Charged Doctors

I'm sorry.

I haven't been coping very well.

I didn't realise how bad it was until it was too late.

I'm trying to do better.

You know all this.

PYLON SIZZLES

MOBILE PHONE CHIMES

Naughty.

Rob, hold on.

Why? Is the doctor in there?

No, she's still not comfortable seeing you.

I am still her husband, you know.

I wish you'd all remember that, even if she can't or doesn't want to.

That's not the case. Really?

The intimate personal relationships are the ones she's finding

hardest to reconcile.

The Cognitive Behaviour Therapy will...

Spare me the psychobabble, will you?

No, Zara, I'm sorry. I am.

It's just... It's stages, Rob.

Well, her friend from the past, Maggie's coming in today.

I'm just hoping that that will move things along.

I'd be careful of hoping for a sudden change.

I'd be happy with any kind of change.

MOBILE PHONE RINGS

Any damage?

No, it was just the...

Either you were once assaulted by a mobile phone, or it's EHS.

How do you know?

I'm just very clever. I'm a GP.

Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity, I noticed how you were reacting.

You're not alone.

So, you believe that you are affected by electromagnetic fields,

wireless radiation?

Yes.

How very interesting.

KNOCK AT DOOR

Stop checking up on me.

I'm not checking up on you.

Yes, you were. You were sticking your pointy nose through the door.

OK, I'm checking up.

It just wouldn't be a good idea for you to go wandering off on your own.

But I've got to get out of here. It's boring.

It's just nurses and sick people and doctors.

AKA dedicated medical professionals concerned with your treatment

and welfare.

Anyway, you have got a familiar face coming in.

What? Like Rob?

Maggie.

Oh, brilliant, a real person. When's she coming in?

This morning.

Brilliant. She's a right laugh.

You might find that...

She's got this friend, who works at the Odeon,

got us in free to the Odeon to see Queen...

Karen...

..the Real Dazzler Tour. Freddie was fantastic.

The only person with tighter jeans was Maggie.

Karen, you might find that she is a little different

from how you remember her.

Well, I hope she's got rid of that perm.

I told her she looked like Brian May and she really whacked me one.

Different as in she'll look older.

I'm not daft.

She's a right laugh, you'll see.

It was the constant headaches.

Pain in my arms, my legs.

My eyes were dry.

I developed food intolerances.

I saw lots of doctors, they gave me treatment for the symptoms, but...

None could find an underlying cause?

That was Sophie.

Who's Sophie? My sister. Twin, actually.

She showed me an article on Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity.

And, suddenly, it all made sense?

I was surrounded by artificial magnetic fields.

I didn't realise I carried two mobiles,

always had my laptop with me, then tablets. Spent hours on a PC.

That's modern life.

And how much harm is it causing?

I didn't realise.

Not until the diagnosis.

Was it a doctor who made the diagnosis?

They ranged from highly dubious to sceptical.

I'm going to side with the sceptics. EHS is generally self-diagnosed.

Well, I have a scientific background.

Medicine is science.

And, in science, theories are only held until they're disproved.

You were close to your aunt?

Yeah, I was.

I was close to my father.

He was a lot more...dynamic than I was.

Peter Aldbrook, brewer and businessman.

Get away.

Aldbrook?

As in the brewers of fine ales?

Yeah.

You're only a few metres away.

'I wanted to hear your voice.'

Didn't stop you sending all those texts, did it?

Do you like them?

'What if you sent one to the wrong person?'

Might give them a buzz.

What if Heston got that last one?

"You looked great in those hold-ups."

Well, if he said, "Thank you," I'd be worried!

'Listen, I want another date.'

Well, I might be free this evening.

Sooner.

Jimmi, I'm not doing things at work.

Staff room. Lunchtime.

'We could push the boat out,

'have a packet of crisps with our sandwiches.'

How could a girl refuse that? 'Exactly.'

So, obviously, you weren't yeast-intolerant?

Fortunately not, for a brewer.

