All Saints Season 3, Episode 9: A Fine Balance

1

Valley of the Shadow (1)

All Saints is thrown into emergency status when an explosion creates chaos and carnage. The disaster becomes personal when the staff realise that Von is missing. Steph has to put aside her fears about her own pregnancy while Ben and Bron fight to save the life of a pregnant woman and her unborn child.

60 min

2

Valley of the Shadow (2)

Alex Richards is free from the rubble. She is unconscious, suffering head injuries and in urgent need of surgery. Luke and John Madsen perform a craniotomy to remove a haematoma, and although Alex survives the operation she suffers a respiratory arrest on the Ward. Steph manages to stabilise her but she goes into a coma. Her prognosis is not good and her mother, Di, is distraught. Luke and Madsen are operating on Rob when the word comes through he is the one responsible for setting the bombs. Luke has just heard of Alex's decline and is so angry he does not care whether Rob lives or dies. But he learns a lesson in professionalism from Madsen. Unknown to all of them, Rob left a ticking bomb on the Ward when he went into surgery. He is prepared to lose his life for the sake of his vendetta. Jared is nursing Mrs Price who is frantic about her two missing children, Caitlin and Rowen. When news comes through the kids have been located, Jared suggest Bosco might go over to the site to entertain and distract the kids while the rescue workers try to free them. Bosco laughs in Jared's face and says he has no intention of putting his life in danger and says he is going home. Over at the Medical Centre, Bron and Ben are just at about their wit's end trying to calm Rowen and Caitlin, when out of nowhere (it seems) a clown appears. Bosco calms the kids and he finally has an audience who appreciates his jokes. In the middle of the chaos, Mitch proposes to Rose. It never occurred to him she might want time to consider his proposal. In fact, there are a few delicate matters concerning his past that she wants to discuss before she will give him a genuine answer. Tension levels on the Ward rise even higher when it is learnt Rob is being sent back to Ward 17 after surgery. When Alex's distraught mother Di discovers the man responsible for the bomb is on the Ward after she loses control. She barges into Robs room and starts to attack him. AS far as she is concerned, it is totally unfair for him to live through when it looks like her daughter is dying. Terri has to throw herself in front of Rob to defend him. It is then he tells Terri there is one more bomb...

60 min

3

Bending and Breaking

Bron is given a glimpse of what her future could be like with Luke when surgeon John Madsen's wife and brother are admitted to the Ward following an incriminating incident. Regina resorts to radical and desperate means to save a charming, young Irishman from deportation. The Ward is in fierce competition as they prepare for battle in the annual All Saints fundraising bed race!

60 min

4

Eye of the Beholder

Terri's patience is tried to the limit by the demands of an aging and embittered TV star who has suffered terrible facial scarring from an acid attack. Pregnant and overtired, Steph's worst nightmare looms large when she starts to bleed and suffer severe stomach cramps. Cold-shouldered by Bron, Luke accepts a drinks invitation from a glamorous patient and is shocked by a proposal she has for him. Mitch is concerned Regina is becoming too fixated on her wedding plans.

60 min

5

First Do No Harm

On an inspection tour of the hospital, Professor Caroline Edgewater and her grand-daughter Phoebe are pleased to encounter Mitch, Caroline's former student and a friend to both of them. Mitch was a close friend of Caroline's daughter Sarah, who died of cancer when Phoebe was little and he was emotional support to all of them during the difficult months of her illness. Time and tyranny of distance have meant they have lost touch but Phoebe and Mitch quickly fall back in to their former affectionate, teasing relationship.

60 min

6

After the Ball

There is an atmosphere of excitement on the Ward as everyone prepares for the Hospital Fundraiser Ball. Both Mitch and Von deny having bought Terri's ball dress. Nervous and excited, Terri leaves work early to get ready for the ball.

60 min

7

Command and Control

Terri leaves the Community House and returns to Ward 17. She has healed somewhat since the death of Neil Phillips a week ago, but Terri knows a return to her usual world will be a trying time. Von gives her all the support she can, but so far Terri's ordeal is not general knowledge and Mitch has decided to make himself scarce. Terri gets stuck into office work, avoiding contact with the patients and awkwardly deflecting the friendly inquiries of her colleagues. Meanwhile, rumours are circulating about a rape and fatal stabbing.

60 min

8

A Fraction Too Much Friction

Lucke's bro was brought from the jail on order to have an operation & bring out the gillette blades he had eaten to get outta the jail.they didn't seem to be friendly till lucke found out there's something wrong with his bro & finally decided to get some help about it.Terry's still depresed.Ben & his partner tried to get along.

