Latest UK Episode Discussion (2006-2017 Seasons)

[Slade]

It is hard to sympathise with anyone in the Hannah/Nate/Sophie love triangle,although, I gained a little respect for Hannah when she told Nate off for using her to escape his marriage.

I thought Hannah came across very well yesterday. Can't really fault her for anything.

I am relieved that Nate has finally done the thing he should have done weeks ago, which is end things with Sophie.

I'm not sure he has actually ended things. I got the impression that after Sophie laid the guilt trip she managed to talk him round yet again. I ask myself why she does this to herself but obviously because she loves him. But she's having to force everything and coming across as totally desperate. He doesn't want to be with her and as I said before I believe she already deep down knows this and by not facing up to it is only prolonging her own agony (and Nate's). It is frustration how he traps himself in this loveless marriage because he doesn't have the balls to finish with her.

I found Andy especially annoying - between him immediately attacking a stranger looking for Brax, and his interaction with Maddy (after all, Andy is hardly the paragon of virtue).

Really? The stranger bit I get but I actually quite liked the scenes with him and Maddy. TBH I'm not sure what Andy was actually supposed to say to Maddy in that scene other than what he already did.

So she committed a sackable offence and lost her job which I can't argue with. It will be interesting to see where she goes from here.

[CaptainHulk]

Sorry, Hot as she is, I CANNOT sympathize with Maddy at the minute nor be expected to.

Them's the breaks.

[Red Ranger 1]

I was kind of looking forward to seeing the mystery of what happened between Brax and Ash come out but by the end of the episode we seem to know pretty much everything: I'm all for early disclosure but that's a bit early.Even though Ash's real name has only been given in the cast list, it's a bit weird that he has the same name as a pretty iconic Casualty character.Anyway, on the whole I like him, and he seems to be winding up Andy which is good.

Really don't know what to make of Maddy's storyline here.I don't know why she'd want to be friends with Evelyn after everything she's done, and it was slightly annoying that Maddy was the one that had to climb down and apologise when as far as I recall Evelyn hasn't apologised for anything.(Maybe she has and I've forgotten but the moment still rankled.)I'm not sure if Roo stopped Andy trying to get Maddy her job back or not, but if she did then that's out of line.I liked Maddy at the gym, I felt it was a good direction to take the character in and really was the "standing on her own two feet" that Roo advocated.So while it was her own choice without any undue pressure, I'm not too keen on her going back to school and probably staying there for the rest of her time on the show;if Sophie wasn't going to let her into Year 12 before, she certainly won't now, and she'll be in classes with Jett and VJ at this rate.If she does end up in Year 12 with the others next season, it'll be just about acceptable but it'd be nice to have one character escape from having to put on the school uniform all the time.As for Josh and Evelyn, from the way Oscar and even Maddy are trying to big them up, it feels like we're meant to see them as somehow Meant To Be.It's one of those cases where a couple that I don't particularly want back together are obviously going to get together at some point and watching the long drawn out will they/won't they is curiously akin to being on death row.

VJ's teen sulking made absolutely no impression on me whatsoever and felt like a relic of a storyline that had been mostly cut.

[CaptainHulk]

Year 12 before, she certainly won't now, and she'll be in classes with Jett and VJ at this rate.If she does end up in Year 12 with the others next season, it'll be just about acceptable but it'd be nice to have one character escape from having to put on the school uniform all the time.

I can just imagine Maddy losing her mind after being left back again, especially with those two!

Also, weren't she and Spencer in Year 11 when they joined?

[H&Alover]

Any employee would be fired on the spot if caught stealing and it wasn't a piddling amount either. Yes, I know Casey had stolen from the gym, but Brax covered for him, but now he owns the gym and he trusted Maddy. He did initially blame Andy, who wouldn't, he had a envelope of cash in his hand and the petty cash box on the desk. I thought he did the decent thing by being ready to take the fall, until Maddy 'fessed up, which was more by accident than design. Talking of whom she went through her 'I promise I won't do it again' routine, which is now very tiring.

One question now she is going back to school just how she is going to pay Roo back?? Although they are never going to be BFF, I'm glad that she and Evelyn are at least on speaking terms.

