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<<< DAY 4 and earlier in DAY 5

7de Tronk is literally on fire with its hottest episode yet. Things take a firey turn in Cell 23!
Also, we learn the name of Mands, Viv and Bon-bon's silent cellmate; and she has a line!
We appreciate the title change effects, but not as much as this episode is greatly appreciated.

It's no secret that the 7de Tronk series storyline is a really, really welcome highlight for 7de Laan. If I have to think back prior to this last week of episodes, the only prior 7de Laan episode which stood out the most to me included; "Karmen's Kidnapping Relevation" in Nov 2017 (Miss You Hettie!!!), and "Langley's Murder Reveal" in January 2018.

Besides that, the day to day happenings of Hillside haven't captivated the true power of what happens when brilliant writing, directing and acting all come together for an explosive episode. Literally.

Okay, before I gush on too long about how much I surprisingly loved this episode; let's hit the ball rolling. 
 
Okay Day 5, again - Part 2 of it. 

We pick up immediately after Bonita's eerily burning her bed to inflict suicide on herself to be one with Daniel again. No further thought is given to the other cellmates, let alone inmates in Cell Block 23. 

I really didn't expect '7de Laan Tronk' to take this fire this far. 7de Laan is notorious for major cliff-hangers (especially in Thursday or Friday episodes), only to be neatly resolved before the opening titles roll the next day. You'll forgive my shock that we spent 3/4 of an episode on the aftermath of this fire.
 
What's made 7de Tronk incredible is how easily it's pulled viewers into these characters and stories with a good balance of humour, relation and layers for each character. It's been handled incredibly well.

The show went further with this episode and pulled back even more layers on their characters with a sense of doom and morality for their characters - which only enriched the show and gave more depth and brilliant storytelling than ever before.

Everyone's lives are put in danger due to the delusions of Bonita. I know I have glossed over the crazy of all the inmate characters; but I do hope - if not for a needed redemption arc for the character - the show invests in rehabilitating the mind of Bonita and touching base on this issue.
 

Amanda eventually wakes up - blaming another yet to be seen inmate for smoking - for the smell of smoke. Oh wait, it's just Fortune - aka the silent-always-sleeping cellmate they shared a cell with. 

I gleed with excitement to learn the character has a name, further gleed to hear her having a singular line. All the while the fire drama started to ensure. Clearly you can see where my nit-picking lies.

Without much dialogue, insufficient lighting and a beautiful voice, Hildegardt Whites (Bonita) does an exceptional job showing a range of emotions of loss and finally giving up on the world. 
 
Scale it back to think how incredibly difficult a scene like this must be to film - 7de Laan used real fires - with special effects and fire technicians on set for the authenticity of these scenes - just elevate the brilliant acting that not only Hildegardt, but all actresses' bring to this episode. I am in absolute awe.

Amanda, let's recap: she's pregnant - heavily pillowed pregnant - we do not, prior to this episode, learn how far along. But deducing from this week I was anywhere between 9 months and 13 months. We later learn in this episode it's only 8 months.

Fortune, whose lighter was used in this crime - finally becomes a full-on person - who, along with Amanda and Bonita is 'rescued' by Sister Miems Emma as she desperately tries to get them out of their cell.
 

Other cellmates are informed to rescue - where Dora is yet again shown to sleep through anything - meanwhile, she's been upgraded to top bunk, because you know... sleep is important to her.

Natalie meanwhile is willing to let Mariaan burn in the mattress and not say anything to rescue her. Something tells me Mariaan got the wrong cell for the girls who look after your back.

Mariaan, eventually - after almost a quarter of the biggest mattress catches on fire - yelps out to be saved. In true horror movie fashion, she manages to stick her arm out. It's no wonder that shocked and confused Amanda immediately goes into Labour with her water breaking. 

Oh and this is all before the fake opening titles which still bill the show as 7de Laan, roll. 

 

The episode splits itself into three narrative parts and doesn't hold back on digging deeper into the pysche of these characters. It's amazing how when morality is thrown into the mix, these characters still continue to shine - and the layers to each of them is incredibly welcomed.

Mariaan and Alexa err Amanda 
 

There's something 'meta' that I wanted for Amanda and Mariaan to share a power scene or an allegiance together. This is partly due to the fact that both Deirdre Wolhuter (Mariaan) and Carina Nel (Amanda/Alexa) played the mother/daughter role primarily since their introduction in 2016.

The chemistry is brilliant and strong between these two fine actresses, and somehow, through  Amanda/Mariaan - with all it's history - is a beautiful piece of art work. I was so enthrilled when it was Amanda who saved Mariaan.

I had no fear of Mariaan being killed in this fire storyline, or ending up with some horrible fire burns due to the biggest mattress ever getting engulfed in flames.

