Vera and Joe bond after tragic season 13 finale moment
It's been a rocky road for the pair.
Vera season 13 has been an emotional one for DI Joe Ashworth (played by David Leon) in particular, after returning to the force and battling with his old colleague, Vera (Brenda Blethyn), for respect in his new role.
But in the background to his hectic working life, Joe revealed at the end of episode 1 that his dad was battling dementia and wasn't very well.
Unfortunately in episode 3, his father succumbed to a virus and sadly died.
Throughout the episode, Joe had clearly been struggling with the weight of losing his father, even if their relationship had been strained at times.
The emotion of what was happening caused him to lash out at a suspect's teenage son in a rare lapse of professionalism.
Vera dismissed him, begging him at various points to go and say goodbye to his father while he still had the chance. But Joe didn't, and after a short break, came back to help Vera solve the crime in Salt and Vinegar.
When they finally arrested someone and learned the truth about what happened to this week's unfortunate victim, Joe got the call the he'd been dreading.
He told Vera he'd missed the previous call asking him to go and visit his father for the last time, and he was now dead.
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With the case closed, Joe paid Vera a visit at her beachside home and the pair spoke about families.
Vera was keen to pass on some judgement to him, insisting someone can have all the career and money in the world, but it's the people who love you who'll remember you when you're gone.
The pair raised their drinks to colleagues, lost fathers and ones who are still there.
They sipped on some whiskey and Vera joked that Joe can come again as the season came to a close.
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Vera's previous seasons are available to watch on ITVX while seasons are also available on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free BritBox trial here.
You can also purchase instalments from any series on Amazon Prime Video. You can buy the first of Ann Cleeves's Vera novels here.
To find out what else is on, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide or visit our dedicated Drama hub.
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Authors
Helen Daly is the Associate Editor for Radio Times, overseeing new initiatives and commercial projects for the brand. She was previously Deputy TV Editor at a national publication. She has a BA in English Literature and an MA in Media & Journalism from Newcastle University.