So relieved Spencer did the right thing and reported Keith, who surely should have had a police guard, seeing as Spencer attacked him, but he would have only wandered off at some point. I was thinking that Spencer may not have done anything if Keith hadn't said to Spencer that they could carry on as if nothing had happened! He was one sad sicko!!!! It certainly wasn't his first time, he was far too practiced at being a teenage girl and knowing the language they would use in a text to a teenage boy. I also had the feeling Chris was getting shoved to one side when he kept trying to help. I can only put it down to Alf being that much older he'd be a wiser head. I don't remember the door number of the room he was in at that motel, but it wasn't the same one Ash was staying in was it?

Talking of Ash, the Ash I thought of was the Ash Martha was involved with, can't really blame Ricky being wary, after all Jake used an intermediary to get to Brax via Andy. Irene and Roo must have known something of what went on as they wouldn't tell him anything. he may not be as well built as Andy but he is certainly strong as he managed to lay him out. By the way I'm guessing Kyle is away again, as Brax just ups and puts up another perfect stranger, well to Kyle anyway, in the main house without a bye you leave! Is there a sister or is that a blind? Brax is into compartmentalising isn't he, wanting to keep what happened in prison completely separate from his life on the outside. I can understand why Ricky was upset at him having told not Ash anything about her, though I suppose in Brax's mind as they had split, OK he had dumped her, she was the past and so no need to mention her to anyone. At least we found out what had gone down, when he 'talked' to Casey at the end, the fact he had started most of the fights reminded me of what Danny was like.

I think Nate would just have drifted on with Sophie until his accident, which has put things into perspective for him. She must know deep down as Slade said things aren't right, but can't or won't admit it. Hannah did the right thing in backing off and telling Nate not to use her for the reason for finishing his marriage.

[Red Ranger 1]

Also, weren't she and Spencer in Year 11 when they joined?

Yes.But we're probably not meant to remember that.

I was veering between rolling my eyes at Josh and Evelyn's scenes and thinking that maybe I could tolerate them, right up until that final scene which was simply dreadful.Yes, everyone apologise to Evelyn.After all, she's completely innocent in this, and never needs to apologise for anything even though she spends her whole life treating people like dirt.And now she's got what she wanted, being Josh's number one priority and becoming the centre of attention, because obviously she's the most important person in the world and entirely deserving.And the crazy thing is I think the writers probably think Evelyn's a nice person, even though she spends the majority of her time being anything but, so it's hard to accept when they do try and write her as nice.When she said near the start that she's worried she and Josh won't last, my main feeling was that I'm worried they will.

Well, H&Alover, it looks like Kyle hasn't been away, even though Phoebe has.Mind you, I doubt it occurred to Brax to let him know that Martin "Ash" Ashford (not the Casualty character) was moving in, he didn't bother to tell Ricky, Andy or Josh either.Denny has probably picked up on something over John's movie night, it seems very unlikely that he's got the right paperwork and permissions.He seriously shot himself in the foot by winding up Phoebe when she was about to cancel the open mike night, now it's full scale war.

Whilst Gray is manipulative and not someone that Matt should be letting back into his life...frankly Sasha isn't coming across any better.Maybe if she got down off her high horse a bit I might sympathise, but as it stands she's pretty much proving Gray right with her attempts to control Matt.He's probably better off getting away from both of them, but apparently even Gray taking a swing at him isn't enough for him to walk away.

[Psychic Wombat]

H&A play it so safe, I groaned when I heard princess Maddy do a U turn and decide to go back to school, it would have been a far more interesting storyline if she'd tried to get another job and make a career for herself (she could busk with her fiddle), but no the dreadful school uniform is coming out the closet again... oh well. Weird how there is no mention of her parents being told of her stealing ways I wasn't aware relations were that fraught she is from decent family.

Not sure about Josh and Evelyn, I think Josh needs a more adult relationship really.

Glad Phoebe is back :-)

[Angelica]

I am relieved that Nate has finally done the thing he should have done weeks ago, which is end things with Sophie.

