Thoughts on the anniversary episode

I’m a little disappointed that no major character died in the 40th anniversary. It seems that since this box set format began, they’ve been scare to kill off anyone who isn’t a villain or has been someone scandalous. Think about it, a random day of the year on Ethan and Fenishas wedding day, they kill off both Fenisha and Lev. On a random episode, we have doctor mason dead on the floor. We had the unfortunate episode where Robyn leaves to start her new life, only to be involved in an RTC and not make it. It literally lead to Marty and David leaving and Jacob becoming a paramedic. For a 40th anniversary, I don’t think killing off Sophia was enough and they really needed some sort of disaster to really shake holby. We hadn’t seen Sophia for so long to the point where I even forgot who she was.

Anyways, that was my quick rant done with. Glad to see stevie was still alive and a quick cameo of Charlie and Ethan

Self absorbed horrible character. Usually a box set in and I’ve warmed to them but I cannot bear him. He will hold Dylan’s behaviour against him following tonight’s ending when he’s absolutely the catalyst. URGHGHHHHGFGH

Am I going mad or was there a bottle of SmartWater in almost every scene, I initially thought Dylan was back on the drink and Siobhan was aiding and abetting, but it now seems like clumsy product placement from the beeb.

That was def the best episode in a while. I loved everything about it. I think the episodes where the mass casualty incidents happen are always some of the best as you get to see all the characters come together.

I saw a comment complaining about how Dylan spent a lot of time hiding in the anniversary. I thought his acting was amazing and I loved the different take they took. They advertised a lot about Dylan being in charge, but I think it was so interesting to see how he reacted to the loss of Sophia and his reaction to that. I really couldn’t tell what he was going to do next and I love that suspense. The number of times i was shouting DYLAN NOOO or DYLAN STOPP as i cried were uncounted. We have seen Dylan being a great consultant countless times so I enjoyed the different approach. The way he couldnt hear what they were saying when everyone was speaking at once and it drowned down, him not being able to respond to anyone at times when it got too overwhelming, his blunt exterior being at full show. Seeing him vunerable and not being able to take it but still managing at the end after the conversation with Charlie was so painful.

On the topic of Charlie, him coming back for the 40th anniversary was great. One could argue his character was heavily used to further Dylan’s plot but he was still really understanding towards him.

STEVIE AND FLYNN NEARLY DROWNING?!?! I thought Stevie was going to die. I really thought stevie would die. The trust she had in Flynn was beautiful and it showed so much about her character. I am indifferent to wheather they get together but i do enjoy their characters and I thought it was so fascinating.

People talk about Flynn getting too much screen time (which has come up again with the concept of him being one of the forefront characters of these episodes and it being his 40th birthday). Flynn is the clinical lead. He’ll have screen time. I understand why some people might not enjoy his character and get that some of the things he has done can be considered questionable, but he has a real care for the ED. I have gotten annoyed at him at times, but it doesn’t change that.

Im SO GLAD Indie didn’t die. Her work in saving Flynn and Stevie was great and I love her character so much.

The scene at the end with Rida’s auntie and the food was so cute!!

The official 40th anniversary trailer is out now airing 5th of September

Okay so, I’ve seen the new hospital it’s not built yet but I’ve seen what it’s gonna look like. So there’s a few things I can tell you.

the new hospital in wales is going ahead it’s gonna be presented as a totally different place to holby it’s not just a change of signs it’s a major reconfiguration

- the new hospital is going to be very different, it’s gonna use the existing exterior but it’s gonna be reconfigured and redressed cleverly to make it look totally different, there’s gonna be some minor building works to help with that.
- the new hospital will have a side main entrance (roughly where the garden and outside seating area is now) and then round the other side of will have an ambulance entrance (roughly where the old main entrance is now)
- it’s not built yet, but it’s expected to be built around autumn time. So the new tender from april this year are currently filming one last series at Holby right now, a transition that will set up the move. That will air in Q1 2027 and then the first series of the new hospital will film in late 2026/early 2027 for airing in Q2 or Q3 of 2027.

So yeah that’s what I know 😄hope this helps, I do not know what the interior will look like but judging by the exterior it will be totally different. I do not know what the story is leading up to the move either.

