June 26, 2020

Errol saves Mariaan’s life on 7de Laan

I watched Errol’s return episode on Viu a day after the episode aired so knew Errol was the one to save Mariaan’s life by the time I turned my computer on. But it was still so nice to see Errol Pieterse again, back home from visiting Johannesburg after moving away. I wonder if Errol had any intentions of catching up with Vince, Marko, and whoever else he still knows in the Laan. Errol made it immediately clear that he was only on a short visit and would be leaving to visit Auntie Charmaine in the Cape the following day.

Within the first few seconds of the start of the episode, we learned that Mariaan had indeed survived and was surprised to find herself not only alive but in a strange place. A motel, it turns out. Errol had found her and taken her to a motel because Mariaan did not want to go to a hospital. And again, no messing around, Errol and Mariaan established that they both know Hillside and Charmaine. Quickly Errol put two and two together that Mariaan was physically abused by Andre. Then we saw a flashback of Errol’s own abuse by Tarryn. What a horrendous reminder! Tarryn was a terrible piece of work. I’d completely forgotten that storyline.

Errol showed Mariaan that she was in denial about being abused and that the perpetrator always feels guilty and is apologetic immediately afterwards, only to repeat the pattern later. It seemed like Mariaan had seen the light because after going to Alexa’s hospital room where Rickus and Esti were, she went to report the abuse to the police.

It’s been really good seeing Errol (Christo Davids) back on our screens as it was good seeing Felicity (Melanie du Bois) and Paula van der Lecq (Diaan Lawrenson). It’s nice how 7de Laan incorporates them into the new stories. It would be interesting to have more of them come back for longer short storylines in the future though once in a while. Of all the South African soapies, and I don’t watch many others anymore, I think 7de Laan sticks best to the show’s history.