Gym junkie Simon Prendergast is arrested for the assault on Edie. But this case is a long way from being closed.
In this week’s episode of Dustfall, Tig (Anna Torv) and Remi (Bert LaBonté) turn up to the house where Simon (Jay Ryan) lives with his girlfriend Ronnie (Kirsty O’Connor). They take Simon to the police station and begin questioning him. He admits he was the man who approached Edie (Zoe Phillips) at the pub on the night she was assaulted.
“The arrest of Simon feels like a massive win for the police,” Bert tells TV WEEK. “But in a strange little twist, he manages to get the upper hand in a way that the police don’t see coming.”
Tig runs into Ronnie outside the coffee shop where she works, and this time, Ronnie reveals some information that could be enough to keep Simon behind bars. But she’s too scared of Simon to officially release that information to the police. Is there anything that could make her change her mind?
Meanwhile, Tig catches up with Shayna (Alice Ansara) and some other old school friends, and the talk turns to local muso Andy (Peter Fenton), who started a relationship with Tig when she was still a schoolgirl. Shayna gives Tig her thoughts on the relationship, but is Tig ready to hear them?
Later, Tig heads to the pub, where Andy is performing. He’s drawn a big crowd. Tig is shocked when Edie turns up and starts drinking and dancing, with her injuries clearly visible.
“It’s basically a ‘f— you’ to everyone,” Zoe tells TV WEEK. “She’s saying, ‘This is me. Look at what you did to me. Look at what you let people do – and they’re getting away with it.’ She’s just taking back control of who she is and not being ashamed of what her body now looks like.”
What is Dustfall about?
Dustfall is based on the 2022 novel The Unbelieved by Vicki Petraitis. Vicki is an award-winning Australian author and podcaster who has also published many true-crime books.
Actress Juliet Stevenson, who flew over from the UK to film the role of Juliet’s mother Olivia in Dustfall, is hoping the series will get people talking.
“The rising rates of sexual violence towards women globally is a subject close to my heart,” Juliet tells TV WEEK. “The terrifying prevalence of misogyny online is off the scale, and boys are able to access it – and indeed are being targeted by it – from an early age.
“The series explores several kinds of male violence within its storyline, but it also has at its heart a great guy with whom Tig is having a loving and healthy relationship, so it’s balanced.”
Who are some of the actors in it?
Andy is played by Peter Fenton. He was in the 1990s Australian band Crow and also starred in Love Is A Four-Letter Word.
Simon is played by Jay Ryan, who started his career under the name Jay Bunyan. He played Jack Scully in Neighbours.
Remi is played by Bert LaBonté. He’s played policemen 12 times in his career, in shows from Blue Heelers to NCIS: Sydney.
Catch Dustfall on Sundays at 8.20pm on the ABC on or on ABC iview.