Deirdre Wolhuter continues to prove herself an incredible asset to the cast and I hope the writing going forward capitalises on her layers.
 

Also, let's question how Mariaan emerged from that mattress unscathed - and her 'lost and found' knitted beanie is still intact?!

The two actresses have a brilliant rapport (not the newspaper) with each other - and it's natural and not forced.

Circumstances (Amanda rescuing Mariaan, Mariaan helping Amanda in her time of need) feel absolutely natural. It's not forced - and it's really delivered some of the most beautiful moments of 7de Tronk.
 

To appreciate the magic of this episode, I've left the logic and, with that, a lot of the snark at the door to enjoy it. It's theatrical performances are from a really, truly brilliant cast here.

Mariaan immediately steps into Mom role - and I can see why this has been done - I really appreciate that it's not a juxtaposition but that Mariaan, deep down, is a maternal character.

Her visit from Amorey earlier in Day 5 and her family taking her through her darkest moment in The Hole really motivate the character.
 
Mariaan takes over and treats Amanda as if she were Alexa. It's sadder if you're a diligent 7de Laan viewer because you would know that Alexa, Mariaan's daughter - cannot have kids. So this scene was all that more powerful and you really understood where Mariaan's empathy, compassion and humility came from.

There was no loss in character narrative, as odd as it may seem for a character like Mariaan - but this was completely in character and really a beautiful moment for both of them.
 
Thankfully Amanda actually does give birth. This would have been frustrating had it been build up for faux-drama, but she also does this between commercial breaks. 

The two are now on a completely new level with each other - and I am super excited to see where this relationship heads. Another reason why Amanda is MVP (Most Valuable Player) in this spinoff storyline: her chemistry and role is a welcomed neutral for everyone.

We'll get to more of Amanda later....

Bonita and the other inmates
 

Okay, so we didn't find out from this episode if Lissie and her plastic hubby survived this fire or got melted. While I have praised the show for the vibrant colourful back characters, taking a step back from there and focusing on the main cast allows the characters to all individually shine in this episode.

Bonita is rescued from Sister Miems Emma (we say this because she's more Emma today than any other day). 

Natalie (the CCTV of Cell 23) knows Bonita is behind the fire and threatens her. Bonita immediately flees. She's desperate for her foul act to take her life and reunite her with her beloved alive dead child. 
 
The only complaint I really have for this episode is more a technical complaint. I really wished this episode had been shot / aired in HD. 

TVSA has recently reported that SABC (on DStv) will be upgrading to HD, so I was hoping that a mandate would have been sent out to production companies months ago to upgrade their shows to HD for this change over.

I mean High Rollers (RIP) which aired on SABC 3 a few years ago was filmed in HD, and aired in HD on subsequent streaming avenues. Why can't 7de Laan Tronk be as well?

The lack of HD really took out the magic that the production company tried to sprinkle through this episode with smoke effects etc. However watching it in non-HD, it took me many, many seconds to realise the above screengrab was Bonita. 

Hello SABC 2, meet 2018.
 
After trying to flee, and getting smoke inhalation in a random (set 1 of the prison scenes) corridor, Bonita passes out and we're to almost assume she's left for dead.

Luckily the third act of this episode wastes no time on cliff-hangers we won't believe - like anything could take out Bon-bon, and she awakens to see Emma in Hillside clinic.
 
I really wanted characters like Emma and Dr. Fikani to have a second guess look when interacting with Amanda / Alexa as both meet their respective doppelganger counterparts - yet act so naturally about this. 

I would be freaked out!

Earlier that night, newest Hillside Doctor, Dr. Fikani Chauke announces to Xander and Vanessa about the fire in Johannesburg Hospital and all the 'victims' are being brought to nearby hospitals. As you guessed, they all landed up in Hillside clinic. 

Also a welcome surprise was the fact that despite never appearing in proper medical gear, Dr Fikani Chauke finally wore proper medical scrubs. Guess who got promoted to full fledged not-credited yet on the board doctor just like Alexa Welman at Hillside clinic. 
 
Oh, and Daniel's transplant with Karmen went well. But that's 7de Laan's problems. *Moving on*

I hinted about earlier in Day 2, about the Backstory of Sister Miems. The beautiful scene she has with Bonita upon meeting her hinted severely at how Emma transitioned into Miems; but the writers painted a clearer pic in tonight's episode.

There's a beautiful scene where both Emma and Bonita finally relate and see eye-to-eye in this newly thrown world of chaos and they finally relate. Sister Miems opens up and becomes Emma, Bonita's former friend and opens up to what motivated her and how she became Miems.

It's sad but poetically beautiful. It's really good writing to allow the two characters to connect, and this tragedy to finally bring them to relatable levels.

