

Serozawa’s father was ruined by Charles’ father, so this explains why Charles is interested in bringing him on board.  And when Serozawa catches sight of Sir Edward, it’s fair to say he’s not chuffed.  Our clothes-watch continues with Jan, who looks rather stunning in a pink sleeveless dress with a jaunty hat.  Hopefully the sight of her will take Sir Edward’s mind off the sight of the son of an old business enemy.

One more point about this moment.  As Serozawa stares from a distance at Sir Edward, the music – jaunty jazz – doesn’t quite match the mood.  This wasn’t soundtrack music of course, but it’s a slightly odd moment anyway.

Glyn Owen is just wonderful.  Jack-related treats in this episode include his sheepish hangdog look when Tom catches him out in a lie (he claimed he was at a sales conference when in fact he was canoodling with Vanessa).  But there’s even better to come – as a drunken Jack in full flight is a joy to behold.  Here, with Leo and Bill as his willing drinking companions, he expounds his theory that the Howard men are all reasonable people whilst the Howard women (especially Jan) aren’t.  Jack’s full-blooded assault on Sailing (he manages to encourage the rest of the locals in the Jolly Sailor to join in as well) is yet another top moment.

There’s plenty of evidence to suggest that Amanda was the anti-Abby.  Apart from the obvious (both their names start with an “A”) they also had very similar backgrounds.  Born into wealthy families, they were both indulged from an early age and possessed a driven, business-like father (who we can assume was rarely approachable) and a mother with whom they couldn’t really bond with (we’ve had plenty of evidence of Polly and Abby’s stuttering relationship whilst Amanda’s mother – in the brief moments we’ve spent in her company – has never seemed like the sharpest knife in the draw).

But whilst both had similar upbringings, from there on their paths diverged.  Amanda became a hedonistic playgirl, desperately searching for something to fill the void in her life.  Leo seemed to be the answer, but wasn’t.  Abby didn’t take this route, her quest to find contentment took in various causes (notably animal rights) but it was the birth of her son which finally – after much anguish – seemed to centre her.

As for Leo, he’s spent the last few years denying that Abby was ever anything more to him than a good friend.  Late last year it seemed as if he was finally going to tell Abby what he really felt, but at the last minute he backtracked.  But here, for the first time we hear him tell Tom that Amanda’s not the woman for him, Abby is …..

This is a noteworthy moment which leads nicely into the final episode of series three.

Charles and Avril’s personal relationship seems to have hit a bump.  She’s always been appalled at his ruthless business streak but has somehow managed not to let this interfere with their non-business life.  But now, as Charles gleefully outlines the way he plans to bring his father to his knees, it’s plainly a bridge too far.  She tries to tell him that any eventual victory will be a hollow one if he has no-one to celebrate it with.

But with Sir Edward also confident that he now has the means to bring Charles to heel, it’s fair from clear who will finally emerge triumphant.  Will the season closer give us an answer or will their fighting spill into S4?  Next time we’ll find out.

Leo’s not the free spirit he once was as he’s now a be-suited 9 to 5 man.  Amanda’s not keen to join him in the rat race though, she’d much sooner just have a good time – which leads to her swanning off for a day out with some very tactile friends.  This leaves poor Leo standing on the sidelines and looking more than a little downcast.

Charles and Sir Edward meet again.  Now that Charles and his father are business partners they have to find a way to work together – although on Charles’ side there’s a very clear sense of unease.  We see Sir Edward on horseback (and sporting a very jaunty cowboy hat to boot) which is another passion he shares with his son (Charles can often be found in the saddle).  Presumably this is another subtle reminder that there’s more than unites them than divides them.  But maybe the fact they’re so similar  – despite Charles’ erlier comment that Sir Edward, unlike him, isn’t interested in the future – is the reason why they don’t get on.  An icily polite press conference with the two of them is something of a treat – this sees Charles forced to wear his happiest face.

Ken’s keen to float himself the open market (Ken Masters PLC) although with David Lloyd (in reality, Charles’ man) advising him, it’s seems probable that he’s heading for a fall.  Amanda’s father Allan Parker, a top stockbroker, is well placed to advise Ken – although Mr Masters isn’t put off by the warning that if things don’t work out he’ll take a considerable financial hit.  It seems that everybody Ken approaches has links to the Frere family.  Last time it was David Lloyd and Charles – here it’s Allan Parker and Sir Edward (although the hapless Allan looks set to be a decoy in Sir Edward’s latest devious scheme).