Although I did develop an intolerance to spices.

Bit of a shame, as we were working on Aldbrooks's Alderabad.

That is the outstanding IPA of the last decade.

We were looking for the perfect ale to go with a curry.

That's the Holy Grail in my books.

So, are you working on any new ales?

I don't go into the brewery much.

Because of the EHS?

Sophie thought it would be better if I worked from home.

But it's difficult, getting people to do things by proxy.

Ale's a living thing, the ingredients have to be handled,

considered.

You obviously love the process.

You know, I once tried an Aldbrook's at a festival

and it was called Dudley's Giant.

Bottle-conditioned. First time I'd tried.

It won the Master Brewers' Award, right?

That was my Holy Grail.

I hope that didn't prompt your retirement?

I've always wanted to try Dudley's Giant again.

Well, it was only a small batch, just for the festivals.

But there might be some left. At the brewery.

If you'd like one?

I wouldn't want to compromise your condition.

Well, I have my coping strategies.

And I'd like you to see the brewery.

KNOCK AT DOOR

Maggie.

All right, Karen?

What's happened to you?

Your face is like the Grand Canyon!

Did you get those clothes off your granny?

I swear I preferred you with the perm.

That's not very polite. Maggie, I'm so...

Now, you listen to me, Karen Hollins, just cos you've had

a bang on your noddle, doesn't mean you can knock your gob out of gear.

You're the same age as me and, let me tell you, you don't

look in the first flush of youth either!

I don't think...

You look like you're using the same foundation as Marley's Ghost,

your hair's like a bird's nest and your dressing gown,

looks like you got it from your grandad!

I told you she was a riot.

Come here.

Maggie. Aw.

Carbon paint?

It helps keep out the electromagnetic fields.

And the windows are metal-lined.

Helps produces low meter readings. And I do feel better inside.

I'm not saying you don't.

KNOCK AT DOOR Hello.

Delivery. Thanks, Ted.

Enjoy.

There she is.

How did you come up with the name?

Our father used to tell us a story.

The Dudley Giant...

..had a feud with the giant in Birmingham Castle

and he killed him by throwing an enormous stone.

I didn't know you were coming in today, James?

I wasn't,

but I had a bit of an...episode

in the cemetery.

Dr Haskey here gave me a hand.

Doctor?

GP.

We haven't had the best experiences with the medical fraternity.

Al's also a bit of a real ale fan.

Especially Aldbrook's. Really?

Remember we skived off work, to go and see Princess Di?

She was seeing Genesis at the NEC, we were in the crowd, outside!

Packed, it was.

She was wearing a white tuxedo and black bow-tie, she looked gorgeous.

Yeah, she did.

We both wanted one of those jackets,

we must have gone into every shop in town.

I used to love our shopping expeditions.

Oh, me too. Why don't we go?

When? Now. We could just jump on a bus and...

No, you don't want to rush things, Karen.

But it wouldn't be rushing things, we've done it hundreds of times.

We could go up the Bullring. Do the posh shops.

They've got posh shops at the Bullring?

Civilisation has finally landed.

Oh, please, I've got to get out.

I can't stay in here any longer.

Karen, your therapy's at a delicate stage.

Please, look, I can't find me slippers.

Please can we go?

I don't mind if it would help.

I'll ask the consultant.

But no promises.

Should I come with you? No.

Our grandfather nearly lost the business.

He was more taken with horseracing than brewing.

Fortunately, Dad had a better grasp of economics.

And, fortunately, so has Sophie.

Yeah, it's not all about economics, though.

Do you know how hard it is to maintain brand awareness

in a crowded market?

Or to coax loan extensions from unwilling banks?

I'm saying it's also about the beer.

Yeah, that's the product.

And James has an undoubted talent for the development side.

The gentleman is a Master Brewer, no less.

It's actually a shame that he's not working at the moment.

If we could find a doctor that would take his condition seriously,

then perhaps he might be able to.

I'd say his condition was actually a result of various

environmental sensitivities.

