Latest UK Episode Discussion (2006-2017 Seasons)

[Red Ranger 1]

Alf's episode count this week:Five! Bianca, Brax, Heath, Casey and Ricky were in four as they got to show off the London locations.Leah was in three but was comatose for two of them.

I can understand Irene's initial anger at Chris but I'm glad she came round quickly and realised there was no point being angry at him, he was feeling bad enough about it already and he couldn't be punished any more.I'm glad Alf forgave him quickly too.I didn't realise until right before he gave it back that Chris had been looking after Alf's hat the whole time, which was a nice touch.I'm not sure if the radio got broken or if Chris just didn't know how to work it.So looks like Alf's out of the woods but Leah doesn't see so lucky.Weirdest line of the episode has to be Marilyn's comforting "Don't worry, Mr.Stewart, you weren't the only one":It felt like she was saying "Here's something that'll make you feel less silly, the young woman who you've known for nearly fifteen years and who's if not like a daughter certainly like a fondly-regarded niece to you is fighting for her life down the corridor."

So Kyle's back from Melbourne.And if you look at the timescale of the week, it's only the day after he left.Shame Phoebe followed him and then the closing credits come up and I notice she's now a regular so no chance of her doing us a favour and going away again.They haven't made Chris a regular, they haven't made Denny a regular, but they give us the latest Braxton groupie.Oh well, at least past experience suggests she'll be gone in a year or so after her one storyline has finished.Why exactly was Kyle convinced she needs to forgive him?What for, not dropping everything and leaving with her the day his brother got out of jail?

Zac gets the line of the episode with his reaction to the latest crisis:"Is this town on an ancient Indian burial ground?" Whilst it wasn't a smart idea, I felt sorry for him writing himself off, between them Bianca and Hannah have really messed with his head.After an unpromising beginning and overlooking her initial treatment of Denny, I've found Evelyn likable but her stealing exam papers just to spite Zac was seriously out of line and showed her at her most brattish.So, hang on, are she and Oscar in Year 11 now?Weren't they in Year 11 last season?It makes more sense, given they only turned 16 towards the end of last year, but it feels like someone suddenly realised that sticking all the teens in the same year regardless of age means they'll all have left next year, so they got dropped back.I commented during the break that Tamara seemed to have a slimmer figure in her debut episode, repeated the other week, but actually she looked pretty good in the outfit she wore when finding Zac on the beach so I think it might just be those puffy skirts that aren't exactly flattering.

[haaf14]

I'm still wondering how Chris got Alf into the boat. There are 2 scenarios 1) Where Chris shoves the boat out to sea and then somehow puts Alf into the boat or 2) puts Alf into boat and then somehow drags the boat out with Alf's in it to s. Both look complicated and I would have been interested to know how he did.

The dinghy was already on the water as it was being towed behind the Blaxland, but it would still be difficult to try and get Alf in, unless Chris managed to tie the back of the dinghy to the Blaxland as well to stop it moving about. Presumably John or someone has been out to collect the boat.

I didn't really see the boat on the water. When Chris was rowing Alf back to shore, Alf nearly tipped the boat over, so potentially that could have easily occurred when Chris was putting him on the boat.

[Brian]

Well, we've got to page1000! I wanted to be the first to post there, but I was away this week, so at least I'm on that page now.

It has been interesting seeing the sudden switches this week from Australia to England and back again, thousands of miles in a split second! Been a bit difficult keeping up with the two different scenarios, but it's been great looking at the central London scenes. I must look up that pub, the Marquis of something-or-other, I think. Very convincing places for central London tourists, as long as you forget how much it's costing them, taxis as well thrown in. What happened to using an Oyster card on the underground? The Shard viewing platform was a nice touch. And typical London rain as well. Good to see Casey having a bit of fun in a top-of-the-range riverside apartment. She must have a rich daddy. The whole London storyline was a great one. I wish I had had the chance to meet them.