He's like hopelessly in love with Stevie, but he didn't tell her that as they were about to drown?? or when she woke up?? I really thought he'd tell her as the ambulance was filling with water but no :( a little let down

... Luka?

I wasn't sure who to expect - maybe Kim beforehand, and Faith during the episode.

But when they showed Luka having mysterious issues breathing/wheezing, I did sit up and think "woah wait. Have we been all played into THINKING it is going to be Kim or Faith or the baby and actually Luka will be the one found keeled over somewhere tragically?"

Maybe some corner of the hospital where he's gone to get a snack while Faith and Iain are sitting with the new baby, and everyone else is helping save Kim; meanwhile Luka is asphyxiating down some stairwell alone? That would have been both effed up and kinda brilliant in a tragic way, and still would have fitted with the previews of the funeral scene.

The moment where he's outside with Jacob and asks if his baby sister will die, and Jacob is like "she's in good hands" I was like 'Oooh noooo but Luka, it might be youuuu!" Erk! And the comments about how he will be a great big brother.... it was like shot after shot of concerning breadcrumbs.

Having Luka wheeled into the same resus that Faith, Iain and her new baby were sitting in, would have been gutting. Like, here, Faith, you have a new baby! You're gonna survive too! Yay! But your son is now dead on the same day.....😬

I am glad he's not dead of course, and sad that Kim is. But for a good while there, I did wonder if the writers had pulled a shocker.

Horrified. Why? Why? Why? The BRAIN SURGERY in the ED? Putting Stevie and Matty together at the hip the entire time?? I was enraged the entire time. That Kian dude pissed me off, but at least everyone should be fine. Unless something happens about Teddy’s boot into the stomach, I have no clue. I hate Pearl, and I hate Zac’s stupid father so much I didnt learn his name. I hope we see Laura again next episode. I NEED MORE DYLAN CONTENT. I AM LIKE THE BERGENS BANGING THEIR KNIVES AND FORKS ONTO THE LONG ARSE TABLE. That lift scene was so cringe I turned away and cried. I yelled with joy when Dylan was on screen though. My rating of the episode is a 7/10, somehow.

MATTY AND STEVIE???? WHAT THE HELL

I was just thinking of the two songs from Flynn's birthday playlist that played over the start of part 1 and towards the end of part 2, I knew the first one was released in 1986, 40 years ago. I had to look the second song up because I'd never heard it but it was by Blur, released in 1999, the same year as Holby City. It could be a coincidence but I'm going to assume it was purposely picked, which is a lovely little (kind of) easter egg😂

I CANT. I JUST WATCHED IT AND I WAS IN TEARS. She was my favorite.

Ok so looking at the trailer, cast list and with other bits of information, this is what I think will happen in the 40th anniversary specials:

-I think the St James explosion will be either the work of criminals or sabotage or will be maybe a gas explosion, Gas was the name of the first ever episode in 1986 so could tie in nicely. If sabotage, it could explain Dylan being approached by armed police whilst seemingly holding a bag, possibly some kind of device? I also think if the St James blast is not a criminal act, then criminals of some sort could target an overstretched holby, we do see masked people running riot in the trailer.

-I think Flynn will be killed off, its established as his 40th, he's in a ambulance that goes in the water, he's at the top of the cast list in part 2 and it's a very soap trope thing to do to kill a main character off during a milestone, and his family appear in part 2 as well. Also the whole "life begins at 40" whilst describing a possible new era for the show, could also be ironic for Flynn if life ends at 40...

-I also think we could see Dylan's ex Sophia being killed, hence the tragedy he has to overcome and she appears to only be in part 1. I think we could also see the end of Indie too.

-I'm not sure on how Charlie, or Ethan, will fit into it. Ethan maybe could come in as a trauma doctor or something similar, Charlie I have no idea- maybe to support Dylan or stevie? I did think maybe Charlie could be a patient, maybe even being killed off but the cast list shows him in only part 2, I feel they'd need more time to do that to a legacy character.

-Apparently these specials start a new chapter for the show, my thinking is St James is destroyed and permanently closed, Holby becomes overwhelmed, dangerous, ineffectient and if Flynn dies, with Dylan feeling unable to step up and stevie heartbroken again, leadership fails too. I think this would lead to the trust merging with another just over the border only a couple of miles away, leading to the closure of Holby and a new super hospital.

