We, or rather I should say I, am at the final episode of series three. I’m sure most fans of the series have already watched series four and five, it’s just me that’s way behind.

But there are those who don’t (or can’t) watch, and (hopefully) those who have watched and are still interested in someone else’s thoughts a year or so down the line.

The Thief

I feel like this is an odd title for the final episode. We will see them reveal the true thief, but somehow an episode titled The Thief makes me feel as if it should be the first episode where the girls realise there is a thief, rather than the unmasking of the real thief after the mistaken arrest of the supposed thief. It feels more suited to there is a thief, rather than here’s the real thief. In my head, anyway!

With Darrell focused on clearing Ron’s name, Mary-Lou and Ellen uncover new information that changes everything they thought about the art thefts. 

The episode synopsis doesn’t give anything away, despite us all knowing who the thief is. Darrell SAW two Miss Johnsons at the end of the previous episode so I hope she doesn’t waste time believing that was a mirage or something.

Famous last words

I know I usually try to start with the positives but this is the last episode so I’m changing things up.

Of course they start out with nobody believing there were two Miss Johnsons.

Maybe you were seeing things. Two Miss Johnsons, it doesn’t make any sense.

No, Irene , it makes TOTAL SENSE. That’s how Ron saw her load the van, while she was also seen outside the study. Even Sally doesn’t believe her.

(At this point I was wondering if they’d ever switched back and forth or was it always the same twin in the school the whole time.)

Despite Irene (somewhat conveniently) finding a photo that proves there are two identical women, the others continue to disbelieve her and Darrell.

What worked well

Miss Johnson continues to have so much confidence she installs herself behind the headmistress’ desk and calls for girls to come see her, the moment Miss Grayling is out of the school. Yet at the same time we see her desperate to show that she has done a good job with managing the school.

I’m not sure what her motivations are – does she want to stay at the school? Or is she just trying to keep in favour until she can do a runner?

Although Irene finding the photo was really rather too easy and convenient I loved the reveal. We had seen the photo in earlier episodes and of course I thought it was just vanity that had her put her own photo on the desk but it’s far more likely the part that was showing was her twin. So it was a nice early clue that I completely disregarded. As a side note, on taking the screenshot for below, I did start to think that it looks awfully like the window in the dining room/assembly hall of Malory Towers.

We get another great Gwen vs Bill moment (why couldn’t we have had a lot more of this through the series?)

Bill is declaring that the stolen goods are why Miss Johnson kept her away from the stables etc and Gwen replies:

No, to be fair, Wilhelmina, you were impossible. Anyone would have given you punishments.

It was good to see Ellen’s chemistry knowledge being used again, especially with household products in place of the official set.

Miss Johnson’s disappearance reminded me of the Von Trapp Family not going on stage to receive their prizes at the music festival, as they have fled from the nazis. Max Detweiler is on stage calling them up, once, twice, just like Gwen calls for Miss Johnson only to realise that she has gone.

Although sad, the scene of Gwen’s illusions being shattered was well-done. It actually reminded me of the books, and how she would go all silly over various girls or teachers aways to be let down. It was also good to see her stand up for herself and the other girls and tell Miss Johnson that she was wrong for what she had done. Just a pity the other girls didn’t all see her having grown so much spine!

The end was fairly satisfying with Miss Johnson being caught… er… brown handed. It couldn’t live up to the earlier scene with Thunder, but it was still good to see her humiliated again. Nothing less than she deserved!

What didn’t work so well

Yet again a lack of cast was painfully obvious at times. There is a lot of talk about the end of term assembly. Miss Grayling arrives back just in time for it, and Miss Johnson plans to leave straight after it, so this rather rules out the idea that there were six assemblies. Yet Gwen refers to it as the third form assembly, perhaps desperate attempt by the script writers to explain why there are only 15 people in the room including the staff!

Note the wooden shutters behind Matron and Miss Grayling. A mirror image of the ones in the photo of the two Miss Johnsons?

Things I felt ambivalent about

Although I was fully on the girls’ side, I was hugely frustrated when Bill stands in Miss Johnson’s way and she behaves as if this is an impossible roadblock. I literally told her (out loud!) to just shove Bill out of the way. She has been ruthless all series, so why not now?

She is shown to be utterly self-serving, though, as she chooses to leave her twin locked in a horse stall rather than shoving Bill and unlocking the door. It’s a shame that this wasn’t explored at all – it would have been nice to see her twin betray her back in revenge, or something.

Overall

This was a fairly strong end to the series. Miss Johnson got what she deserved at last, and Miss Grayling is back. Gwen grew a spine (at least temporarily), and the girls worked together well once they all believed Darrell.