Latest UK Episode Discussion (2006-2017 Seasons)

[Red Ranger 1]

2. I think he is sleeping at the Sands, it's probably not beyond a schoolteacher's salary, I seem to remember John stayed there once when he and Gina had problems.

3. CURS:Why did we get all that stuff with Casey and Andy?They weren't even in the episode.

2. Didn't Aiden work at The Sands before he got sacked for stealing a car with Nicole or was that another hotel?

3. In Australia they show both Thursday's and Friday's episode on Thursday's so I would presume that Andy's and Casey's involvement will on today's episode.

I had to double check but yes, Aden did work at the Sands.I know Australia show the two episodes together but the overseas versions we get have separate closing titles with proper cast lists, a trailer for the Friday episode at the end of Thursday and a new recap at the start on Friday so it would seem uncharacteristically lazy if they show a recap for both episodes on Thursday(Andy didn't appear today incidentally).I mean today's episode had a recap of Phoebe reacting to Josh moving in and Maddy leaving school, did they get that at the start of the double episode in Australia or is it their hard luck if they missed Monday?

Alf's episode count this week:Four.Roo was in all five.

So.I found today's episode very unsatisfying and disappointing, and bordering on distasteful in places.None moreso than Phoebe embracing the Braxton lifestyle and basically warning Chris he'll get beaten if he goes near Denny again, with the massive double standard of acting like kissing someone else's girlfriend makes you the lowest of the low.If nothing else, last time I checked Chris was her friend:The guy she moans about Kyle to, the guy that gave her a place to stay when no-one else wanted anything to do with her.But apparently that's not important and it's all about "fam'ly", even though I'm not sure if she even knows Denny:We've never seen them speak before and Denny acted like her hanging out at the Braxton house is still unusual.What exactly is this "good thing" that Casey and Denny have, the possibility than in a few months Denny too will be sticking a knife in old friends' ribs to protect the Braxton cabal?I really wanted Kyle or Denny to find out what Phoebe's done and make it clear it's not on, but instead she just looked smug and they didn't question it.I don't think either Casey or Kyle would treat a friend like that and my only comfort is that the promo suggests that's not the end of it.

On a similar note, Maddy's looking for a job.She's being a bit snarky and self-pitying about it but she's looking for a job.This is a good thing.But instead Roo becomes the latest character to turn into a total snob, act like the HSC is a magic ticket to a better future and dismiss the idea of an honest job as a waste of someone's time.Casey made all the right points about it being Maddy's choice, then just kowtowed to Roo anyway.Someone gave Casey a chance there when he had no qualifications and didn't want to go back to school and now he's a qualified instructor and running the place; Maddy didn't have any definite plans for after school but has stuck at her fitness training, this is a pretty good career path for her to take.And incredibly, Alf, who up until that point had supported Maddy going for a job and encouraged her before her interview, suddenly turns to the Dark Side and tells Roo not to change her mind because Maddy's upset.Roo even points out she'll just push Maddy away if she sticks to her guns, and that that approach never worked on her, but Alf dismisses it with "Oh, that was different, your mother died."Does he never learn?It doesn't matter if Maddy has a good reason for being like this, it just matters that she is.As Spencer points out, her mother pushed her away by trying to force her to focus on music:She didn't run away to concentrate on it as Casey said, she had it soured for her because it became something she was forced to do rather than something she enjoyed, and Roo's just going to do the same thing to her with school if she's not careful.Maddy's probably past the age she needs to run away, she could just move out, although she implied she was considering it.(Incidentally, I wouldn't describe her as messed up when she first came in, Spencer was more stressed than her.)Although Casey gave her the job in the end, it mostly seemed to be because he was scared she'd run away otherwise, which isn't the most satisfactory outcome.

Hey, we got a mention of Xavier! It probably won't go further than that but nice touch, shame it got ruined by Marilyn's dismissive attitude.I'm not certain, but it feels like this is building up to Marilyn making the wrong assumption and inviting the wrong person.I'm not sure who the right person is though:My first thought was Gina but surely if she was still around John wouldn't be marrying Marilyn. I'm surprised at the reference to Shandi, who I thought was long forgotten and even less likely to get an invite than Xavier.Not sure how Marilyn plans to contact her;I don't think John has her details and pretty much everyone else that met her is dead!

[haaf14]

2. I think he is sleeping at the Sands, it's probably not beyond a schoolteacher's salary, I seem to remember John stayed there once when he and Gina had problems.

3. CURS:Why did we get all that stuff with Casey and Andy?They weren't even in the episode.

2. Didn't Aiden work at The Sands before he got sacked for stealing a car with Nicole or was that another hotel?

3. In Australia they show both Thursday's and Friday's episode on Thursday's so I would presume that Andy's and Casey's involvement will on today's episode.

I had to double check but yes, Aden did work at the Sands.I know Australia show the two episodes together but the overseas versions we get have separate closing titles with proper cast lists, a trailer for the Friday episode at the end of Thursday and a new recap at the start on Friday so it would seem uncharacteristically lazy if they show a recap for both episodes on Thursday(Andy didn't appear today incidentally).I mean today's episode had a recap of Phoebe reacting to Josh moving in and Maddy leaving school, did they get that at the start of the double episode in Australia or is it there hard luck if they missed Monday

Red it was the only explanation I had why they showed Andy and Casey in the intro but they probably thought that it was too much hard work for them to edit the introduction. I do however skip the intro and don't really pay attention to what they show.

Thanks haaf 14.

You're most welcome but may I ask why I am being thanked?

[Psychic Wombat]

After her heart to heart with Leah Looks like H&A writers have had a complete turnaround regarding Sophie and have decided she isn't going to be a bad heart after all. Hmm, we'll see.

