The Avenue: Episode 1 (S01E01)

Release Date
This episode was published on Friday 7th September 2018 on Lit, although the episode itself is set on Monday 20th April 2020.

Plot
The very first episode opens with publican Charlie Westaway and wife Leyla Westaway - who run and live in The RedLion - waking up early and chatting. They discuss their impending baby, son Max Westaway, with whom Leyla is seven months pregnant at this point, as well as the quiz night they will be hosting tonight. A while later, Leyla has a brief conversation with youngest daughter Jess Westaway, gently warning her and her long-term friend Perry Castle not to get too close at the moment as they have exams coming up; Leyla has noticed they have got closer recently. However, Jess laughs this off and denies it. After Jess heads off to school, Leyla is joined by eldest son Rory Westaway, and then Charlie in quick succession. Rory then takes the opportunity to reveal to his parents that he is gay. Although surprised, Leyla is totally fine with it. However Charlie is more ambiguous in his reaction, and abruptly leaves to take dog Bella for a walk. Both Leyla and Rory are shocked by this, but Leyla says she will talk to Charlie later, before probing Rory further about coming out. Rory admits that almost everyone else already knows. He is only telling his parents now partly because he feels telling them of all people is the biggest deal, but also because he is involved with a Pride event happening at his university tomorrow, and this will likely be covered in local media. He did not want Charlie and Leyla to find out this way, which is why he chose to tell them now. Leyla is still fine with it all, however she becomes concerned when she asks if Rory is involved with anyone, and Rory admits he is - with Feliks Nowak, who is nearly eight years older than him. This prompts Leyla to have it out with Feliks's mother, Maria Nowak, at Nosh. Whilst Leyla and Maria are polite but awkward about it, mechanic Vik Nowak, Maria's husband and Feliks's father - who is present at the time of the conversation - is unapologetically defensive, saying that Rory is a grown man and that Leyla should not mollycoddle him. Nevertheless, Leyla remains adamant but cordial, and adivses the Nowak parents to think about what she has said. Meanwhile, Jess very circuitously tries to tell Perry at school that, even though they have been friends since day one at Catford Academy, she has lately developed feelings for him. Not entirely sure she's trying to say that, and not wanting to hurt her, Perry is deflective and self-depricating about it, but he doesn't rule it out. They arrange to go to the skate park later but because it's raining, these plans are dropped, and after they school they go back to the empty Castle house instead to revise. As they chatter, Perry starts to get the hint and finally asks Jess outright if she has feelings for him. Jess admits that she does, but if he doesn't feel the same way that is fine, because the most important thing is their friendship. Modestly, Perry asks if he can think about it, and the topic is left at that.

Elsewhere, at Castle News, Trish Castle gets on the wrong side of daughter Georgia Castle when she accuses Georgia's boyfriend, Greg Learner, of being 'boring', especially in contrast to the usual kind of man she goes out with. Georgia takes offece and storms off. Later, dad Darcus Castle tries to reassure Georgia that, in her own blunt way, Trish is only looking out for Georgia and meant no harm. Georgia is sceptical about this, but plays along anyway.

Finally, Yasmin Brannigan is concerned when long-time ex Johnny Miller has a cryptic phone call with her, telling her that their daughter, Ruby Brannigan - who lives with him in Manchester - has gone AWOL and he doesn't know where she is. Yasmin later tries to ring Ruby but to no avail. Yasmin's mum Linda Brannigan encourages husband Michael Brannigan to ring Ruby as Ruby thinks the world of him, but he is not sure. However the decision is taken out of their hands, when an eight-months pregnant Ruby turns up at the Brannigan household with a big pink suitcase, only to find it empty. However, she knows where they will be so she heads straight out again.

The episode ends with Ruby turning up unannounced at The Red Lion, to the surprise of Linda, Michael and Yasmin.

Episode Cast (in order of appearance)

 * Leyla Westaway (Louise Redknapp)
 * Charlie Westaway (Darren Day)
 * Michael Brannigan (Chris Chittell)
 * Linda Brannigan (Linda Robson)
 * Trish Castle (Ellen Thomas)
 * Darcus Castle (Don Warrington)
 * Perry Castle (Miles Butler-Hughton)
 * Georgia Castle (Freema Agyeman)
 * Jess Westaway (Hollie Steel)
 * Rory Westaway (Adam Benwell)
 * Yasmin Brannigan (Nicola Stapleton)
 * Maria Nowak (Michelle Collins)
 * Ruby Brannigan (Danielle Harold)
 * Vik Nowak (David Easter)

Episode Locations (in order of appearance)

 * The Red Lion main bedroom
 * Brannigan kitchen
 * Castle News (shop area)
 * The Red Lion living room
 * Brannigan living room
 * Catford Academy (ext.)
 * Nosh (shop area)
 * Nosh (ext.)
 * The Red Lion bar
 * Nosh (shop area)
 * Castle hallway, Castle living room
 * The Red Lion bar

Episode Notes

 * Leyla and Charlie Westaway are the first and second characters to speak and appear, in that order
 * The first scene is set at six o'clock (AM) - the same time the show is broadcast (PM)
 * The first line, spoken by Leyla, is "The Avenue!", a reference to a boyband from The X Factor
 * When the alarm goes off in the first scene, the song playing is 'LDN' by Lily Allen. LDN is a truncated form of the word 'London'. The song plays on Radio Thames. This is a fictional station - there is a Thames Radio and a Thames FM, but no Radio Thames!
 * In Scene 4, when Leyla is hoovering, the song 'Ruby' by the Kaiser Chiefs plays out on the radio. This is an in-joke and foreshadowing reference to Ruby Brannigan, who appears later in the episode
 * Bella Westaway, Jess's West Highland terrier, is not seen but Charlie mentions he is taking her for a walk
 * Feliks Nowak is mentioned but not seen in this episode