"Freddie" (Episode 3.05)

"Freddie" is the fifth episode of Series 3 and the 24th episode overall.

This episode primarily focuses on Freddie Mclair and his relationship with his family (including his sister Karen Mclair) and his slowly fracturing relationship with James Cook over Cook's selfish antics and both their interest in Effy Stonem.

Plot
Freddie is the black sheep of his family and is seen as a waste of space. His big sister, Karen, has ambition - she has reached the final of a TV talent show to find a new member of fictional girl group, 'Da Sexxbombz'. Freddie despises her blind lust for celebrity, but is emotionally blackmailed into sticking to the story she and their Dad, Leo are spinning about their supposed deceased mother, all to look good in front of the cameras, and thereby increase her chances of success. He cringes at the whole thing. But his Dad is increasingly favoring Karen over Freddie, up to the point of clearing out Freddie's shed and turning it into Karen's studio. If this was not bad enough, living in the shadow of the increasingly reckless Cook is becoming too much to bear. When Effy turns up at his shed, Freddie does not know what to do with himself. There is a connection between them, there always has been, but this is shattered when Cook and JJ arrive. Cook proceeds to tell Effy if she is not going to have sex with him she can leave the shed and all Freddie can do is stand by and watch. If that wasn't worse enough, after having a family conversation, Karen decided it would be a good time to 'make fun of him', which causes him to lose his temper, and pull down Karen's pants, revealing her underwear.

He feels torn between his family, his friends, and his heart, and the isolation is overwhelming. Freddie shows up at the competition to support his sister, however, Karen is crushed when she loses the show finale by a narrow fifteen votes. When Cook and JJ visit the Mclair house, Cook admits he got the entire pub to vote against Karen to get revenge since she "stole the shed". Freddie physically lashes out at Cook, accusing him of being selfish, yet Cook does not react. Instead, he kisses Freddie in an outpouring of emotion before becoming angered and leaves, smashing the family photo on his exit. JJ is called to follow which he does so obediently, yet reluctantly. Later, Freddie visits Effy, as she is the only one he can turn too, but she is revealed with Cook in her bedroom window and Freddie walks away in anger.

Music Featured in "Freddie"
Note: The music tracks listed below only refer to the music featured in the episode's initial airing. Many of the music tracks featured in this episode have been substituted for alternative tracks either for the BBC America airing or for both the US and UK home media release of Series 3.

The Early Years – A Little More

Fat Segal – Sexxbombz Theme Tune

Timothy Victor – Juicing Down

Fat Segal – Tension Music

The Clash – Bankrobber

Jimi Hendrix – Voodoo Chile

Phosphorescent – At Death A Proclamation

Boards of Canada – In a Beautiful Place Out in the Country

Sparklehorse – It’s A Wonderful Life

Carla Bruni – Le Ciel Dans Une Chambre

Notwist – This Room – City Slang

Electrelane – Gone Under The Sea

Devendra Banhart – Now That I Know

Fat Segal As Yet Untitled Freddie Being Sick Ambient Composition

Stephen Fretwell – Darlin’ Don’t

Phosphorescent – I Am A Fully Grown Man (And I Will Lay Down in the Grass)

Fat Segal – Rim Licking – 1st song

Timothy Victor – Ass2Ass

David Holmes – Love Reign Over Me