Tom and Jan, for a divorced couple, seem to be getting on very well.  They enjoy a convivial boat trip (in S1, Jan was positioned as the outsider in the Howard family regarding boats – Tom, Lynne and Leo were all keen, Jan wasn’t) with a moment of tenderness once they reach dry land again.

Jack and Tom, still smarting over Barracuda, aren’t happy to deal with Relton again, although Jan is.  This leads to the unusual sight of Jan and Avril being on the same side (although it’s just business of course).  Tom’s won over by Jan’s argument and Jack – aware that he’s always going to be outvoted – is happy to go along with the consensus.  I don’t like it – Jack’s far too pliant at present.  Either he’s booze-sozzled or he’s got a plan ….

There’s another lovely scene between Jack and Kate.  Jack seems to have given up using Kate as a conduit to try and reign Jan in, although he can’t resist making it plain that his newest business partner is a mere novice compared to him.  “The only time your daughter will be able to tell a good year from a bad one is when she’s been in the business nearly as long as I have”.

Kate’s not pleased to hear Jan spoken about in this way but Jack doesn’t pay heed to the warning signs and so continues to pour fuel on the flames.  “She’ll never learn because she never listens. She’s headstrong your daughter”.  Kate’s comeback is priceless.  “Well, at least she’s not a stubborn old boating museum, forever living in the past”.  And what better way to end the scene than with Glyn Owen giving one of his hangdog looks?  Wonderful.

Richard Spencer, ace powerboat racer, and Avril have another business lunch.  He continues to regard her with longing (his tongue isn’t hanging out but it might as well be) whilst she treats him in a cool, professional way.  The tinkling piano in the background slightly wrong-footed me – it took a few minutes for me to work out whether it was playing in the restaurant or on the soundtrack (it tuned out to be the latter).

It’s interesting that in this episode Anna seems to be a much more confident personality – speaking to Jan as if she was an equal.  Maybe this is because she’s finally broken free of her father’s influence (or it might be slightly inconsistent scripting).  And whilst Sir Edward and Jan might be apart in this one, there’s still a sense of closeness between them (he calls her “darling” which is an endearment I don’t believe he’s used before).

Ken hasn’t given up on Jan.  “I feel we should seriously think about getting back together again”.  Jan doesn’t say anything, but she doesn’t dismiss it out of hand.  At present it seems that Jan’s cup runneth over – with Sir Edward, Tom and Ken all jostling for her favours.  Leo isn’t so fortunate though.  He’s only got Amanda, and it seems he hasn’t actually got her at all.  When she returns home, late from her day out, he’s not at all pleased.  They have another argument, which ends with her flouncing off and him staring into space with a pained expression.  I think their marriage is already on the critical list and fading fast ….

Anyway, Richard Spencer demonstrates his powerboat prowess to Charles, Avril and the watching media  It’s plain that there’s trouble on the horizon though – another boat is weaving an unsteady course through the water, its driver swigging from a can (with Sonic Boom Boy playing on the radio for good measure).  The rapid intercutting between the two boats suggests that a collision is imminent, but what happens is even more entertaining.  Spencer’s blown off course and his boat mounts the bank (in a somewhat James Bond-ish way).  Thanks to his lightening quick reflexes, he leaps out just before the boat explodes (it’s a good stunt, if slightly unbelievable).

This week’s cliffhanger finds Leo yet again observing Amanda from a distance.  It seems plain that she’s two-timing him, so this is the cue for Edward Highmore to once again deliver his anguished look.  Something he’s been doing an awful lot of recently.

After a quick opening scene in which Sir Edward spells out his endgame for those not previously paying attention (he’s been buying up companies in order to establish himself as Charles’ business partner) we switch to an unusual POV shot, as a mysterious stranger approaches Anna.

It turns out to be her father (the always wonderful Burk Kwouk).  It’s fair to say though that Kwouk hasn’t exactly been stretched during his appearances, since Mr Lee hasn’t been called upon to do anything more than look menacing and unapproving.  Anna’s story – a young woman caught between tradition and the desire to strike out in her own right – would have been a decent one to explore, but it’s been tackled in a fairly superficial way.  No doubt this is due to the fact that Anna has never been really established as a character in her own right –  instead she’s more of a cipher, designed to fulfil the plot function of strengthening (and then weakening) Jan’s business empire.

