ITV's The Party concluded on Monday night, revealing that Ben Fitzmaurice (Tom Cullen) shot himself during his birthday celebration, and Martin Glimour (Luke Evans) was not responsible for the shooting.
The five-part series, based on Elizabeth Day's novel of the same name, explored the complex relationship between longtime friends Ben and Martin. The show wove together three timelines: the present, centring on Martin in police custody; the evening of the party; and flashbacks to their younger years, which exposed their complicated bond and hidden romantic feelings for one another.
Martin's arrest and the truth revealed
When the series began, Martin was seen in a police station under interrogation while drenched in blood. Across the episodes, viewers were led to suspect he had fired a gun at Ben. However, the finale revealed that although Martin confronted Ben while armed, he was not the one who pulled the trigger.
During the penultimate episode, Ben pressured Martin to stay and help deal with a journalist who had discovered the truth about a car accident from their teenage years, which claimed the life of Ben's twin sister. Although Ben was driving, being three times over the limit, Martin accepted responsibility after being pressured by Ben's father, Lord George Fitzmaurice (Douglas Hodge), in exchange for a substantial annual payment. Martin refused Ben's request, as his wife Lucy had gone into early labour.
Ben's confession and self-inflicted injury
After Lucy's baby was stillborn, Martin returned to the party and asked Ben to meet him at the outhouse. In the final episode, Martin aimed a gun at Ben, accusing him of destroying his childhood and leaving him damaged as an adult. Ben talked his friend down and took the weapon, but after confessing he had always loved him, he turned the gun on himself and fired.
Ben's wife, Serena (Lydia Leonard), heard the shot and found Martin clutching the gun, which he had retrieved from Ben as he collapsed. Convinced that Martin had shot her husband, she informed the police, leading to his arrest.
Ben survives and Martin moves on
Ben regained consciousness following a subarachnoid haemorrhage and told police his injury was self-inflicted, leading to Martin's release from custody. Ben hoped Martin would stay in his life, but Martin explained he needed distance and departed, later seen at a park observing a male couple with their newborn child, grinning at the scene that could be his future.
Martin's wife Lucy departed after they lost their son, planning to travel overseas and begin afresh. Ben's role in his sister's death remained concealed, though a detective noticed Martin's seatbelt-related wound confirmed he was not behind the wheel, indicating she intended to pursue the investigation further. The Party is available to watch on ITVX.
