Nolly – Season 1 Episode 3 Recap, Review & Ending Explained

What’s new in Nolly’s life? 

Episode 3 takes us back to 1978 when Noelle “Nolly” Gordon won the Hall of Fame award. Some might say people invented the award just to give other actors and actresses a chance because Nolly snagged the award every year. Cut to the present, we see Nolly doing auditions for Uncle Jocco’s Kiddie Show alongside many struggling actors, actresses, and extras.

Nolly has returned to her roots of performing at the theatre. No matter where Nolly is or what she is doing, people just want to ask her one thing: why did they kick her out of the show? There are also rumours going around that she is a lesbian.

Nolly finds herself in a daunting position as she is tasked with replacing Rose, a character once played by the legendary Ethel Merman. Doubt creeps in as Nolly questions her own abilities, fearing she may not measure up to the role’s expectations.

Adding to her insecurities, Nolly faces mockery from her coworkers, who tease her for being single and solitary. Fed up with the taunting, Nolly reveals her past love for someone named Val Parnell, whom she adored for 17 years until he left her for another woman.

After Val’s passing, Nolly couldn’t bring herself to pursue another relationship. Nolly also addresses the rumors surrounding her dismissal from the show, admitting that she was let go because she was deemed expendable and easy to replace.

Why was Nolly fired?  

Nolly meets with her agent, who proposes a theater opportunity in “The Boyfriend” that will take her to Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, and beyond, and Nolly agrees. Over the next few months, she performs in theaters across Abu Dhabi and Bangkok. However, her adventures take an unexpected turn when she finds herself getting arrested at a strip club in Bangkok.

In Bangkok, Nolly learns why she was sacked. Hansa, a woman from the UK consulate, tells Nolly that she was fired from the show not because of contractual reasons but because no one liked her. Nolly meets Jack and reads from a piece of paper listing the reasons why she was fired.

It contained words like “bully,” “difficult,” and “fly in the ointment,” which were used by Nolly’s colleagues to describe her. Eventually, Jack breaks the news to Nolly, telling her that she had been difficult from day one and they were tired of dealing with her behavior. Jack clarifies that he did voice his concerns to his boss, Charles, about Nolly’s actions, but he never anticipated that Charles would take such drastic action.

Does Nolly join Crossroads again?

Jack apologizes to Nolly and extends an invitation for her to return. Jack even proposes a new storyline where Meg’s character is relocated to Venice. Nolly jumps at the chance and says yes. We see her dancing in her apartment, indicating her happiness. Nolly returns to the show, and this time, she does things differently.

She doesn’t make any changes to the script nor does she refuse Jack’s suggestions, stating she is making changes to improve the show. Unfortunately, this stint is cut short when Nolly is diagnosed with stomach cancer and soon passes away, leaving behind a lasting legacy.

The Episode Review

“Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was one of the greatest soap operas ever made, Crossroads.” This iconic saying rings true as we reflect on the effort it took to create such a show. At the heart of Crossroads was Noelle Gordon, affectionately known as Nolly. She dedicated an impressive 17 years of her life to the show and even returned to it after being axed out.

Unfortunately, her second stint on the show was short-lived, as she passed away not long after. Without her presence, the show struggled to carry on, and just two years later, it met the same fate and was axed as well. But Nolly’s story isn’t just one of a woman’s fall from grace, as the synopsis might suggest. It’s a story of dedication, determination, and honour toward her craft.