Most of the regulars are still in Cowes, toasting Tom’s victory, and this is where Avril and Emma meet.  Icy best describes their brief chat although Tom and Avril do enjoy a brief moment of rapprochement.

The triumph of the Barracuda is also the point at which many of the rifts in the Howard family are healed.  Jan tells Tom that she’s proud of him, which is a sharp reversal from her position in S1, where Tom’s desire to join the Mermaid and design the Barracuda was the cause of a great deal of strife.  Leo’s also on hand to share in the sudden glow of warmth that exists between his parents and although Lynne is far away, in one way she’s present (via a congratulatory letter).

It’s notable that since Leo and Amanda got so unexpectedly hitched, we’ve not spent any time with them alone.  All of their scenes have been with others, which has made assessing their current state of happiness difficult.  But the cracks seem to be showing here as Leo – sporting the rolled-up jacket sleeves look again, sadly – and Amanda don’t seem to be able to have the briefest of conversations without bickering.  And when he sees her flirting with Ken, the blood pressure begins to rise ever so slightly ….

Leo returns home later, bunch of flowers in hand, keen to apologise for his recent moodiness.  But the sight of Amanda jiving to the sounds of Rick Astley with a couple of friends doesn’t please him at all.  This is just another flashpoint in their brief, but unhappy, marriage.

I had a feeling that Jan’s good mood wouldn’t last long.  She’s less than pleased that work on her boat design is progressing so slowly.  Tom tries to tell her that it’s a process of trial and error whilst Bill is even more blunt.  “It might not matter if a dress doesn’t fit. You can always pull it together with a safety pin. Not the innards of a boat though”.  As so often, Jan is cast as the villain – impatient and arrogant (which is a pity since it rather reduces her character).

The continual pressure she’s been heaping on Anna also doesn’t show her in a good light.  Once again Jan’s placed her own business interests first, not caring that Anna’s been in a state of turmoil for some time.  This all comes to a head during a fashion shoot at Sir Edward’s country house – she keels over, with Sir Edward coming to the rescue (he scoops her up in his arms).  That he seems more concerned about Anna than Jan does is another telling moment.  Is this because, for all his hard-bitten business attitude, he’s got a core of old-fashioned decency or is it more to do with the fact that he recognises Anna is an asset?  Without Anna, Jan’s fashion business would be a dead duck.  There’s no right answer, so the viewer can make their own choice.

Jack’s business relationship with Jan isn’t going terribly smoothly.  He seems to have accepted he can’t remove her, so instead he beetles round to Kate and asks her if she could possibly have a word with her daughter.  Poor Jack.  His tale of woe (Jan accused some of the lads of being lazy and then told Jack he didn’t know his own job!) leaves Kate unmoved.  It’s a delightful moment when Jack explains why Kate’s the right woman for this job. “I mean, you stick your nose in here, there and everywhere.  I think that’s where Jan gets it from”.  Jack and Kate have enjoyed some lovely comic scenes over the years, but this must be one of the most enjoyable.

Charles has given Gerald several days off which allows us the unusual sight of Gerald and Polly out and about and enjoying each other’s company.  Their time together is also the catalyst for Polly to make an important life choice – she’s going to get a job.  She wants to work at one of Jan’s boutiques but is hesitant to ask her old friend, feeling that it would encroach on their relationship.  But wouldn’t you know it, before she can ask for a job, Jan’s offered her one.  Spooky!  Jan denies that Gerald had pulled any strings so it must just have been synchronicity.

This is the first episode in which we hear Sir Edward express an opinion about Ken.  “Barrow boy” is his summation, so you can expect that any business dealings between them will be brief and unpleasant.  But it looks as if Ken will be facing problems on several fronts, as one of his new employees – ex Relton-man David Lloyd (Bruce Bould) – turns out to be a mole for Charles.  So whilst Charles hasn’t mentioned Ken recently, it appears that he’s still interested in crushing him like a grape ….

There’s going to be choppy waters ahead ….

