Last tango in halifax christmas special

After a considerable hiatus, the Buttershaws and their kin have returned to U.S. airwaves just in time for the holidays. At the start of this festive Last Tango in Halifax special, we find that while life has moved on in Halifax and its environs, no major shakeups have occurred…yet.  Let’s look at where we find the major characters almost two years on.

Gillian

After a rocky start, Gillian (Nicola Walker) and Robbie (Dean Andrews) are still married. In fact, the discussion she and Caroline had about Gillian divorcing her new groom shortly after the wedding seems to have slipped her mind. What concerns Gillian now is how to cope with “retired husband syndrome”. After leaving the police force, Robbie is at loose ends and he's following Gillian around the house like a lost puppy.  This is making her noticeably irritable. So irritable, in fact, that she throws a hissy fit and disinvites her whole family to a dinner with Caroline’s clan. Fortunately, Caroline (Sarah Lanashire) shows up solo as well after annoying her relatives by living her own life. More on that later…

However, when a serious accident involving power tools sends Robbie to the hospital, we learn that something more ominous has been troubling Gillian. (Also that when plunked down into an emergency situation, she employs the interesting strategy of distracting victims from the seriousness of their predicament by moaning about her own problems.) In the emergency room waiting room, Gillian confides to her step-sister Caroline that Robbie has now had three increasingly severe injuries in recent months and they’ve all happened in the barn. You know, the barn where Gillian murdered her abusive husband all those years ago? She has the feeling that something evil (Eddie’s spirit, to be exact) still resides there and is pissed off that she has married his little brother. Despite Robbie’s insistence

Christmas Special is the Christmas episode of Last Tango in Halifax that debuted on BBC on December 24,

Plot

Caroline promises Gillian she will keep her secret. Caroline implores Kate to give her another chance and let her learn from her mistakes. When Kate is rushed to hospital, Caroline drops everything to check that she and the baby are safe and well. Alan visits his first wife's grave and talks about Celia, seeking her blessing. In the days before the wedding, Alan's brother Ted (Timothy West) makes a surprise appearance from New Zealand. At Alan's stag party, Alan and Raff encourage Robbie to pursue Gillian, as they believe they are right for each other. Meanwhile, Celia tells Muriel of her own unhappy first marriage. The wedding takes place on Christmas Eve, with Kate playing the piano at Celia's request, and Caroline taking on the traditional duties of the bride's father. At the wedding dance, Gillian flirts with Robbie and Kate asks Caroline to dance, with the two women promising to commit to each other. The episode ends with Kate and Caroline, and Alan and Celia happy together, whilst John and Gillian demonstrate unease at their individual predicaments.

While Christmas shopping together, Caroline tells Gillian the reason for her new job and how she met new girlfriend Olga, who encouraged her to take it. For Christmas dinner both families tu Read allWhile Christmas shopping together, Caroline tells Gillian the reason for her new job and how she met new girlfriend Olga, who encouraged her to take it. For Christmas dinner both families turn up at Caroline's house, along with John and the newly sober Judith, now a successful ch Read allWhile Christmas shopping together, Caroline tells Gillian the reason for her new job and how she met new girlfriend Olga, who encouraged her to take it. For Christmas dinner both families turn up at Caroline's house, along with John and the newly sober Judith, now a successful children's author. Whilst Alan confesses his stage fright to Harry, Celia leads a séance. Gi Read all

In , PBS audiences were charmed by the love story of Alan Buttershaw and Celia Dawson, a pair of childhood sweethearts who found each other on Facebook after nearly sixty years apart. StarringDerek Jacobi and Anne Reid, the BAFTA award-winning BBC dramaLast Tango in Halifax tells the story of the newly reunited couple and their respective daughters plagued by relationship problems and other various family crises.

When we last saw the Buttershaws and the rest of their clan, a wedding was in the offing. It was touch and go, but Alan’s daughter, Gillian (Nicola Walker) and her betrothed, Robbie (Dean Andrews) eventually tied the knot with the gentle nudging of Celia’s daughter Caroline (Sarah Lancashire). If you want to refresh your memory, check out our recap of the Last Tango in Halifax season three finale here. 

It’s hard to believe that over two years have passed since we were treated to a Last Tango episode, but fear not! Viewers are in for a brief but welcome respite from this particular televisual drought. The series is returning in the form of a two-part Christmas special on Sunday, December 17 and 24 at 8pm ET. Check your local PBS listings just to be safe.

The new episodes (which aired in the UK last December) pick up two years after the aforementioned nuptials. We find the perpetually floundering Gillian grappling with issues from her past that threaten to damage her relationship with Robbie. On the other hand, Caroline is moving forward after the tragic death of her wife Kate and is making big changes in her life including a new home and job. Meanwhile Alan and Celia’s distress about Caroline’s relocation is temporarily set aside as Celia is cast in a local theater production.

After these the specials air in the US, however, the future of the series is not so clear. While doing a press junket interview with the Radio Times for hi