Meaning?

A collection of symptoms looking for a diagnosis.

James is genuinely ill.

I'm not saying that his symptoms aren't real,

just, in my somewhat expert opinion, EHS is a convenient catch-all.

There's abundant proof.

From which sources would they be?

I've offered to give Dr Haskey a bit of a tour.

Oh. And will Dr Haskey's scepticism

shield you from the electromagnetic fields?

I've got some protection.

You could come too?

Sorry. I've got an important meeting.

"A pint for you, Constable, and what's your mate having?"

THEY LAUGH

Good news. Mr O'Gorman says you can go.

He's only allowing it

because it might trigger some more recent memories.

And it comes with the warning to take it easy.

It's your first time out and there's a lot to take in.

Right. First things first, new trousers,

maybe a couple of tops, some jumpers, scarf...

And I'm coming with you by the way.

You? Just in case.

In case we have some fun?

We'll have plenty of fun. Like we always did. Yeah.

We can ditch her, when we get there.

Come on!

So, what are we going to do, tonight?

Thought you weren't sure if you'd be free?

I said I might be free. Turns out I am.

We could go to the cinema?

Or dinner? There's a new French place. We could go onto a club?

Or we could stay home instead.

Home?

Well, it's less hassle with travelling or parking.

And we could wear our slippers(!)

That's another upside.

Are you serious?

No.

Slippers would be ridiculous.

It's just been a long week, November nights are drawing in.

What I mean is,

do you fancy something intimate, romantic?

Like what?

Well, I've got a couple of nice sirloin steaks in the fridge.

I do a good pepper sauce.

There's a lovely bottle of Chateau Margeaux in the rack,

it's great vintage.

Since when do you know about wine?

I don't, Heston gave it to me.

But, look, we can relax, shut the world out,

curl up, listen to some Al Green.

Al Green? Al Green is smooth.

He's ancient. Try Tom Odell and you might convince me.

I'll download, I promise.

OK, so, the one golden, unbreakable rule,

is that we meet back here at 3.30 sharp.

That's not very long.

It's long enough for a first outing.

It's either that or we go back.

My money's burning a hole in my purse!

Money...

Don't worry, kid, I'll sort you out.

Oh, Maggs, I can't.

Yes! You've done it for me often enough. Let's get cracking.

3.30 sharp, or I'm coming to find you.

Sophie can be rather...abrupt.

I guess, with twins, one is always more robust.

Sophie was more outgoing.

I preferred to be in my room, fiddling with stuff.

I was a great fiddler.

Yeast.

There are some very fine Pilsners, pure barley malt,

bitterness from the hops.

They're also countless artificially-coloured fizzy chav juices.

Speaking of which, it's Grant Isham.

Wow, it's big, innit?

All the world, under one roof.

Or, at least, most of the shops.

Not a bad idea,

when you think we're not exactly competing for driest city in Europe.

We don't have to visit them all.

No. No, I...

You said tops?

Yeah, right, tops.

No puffed sleeves. I like puffed sleeves.

Well, they've been in, then they've been out,

they've been back in again.

And now they're out? Big time.

You'd end up looking like a cross-dressing bullfighter.

Good excuse to try hundreds of others then.

Ready?

Yeah, ready.

(Come on.)

You don't know who Grant Isham is?

Should I?

Yes, he's the Sales and Acquisitions Manager of GBA.

GBA?

Global...Brewing Associates? Yes.

He is all over the real ale mags.

Word is that he is buying up all these family-run breweries.

And because he is soulless, his only interest is shelf life

and for you my friend, that means pasteurisation.

Well, we promised my father we'd never sell Aldbrook's.

Then why is Sophie talking to him?

MUSIC: "Don't Leave Me This Way" by The Communards

Right, come on. Let's try this lot on.

James has never been a decision-maker.

He's always been creative,

but he's also always needed someone to guide him.

And that's been you?

Ever since our father died.

I know what the right thing is for Aldbrook's.

