"Grace" (Episode 5.07)

"Grace" is the seventh episode of Series 5 and the 44th episode overall.

This episode primarily focuses on Grace Violet, revealed to be the daughter of Professor Blood, and their conflict in her staying in Roundview and her continuing her relationship with Rich Hardbeck.

Plot
The episode opens with Grace and Rich waking up in bed together. Grace is shocked when she realizes that they are at her house and says that Rich has to leave. She rushes downstairs with him but the door is locked and she explains that Rich will have to go through the kitchen and out through the garden. She tells him that she trusts him but, when they get to the kitchen, Rich is shocked to discover Professor Blood dancing. Grace admits that he is her dad and promises to explain later, but adds that he needs to go. Rich runs through the kitchen, hiding under counters and behind the island. Grace distracts her parents by pretending that she feels ill, but Blood notices Rich when he is attacked by the family dog in the garden. Grace introduces Rich to her parents and he makes a swift exit, but Blood gives Grace a look.

Blood drives Grace to college and drops her off some distance from the entrance. He announces that he thinks their "experiment" is over and says he wants her to return to Mayberry's College for Young Ladies. Grace begs him not to send her there as she hates it and points out that she is getting A grades. Blood agrees to a deal - the moment she gets less than an A, she will have to return. He says it will begin with her drama exam and Grace tearfully agrees. When she gets to college, Rich confronts her and she explains that Blood didn't want people to know she was his daughter in case it compromised his position. Rich is annoyed that she didn't tell him but Grace says she didn't have a choice before kissing him. She says they are late for their drama rehearsals.

Later, the rehearsals - for Twelfth Night, which Grace is directing - are under way. Mini is painfully overacting and Grace decides to skip to a scene with Franky and Matty. She reminds Franky that it is a love scene and the pair gaze at each other, smiling as they run through their lines. Liv becomes increasingly suspicious as she watches and ends up announcing that she and Matty have decided to leave the play. Grace is shocked as they are the leads, but Liv walks off. Grace rushes after her and Liv explains that she feels as if everyone is still annoyed with her for sleeping with Nick. Grace promises that everything is fine and invites Liv over for a girls' night. Liv nods, and Grace goes to see Blood in his office. He reluctantly agrees to let her have some people over and agrees to have dinner with Rich. He reminds her of their deal. Later, Blood calls Rich to his office and reveals that he has his academic record and his father's employment history. He reveals that he can help Rich and his father and explains that although he cannot influence the result of the drama exam, someone he has heard is good could perform badly on purpose. Rich catches on and asks why Blood wants Grace to fail her exam. Blood replies that she is too good for Rich.

That evening, Rich arrives for dinner with Grace and her parents. The meal is awkward and Blood makes digs at Rich. Eventually, Grace and her parents start singing a family song about peas and Rich is shocked. After dinner, Rich and Grace clear up and Rich explains that Grace is different around her parents. However, the conversation is interrupted when Mini, Liv and Franky arrive. Rich leaves, as Blood arrives and explains that he is Grace's father. He asks them to keep it a secret and they agree. Upstairs, Grace apologizes for not telling the girls about Blood, but they are unconcerned. Liv reveals that she has brought some cocaine but Grace is worried and says they should rehearse. Mini and Liv start making snide comments about each other and in an effort to keep the peace, Grace announces that they should take the cocaine and they do so. Later, they start talking about how they relate to their characters in Twelfth Night and Liv snidely remarks that Franky is Viola, "the girl dressed as a boy that can't get what she wants, whatever that is". Franky replies that she knows what she wants (which gets Liv's attention right away) and Mini points out that they don't know what her sexuality is, apologizing for prodding. Franky announces that she is "not anything" and is "into people". Liv aggressively asks who she's into at the moment, and Franky begins to answer, but Grace stops the conversation by getting everyone to dance. Blood ends up banging on the door complaining that it is shut, and the girls quickly hide their drugs. They all leave and Grace announces that she will walk them home, but they end up going to a club.

As they dance, Mini complains that there are no men and spots some middle-aged guys by the bar. She tells Franky to come with her but Franky refuses. However, when Liv makes a snide comment that Franky "likes to watch", Franky agrees to go with Mini. When they have gone, Liv agrees to rejoin the play and Grace is thrilled. Matty and Rich arrive, and Grace realizes that Rich is drunk. Matty notices Franky being hassled by one of the guys at the bar, but Liv tells him not to get involved, saying that they are having a good time. However, Matty intervenes and the guys leave, causing Mini to yell at him. Liv goes over and starts arguing as well and Grace worries that she's caused this. At that moment, Rich is sick and collapses on the floor. Grace and Rich are thrown out and Grace offers to walk him home, as he sings loudly. He collapses on the ground again and drunkenly tells Grace that she is a "shapeshifter of happiness". He adds that he doesn't know who she is - Grace Violet or a daddy's girl or his girl. Grace says she is who she needs to be and quotes "all the world's a stage", but Rich says it's not true. He ends up staggering off alone.