Back in Oz, the main story had been the poisonous mushrooms. I do not agree with any of you about poor Chris not knowing what he was doing. Anyone with an ounce of common sense (but maybe Chris does not even have that) knows how dangerous certain types of mushrooms are and YOU DO NOT EAT ANY until you are sure by asking someone who knows. And he had no right cooking those without asking his boss and getting her permission. She has put up with enough from him, both in the Diner and in her house. She should send him packing and tell him to find a proper job for once in his life.

The bright ray of sunshine in all this was Phoebe coming back. Hope she hits it off with Kyle this time.

[Slade]

Back in the bay, luckily they (or rather Nate seeing as it looks he's the only doctor around) found out what was causing it, so far Leah seems to have been the worse affected. Good job he remembered her being unwell when he left. Good scenes with Chris and Alf, I'm guessing Alf broke the radio when he collapsed which is why Chris didn't try and use it again. Can't have been easy manhandling an almost dead weight into the dingy. That was kind of spooky but believable Alf muttering about Alsa having his dinner ready. I would have thought he'd be in more danger because of his age. From the trailer I thought Irene was unkind blaming him, it was a mistake anyone could make if you don't know your death cap toadstool from an ordinary mushroom.

I thought exactly the same thing about the part of your post regarding Alf H&Alover, given his age and was very surprised that it is actually Leah who is now worse off. However I cannot agree with the part about Chris.

Back in Oz, the main story had been the poisonous mushrooms. I do not agree with any of you about poor Chris not knowing what he was doing. Anyone with an ounce of common sense (but maybe Chris does not even have that) knows how dangerous certain types of mushrooms are and YOU DO NOT EAT ANY until you are sure by asking someone who knows. And he had no right cooking those without asking his boss and getting her permission. She has put up with enough from him, both in the Diner and in her house. She should send him packing and tell him to find a proper job for once in his life.

The bright ray of sunshine in all this was Phoebe coming back. Hope she hits it off with Kyle this time.

Exactly! This mess is all down to Spencer. He is such a tool. He really is. I know he's sorry but I can't believe he would be so stupid as to pick mushrooms, incorporate them into a meal and not check with Irene first (even if he didn't know they could be dangerous). And at the moment I just can't muster any sympathy for him whatsoever.

Evelyn is just an annoying little brat that for me takes up valuable screentime. Problem is we're probably stuck with her now.

Glad Phoebe's back as I quite like her. Will be interesting to see what happens with her and Kyle.

[H&Alover]

Yes we've reached page 1000!!!!!!

I loved that line, Zac may have been drunk but he did have it right too about the bay being cursed!! And then dropping the bombshell he'd slept with Bianca, which made Kyle drop the chair, Kyle's reply to Tam when she wondered if Heath knew - "He's still standing" was spot on. Seems the beach is a favourite choice of sleep for drunks in the bay!

haaf14 the boat was behind the Blaxland, they kept showing it, obviously for a reason, but even so it can't have been easy for Chris to get a quite comatose Alf into it. He then rowed it back to the bay and he didn't seem a very experienced rower, but then it seemed an awful long time before Alf was admitted, he got to the bay in daylight but it was dark by the time he got to the hospital. I'm guessing Marilyn didn't want to be the one to tell Alf Leah was seriously ill, wouldn't have made him feel any better. Although Alf was angry with Chris for making him ill in the first place, he did thank him for getting him home. Liked his remark to Chris about staying out of the kitchen. Yes Chris was stupid for not making sure the mushrooms were OK, just as well he didn't get a chance to serve it to Denny, but he's certainly paying for it now.

I thought Alf ( he's 68 btw) had had some health problems in the past, but as Nate said age didn't have anything to do with it, it's how it affects the individual.

Like it appears Nate is the only doctor at the new Hospital, it appears Hannah is the only nurse.

Brian, the pub was called Pillars of Hercules.

What was Evie thinking of, nicking those exam papers, at least Oscar showed sense and refused to look at them, was it really to get back at Zac for disappearing again?