Jan toddles up to the Mermaid, champagne in hand, keen to celebrate her new shareholding in the yard.  Tom’s face is a picture – he’s still not been able to pluck up the nerve to break the news to Jack, although it turns out he doesn’t have to.  When Jack rolls in from the Jolly Sailor, still chuffed about finding the pieces of the catamaran (which proves that the break-up wasn’t a design fault), he’s aghast to find Jan with her feet firmly under the table, already dishing out orders and offering suggestions.

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.  The sight of Jack’s appalled face suggests that this new partnership isn’t going to be plain sailing.  The fact that he tells her she has no place in his yard (it’s his yard again, mind) and pours away a proffered celebratory drink only reinforces this point.  “Damn him” says Tom, although Maurice Colbourne could have ramped up the anger just a touch more.

It’s a little hard to credit that Jan – after all the carping she’s previously made about the Mermaid – would want to sink her money into the business (although I guess you can explain this away by the fact that she’s changed considerably since S1 and now views the yard as purely a good investment).  But you could – if inclined – also view it as the first stage in a reconciliation.  Jan helps Tom out financially and in time they get back together.

Jan asks Bill to give her a guided tour.  She receives some wolf-whistles from the men and when Jack saunters by (“you still here? Thought you had some knitting to do”) she really hits the roof.  Jan then gives them all a stern lecture – whilst she may not know how to build a boat, she knows how to run a business (“which clearly none of you do”).

The irony is that Jan’s brilliant business empire is having a slight wobble.  The departure of Anna (due to the pressure of being forced into an arranged marriage) throws Jan into a tizzy.  Anna asked Leo to give her mother the news and it’s entirely characteristic that mother and son both view Anna’s plight very differently.  Leo emphasises with the way Anna feels trapped between two worlds whilst Jan simply wails at her son, wondering why she didn’t attempt to prevent her leaving.  Doesn’t he realise that without Anna she’s sunk?

Another partnership under pressure is that of Ken and Sarah.  She’s still keen to sell her shares to Charles – so what can the diplomatic Ken say to win her back round to his side?  “God, you’re sick, do you know that?” Hmm, possibly not the best opening gambit.  But Ken’s always a man keen to broaden his business portfolio and sets his sight on Leo.  Since Leo hates Ken’s guts with a passion this seems like an odd approach, but once Ken gives him a spin in his powerboat he’s putty in his hands …..

Meanwhile, Gregory de Polnay and his comedy accent returns.  Werner Grunwald’s function in the plot is to put Charles under pressure (he spies unfriendly takeovers and problematic venture capital looming).  The ins and outs of the financial dealings aren’t terribly interesting, but the way that Charles – for pretty much the first time – is being placed under extreme pressure, is.

Leo has an uncomfortable meeting with Amanda’s parents.  Mother is vague in the extreme whilst father is still convinced that Leo’s nothing but a gold-digger.  But the more he attempts to warn Leo off, the more dogged Leo will be in declaring his love for Amanda.  And since Leo lacks a common-sense voice in his life at present (both his parents are too wrapped up in their own worlds to offer coherent counsel) there’s no-one around to give him advice. This helps to explain why he later makes a life-changing decision.

The familiar face of James Warwick pops up as Geoffrey Silberston, a smoothie who catches Polly’s eye whilst Tom and Emma enjoy an embrace.  At the moment this is all business related – she once again comes up with some good suggestions about how he can restablish his professional reputation – but maybe business will turn into pleasure over time.

Jack’s grumpy mood continues – not even the common-sense beacon that is Kate Harvey can make him see sense over Jan – whilst Amanda and Leo go to the ball.  I’m not sure whether it’s due to Francesca Gonshaw’s slightly distracted performance or simply the way that the part was written, but Amanda is something of an unfathomable character.  Whether she actually loves Leo or is simply toying with him is a moot point.  Both lose their clothes when playing spin the bottle (a scene which has something for everybody since both are reduced to their underwear) but it’s the aftermath – Amanda decides they should get married and Leo agrees – which is the key moment.  And they don’t let the grass grow under their feet – one quick trip to the Registry Office and they’re Mr and Mrs Howard.

With an increasingly flaky Polly fretting that Gerald’s withdrawn £100,000 from their account and then disappeared (“Gerald, what have you done? Where are you?”) things are shaping up nicely as we approach the last half dozen episodes of this run.