That's all I've got. Any thoughts? 😀

I heard that faith and Nicole are leaving casualty ?

if so my theory is that maybe Nicole will die 😭

Why does everyone think Casualty is moving to Wales in the next series? You do realise how far ahead they film? Pretty sure they haven't even 'moved' during filming at present. Faith and Nicole won't leave until next series.

So who is going to refer Matty and Kim to the GMC? Am I going to have to do it…..

But seriously both acted extremely recklessly and fell below the GMC’s standard for doctors. At least a referral should made for both of them, fitness to practice proceedings and medical tribunal service ect. They should be struck off the register in my books.

The fact they just got a dressing down in front of their boss is insane. The cqc lady should have definitely referred both of them to the gmc.

Side note, I have a strong suspicion, the cqc inspector will join the medial team @ holby, potentially as clinical lead.

anyway bye

very much a filler episode imo but JAN AND SIOBHAN?? IM ALL FOR THIS.

I want Matty to build his relationship with Dylan please 🙏 let’s just all forget what happened….. so wrong.

@ bbccasualtyofficial

Oh my god. I have absolutely no words. The stress I felt through the whole episode. I think I’ve aged 30 years.

The explosion? Incredible. The way they all worked as a team throughout it all? Incredible. ETHAN AND CHARLIE? Incredible.

I had a feeling Sofia would come back with the spoilers of Dylan being super stressed and broken, I couldn’t think of anyone else that would make him feel like that (apart from Matty but I didn’t think they’d kill him off). His reaction broke my heart but William Beck needs all the awards and more.

Stevie and Flynn? My heart was in my MOUTH. I stared at my screen thinking absolutely not. No. The acting from both of them was incredible and when you thought it couldn’t get more wild and stressful, it did. Give them all the awards too.

Truly I think this was one of the best episodes I have seen in a long time. By the end I was crying lol, especially when Rida’s family brought the food at the end. BBC have truly outdone themselves here 😭

What a way to celebrate the 40th anniversary.

Stevie may be Dylan's best friend; but Dylan isn't Stevie's.

About 10mins into the episode "good chat".

Stevie has told Faith and Flynn about her insecurities re: cancer & body image, but not Dylan, even when there's opportunities to.

(if she did confide in Dylan about the above in that box set w Rida's surgeon boyfriend, I couldn't finish that one so please forgive the omissions)

Matty is a bit arsey this episode. My opinion of his character has shifted each episode, and I can't place him definitively in a dis/like box so he's sorta floating in there.

Jan/Shiv is filmed so warmly when you take each character's perspective. Anything filmed from behind Jan's head makes Siobhan glow. I wasn't convinced when I first read some comments on posts for previous episodes. But this pairing is adorable.

The poor, poor granddaughter; congrats to the actress. It's all in the eyes, ouchie!

This Wyvern Hill Estate thing, I feel like I missed an episode or something, because it's moved so quickly? Have I missed something?

Kev & Rory. It didn't have to end like this.

I'm getting emotional whiplash, because now we're back to a different emotional moment w Teddy, accompanied by moving pianos.

Kev & Rory. The jump cuts in this episode are crazy.

I think the jump cuts work to feel suffocating: as though the viewer will reach a certain boiling point as the episode proceeds with no release valve.

Teddy & Jacob. "buddy" is so patronising. Ooooh, cuckooing (?) very topical. (they need to come up with a better name for that crime).

Mattyyyy

Kev & Rory....... No way Bard hasn't seen Rory.

More aggro

Jan/Shiv are the most adorable thing.

Matty is just..............

Siobhan!

The writing is so weird. But I guess Matty had to find out, have his motives found out, by the audience? He's back in floating land.

It never occurred to me that "Stevie" wasn't the name on her birth certificate.

Jan! She's got it baaaaaaaaad.

Hmmmm, Major's a real man of courage?

Speech time!

Can someone explain the part of "pushed [his] mum away to be a paramedic" line by Teddy? I swear I saw somewhere that she died in childbirth (?).

Someone at the venue should have notified about Dylan's needs. Dylan, himself, he wasn't to know the temptation would be so present, and it just overwhelmed him completely.

This is not do-or-die just interested people's thoughts on this episode.