60 min

9

A Fine Balance

Mitch goes to great personal and professional lengths to diagnose the illness of an aspiring Olympic athlete who accuses him of molesting her. Bron learns an important lesson about herself while dealing with a difficult situation. Von wants a dying patient to divorce her loving husband — but for whose benefit? A hungry street kid pays a visit to Ward 17 and brings some joy to a lonely, old man. Ben and Bron are called out to the site of a fatal motorcycle accident where Bron finds herself searching for the victim's decapitated head.

60 min

10

In the Blood

Terri endeavours to put the horror of Neil Phillips' death behind her and get on with her life. She has even decided to move back to her old flat, after living in the Sisters' Community House.

60 min

11

Hearts and Minds

Luke's career is threatened when a simple medical procedure goes horribly wrong and a vindictive colleague falsely accuses him of gross negligence. Terri's past comes back to haunt her when she encounters a patient who reminds her of her former stalker. Bron and Ben's teamwork is put to the test when a drug addict patient attacks Ben. Jared and Kylie treat a retiree with a bad heart and an amazing sex life.

60 min

12

Food for Thought

As Luke faces the internal investigation into his supposed negligence, he is forced to defend himself, putting his career and relationship with Bron on the line. Ben attends the attempted suicide of a mysterious young man. Will the truth of his haunted psyche be revealed before it's too late? Mitch goes into battle against the hospital authorities when patient's relatives are forced to sleep in the car park due to lack of funds.

60 min

13

Blessed Release

A young man struggles with the news that to save his life, a large portion of his face will have to be removed. A young woman uses her anorexia to regain media notoriety. Kylie suspects a patient has tuberculosis and refuses to listen when Von questions her diagnosis. Ben and Bron are faced with an emergency when a boy, whose head is stuck between the metal bars of a security door, is stung by a bee.

60 min

14

Rush to Judgement

Nursing Unit Manager Cynthia Murdoch has devoted the past 25 years of her life to the Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Unit attached to All Saints. But, despite her superhuman efforts, the place is rundown, understaffed, last on the queue for funds and generally under continual pressure from the administration.

60 min

15

Judge Not...

Terri's trial begins. Prosecution barrister Marion Lord tells the Jury Terri murdered Neil Phillips to keep their love affair secret. Terri is horrified Lord should believe she is a cold-blooded killer. Her barrister Steve Coulter assures her all that matters is what the Jury believe at the end of the trial.

60 min

16

...Lest Ye Be Judged

The final day of Terri's trial begins. She is horrified as prosecution barrister Marion Lord continues to paint her as some fallen woman. The nosy neighbour Gilda gives the Jury the impression Terri was not only having an affair with Neil Phillips but also had another lover, namely Mitch.

60 min

17

Duty of Care

Ward 17 is notified it is being closed down in favour of more specialised wards. Understandably the staff, and Terri in particular, are horrified to learn the team is to be split up. Claudia MacKenzie takes over from Stan Ridgeway as hospital CEO and despite all pleas to reconsider, keeps her eyes firmly on the bottom line — hospitals are a business like any other.

60 min

18

Beyond All Praise

Terri takes on Claudia McKenzie, the hospital's new CEO, as the ward's closure becomes a reality and Terri finds herself being used by the hospital administation in PR exercise against the striking nurses.

60 min

19

Out of Nowhere

Linda Davies, formerly of the now-closed Ward 12 and now an agency nurse, arrives to help out on Ward 17. Connor, who had tried to make her intimate acquaintance at the All Saints' Ball, takes her under his wing and trusts her with some of his patient medications. Unbeknownst to him, Linda is a pethidine addict who absconds with the patients' doses.

60 min

20

Frozen in Time

Terri is finding counselling is doing nothing to help her anxiety and guilt over the death of Neil Phillips. Forced onto medication, she attempts to straighten herself out by working back on the ward in general nursing, handing the reins over to a delighted Steph.

60 min

21

Girl of the Moment

Steph steps into Terri's shoes as Nursing Unit Manager but alienates her colleagues with her demanding behaviour. Bron uncovers the shocking family secret that drove sisters apart 23 years ago when the sister of a brain-damaged patient insists her sister be allowed to die so she can receive an insurance payout. Luke is convinced his good relationship with Madsen is over for good when he risks a patient's safety by operating with an injured hand. Mitch and Kylie deal with a hypochondriac while Connor learns a lesson of the heart.

