The third episode of "Playing Nice" unfolds with a
series of dramatic and emotionally charged events that further complicate the
lives of the Riley family. The episode begins with Pete Riley (James Norton) and
Anika Chowdhury (Sunetra Sarker) being interrogated by DS Ridley (Alisha Bailey)
and DS Chopra (Akbar Kurtha) regarding the baby tag incident. The tension
escalates when the investigators accuse Pete of swapping his brain-damaged son
for a healthy one, prompting Anika to end the questioning. In a private
conversation, Anika, played by Rebekah Murrell, expresses her concerns about
Pete's credibility, especially after he vouched for Stella Collingwood. She
advises Pete and Maddie Wilson (Niamh Algar) to keep a low profile until the
trial.
The journey home from the police station is fraught with anxiety. Maddie, already suspicious, confronts Pete about his honesty, questioning whether he is lying for Stella because he switched the babies. Pete's attempt to explain Stella's visit and her emotional impact on him only serves to deepen Maddie's unease. Upon arriving home, Pete is confronted again, this time by Kiera (Posy Sterling), who captures his aggressive response on camera, further complicating his public image.
As the episode progresses, Pete's troubles multiply. He is contacted by Anika about the incident with Kiera, and Maddie begins to doubt their suitability as parents to Theo (Alban Guo) and David (Fraser Cornelissen). Her conversation with Ollie (Theo Ogundipe) provides a moment of reassurance, but the situation remains tense. Pete's meeting with court advisor Lyn Edwards (Sarah Edwardson) adds another layer of scrutiny, as she suggests he attend parenting classes, a proposal that Pete initially dismisses with a mocking laugh.
The emotional turmoil continues as Theo experiences a night terror, believing monsters are in his room. Pete's comforting presence offers a brief respite from the chaos. However, the situation worsens when Pete receives news of another damaging article about the "Baby Swap" from Jen (Amy Morgan). His attempt to explain the situation to Maddie is delayed, leading to further misunderstandings and Maddie's decision to take a few days apart.
While Pete is away, staying with his father John Riley (Phil Davis), Maddie drops Theo off at Miles Lambert's (James McArdle) house. Her request to take David to the beach is met with hesitation due to the ongoing media scrutiny. Pete's frustration grows when Jen refuses to let him stay at her house, but her suggestion to dig into Miles' past provides a new direction. Pete's investigation leads him to an article about a fire in Braemyre, connecting him to Edith Lambert (Maureen Beattie). Despite initial resistance, Edith listens to Pete's story, though she offers little new information. Pete's persistence, however, is evident as he leaves his contact information, hoping for future revelations.
Pete's unexpected return from Scotland is met with skepticism from Maddie, who is still upset about his missed visit with David. The situation escalates when Pete finds Miles at his father's house, leading to a heated confrontation. The tension between Pete and Miles is palpable as they engage in a passive-aggressive exchange before Miles departs.
Maddie's work is interrupted by a call from Lucy Lambert (Jessica Brown Findlay), leading to a harrowing visit to the hospital where Theo is believed to have ingested more cannabis gummies. Despite the chaos, Theo is ultimately alright, but the custody battle continues. The family court's decision is a blow to the Rileys, granting the Lamberts full custody until the next hearing and allowing only supervised visits for the Rileys, who must also undergo drug testing.
The episode concludes with a stark contrast between the Riley and Lambert families. While Pete and Maddie return home alone, Miles and Lucy triumphantly take both Theo and David back to their home. The episode leaves viewers with a sense of unease, as the Rileys' struggle for justice and family unity continues to be fraught with obstacles and heartache.