Blue Heelers S06E40

Fifty-Fifty

Episode 6.40 (251)
Wednesday, November 10, 1999
Written by Lyn Ogilvy
Directed by Peter Sharp

Ben is troubled to learn that his daughter's tutor, Amy Fordham, is struggling through the maelstrom of her parents' marriage breakdown. Concerned for her welfare, Ben drops Amy off at home, arriving in the middle of an explosive fight during which Amy gets hurt.

Unwilling to leave Amy to deal with the aftermath of their anger, Ben brings her back to the Watchhouse, determined to alert the department of Human Services to Amy's plight. Tom cautions him to attempt a reconciliation with the parents fist. The Fordhams agree to behave themselves and though Ben is not convinced, he sends Amy home and promises her that she can depend on him at all times.

Ben's troubles multiply when Maggie returns shaken from an internal enquiry into a bus crash. Although the enquiry clears her of reckless driving, it leaves her overwhelmed with remorse for those killed. She finds comfort in Ben's arms... and PJ walks in on the moment. PJ's patience for their intimate friendship is waning but both he and Ben are thrown when Maggie requests leave to spend time with her father. They suspect Maggie needs the time away to examine her heart.

The Heelers receive a report of a burglary at the Fordham's fabric factory but arrive to be told by Don Fordham that his secretary was mistaken. Don took the bolt of exclusive fabric home overnight as a security measure, he says. Ben suspects there is more to the incident than Fordham will tell, but neither PJ nor Tom has any patience for his hunch and tendency to become personally involved with his cases.

Ben stops by the Fordham place to discuss the burglary and finds a hysterical Claire sawing Don's boat "Endless Love" in half with a chainsaw. If this marriage is over, the split will be fifty-fifty.

Up on criminal charges for property damage, Claire counters that her husband must be charged with fraud for squandering company finds on his mistress — their secretary.

In a desperate measure to flee the abusive household, Amy files to become a ward of the State and names Ben as her temporary guardian. Tom is unimpressed. It is one thing for his coppers to care about some hard-luck cases but quite another to adopt them.

The Fordham war continues to rage as the Heelers learn Claire is guilty of destroying the bolt of fabric to sabotage a major order, but when their factory is burned to the ground and husband and wife stop to survey the wreckage they are shocked by a dreadful reality. Their livelihood is gone and so is their daughter — the charred frame of Amy's bike lies on the factory floor , but where is Amy?

Guest Starring: Louise Siversen as Louise Fordham, Ken Radley as Don Fordham, Stephanie Johnson as Amy Fordham, Mary-Anne McCormack as Megan Hutton, Nikita Plummer as Emma Stewart, Ben Harkin as Eric Cenius

Note: Ken Radley is erroneously credited as Ken Radlee

(encoded with Handbrake - Blue Heelers - from Complete Seventh Season DVD - the early years)

Duration: approximately 45 minutes
Aspect ratio: 4:3 standard
Audio: linear hi-fi/stereo
Size: 471MB
Video format: MPEG-4 (MP4)

Please seed as much as possible after downloading.