In the small hours of a Perth morning, the fourth episode of "Last Days of the Space Age," titled "Good Kids Don't Steal Cars," begins with the jarring aftermath of a car crash. Mia and Jono, dazed and shaken, step out of the mangled vehicle, a testament to their reckless night. As the sun rises, their parents converge on the police station, where Inspector Rocoa delivers a stark warning about the consequences of their children's actions.
The Bissett household is a cauldron of tension as Tony grapples with Rocoa's refusal to let the incident slide. Judy's confession that they were distracted resonates with Tony, stirring a cocktail of guilt and frustration. The morning takes a turn for the worse when a surfboard, defaced with a cruel taunt, appears on their doorstep—a stark reminder of Mia's rebellious streak.
Bob, ever the vigilant grandfather, takes matters into his own hands, rolling his caravan to the Bissett's doorstep. His declaration that he will live with them to ensure Mia's proper upbringing is met with resistance, but Bob stands firm, unwilling to witness his daughter's parenting slip into disarray.
Eileen, with her own brand of tough love, counsels Bilya on the futility of his protest at the street party. She tasks him with recreating the paper statue of Stirling, a gesture meant to steer his activism towards constructive ends. Bilya, seeking redemption, enlists Poppy's help, and in the process, they forge a bond that transcends their differences.
The ripples of the power strike continue to lap at the Bissett's lives as Judy confronts Tony with the news of a hospital death due to the outage. Tony, no longer a part of the power supply unit, is nonetheless ensnared in the guilt of his past actions. Bob's attempts to rouse Mia from her self-imposed exile are met with silence, a palpable barrier between them.
In a desperate bid to right his wrongs, Bilya and Poppy's statue-making venture becomes a symbol of their collective desire to make amends. Meanwhile, Tony's world is upended when George, an old colleague, approaches him with a damning revelation about the power supply factory. Tony's refusal to engage with George's plan is firm, a line he will not cross.
The Miss Universe contestants' arrival at the beach for a photoshoot brings a momentary respite from the drama. Mick's strategic maneuvering to place Svetlana at the center of attention is rewarded with her request to be her plus one at the Governor's ball, an offer he gladly accepts.
As Tony navigates his unemployment, a lifeline is thrown his way when he crosses paths with Mick, who extends a job offer. Tony's triumphant return home to break the news to Bob is met with indifference, a stark contrast to the relief he sought.
Jono's concern for Mia leads him to the Bissett's door, but Tilly's refusal to intervene creates a rift. His parting words to Tilly, a plea for empathy, linger in the air. The following morning, Tony's facade of illness is quickly dismissed by the astute Tilly, who sees through his charade.
Judy's confiding in Eileen about Mia's withdrawal and refusal to eat is a moment of maternal vulnerability. Sandy's desperate plea to Bob for help in finding her missing son, Van, is a poignant reminder of the human cost behind every tragedy.
Mick's preparations for the Governor's ball are tinged with anticipation as he recognizes the potential impact on his career. At the ball, Mick's machinations to promote his company through Svetlana are quickly upended by her own display of agency. Her dance with a server, cheered on by the crowd, is a silent rebuke to Mick's arrogance.
The night takes a darker turn as Jono is accosted by the boy whose car was stolen, leading to a brutal confrontation. His parents' intervention is a fleeting shield against the violence, but the damage is done. Judy and Bob's conversation outside the Bissett house is a shared moment of introspection, as Judy grapples with her parenting skills.
Svetlana's conversation with Mick outside the ball is a turning point, as she challenges his perception of power. The city's power outage, witnessed by them, is a stark reminder of the fragility of their world.
The episode concludes with a heart-wrenching scene as Mia, in the throes of guilt over the car crash, calls Jono to apologize. Tilly's discovery of Mia's tears is followed by a family reunion that is both healing and heartrending. Tony's recounting of his love story with Judy and Tilly's birth is a narrative thread that binds them together.
As the power supply flickers back to life, and Tilly's radio crackles with news of Skylab, the Bissett family finds themselves on the precipice of change, their lives forever intertwined with the ebb and flow of their city's fortunes.
"Good Kids Don't Steal Cars" is a poignant exploration of the fine line between innocence and rebellion, a mirror to the societal shifts of the era. It is a testament to the show's ability to weave a narrative that is as raw as it is relatable, a story that resonates long after the screen has gone dark.