User blog:Titan95/Series 30 - Top 10 Countdown!

Tonight's episode marked the end of series 30, and will definitely be one to be remembered for years to come! It's safe to say that since the "A Child's Heart" episodes at the start of the series, there have been a variety of changes both in the cast and storylines of the show. In this post, I'll be listing my countdown for my favourite 10 episodes of this series.

10. "Hearts and Flowers"
 Viewers of Holby City probably remember this episode above the others due to the guest appearances from Jac Naylor and Sam Strachan. This episode reintroduced Grace after 11 months absence from the show and she also brought her father with her who was last seen on Casualty's sister show in 2008. This episode stood out at me for bringing Connie's storyline back to the surface, but wasn't memorable enough to make it into the top 5.
 * Director: David Innes Edwards
 * Writer: Dominique Moloney
 * Centric: Connie

9. "High Tide"
It goes without saying that this was a popular episode of the series, even if you weren't a fan of Cal and Ethan's storyline. In addition to the ultimate emotional diagnosis of Huntington's for Ethan, this episode also saw the low key exit of Lofty who'd been on the show for 2 years. Despite his prominence in the recent episodes, it'd been rumoured that he'd be returning, hence why fans were more complimentary of the Cal and Ethan side of things.
 * Director: Julie Edwards
 * Writer: Kelly Jones
 * Centric: Ethan

8. "Sweet Child of Mine"
Any episode where fan-favourite Connie takes centre stage are generally well received, but this episode jumped out above the others. Unlike various other episodes, this one featured a slow build up to the ending with Connie being kidnapped and taken to the basement of the hospital. Although not my favourite Connie centric episode, it was still a strong contender in the series.
 * Director: Julie Edwards
 * Writer: Mark Stevenson
 * Centric: Connie

7. "Lie to Me"
This Dixie centric episode worked perfectly towards her exit storyline. Although she would exit the show three episodes later, this episode gave the impression that there was plenty left to work with. The fire scenes were particularly gripping and were nicely evened out with an exceptionally written script.
 * Director: Jamie Annett
 * Writer: Kim Millar
 * Centric: Dixie

6. "What Lies Beneath"
Scenes from this episode were first included in the March 2016 trailer and instantly had fans speculating what would result in Jacob plunging into a lake. Four months later, the episode finally aired and it's suffice to say it lived up to expectations.
 * Director: Sean Glynn
 * Writer: Dominique Moloney
 * Centric: Connie

5. "A Life Less Ordinary"
The first episode back after the Christmas break has always - in recent years - been a memorable and fantastic episode, and this episode was no exception. It followed a series of rather slow episodes towards the end of 2015, but certainly gripped fans with the action packed car crash involving Cal.
 * Director: Steve Brett
 * Writer: Barbara Machin
 * Centric: Cal

4. "Belief"
This was undoubtedly one of the best episodes from series 30 which aired in 2015. It featured a nice combination of action and touching scenes, and carried the start of the series forward nicely. It's also in this episode that we got the first taste of Lily's bullying towards Alicia, something which was later reintroduced in the series finale.
 * Director: Steve Hughes
 * Writer: Mark Catley
 * Centric: Connie

3. "All the Single Ladies"
This was an interesting episode and a particular favourite of mine for a variety of reasons. It focused primarily on the paramedics Iain and Dixie, a side of the show which I thoroughly enjoy. Additionally, when they take centre stage you know that it's going to be a hilarious episode as well.
 * Director: Steve Hughes
 * Writer: Mark Catley
 * Centric: Dixie

2. "Sticks and Stones"
This one may be a bias choice considering how recently it aired. I had doubts about placing it so high up on the list, and had it not been for the final five minutes I would have has reservations about placing it on the list at all. Having seen the trailer beforehand, many of us knew the outcome but that didn't stop the adrenaline kicking in as Connie's car sped off the cliff.
 * Director: David Innes Edwards
 * Writer: Claire Miller
 * Centric: Connie

1. "Hello, I Must be Going"
And finally, number one. It was a tough choice between the final three but this episode stood out among the others. Not only was it amazingly written and directed, but the storyline of the episode was excellent. We saw the departure of long running character Zoe Hanna and arrival of new consultant Elle Gardner.
 * Director: Steve Hughes
 * Writer: Jeff Povey
 * Centric: Charlie

And there you have it - my top ten picks from series 30. It's certainly been a vital series for many characters, notably Connie, Cal, Ethan, Zoe and Big Mac. The first episode of series 31 will air on 27 August and will be featuring the 30th anniversary celebrations. It will also pick up straight after where "Sticks and Stones" left off, so we'll be able to find out what is in store for Connie and Grace.

Feel free to comment your best bits from series 30 or changes you'd make to my list!