Emma, as the character shines through, albeit broken - but shines through and again I will say - I am incredibly grateful to 7de Tronk for not painting the "antagonist" as someone big and bad. 
 
It's a refreshing twist on a character, and highly unique to re-introduce a former character without a whiplash on change of behaviour. 

If this was Emma's final appearance in 7de Tronk, she's served the narrative and brought a unique perspective and allowed the story arc to remain a good flow for the former Laaners who have switched over to this storyline. 

I actually appreciate the effort, thought and backstory written into Miems which has paid itself off as we relate to what being a prisoner has done to Emma. Well done writers!

Also no one in Hillside Clinic has told Bonita that Daniel is alive and was in that very room / set earlier 
?

Vivian and the Ghost Within Herself 
 
Vivian may be the craziest and most eccentric character, but she's also beloved. The character allows Vinette Ebrahim to shine with different material. I assume after playing the same role of pre-Martyr Charmaine, Vivian has given Vinette a meaty role to play - and we can see she loves it.

The writing of the character is handled really well. She has some strong moments of humanity, whether or not it's faked, the question is whether it's authentic and she fakes it to herself.

This fire also affects Vivian, who's now in The Hole - due to Bonita hiding a fake weapon under her bed.

I'm really glad the character was isolated during this pandemic. Firstly, she clearly would have been a natural scene stealer - I mean Viv has the best lines right? Secondly, we get a glimpse into the vulnerability of the character.
 
Vinette does a brilliant job here. All she has to play off with is a few dusts of smoke in a dark room - isolated by herself. But it this actually not the actual visual of who Vivian is as a person, or at least what her mindset is?

Vivian hasn't been given much in 7de Laan to play with to fledge herself as a full catharsis of a rounded character. She takes the elements of Charmaine, but the actress doesn't limit herself there. Similarly, Carina Nel also doesn't do the same with Amanda and Alexa.

Vinette takes Vivian and spins her into her own character, the only similarities are purely a similar look to Charmaine. In this scene alone she brings Vivian's malicious energy and twists it to a very vulnerable childlike character who's clearly very hurt.
 

The writers delve deeper and through her powerful monologue where Vivian thinks it's tickets for her from the fire, she becomes a real, hurt and sympathetic character who flashes back to where she went off the rails - when she was molested as a child by her Uncle Dennis.

It's poignant and powerful to give us a deeper look to a different part of this character we really haven't seen. It's a fresh, authentic look that brings her closer to our hearts and makes her relatable. A job well done by both Vinette Ebrahim and the writer and director of this scene.  

This episode does a brilliant job with not just Vivian but every main character (Amanda, Bonita, Mariaan, Emma, Vivian) on peeling back a lot of layers to these already loved characters to showing a deeper sense to them. It's powerful storytelling. 

There is no follow-up on this episode of Vivian but we are told in a throw-away line that she is fine and barely hanging on. 

Back to Amanda and Princess Jasmine
 
I was worried for Amanda and her baby. Soaps generally go to dark places with births of children. Considering Amanda's pregnancy was introduced a week prior and how much it's already had us bond with her as a character - I was fearful of what the writer really introduced this pregnancy for.

While mentioned in the Day 1 Recap, Amanda's pregnancy may have seemed like a plot device to get her to interact softly with Bonita but it's basically all of Amanda's character we've grown to learn and love over on 7de Tronk. 

Throw in a deadly fire, and unexpected birth location and I was fearfully expecting either Amanda or baby Jasmine to not make it.

Thankfully the show knows where its drama is buttered and chose to focus on character written drama instead of cheap drama ploys. Thank you 7de Tronk writers! And both Amanda and Baby Jasmine are seemingly fine. 
 
Dr. Fikani Chauke - only because they couldn't have the only doctor in Hillside Dr. Alexa Welman bring Amanda her baby declaring her as A-okay in front of her ex, Justin who came to visit her.

Amanda tosses between the line of not wanting Justin to know but a deep sense of relief to see her daughter and find out she is alright. She holds her in her hands and then looks at Justin...

It takes him all of 3 seconds to put things together - that Amanda is holding his baby. Oh, this is scored by a beautiful rendition of Hildegardt Whites' haunting voice. She's an incredible singer!
 
End credits. Brilliant episode 7de Tronk writers, directors and brilliant cast!

I enjoyed this episode soooo much that I missed that 60% of the audio was just the annoying fire alarm in the background due to the drama and acting captivating me completely!

<<< Missed what started the fire and an earlier Day 4 recap?

*** 7de Tronk - Monday to Friday 18h00, SABC 2***
* For SABC reasons also known as 7de Laan

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Actors in this post: Deirdre Wolhuter, Bertha le Roux, Vinette Ebrahim

Shows in this post: 7de Laan

Channels in this post: SABC2

Tags: 7de Tronk,7de Laan,Recap

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