Series Three, Episode Twenty (Waterloo Road)
The twentieth episode of Series Three of British school drama ''Waterloo Road'' aired on the 17th March 2008 (13th March 2008 in Scotland), and was the season finale of series 3, directed by Richard Standeven and written by Lisa Holdsworth.
Plot
The episode was a continuation of the events in several of the previous episodes, in which headteacher Rachel Mason's past, as a prostitute, was being kept secret by herself and deputy head Eddie Lawson. Rachel was being blackmailed by Stuart Hordly, who also knew of her past. In this episode, Waterloo Road holds a spelling bee against a rival school. Waterloo Road win, but during Rachel's speech Stuart Hordly storms into the assembly hall and reveals Rachel's past to the room of stunned pupils and teachers. Rachel, shocked and upset, confirms that Hordly's words were true, then runs to her office and cries, as she thinks her job is over.
Eddie arrives in Rachel's office to find her clearing out her desk. He tries his best to persuade her to stay but Rachel is adamant that she won't have the kids hounded by the press and Waterloo Road dragged through the gutter. Downstairs, Rachel's staunchest supporters do their best to turn the tide against her: Candice is extremely vocal in her DeFence of the only teacher who's ever been able to get through to Bolton. Rachel still believes that the school board will vote her out of the job. However, she must still deal with the issue of two of her pupils cheating in exams, by copying coursework from the internet. Prepared to fight for the school's reputation, Rachel takes charge and demands to know why the cheating didn't come to light during routine coursework moderation. The answer is revealed that no moderating went on. The rest of the staff, Jasmine and Matt in particular, are quick to pin the blame on Grantly and his lazy ways and a squabble soon ensues. Rachel breaks it up and then orders Grantly into her office. She has no choice but to suspend him, and with Grantly gone, Tom is made acting Head of English and placed in charge of the investigation. He's appalled to his step-daughter Chlo's name on the list of cheating pupils.
An argument between the pair ensues, with Tom telling Chlo that she has a good chance of being expelled. Meanwhile, Stuart Hordley is still outside, smoking by the bins. Realising he's got nothing left to lose, he throws his cigerette end away and sets off in search of Rachel. He runs into her on the stairs, where Rachel has kicks him, causing him to fall down a flight of stairs. As Rachel attempts to help him up, dinnerlady Candice trips over the tube connecting a gas canister to the heater and is called away from the kitchen before she can smell the leaking gas. Hordley's smouldering cigarette sets the bins alight, causing a huge fireball to rip through the school, setting the canteen and parts of the school alight, and causing classrooms to explode.
Bolton rescues teacher Davina in the aftermath of the blast, but their luck runs out when they run into a chained door. Elsewhere, Chlo is trapped inside the girls' toilets as flames consume the corridor outside. With no way out, she fumbles her mobile phone out of her bag and calls Donte. Outside, Celine is terrified when Donte receives Chlo's call and begs him not to go after her, telling him she's pregnant. Shocked, but disbelieving, Donte storms off. Davina is carried out of the school, unconscious. As Davina is taken away in the back of an ambulance, Eddie realises that Rachel is still inside the school and the fire-fighters won't let him back in to find her. Inside, Rachel is on her way towards the nearest exit when she spots Hordley unconscious on the floor. She runs to rescue him from certain death, but as she starts to drag him out, the roof collapses, burying her and Hordley With It. The final shot of the series is of her and Hordly on the floor, unconscious under piles of rubble.
Episode Soundtrack
(In order of appearance) Lisa Gerrard & Pieter Bourke [The Insider OST] - The Subordinate Stephen Fretwell - Scar Aretha Franklin - Respect Iggy Pop - Lust For Life Stephen Fretwell - Saturday Graeme Revell [The Insider OST] - LB In Montana Jet - Kings Horses Scouting For Girls - She's So Lovely Graeme Revell [The Insider OST] - I'm Alone On This The Fratellis - Country Boys & City Girls Battle - History Athlete - In The Library Mogwai - Emergency Trap Babyshambles - Carry On Up The Morning Athlete - Flying Over Bus Stops
Cast & Crew
Main Cast
Silas Carson ... Stuart Hordley
Jason Done ... Tom Clarkson
Chelsee Healey ... Janeece Bryant
Ashley Lloyd ... Forest Mount Boy
Neil Morrissey ... Eddie Lawson
Eva Pope ... Rachel Mason
Elizabeth Rider ... Sheila Hanson
Christine Tremarco ... Davina Shackleton
Denise Welch ... Steph Haydock
Main Crew
Written by ... Lisa Holdsworth
Edited by ... Clive Barrett
Casting by ... Michelle Smith
Produced by ... Lis Steele
Directed by ... Richard Standeven