The episode opens with Mark’s funeral.  Sarah – a vision in black – is still clearly very distressed, but it doesn’t take long before business matters rise to the surface again.  Now that Sarah owns two-thirds of the business, Ken’s in a vulnerable position.  Sir John pops up to break this bad news to him (and remains the only person to call him Kenneth).  The later twist that she plans to sell her shareholding to Charles is a delicious turnabout.

Leo’s turning into quite the lad.  He’s all hands on with a lady windsurfer, helping her to get a grip of the board (this he mainly achieves by moving his hands up and down her body!).  Amanda seems to have a spasm of jealousy about this, but it quickly passes.  I’m just glad that Leo’s not topless this time ….

Jan’s delighted with her life – now that she has three outlets she’s convinced that the whole of the South Coast will shortly fall to her.  But she’s so busy dreaming of future conquests that family concerns – such as Leo – fail to interest her.  Despite Kate’s pleading, Jan doesn’t want to waste time connecting with Leo (Kate’s convinced that he’s still pining for Abby).  But Kate leaves her with a very telling remark – if she’s not careful then one day when she returns home all the rooms will be empty.

Charles Frere is a perfect example of this – a businessman who has no other life.  And indeed his father is pretty much the same – Sir Edward might have been married, but it’s already been made clear that he didn’t treat his late wife very well at all.  Throw in Gerald and Polly’s loveless marriage of convenience as well and the point is obvious – you can be a success in the business world or you can have a rich, nurturing home life, but you can’t have both.

Sir Edward (spotting a roll-neck sweater) and Jan (a vision in one of the boutique’s dresses) enjoy another dinner at his country house.  As she’s about to leave you can tell that he’s itching to give her a kiss, but her momentary hesitation throws him off course.  He’s not to be denied though and, approaching her from behind, nuzzles her neck like an elderly Dracula.  Jan’s expression is hard to read – is she disgusted or aroused?  Given that she turns around and they lock lips I think we can safely say the latter.

The next day we learn that she stayed out all night, a fact which ticks Leo off no end.  Kate’s concerned that Leo’s anger will push him into a disastrous relationship with Amanda (this helps to partly explain why Leo’s been acting so erratically recently).  Tom approaches Jan for financial help – but he doesn’t want a loan, instead he suggests that she buys some of his shares in the yard.  This is an interesting move which will tie them together professionally, even though their personal relationship is now severed.

One of the drawbacks with Avril’s placement at Relton is that these days she’s rarely in the same room as her father.  That’s a pity as Jack/Avril scenes are always good fun.  But there is a nice one in this episode as Jack pushes her for more money to keep the Mermaid afloat.  Jack’s an arch manipulator and is quite happy to use a touch of emotional blackmail – Avril rails at this, but she can’t bring herself to say no to him.  So she promises to speak to Charles (or Charlie, as Jack calls him – albeit not to his face).

There’s a tender scene between Ken and Jan.  Ken, despite the combination of a yellow shirt and a blue tie, is in a humble mood – telling Jan that he’s pleased she’s made such a success of her life.  “I still miss you” he says and Jan’s later wistful look, as she heads off to join her dinner party, suggests that she still has some feelings for him too.

Patricia Shakesby and Ivor Danvers continue to impress.  Gerald’s now being pushed to the limit whilst Polly looks on – a concerned, but powerless, spectator.  When she tells him that she wishes he’d just go back to being himself, the response is immediate and angry.  “Myself? What, you mean the man that you’re used to walking all over, Polly?”  When Gerald then wearily responds that his life gives him no pleasure, it’s yet another bleak moment which Danvers delivers well – after all this time playing the yes man, its plain that he’s relishing some juicier material.

Emma continues to burn the midnight oil, looking for a solution to Tom’s problem.  She believes that the Lynnette collided with something – but proving it will be difficult, if not impossible.  But she’s reckoned without Jack, Leo and Amanda who manage to find the wrecked hull, even though it must have been like looking for a needle in a haystack.  Hurrah!

If Jack’s been a bit quiet for a few episodes then the balance is redressed here.  He delivers a long and heartfelt speech to Tom, apologising for his attitude and the way he’s failed to appreciate Tom’s hard work in the yard.  For Jack, a man never known for admitting he’s in the wrong, it’s a surprising moment.  It rather takes the wind out of Tom’s sails though, since he was about to mention that Jan’s going to buy into the yard.  But after such a glowing testimonial from his partner, Tom slinks away (deciding to fight that battle another day).