Kyle may have only been gone a day (or two) but it didn't seem to affect the custom at Angelo's, looked quite busy that night.

I felt for Jett, he likes Leah a lot and was obviously worried for VJ, does he know yet, glad John finally got him to talk about what was bothering him.

Did she really have to come back, will she be pressurising him to leave again?

[haaf14]

H&A - I think during the period I wasn't concentrating for some reason and I didn't spot the boat behind the Blaxland, during period I was probably thinking about how Chris was going to get Alf back to shore considering he has never driven a boat before.

[Red Ranger 1]

I really don't find Phoebe to be a very pleasant person and I don't like the way Kyle is written as being in the wrong because he's the one that's expected to make all the sacrifices.We're consistently told that she makes him happy and they should be together but I've seen very little evidence of it.It's frustrating that his family are suddenly behaving badly towards him(such as not telling him Brax was in hospital)in a desperate attempt to convince us that he'd see running off with Phoebe as a viable option.The only unselfish thing she did was offering to stick around so he can say goodbye to his brothers which is annoyingly short-term given that it's pretty obvious if she's just been made a regular that they're not going to go:Are we just going to get a series of delaying tactics?I appreciate Tamara wanting Kyle to be happy, I just wish she wasn't so convinced Phoebe was the answer.

On the flip side, we have the much more believable bond between Chris and Denny, which has been allowed to grow naturally.(I get that it's a different situation since they've only just met and Kyle and Phoebe are meant to have history, but maybe it's a sign that an audience are far more likely to accept a relationship they've actually seen than being told that Kyle has been in love all along with some girl he's never mentioned and who doesn't seem to know anything about him.)I like that she supported him.I like that Irene supported him as well, although I'm surprised she'd even consider letting him carry on working at the Diner, unless it's under the proviso he stays away from the cooking and just waits tables.While I think hailing him as a hero was a bit over the top, he is doing what little he can to make up for what he's done.I appreciated Tamara's silent presence at the meeting even if it probably was just to get some familiar faces in there.Alf and John in shared bewilderment at Marilyn was nicely done, shame she didn't get the message that Alf finds her a bit overbearing at times.I loved the little scene of Alf visiting Leah, this is when Alf works best.

And the end of Ricky and Nate.It was kind of inevitable and it was done right:Ricky realises that whatever happens between her and Brax she can't keep stringing Nate along, while Nate accepts it with dignity.

[c120701]

Who is the little blond boy in the wooden photo frame by the desk in Summer Bay House? The desk they use to do the park books, not the one by the fireplace.

[Brian]

Thanks for the pub name H&Alover and yes, she really did have to come back. Wouldn't you for the guy you love?

A slight mix up Slade with Spencer for brother Chris. I do it all the time with names.

Disagree with you again Red. I do find Phoebe a pleasant character. You only have to look at Kyle when he is with her to see how happy she makes him, as in today's episode. He was never like that with Tamara. I don't blame her wanting to take him away from that crazy brotherhood. I don't know how any gal could put up with it, but Bianca and Ricky do. As Bianca said to Ricky in London, "whatever they throw at us, we still love them". Phoebe asked Bianca a few weeks ago how she squares being a school principal with the talk of killing and she said that she makes a compromise. Perhaps Phoebe isn't prepared to and I can't blame her for that.

Talking of school principal, the situation is ridiculous now, with the only teacher around, Zac, suddenly appointed!!!!!! What is the "department" doing? No wonder he wanted to get drunk! Same as Nate and Hannah at the hospital, as someone pointed out. Are

they really that desperate for characters? Make Marilyn an alternative therapy nurse and see how she copes! Chris would never have been allowed in that room while Leah was arresting!

[Dan F]

Who is the little blond boy in the wooden photo frame by the desk in Summer Bay House? The desk they use to do the park books, not the one by the fireplace.

It's Ollie Phillips.

Edit: And whilst we've already reached Page 1000, this post is actually the 10,000th. And what a profound one it was