Changing Ends – Season 1 Episode 6 Recap & Review

Episode 6 of Changing Ends Season 1 begins at Alan’s school. There is a sense of optimism in the air as the Cobblers are finally doing well. This might also mean an end to some of the bullying that Alan endures. 

We cut to the head’s office where Miss Gideon is discussing the upcoming school play version of Animal Farm. While back at home, Mrs Hudson turns up at Christine’s door. She is worried that her husband might be having an affair. 

Before we get into the domestics of that situation, it’s back to school where the drama group are assembled. Alan is to play Squealer in the play. Miss Gideon will also be in the play with an extended part she wrote for herself, a decision she made when she heard Coronation Street casting agents were coming to watch the performance. 

After a brief trip back to Christine’s house where Mrs Hudson is still in tears, we return to the school where Alan tells one of the dinner ladies about the casting agents. Charlie’s girlfriend Maz overhears the conversation and expresses an interest in joining the club. 

Later, Charlie approaches Alan in the street about the play. He has heard about it from Maz. Alan invites him along and accidentally drops part of his costume on the road. 

At the house, Mrs Hudson leaves just as Alan arrives. He tells his parents about the play, neither of whom are interested in coming along. They then hear a scream outside. It’s Mrs Hudson who has found the dropped costume and assumed it’s from the woman her husband is supposedly having an affair with.

At the drama rehearsal, Maz arrives and asks to join. As evidence of her talents, she sings and gives a wonderful rendition of Amazing Grace. Miss Gideon, who is worried Maz might upstage her, decides Maz should work backstage instead. 

Back at the house, Mrs Hudson shows Christine the costume. Written in the lining is ‘Squealer,’ the name of Alan’s character in the play. Alan and Graham arrive and Alan once again asks his parents to come to the performance. Christine says she will come but Graham has a football game to go to.

Just as Alan is about to tell Mrs Hudson about his character, her husband turns up. It’s a pity as she would have learned Squealer was an Animal Farm character and not another woman!

Later, there are two big events happening at once – the football game and the school play. At the play, Miss Gideon has taken centre stage. Christine and Mrs Hudson are in the crowd. When Alan takes his turn on stage and reveals his character name, Mrs Hudson realises she has been a fool.

Miss Gideon doesn’t realise what a fool she is, however. The audience are watching her performance and they aren’t impressed. When she is knocked out by one of the props, Alan gets on stage and gives an impromptu comedy performance to energise the audience. He’s a hit with the crowd. 

Meanwhile, the Cobblers win their game. Graham heads to the school but he is too late to see Alan’s performance. Christine calls him and rather than tell her he’s at the school, he tells her he is still at the game. Perhaps he’s pretending he’s not interested in Alan’s dramatic (or rather comedic) pursuits when secretly, he cares more than he is letting on.

The next day, Alan and his classmates watch a recorded video of the performance. While watching himself, Alan realises he’s camp, which is the reason why he had been picked on at school. Quite why he hadn’t realised that before, we aren’t quite sure. 

The episode ends with the real Alan Carr pulling the plug on the television and telling us his younger self isn’t ready to be on TV just yet. 

The Episode Review

The final episode of Changing End’s first season isn’t a laugh riot – even when Alan gets up on the school stage and gives his performance – but as with most other episodes of the series, it passes the time with a few amusing moments.

Oliver Savell continues to impress as Alan but it’s Cariad Lloyd as the pretentious drama teacher Miss Gideon who provides the most laughs this time around.

Some of the plot points in this episode were a little predictable and hastily rushed through. Case in point, the so-called affair that Mrs Hudson thought her husband was having. These scenes were a distraction from the more interesting characters in the show, namely Alan and his family, who have more to offer in terms of comedy and emotion.

Overall, this was a fine but slightly lacklustre end to the series. The next season has already wrapped, so if you have enjoyed Season 1, there is more of young Alan Carr on the way.