Behind the Scenes Commentary 5 To Change What Is Past

Halfway through the first season and by now I'd started to have ideas of how I wanted the season to end, which would be Doris being caught out by everyone. So it was clear to me that she had to now interact with as many people as possible. Having already placed her, in the previous episode, in "Gonna Learn How To Fly" it gave me two perfect opportunities to do this.

Also feeling some kind of closure after talking to her mother Doris felt the need to help others. This was always part of her character but here she suddenly has the opportunity and the knowledge of what is going to happen. Although she'd already pondered not getting changing the past the things that she was doing felt small. Telling Holly she would be successful didn't feel like it would have any consequences. Telling Bruno something may happen to his father was bigger but if the worst happened at least she knew Bruno would have been with him which may help in his grieving process. So she really didn't see any harm.

Having Mrs Berg sense something was again just building on what I'd already started with her character. We'd seen her as a medium twice on the show so I thought that might make her more susceptible to sensing something was wrong. Plus I wanted to add a little suspense to the end.

The title "To Change What Is Past" comes from the season 6 song "To See Your Face Again" was another title that had popped out at me and seemed perfect for this episode.

There are little nods in this episodes to the the season 3 story lines of the rivalry between Holly and Doris and also Doris dressing as a pensioner in "A Way Of Winning".

As well as Doris helping other people she is subconsciously helping herself. She had previous felt guilty about how she treated Holly and now she discovers that she'd knocked Holly's confidence at the audition, which she didn't previously know about. Then there's Bruno and I think most people feel a little guilty or inadequate when their friends lose people. So trying to help them she is trying to relieve some of her own guilt and negative feelings.