And I also know what the right thing is for James.

And...what is the right thing?

Or am I too sensitive to know?

Karen?!

Love?

I'm so scared.

I don't know what's happening.

Oh, love.

They're telling me that I'm old and that I've got children,

grown-up children and a husband and...

..I don't know who I am!

You're Karen, my great friend Karen. And I'm here, my lovely.

EHS isn't medically recognised.

Just because your profession...

You took the symptoms

and decided they added up to a very convenient diagnosis.

It was the correct diagnosis.

It was against my scientific instincts.

But you persuaded me just like you always do.

I wanted you to get better.

No, you just didn't want me here.

And you didn't want me to see any correspondence.

Now, I haven't forgotten how to use a printer.

Or how to access e-mails.

These are from you, to him.

James, I...

Well, you've been very careful, talking about "the issue".

So, what is the issue?

GBA buying Aldbrook's?

Taking a stake?

Or is the issue that you refer to simply me?

Actually, it's me.

Ah, the confession.

I am taking a stake in Aldbrooks's

but it's nothing to do with GBA.

It's a personal stake, with my own money.

Why would you do that?

Because I'm your brother.

Zara, it's Maggie, Karen's had...

VOICEMAIL RECORDING: 'Hi, this is Zara Carmichael.'

Come on.

My mother never really talked about my father.

Just told me that it was a brief relationship

Just told me that it was a brief relationship

and that he disappeared.

When she passed away last year, I decided to find out who he was.

And I found he was Peter Aldbrook.

I don't believe it.

It's true, James.

He would never have done that to our mother.

But it's a fact. We've checked. How?

Sophie suggested a DNA test.

It was conclusive.

So, how long have you known?

A while.

You should have told me.

I was trying to protect you.

Like with the EHS?

Thank you.

I know how much you loved Dad.

I did.

I loved him too but there was this secret.

I wanted to get you treatment,

because I wanted to see you well and happy.

I wanted to be careful telling you about Grant,

because I hated that it would affect the way that you saw Dad.

He is still our father.

We can't let it affect the wonderful things

we do remember about him.

So, the investment, is that a way of staking a claim?

We need to expand the business. The bank hasn't exactly been supportive.

I'm not trying to be some kind of cuckoo in the nest.

I'm not trying to usurp you.

And I could never have what you and Sophie have.

But I think Aldbrook's could be one of the leading family brands.

Now, that needs investment.

And the best brewer in the business back in the business.

Mmm, steaks are great.

Cooked as per Heston's suggestion.

"Two cloves of roasted garlic and a soupcon of black pepper."

He is the gourmet.

He was going on today about Nero Wolfe.

Who's Nero Wolfe?

The only detective books that Heston will read

because he enjoys the detective's "Epicureanism."

It was Colonel Dijon killed by the foie gras in the library.

Something like that, yeah.

This was a good idea. Hm?

Staying in.

Yeah. No point going out and about on a November night, is there?

Is she OK?

She's recovering. It was all a bit too much.

Who the hell thought it was a good idea to take her out?

The consultant.

The consultant?

Don't they get paid the big bucks to know what they're doing?

It was a reasonable decision.

Reasonable? As in, a considered decision.

In hindsight, it looks like perhaps it was a bit premature.

Yeah, it does.

Does she still not want to see me?

I don't think she wants to see anyone, love.

She'll get there.

Yeah, but when?

Dr Haskey.

Look, I'm sorry if earlier I...

No, please.

You stuck to what you believe.

That's not always been without its problems.

Well, at least you're forthright.

Never been my thing.

That's what you've got your sister for.

Yes. Yes.

I've got ideas for some new ales.

Might be in need of an expert taster.

That's it then. Game over. She's going to do one.

She is going to proper kill me.

Mum? It's gone wrong again.

Why are you acting all middle-aged?

There she is, welcome back.

We've never hesitated. In fact, we're promised to each other.

I just want to have a baby! Why does it have to be so hard?

My one chance to be famous and you mess it up.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd