The last week?? threw up exciting viewing challenges in the prime time slots. Back stories and masks are being pulled off to make the viewing more thrilling. Performances and script maneuvers go hand in glove to raise the bar on our shows.

Come 8 pm, Ek Haseena Thi?s Saakshi Goenka, the prime time menace who?s ever on the prowl to strip Durga?s mask, has just had her?s been ripped off. Well for the time being, only for the viewers,?? Durga and Dr Thankur. Akash, her man for all seasons, has turned on her and tells the Thakurs that his real name is Akram Rehmat Khan. Sakshi was married to his father after his mother died. His father Rehmat Khan owned a printing press which she had set ablaze. A neighbour, who hid Akram from Sakshi cruel intent, has warned him never to show his face to her. Akram has his reasons to wreak vengeance on Sakshi. But for now he?s absconding as Sakshi is baying for Akash?s blood. He leaves a pen drive with Raima?s husband which shows Raima and Rajnath Goenka in a romantic clutch. Sakshi will pay a hefty amount to watch it. Rajnath Goenka who is full aware about Sakshi?s Rehmat Khan days, doesn?t know his affair is no secret for Sakshi. Also, in the offing are Dev?s moves to bring out in the open the Goenkas? carefully preserved and hidden truth of Payal?s rape. As he deals with Payal?s corrupt defense lawyer, in a move to buy over the secreted evidence, he also creates havoc for the Goenkas stock on the market. The back stories and Sakshi?s murky past will no doubt be the stunners.

Laut Aao Trisha has Lavanya?s well coiffeured face and arrogance crumble as her relationship with Prem Nanda is exposed in front of her teenaged children. In a most controlled, but overwhelming outburst, Parteik Swaika viciously goes for his friend Prem and throws him out. He then turns on his sister. The children shun their mother and turn to the father; as Lavanya calls out to them. Truly an instant of how the mighty have fallen, the children go to Amrita?s for time away from the mother. Though shattered, like a wounded tigress, Lavanya can?t stay down; she rises scorpion-like ready to sting. She sends an anonymous message to Amrita and Kabir Khan that Trisha was last seen in a suite in a city hotel. Fortunately, Khan gets there first, he notices Pratiek?s car in the car park and gets the number plates covered. When he gets to the suite, yes, Prateik is holed up there with Neha his secretary-cum-girlfriend. Khan gets him to leave by the back exit and tells Amrita it was a hoax. Lavanya isn?t done yet, she has planted a spy cam in Prateik?s office and gleefully watches the proceedings. What?s her next move, we wonder. Meanwhile Meagan and Bobby are safe in Amrita?s care. Now Prem Nanda too is missing.

Increasingly, Rajeshri Sachdev displays her worth as an actress ? glamourous she is, but no arm candy. She shows immense depth and range turning each pivotal scene into a tour de force for herself. How many more such performances will she collect we wonder. Largely the prerogative of a licensed show, the scripting of Laut Aao Trisha lends to astute performances as well.

Both Ek Haseena Thi and Laut Aao Trisha reveal an exemplary sense of scripting and performances, the foundation for the latter remains in the casting, which sustains the twists in the plot and maintain the pace.

Udaan completes the trio of good shows on prime time; now ending with an addition of Life Ok?s?? Ajeeb Daastaan Hai Ye, to make it a good foursome.