60 min

22

Dead on Time

Connor becomes Acting NUM when Steph is uncharacteristically late for the morning shift. Anxiety mounts as the morning wears on. Ben and Bron meanwhile, arrive on the scene of a terrible car smash to discover with horror that Steph is the critically injured driver of one of the cars. Bron is forced to take command of on-site medical assistance as Ben becomes paralysed by fear and anguish. His anger erupts in violence against the bewildered drunken driver of the other car and he has to be pulled off by the arresting police. Relieved by the Police Rescue Squad and a second team of paramedics, Ben sits with his wife, coaxing her to remain conscious, urging her to hang on

60 min

23

Blood, Sweat and Tears

The staff of Ward 17 fight desperately to save the life of a sixteen-year-old boy suffering from a rare blood disorder. The situation intensifies when he begins to haemorrhage internally and Mitch doesn't think he can stop the bleeding. Two high school friends end up on the ward after mixing an ecstasy tablet with too much booze at their high-school reunion. Following Steph's funeral, Steph's mother returns to Ward 17 to see where her daughter worked and becomes involved with the staff and patients. Meanwhile, Luke bonds with a young woman with Downs Syndrome, and Bron grows concerned for Ben when she see how he is coping with Steph's death.

60 min

24

Twentieth Century Blues

When Ben and Bron answer a cry for help they find a woman, Lynette Newman, living in a sealed flat, under rigidly sterile conditions. A fall has given Lynette head injuries and she is transferred to All Saints and ultimately to Ward 17. She displays a paranoid fear of being there, and what appears to be a obsessive/compulsive disorder. Connor, currently Acting NUM, wants Lynette transferred to the Psych unit. Mitch suspects there is more to it and insists Lynette remain on the ward.

60 min

25

Into the Unknown

Bron is nurse in charge for the night shift on Ward 17. Von isn't too impressed when Bron tries to delegate all the work to her and agency nurse Amanda but Bron is forced to take on responsibility for an elderly nun. Sister Frances is desperately confused, constantly asking for the nurses to contact another Sister who, Bron learns, died twenty years ago.

60 min

26

Promise of Things to Come

The big day has finally arrived for Mitch and Rose but despite the best efforts of the Ward 17 staff, Mitch becomes involved with a patient suffering chronic pain as a result of the condition Ankylosing Spondylitis. The young man, Scott, has just about given up but Mitch has a radical idea on how to break the pain cycle. Connor is less than impressed to learn Mitch intends to bring dope onto the ward, particularly when he has worked so hard to be a good NUM. Mitch finds an unlikely ally in treating Scott, when Rose takes time out of her wedding day preparations to lend a hand.

60 min

27

What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?

When two children are killed by a drunk driver, their mother's grief unlocks another woman's secret and is the catalyst for Ben finally venting his anger over losing Steph. Meanwhile, Jared volunteers to look after Brittany Finlay, the new student nurse. He expects a nervous newcomer but instead is faced with an obnoxious and outspoken young woman.

60 min

28

The Cost of Living

Bron is worried about Ben. He has slumped into a depression since Steph's death and she is concerned he is not taking adequate care of himself. So concerned, in fact she has temporarily moved into his flat to keep an eye on him. Which is where Ben drops his bombshell; he has decided to transfer from active paramedic duties to a desk job at HQ. Bron is aghast. She knows this is an ill-considered decision borne of his depression, but Ben won't hear reason. He is quitting just as soon as he finishes the paperwork.

60 min

29

One for the Road

Brittany, under Jared's wing, has a "coming of age" working experience when Ian, an alcoholic lecturer with liver damage, and Lee, a car accident victim with a drinking habit are brought together in Room Four. Brittany develops a crush on Lee and goes so far as to kiss him. Jared spies them both and educates her on the need to separate her work from play. Brittany takes no heed until Jared forces her to do her normal nursing duties and help Lee with his toiletry. The lesson is a sorry one for romance and earns Jared Brittany's resentment.

60 min

30

Another Place, Another Time

Von's past is highlighted when a patient, Will Harrington, she nursed in a London pediatric unit is admitted to Ward 17. His memories of Von result in a lot of stirring from the rest of the staff and consequently a furious Von confronts Will, telling him she is not the person he thinks she is. Will comes to realise she may be right — he doesn't recognise this new Von at all. Besides, he does not need handholding any more — he is an adult. But, on learning he has cancer, all Will's childhood fears re-surface and Von is forced to re-enact the magic that got him through his childhood illness to help get him through this one.

60 min

31

Bosom of the Family

Terri settles a dazed Robyn Michalandos on Ward 17 but is immediately suspicious. Robyn insists her head injuries are from a fall down the stairs at home but all the signs point towards domestic violence. When her husband Steve arrives and immediately threatens his teenage stepson, the fears of the staff are seemingly confirmed. The stage is set for a tense day on the Ward.