Later, Grace's mother finds her and sees that she is upset. Grace admits that because her friends have fallen out, the play won't work, she won't get an A for drama, and she'll have to return to Mayberry's. Her mother reminds her of Rapunzel and tells her to make a happy ending for herself. In rehearsals, Mini and Franky are rehearsing and Grace tells them to kiss. Alo immediately sits up and the pair reluctantly do so. Grace thanks Mini for covering for Liv but admits that they need Liv and Matty back. As they take a break, Rich approaches Grace and apologizes for being drunk. However, he adds that he meant what he said. Grace accuses him of calling her fake, but Rich says that he means she is always performing a part. Grace asks what's going on, but Rich says that nothing is. He eventually admits that he doesn't know if they're right for each other. Grace points out that it's not like they're getting married and it was only one dinner, but Rich describes it as a "mental" dinner. He admits that he doesn't know what to do about them and Grace asks him to leave. She goes to the college's new drama studio and begins reciting the 'To be or not to be' speech from Hamlet. Towards the end, she starts shouting: "No." She goes to see Matty and announces that he is back in the play and has to come to rehearsals. Matty agrees but admits that he hasn't spoken to Liv since the night before, adding that he doesn't think she trusts him. Grace asks what kind of boyfriend he is and he replies: "A bad one, but I love her, Grace. I really f**king love her." At rehearsals, Matty and Franky have another scene together but when Matty leans in to kiss her, she moves so that he only kisses her cheek.

Later, Grace watches a video of the rehearsal on her laptop and throws a book at her mirror in frustration. Her mother hears the smash and rushes in, saying that she can make it better. Grace admits that she can't make a happy ending and her mother tells her to just try harder. Grace goes to find Liv and asks her to come back. Liv confesses that she doesn't know how to be around anyone anymore and asks Grace what she thinks about her sleeping with Nick. Grace tells her that everything will be fine and says it's the only thing she has left to count on. Liv takes her hand and they walk away together.

It's time for the performance, and Grace gives the group an inspiring speech. Rich comes over, asking if they can talk, but Grace tells him it will have to wait until later. The performance begins and Liv and Franky have to kiss on stage. Liv sees Matty watching from the wings. When Rich appears on stage, Blood looks at him meaningfully but Rich performs well and makes everyone laugh, disappointing Blood. Backstage, Liv confronts Matty, alleging that her kiss with Franky turned him on. Matty says it did because she was kissing another girl, but Liv asks him whether he loves Franky. Matty says he loves Liv, but she asks him again about Franky. Matty doesn't say anything and Liv storms off. Grace stops her from leaving but Liv tells her that she said it would all be okay. Grace insists that it will be but they have to finish the play. Liv agrees but stops as she passes Matty and tells him to forget Franky now. Despite a very awkward scene involving Franky, Liv and Matty, the play comes to an end and everyone lines up to bow. Afterwards, Blood praises Grace but explains that she will have to go to Mayberry's anyway. Her mother agrees and Grace is furious, realising that she would be sent back no matter how her drama exam went. She yells that Blood wants a different daughter and storms off. Rich calls after her but she says he was right about her. Rich insists that he wasn't but Grace tells him she's a "fiction" and doesn't belong there.

Grace ends up in bed with books of fairytales surrounding her. Her mother arrives and promises that everything will turn out alright, but Grace accuses her of filling her with stories for her whole life. She begins throwing books on the floor, calling them lies. She says she believed her mother and now she is miserable, adding that it is her mother's fault and she can't fix it. Her mom storms out and Grace lies on her bed sobbing. Suddenly, she hears a stone being thrown at her window and hears Rich reciting Shakespeare. She goes out onto her balcony and laughs as Rich shimmies up the drainpipe, speaking lines from Romeo & Juliet. They climb through the window into Grace's bedroom but she tells him that there's nothing they can do - their relationship is over. She asks what she should do and Rich replies: "The exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine." He asks her what people in Shakespeare plays do when everything is messed up before saying that maybe stories are just stories, or maybe they could make their lives a story. He asks her to marry him before kissing her. Grace quotes Shakespeare back at him, saying: "O wonder, how many godly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, that has such people in it." Rich starts crying and they kiss.

Music Featured in "Grace"
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 for both the UK home media release of Series 5.

Stars - Wasted Daylight

Katrina and the Waves - Walking on Sunshine

Segal - John The Craft I

Angus & Julia Stone - And The Boys

Virtual Boy - Mass

Pea Song - Grace's Family

Flight Facilities - Crave You…

Brooxie - Storm

Soulja Boy - Turn My Swag On

Magnetic Man - Fire

Jessie J - Do It Like a Dude

Au Revoir Simone - Trace a Line (Montag Mix)

The National - Runaway

Segal - John The Craft II

Segal - John The Craft III

Segal - John The Craft IV

Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Heart in your Heartbreak

James Blake - Measurements

Radical Face - Welcome Home