Episode 5 of "The Survivors" unfolds at a glitzy party that young Gabby bullies Mia into attending, solely to catch a glimpse of Kieran. Flashing forward to the present, Verity requests Kieran to don Toby's jersey for the memorial service, as she accompanies Brian on his harrowing journey to incarceration.
Back at their abode, Mia storms into Kieran's presence with incriminating snapshots depicting Gabby aboard a boat with Finn and Toby. Urging immediate action, Mia yearns to delve into the mystery, whereas Kieran advocates for patience, suggesting they await the memorial's conclusion. Mia, simmering with rage, insists on pursuing the lead without delay.
Elsewhere, Olivia confesses to Ash that she has surrendered the cellphone, igniting a tempest of fury within him. The police gain access to Bronte's device, uncovering damning conversations with Ash. Summoned for interrogation, Ash finds himself entangled in a web of suspicion as the texts reveal a planned rendezvous on the day of the murder. The authorities demand Ash's phone to verify his whereabouts during the fateful hours.
Pendlebury and Dan intensify their probe, with Ash emerging as the focal suspect. Dan ponders if Kieran might hold a kernel of truth, contemplating Brian's potential motives to shield Bronte. Digging into Brian's past as a former PE teacher and pro surfer, Dan delves deeper. Pendlebury, exasperated, finds Dan's inclination towards Brian's innocence perplexing, especially given her encounters with seemingly benign men linked to unsolved female homicides.
At the beach, Kieran bumps into Olivia, leading to an intimate conversation at his abode. Olivia is wracked with guilt, acknowledging her role in framing Kieran while she contacted Toby and Finn. They ponder alternate realities had that fateful day never transpired, but Kieran brings her back to the present, emphasizing that life has irrevocably changed. Mia, unexpectedly witnessing their mutual comfort, misinterprets the scene and storms off with Audrey, heading straight to Trish's residence.
Mia unfurls a photograph of Gabby aboard Finn and Toby's boat to Trish, querying Geoff about its origin. Trish speculates that Gabby is entangled in a romantic entanglement with one of them, too terrified to confess, possibly fleeing due to pregnancy. Geoff, after much hesitation, finally unveils a long-held secret pertinent to the tragic accident.
As the boat was retrieved from the depths, Geoff meticulously searched through its remains and discovered Gabby's bag, a poignant relic of the past. With a solemn resolve, he cast the bag back into the ocean's embrace, hoping it would wash ashore, bringing a semblance of closure to Trish. Geoff harbored a belief that Gabby had been aboard the ill-fated vessel when Finn and Toby met their tragic end.
Meanwhile, Brian was granted bail, allowing him a temporary reprieve from his ordeal. Elsewhere, Olivia and Mia engaged in a tense conversation, with Mia laying the blame squarely on Olivia and Kieran's shoulders for all that had transpired. Olivia, seeking to clarify, explained that their bond was not one of love, but rather a shared tapestry of pain, grief, loss, and an overwhelming sense of guilt.
Amidst these swirling emotions, Trish made the decision to attend the game, determined to remain silent about the recent revelations but steadfast in her resolve to ensure that Gabby's memory was not forgotten amidst the tragedy. The memorial ceremony commenced with Julia and Verity extolling the virtues of Finn and Toby, hailing them as heroes. However, Trish's resolve crumbled, and she could no longer contain herself. She confronted Julian and Verity, revealing Geoff's efforts to conceal the discovery of Gabby's backpack on their boat.
In response, Verity lashed out at Trish, accusing her of tarnishing the reputations of Toby and Finn. On the field, Ash's anger towards Kieran boiled over, blaming him for the rift between him and Olivia. A fierce brawl erupted, spilling onto and off the pitch, bringing an abrupt end to the game.
Later that evening, Ash sought refuge at Olivia's home, finally coming clean about the day of Bronte's murder. He confessed that he had intended to deliver weed to the house but ultimately chickened out due to his infidelity with a tourist. His lies were fueled by a deep-seated insecurity, a fear of never measuring up in Olivia's eyes. Olivia, heartbroken and disappointed, asked him to leave, giving him until the next day to collect his belongings from outside her house.
Mia, unable to bear the weight of her emotions any longer, decided to change her flight to an earlier time, seeking solitude to ponder the future of her relationship with Kieran. At Julian's house, Liam was distressed by the town's collective belief in Toby and Finn's guilt, spurred by Trish's revelations at the game. Sean's mind wandered back to the fateful party, while Renn stumbled upon a video clip of Bronte and Julian in a heated argument at the Surf N Turf.