60 min

32

Duty Bound

Bron and Ben rescue Patti Burke from a snap freezer. The woman had gone in to save her friend Jill, who appears to have wanted to commit suicide, and in so doing Patti ended up bound to her friend's hand. Unable to separate Patti from her dead friend, Ben and Bron have to wait until the shelf to which Jill is attached, is cut away. Then, Patti (still attached to the corpse) is able to be taken to All Saints. It is up to Luke, with Kylie now as his observer, to separate the two women surgically. But the scars left on Patti are not just physical. Emotionally, she carries a guilt, which goes deeper than mere survivor's guilt. Once she admits to Jared she and Jill were lovers, we sense she will be able to heal.

60 min

33

Tender Loving Care

Mitch discovers Rose has been keeping a huge secret from him. She suffers from Bipolar disorder, a manic depressive condition which she has been managing with a Lithium dosage. However since discovering her pregnancy, she has discontinued the medication, leaving herself vulnerable to manic mood swings. The fact Rose kept this from Mitch underlines her insecurity in the relationship. Even Mitch does not realise how much this insecurity is focussed on his friendship with Terri.

60 min

34

Ghosts

Jared's beloved grandmother accuses him of nursing a war criminal. The situation brings Jared to gain a personal understanding of the holocaust and his heritage as a Jew. Rose becomes suspicious of something going on between Mitch and Terri. Jodi Horner starts on the ward as the new clerk and Connor does his best to try and impress her. But it is Connor who's impressed by a patient who is rehearsing a swallowing act for a freak circus show.

60 min

35

More than Life

Luke and the hospital are manipulated into agreeing to operate on a man who wants to die so his body can be cryogenically frozen. Bron protects Ben from a flirtatious female jockey but can he save a heavily-endebted Bron from losing a fortune on a horse race? Jared is pushed to find a solution for a young boy trying to pass his HSC while suffering from a painful condition. Jodi surprises everyone.

60 min

36

The Best Laid Plans

When a pregnant woman is diagnosed with cancer, Mitch is caught up in the pain she and her husband suffer trying to decide between treatment or a termination. A fit man presents with an inexplicable range of symptoms and it takes all of Connor and Luke's tenacity to track down the source of the problem. Ben and Bron are called out to a junk yard to attend to an injured girl but also find themselved helping the owner when he collapses. Terri's mother asks her to return home to help care for her ailing father.

60 min

37

Lottery of Life

Bron's desperation to pay back her gambling debt to Luke intensifies when she is stuck nursing one of his patients, a woman in dire straits with chronic back pain and a resentful teenage daughter. Mitch and Jared nurse a young man who will do anything to make himself more masculine — even if it kills him. Ben and his partner must try and calm down a lottery winner with suicidal tendencies and Von finds herself in an awkward situation while caring for a fellow nurse.

60 min

38

Fate Dances with Lady Luck

Luke, Bron, and Ben must overcome their personal differences in a cliff-side battle to save a young man's life. Von believes a young male patient with cancer needs help from a different kind of specialist when she determines he is mimicking symptoms to get attention from his parents who are proccupied with his cancer-fighting sister. Mitch cares for a married woman who wants to keep her diagnosis from her husband. A clumsy painter keeps the staff on their toes. Connor rides a rollercoaster as he tries to follow the tangled personal lives of a patient and her husband. Jodi shares some startling news prompting Connor to tell Bron the truth about his feelings for her.

60 min

39

Me, Myself and I

Mitch diagnoses a patient who is suffering a rare and fatal condition — however, it is the patient who has a few surprises in store for the staff of Ward 17. Terri struggles to come to terms with her father's impending death while Rose suffers a delusion after seeing Mitch and Terri in an embrace. Bron has a big win on the Melbourne Cup race while Connor thinks his flirting is a dismal failure until there's a knock on his door…

60 min

40

Heart and Soul

Bron and Ben's relationship takes on new meaning when they are trapped in a life and death situation. A busy schedule and a patient with something to hide causes Kylie to make a mistake. Mitch's impending fatherhood impacts on his treatment of a pregnant woman. Connor feels obliged to lay down the law with Jodi and a man's piercing fetish fascinates the staff.

60 min

41

Stolen Moments

Between heavy labour pains, Rose shocks Mitch by demanding to know what caused his break-up with Terri more than a decade ago. The sad truth is he really doesn't know the answer. When Rose suffers complications, Mitch and Terri are left holding the baby. Mitch decides it's time to confront Terri and asks her what went wrong with their love affair. Is she finally ready to tell the truth? Meanwhile, Ben and Bron bring in a patient suffering from progressive dementia, Jared rejects Kylie's generous gift, and Luke is called on to make good on an old debt.

60 min