Angry Boys episode 8 review

Whoa, for a somewhat normal, fairly amusing episode, this one ends with a big revelation that is guaranteed to hook you for the rest of the series. Be prepared for some tugs on that heartstring.

Starting the show is Daniel and Nathan, the staple of the show. The opening scene is a hard one not to find really funny. Nathan has developed a habit of showing his nuts in every photo taken of him, and Daniel goes through a slideshow of pictures where Nathan is sneakily, in the back, holding them out.

When it comes to a family photo, it’s no exception and he whips them out just in time. I especially loved the sly look on Nathan’s face as his mother says, “Thanks, guys. That’ll be really great on the wedding invitation!” He looks away from the camera, trying to suppress his laughter and has a look or pride on his face, too.

While the humour in the episode comes from the twins, we see Blake getting himself into a fair amount of trouble after a friend recently out of prison visits him. Blake lends him his van, but later gets a visit from the police, who believe Blake shot his great rival, Packo, after his van was seen speeding away instantly after. It seems Blake’s friend sought revenge for his pal, and landed him in it, too.

After seeing the whole episode of Blake interacting with his girlfriend’s children, it’s pretty sad to see how this will affect him and his family unit. Unlike a few of Lilley’s other characters, Blake seems like a genuinely nice guy who just goes about things in the wrong way. Let’s hope it works out for him in future episodes. He needs to get over his fears and take that Billabong tour!

So, Gran is back, which is always a good thing, but the direction her story goes in is the real reason to watch this episode. She has put together a family day for the boys (one of the funniest bits of the episode is watching Gran do the S.Mouse Slap My Elbow dance with the boys) and when Talib’s mother doesn’t turn up for Parents Day, Gran takes him outside for a chat, where she tries to see how he’s feeling. His barriers are still well and truly up, but Gran suggests a trade of secrets that no one else knows, so trust can be built between the two.

After Talib tells her that his mum doesn’t love him, Gran insists it won’t be true, as all mothers love their children. It’s just human nature. She then goes on to stump him with a bombshell of her own. To say this revelation floored me is an understatement, truly brilliant and unexpected. It’s so well written and acted, it’s hard not to feel really affected by it.

The way this episode plays out really emphasises the emotional aspects of the series, and it’s one of the main reasons I stick with it. Also, when the funny is good, it’s really good.

We get a few hints that there may be more of a backstory to Gran and when it hits us, it’s really a sad moment, but tender, too. She’s sharing this big secret with a boy she genuinely wants to help and get to know. It’s one of the many reasons I love Gran and always look forward to seeing her in an episode. Hopefully, this means more Gran in the remaining episodes of the series. 

Read our review of episode 7 here.

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