All Saints: articles


Parker, Thomson, Smithers

Rose, I'm in love With Terri

That's what Mitch plans to tell his wife in All Saints, but does he have the courage to go through with it?

The moment All Saints fans have been waiting for is finally here. Dr Mitch Stevens has decided to break the news to his wife Rose that their marriage is over!

But will Mitch (Erik Thomson) really go through with it—and how will Rose (Joy Smithers) react when she learns that he's taken up with his true love Terri Sullivan (Georgie Parker)?

In this week's episode, Mitch is told that Rose is about to return home after spending time in a psychiatric hospital following an overdose of sleeping pills.

Mitch decides it's now or never. He informs Terri that he's heading to the hospital to deliver the news personally to Rose, who overdosed because she was jealous of her hubby's devotion to his job and his relationship with Terri. Not everything goes to plan, though.

"When Mitch arrives at the hospital, Rose is fabulous," reveals Joy (below, with Georgie and Erik).

"She's the person he fell in love with—the old Rose, the mother of his child. He thinks, 'Well maybe I don't want to separate after all.' He hasn't slept with Terri, so maybe there's a chance."

However, Erik offers a different explanation for Mitch's hesitation.

"It's not that Mitch is being gutless," he says. "He does try to tell Rose at first, but he realises that she's not ready to deal with it yet. He hasn't judged the situation properly."

Even though he can't bring himself to utter the words, Rose suspects Mitch has come to end their marriage.

"She says to him, 'Let's not talk about that now,'" Joy says. "She jumps in and says something to the effect of 'Lets just enjoy each other's company.'

"The weather is perfect and everything is right, but Rose does sense that Mitch wants to say something."

Back at All Saints Western General hospital, Terri waits anxiously for Mitch's return and details of Rose's reaction to the big news. Instead of feeling excited at the prospect of her and Mitch becoming lovers, she's apprehensive and nervous.

"She's very worried about how Rose will react," Georgie says. "And while it means she and Mitch can finally start a relationship, that's also scary. They are used to functioning with a wall between them, and that wall isn't there anymore.

"Terri is also very worried for Mitch, because if you love somebody and they're nervous, you're nervous for them. It's not like she's saying to herself, 'Oh goody!'"

Mitch may not be able to tell Rose now, but TV WEEK can reveal that he finds the courage in next week's episode of All Saints… and her reaction is not what he expected!

"He thinks Rose will go nuts, but she's fine about it," Erik says. "She's had months of counselling and rehab at the hospital, and her medication is finally right. Rose now realised that she's not happy with Mitch, and he's not happy with her. The audience has long known that, but they are only finding it out now!"

"Rose's attitude is that if Mitch wants to stay together for the sake of their baby daughter Lucy, then she is willing to give it another try," Joy adds. "But she thinks it's best for them to go their separate ways."

In playing out the dramatic scenes, Joy had to come to a decision of her own. Is her alter ego again trying to manipulate Mitch for her own benefit?

"Not this time," Joy maintains. "Rose is well now and seeing things 100% clearly. It's nobody's fault the marriage has failed. They were both looking for different things that weren't there."

Whether Rose continues to see things clearly after she learns Mitch has left her for Terri is another matter!

"It may push her back over the edge, or she might shrug her shoulders and say 'I told you so,'" Joy says. "Maybe she will feel relieved and justified. You'll have to wait and see!"



The kiss of death?

Now that Mitch Stevens has made up his mind to dump his wife for his eternal love Terri Sullivan, All Saints finds itself following the same unsuccessful path trod by US series such as Moonlighting and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.

The sexual tension between David Addison (Bruce Willis) and Maddie Hayes (Cybill Shepherd) made Moonlighting a hit in the mid-80s—and the same applied with Lois Lane (Terri Hatcher) and Clark Kent/Superman (Dean Cain) a decade later. But when they finally got together, ratings plunged and the shows were cancelled. Will history repeat itself?

"Absolutely not," Georgie says. "They were both romantic comedies, and the whole show was based around those two characters. All Saints is based around nine."

"The writers are aware of it, and everything has been done to make sure it doesn't happen," Erik promises. "There will be more than enough to keep people interested!"

By Erin Craven
week of March 23, 2002
TV Week