I'm not sure he has actually ended things. I got the impression that after Sophie laid the guilt trip she managed to talk him round yet again. I ask myself why she does this to herself but obviously because she loves him. But she's having to force everything and coming across as totally desperate. He doesn't want to be with her and as I said before I believe she already deep down knows this and by not facing up to it is only prolonging her own agony (and Nate's). It is frustration how he traps himself in this loveless marriage because he doesn't have the balls to finish with her.

It may have been wishful thinking on my part! I just don't think how this can go on for much longer

I found Andy especially annoying - between him immediately attacking a stranger looking for Brax, and his interaction with Maddy (after all, Andy is hardly the paragon of virtue).

Really? The stranger bit I get but I actually quite liked the scenes with him and Maddy. TBH I'm not sure what Andy was actually supposed to say to Maddy in that scene other than what he already did.

So she committed a sackable offence and lost her job which I can't argue with. It will be interesting to see where she goes from here.

I agree that what Maddy has done was wrong, and she deserved to be reprimanded and be sacked. But I found it hard to stomach Andy as the new guru and potential role model for Maddy especially when he recently murdered someone with no seeming consequences. Although I guess if everyone is as much an expert or promising to change as Maddy is, then it would be Andy.

Not sure what to make of Evie and Maddy now conversing. On the one hand, I think they both need more female interaction, but it felt a bit out of nowhere (I would have maybe liked to have some build up to the detente). I still don't understand why Oscar is so keen to get Josh and Evie back together, most normal brothers would struggle to forgive the guy that cheated on their sister.

I think Sasha handled that Matt and his dad situation badly, but it was nice to be reminded of Irene's previous history of alcoholism.

[Brian]

Hi folks. Happy new year to you all Hope you all had a good Christmas.

Haven't posted before, as I agree with what most of you have said. However I think today's was the best episode this week so far, as we have Kyle smiling again now Phoebe is back. No mention of the place they're both moving into though. Nice scenes with Phoebe and Kyle helping Josh. Good scenes with Matt/Sasha/Gray. What will Matt do in his awkwatd position?. I do hope that Josh and Evie stay together. Did anyone notice how different he looked today - nice,shirt, hair swept back and different makeup?

[Slade]

I agree that what Maddy has done was wrong, and she deserved to be reprimanded and be sacked. But I found it hard to stomach Andy as the new guru and potential role model for Maddy especially when he recently murdered someone with no seeming consequences. Although I guess if everyone is as much an expert or promising to change as Maddy is, then it would be Andy.

Yes as H&lover already mentioned Maddy and the empty promises.

With regards to Andy the role model and the murder thing, I can't refute that but as I said before I don't really care that he killed Pirovic. Pirovic killed Casey and Charlie so I'm glad he's dead. I think someone made a point about the similarities to Sam killing Johnny Cooper. Characters like Pirovic and Cooper remind me of some of the bad guys like Dr Octopus, Green Goblin etc. in the Spiderman comics I used to read when I was a kid (digressing I know). Every time he defeated them and locked them up, they would simply escape and kill more people. So whilst it's not desirable to kill, I do wonder from time to time whether it's the best solution, especially if it stops more people from dying. The reason why I don't have as much of an issue with it with characters I actually like now is probably from watching other soaps. Do you watch Hollyoaks by any chance Angelica? Because that's what I'm talking about. The show explores very real issues but at the same time week in week out a significant number of characters seem to get away with very serious crimes with very little repercussions.

Not sure what to make of Evie and Maddy now conversing. On the one hand, I think they both need more female interaction, but it felt a bit out of nowhere (I would have maybe liked to have some build up to the detente). I still don't understand why Oscar is so keen to get Josh and Evie back together, most normal brothers would struggle to forgive the guy that cheated on their sister.

Again I did actually enjoy the scenes with Evelyn and Maddy but the apparent make up just seemed too quick. They perhaps should have maybe had Evie hold the door for her or help her with some heavy boxes and left it at that. Then maybe the next time they saw each other cleared the air. And the time after that perhaps hung out.

Re Oscar, putting bad writing aside, I honestly believe this isn't so much about getting Josh and Evie together but nullifying Josh as a future obstacle for Maddy. I believe Oscar is in love with Maddy and he probably thinks she's still hung up over Josh. So if Josh and Evie are together he has a clear path and more of a chance of a possible relationship so there is an element of self-interest there.