Emmerdale review of the week: Belle's sad, Moira's ill, Will's a wally

This week’s Emmerdale review is all about quirky storytelling!

Emmerdale is never afraid to try something new when it comes to interesting ways to tell a story and this week we were treated to a special, stylised episode featuring four potential futures for Belle Dingle.

Did it work? We’re not sure! Find out more in our Emmerdale review of the week.

Belle looks into the distance fear and worry on her face (Credit: ITV) — Belle imagined possible futures (Credit: ITV)

Groundbreaking episodes

Back in 2016, Emmerdale screened a groundbreaking episode exploring Ashley’s point-of-view as a dementia patient.

And since then we’ve seen all sorts of innovative episodes including two-handers, an all-female cast and crew for International Women’s Day, an all male episode promoting men’s mental health, flash-forwards, flashbacks, and a Christmas episode featuring Robert Sugden that’s probably best forgotten.

We’ve also had two special episodes in the Belle and Tom storyline. There was the dinner party where we saw the same events play out from Marlon and Rhona’s point of view, and from Belle and Tom’s. It cleverly portrayed the truth that you never know what goes on in someone else’s marriage.

And then there were the tense, gripping episodes as Belle and Tom went to their remote Welsh cottage only for his abuse to ramp up further.

So we were excited to see how this week’s special episode would play out.

But we’re not sure it really hit the spot!

Belle and Tom arrive at their holiday cottage — The episodes following Belle and Tom at their holiday cottage were gripping (Credit: ITV)

Belle rattled in our Emmerdale review

Belle was rattled this week when Tom revealed he was in a relationship with young mum Amelia Spencer. And her desperate attempts to persuade Amelia that it was a bad idea fell on deaf ears.

So the special hour-long episode began with Belle hoping to protect Amelia. In the first scenario, she got back with Tom and we saw her at Christmas, pregnant and sad.

In the second, her passionate – and public – pleas to Amelia, listing the ways Tom had hurt her, were overheard by Cain. He lashed out, and was carted off by the police, as Tom fought for his life.

Next – giving us a glimpse a few years into the future – we saw businesswoman Belle, who was back working with Suzy, while Tom and Amelia planned a wedding. But Belle knew Amelia wasn’t happy and tried to warn her. It was too late, though, and we saw Amelia’s body being taken away while Tom cried crocodile tears at her funeral.

Dark stuff!

Belle and Charity — Charity has promised to do things Belle’s way (Credit: ITV)

Begging for help

But the final scenario was the one where Belle told Charity what had been going on and she, and a surprisingly calm Cain promised to support her. Thankfully, as Friday’s episode showed, that was the ‘real thing’ and we’re looking forward to Tom getting his comeuppance!

There’s no doubt that it was an entertaining episode. As a storytelling technique, though, showing alternative futures seemed a bit unnecessary. Belle and Tom’s story is dramatic, engaging and important enough without needing the addition of gimmicks. And actors Eden Taylor-Draper and James Chase are great actors who don’t need any glittering distractions to help them shine.

But we loved the final outcome and now we are on tenterhooks waiting to see how Tom will pay!

Will looks crestfallen in Emmerdale spoilers — Will’s being a bit of a wally (Credit: ITV)

Will’s baffling blackmail

The rest of this week was uneventful! Will’s blackmail plot is still completely baffling. How that man thinks he can outsmart Kim Tate is beyond us. Has he met Kim? She always – ALWAYS – comes out on top. And if she’s not behind his blackmail, well, let’s just say, we’ll be very surprised.

Everyone persistently ignoring Moira’s health issues is beginning to grate a bit, too. The poor woman is mood-swinging all over the place and it’s clear something’s very wrong. Though, we have to admit seeing her headbutt Ruby was a treat! We reckon Moira and Ruby could actually be good friends – they’d be a formidable team!