UK Air Date: 13th May 2008
Writer: Margaret Wilson
Director: Geoffrey Nottage
Tears across the universe as we see the end of Sally Fletcher.
Extended Summary
Tony can’t help feeling impotent as his son lies crying in a darkened room, struggling to deal with the loss of his unborn child and his decision to turn in his own wife, on top of everything else he’s been through, but unfortunately there’s nothing Tony can do beyond being there. It’s impossible to imagine how things could get worse, until McGrath arrives with a note left by Sam outside the police station, detailing all of Jack’s indiscretions as a policeman.
McGrath is willing to give Jack the benefit of the doubt for now, but points out that if Sam tries to strike a deal when they catch her, they’ll have to take her seriously. For Jack it’s just one more stone in an avalanche he’s barely withstanding as it is, and he decides to take off for a few days, against Tony’s better judgment.
Ric can hardly believe it when he gets a text from Noel, all but admitting responsibility for the robbery of the Summer Bay House furniture. Ric agrees to meet him, and Noel again urges him to fight, offering him a sum of money that would easily pay for new furniture, a new car, and leave him with change to spare. Ric refuses, but Noel insists he take some time to think it over. The public will only be interested in the guy who took down Johnny Cooper for so long, and with the run of ‘bad luck’ Ric’s had lately, who knows what else could be in his future.
Sally and the others reel from the shock of coming home to a house stripped bare. Still somewhat panicked by the prospect of leaving, Sally wants to delay the trip and stay until she’s sorted things out, but the others won’t hear of it, and Miles insists that he can deal with things. Buoyed by their support, Sally manages to calm down and enjoy the little time left with the people she loves, imparting upon Miles an amazing gift, half ownership of the Caravan Park.
Alf, however, isn’t doing so well. Struggling to deal with the reality that Sally will soon be gone and unable to say goodbye, he’s been avoiding her. But after a talk with Ric and some time to think, he overcomes the trepidation and shares a beautiful moment with Sally. With all her friends and family gathered to say goodbye, it’s finally time for Sally to say goodbye to Summer Bay, and there are tears across the universe.
Guest Cast
PIPPA ROSS (DEBRA LAWRANCE)
CARLY MORRIS (SHARYN HODGSON)
STEVEN MATHESON (ADAM WILLITS)
SERGEANT DARREN McGRATH (KIM KNUCKEY)
PIPPA SAUNDERS (CHLOE MARSHALL)
NOEL ANDERSON (STEVE VIDLER)
Characters
Arrivals and Departures
Sally Fletcher (Kate Ritchie)
Left to take up a teaching job in Phuket, with daughter Pippa.
Trivia
The original cut of the episode included two large farewell scene with multiple characters including Irene Roberts, Leah Patterson and Belle Taylor.
At the time, script producer Bevan Lee offered up this explanation behind why the two scenes were cut.
“The original approach we took was fine. It’s just that when it was put together it spoiled the farewell with Alf, which to me was the most important one. By the time of the edit when we recognized that, given the demands of five half hour a week production it was too late to go back in and rewrite or shoot new material to cover those farewells. Compromise is a constant part of five half hour a week production. We all know how we would have liked it to be, but it simply was not possible to make that happen.”
The script for the scenes were eventually released on Home and Away‘s official site, as well as on Back to the Bay.