I don't get Casey and Denny, they haven't been together for five minutes and there's already angst and confusion going on, hopefully they're getting it out of the way so they can actually be happy. However, Casey's track record isn't great in the romance department so I'm not holding my breath!

I find it highly unlikely Maddie will quit school, I think she's just sulking over having to repeat year eleven. Surprised she didn't know it was heading that way and the teachers didn't intervene before it was too late, especially with her being a star pupil. Something will happen next week and she'll have an epiphany and go back to school. If she want to raise some money I think she should go busking with Phoebe, they could do some folk rock, guitar and fiddle :-)

[H&Alover]

The one job Maddy goes for and something she knows something about from the other side so to speak, and Roo thinks it's beneath her!!! She goes the wrong way about it by telling Casey not to accept her offer, that'll get Maddy back to school like you want. Yes she hasn't got any qualifications for it, but not something they actually teach in SBH, Andy hasn't any qualifications, neither did Heath or Casey when they started, you need to apply to do it and you learn as you go along. Maddy did make one very good valid point why he should take her on, they don't have a female instructor now Indie has gone and some women would perhaps feel happier with one. Maddy, as usual, did overreact when she found Roo had interfered, why doesn't she just let her get it out of her system if that is what she is doing, it may turn out it is what she wants to do. An HSC is important but it doesn't guarantee anyone a job at least if you want to stay in the bay, even if Maddy went onto uni she would probably leave the bay anyway. I do hope that Maddy doesn't expect to start at the top, she'll more than likely do the less glamorous jobs, stacking the towels etc.

It's odds on Casey will find out about the 'kiss', nothing stays a secret for long in the bay. Btw I know it was before Casey and Phoebe become an item but didn't she and Chris have a one night stand at the music festival, has she told Casey about that?

Yeh, as you said Red a mention of Xavier, though John may feel uncomfortable inviting him to the wedding considering it hasn't been that long since Gina, his mum, died and may feel it's far too soon. I guess John must have mentioned Shandi to Marilyn at some time, otherwise she wouldn't be thinking it must be her.

[Psychic Wombat]

Don't you mean before Kyle and Phoebe became an item?

[Brian]

I thought haaf that you told me the episode number and how far we are behind Aussie, didn't you?

2 more thoughts, why should Phoebe have had to apologise to Josh? Surely Casey should have done that for being so rude. Its not Casey's house anyway. As I suggested that Josh is such an upright character, I would have thought he would go and try to make peace with Maddy, or apologise to her.

[Psychic Wombat]

Yes, I think Casey was behaving a bit high and mighty moving Josh in without consulting at least Kyle as it is a shared house. Where does Josh get money for food from? TBH I don't get why Kyle and Phoebe are still there, maybe it's the chronic accommodation shortage in Summer Bay.

[H&Alover]

Brian, that was me what told you episode number and how far behind we are, pardon the grammar.

Yes well done Psychic for spotting my deliberate mistake. I wondered who would be the first to spot it.

Casey ought to at least run it by Kyle and Phoebe, but it has been his home a lot longer than it has Kyle's and even more so Phoebe's. She apologised to Josh with the added comment she didn't know the full facts looking pointedly at Casey. I'm guessing Andy used to pay for food out of his wages from the gym. Different houses mean more sets I guess the makers can't afford to build.

[c120701]

Brian, that was me what told you episode number and how far behind we are, pardon the grammar.

Yes well done Psychic for spotting my deliberate mistake. I wondered who would be the first to spot it.

Casey ought to at least run it by Kyle and Phoebe, but it has been his home a lot longer than it has Kyle's and even more so Phoebe's. She apologised to Josh with the added comment she didn't know the full facts looking pointedly at Casey. I'm guessing Andy used to pay for food out of his wages from the gym. Different houses mean more sets I guess the makers can't afford to build.

They probably don't have room in the studios for additional sets which I'd guess is why we don't see the upstairs of Summer Bay House anymore.

[Red Ranger 1]

I'm not sure if Kyle knows about Chris and Phoebe's liaison, she didn't make much of a secret of it but he'd been kidnapped at the time so it may have escaped his attention.On a similar note, Marilyn was in town during the Shandi business but given that she was in the middle of trying to adopt Nicole's baby she may not have followed the ins and outs.

Anyway...today.I know it irritates some people to high heaven but I always like it when Maddy gets giddy and enthusiastic, like she did at the start with Casey when chattering about the job.I'm guessing no-one saw her come home, since Roo didn't notice the uniform until the next morning.Roo asking for money for rent and board is fair enough but it sounded like she was going to take her entire wages which isn't.And while she's not going to go straight in as an instructor without qualifications, I don't like that Casey seems to be making things as difficult as possible for Maddy.I really hope she proves him and Roo wrong and sticks at it, she seems to be doing okay so far.Casey'd better start appreciating her, the way things are going, with Andy AWOL and Casey running off to deal with emergencies without telling anyone, she's going to be running the gym on her own.

So, Alf was spot on and it was Xavier that John wanted to invite.He's not coming, of course, but it's nice he got a mention.Marilyn's best course of action at the moment would probably be to tell John what she's done and find out whether or not he wants Shandi there before getting in touch with her again.Alf and Roo's reaction was rather amusing.

I am starting to get incredibly bored of this drugs storyline.We've been having the same conversations about Andy owing money and people being in danger for weeks now.I grimaced when Hannah was the one to find Andy, which was stretching coincidence way too far.I said last week that Casey should just let Andy and Hannah get killed;after today, I'm tempted to add Brax, Josh and even Casey himself to the list since aside from Casey's scenes with Maddy I was struggling to find interest in anything they did.The fact that we've never even seen the villains of the piece doesn't really help.