Latest UK Episode Discussion (2006-2017 Seasons)

[Red Ranger 1]

Speaking of which, where do I recognise Brax's hotshot lawyer from? He's been in a fairly prominent role before, I feel, either in H&A or Neighbours or somewhere else.

Don't suppose you've ever caught an episode of Crownies and/or Janet King, have you?That's where I know him from.Otherwise, as I indicated above, I think his only appearance in those two is playing the same role in HA back in 2012, at Casey's trial for killing Danny.

I'm slightly surprised that Alf is so pro-Brax but I guess he remembers what Brax did for young Pippa.Still, I hope he's not going to go around telling people off for criticising Brax as he suspected.I like Ash but his hostility towards Nate, even before he knew about him and Ricky, came a bit out of nowhere. So Brax is taking the plea.Not sure it's the right thing to do but the episode did a decent job of presenting it as such.

Matt recovered himself slightly and Zac showed a decent amount of insight into him.He and Sasha worked well as a couple here and I could believe in the bittersweet nature of their parting:She's doing what she wants but they're going to miss each other.

Hannah going home seems more and more like a bad idea, with Andy continuing to make the popular choices instead of actually doing what's best for her.Fair play to him for seeing sense once Nate had a word, but Hannah just seems to have swapped one set of four walls for another without the hospital staff on hand to make sure she does her physio.

[Angelica]

Yeah, I thought Matt and Sasha's scenes were really good in that episode. It was all very bittersweet. I felt Alec Snow was really good at getting across Matt's vulnerability in this episode despite all his jokey bravado. And really liked Zac's scene with Matt during the detention scene, and their little banter about tacos and washing up later on. I really feel that the Zac/Matt dynamic works really well

I agree, Red, about Hannah. It seems odd that she made such a big deal of going home, only to spend the whole time in the one room. And I thought there were a lot of similarities between Maddy and Hannah here - Hannah seems just as dependent on Andy (if not more) than Maddy is on Oscar. And I am not convinced that Hannah would be back with Andy if it wasn't for the accident. She never seemed to actively make a choice to be with him, but rather accepted his help as a matter of course. I found it irritating when Nate came over to check up on Hannah, and is answering all of Nate's questions for Hannah. It just seems like once again, Hannah is not mature enough to deal with issues head on. I actually think the Nate/Andy scene was quite well played out, I agreed with Nate here, but think Andy took the feedback quite well. Not sure how I feel about Nate confiding later in Zac about Hannah - technically, he is kind of breaching patient confidentiality here, but I can see why Nate felt the need to rally up a better support network for Hannah.

[atrus]

Don't suppose you've ever caught an episode of Crownies and/or Janet King, have you?That's where I know him from.Otherwise, as I indicated above, I think his only appearance in those two is playing the same role in HA back in 2012, at Casey's trial for killing Danny.

Hmm, I don't think I saw much, if any, of Casey's trial - and neither of the two shows you mentioned. Not sure, then - perhaps he just looks a bit like someone I know!

Putting my Spatt theories aside (for now), I thought Matt and Sasha's scenes were incredibly well played, proving yet again that acting talent in H&A is far from the preserve of the old-timers. There's a real ring of truth to both performances, and Matt's self-esteem issues are particularly well observed. I'd like their relationship to survive the distance, but there was something about the looks on both their faces that suggested it probably wouldn't. That truth is going to be far harder for Matt to adjust to than Sasha, you feel.

Not quite sure why Alf was throwing his hat into the ring in unconditional support of Brax, other than because he's been afflicted with the same misguided sense of double-standards hero-worship as everybody else in town. And I quickly lost patience with Hannah and her Lady Muck routine. I'd agree, Angelica, about the similarities between Hannah and Maddy in their reactions to their conditions - although at least Maddy has the excuse of youth and the fact that immaturity tends to be in-character for her anyway.

I'd say with Hannah, it seemed like a personality transplant, except I don't feel Hannah had that much of a personality to start with, which probably compounded the problem. And both Andy and Nate continue to lack any real appeal for me - give me Heath and Sid, whose roles they appear to have respectively replaced, any day.

[Slade]

And I thought there were a lot of similarities between Maddy and Hannah here - Hannah seems just as dependent on Andy (if not more) than Maddy is on Oscar. And I am not convinced that Hannah would be back with Andy if it wasn't for the accident. She never seemed to actively make a choice to be with him, but rather accepted his help as a matter of course. I found it irritating when Nate came over to check up on Hannah, and is answering all of Nate's questions for Hannah. It just seems like once again, Hannah is not mature enough to deal with issues head on. I actually think the Nate/Andy scene was quite well played out, I agreed with Nate here, but think Andy took the feedback quite well. Not sure how I feel about Nate confiding later in Zac about Hannah - technically, he is kind of breaching patient confidentiality here, but I can see why Nate felt the need to rally up a better support network for Hannah.

The scene(s) with Hannah in her bed interacting with Andy reminded me of those with Oscar and Maddy on Monday. Although I guess one main difference is that at Hannah and Andy are actually going out and were/are an 'item'. I actually think Hannah would have taken Andy back eventually anyway. Her reason for not wanting to get back with him effectively amounted to a childish strop which she would have gotten over. And she didn't have too many options before the accident - The only other person was Nate and after what happened with Sophie I'm not sure she would go back there anytime soon. I definitely think Nate was right to go round and I thought Andy handled Nate's suggestions pretty well (I was expecting him to kick off but I think he was genuinely trying to do what is best for Hannah). It doesn't surprise me that Nate broke patient confidentiality as when Jess was terminally ill, he told Ricky just to stay in her good books although to be fair to him this time he was genuinely trying to look out for Hannah.

I loved Alf telling Brax that he would be there for him and his family.

Ash annoyed me regarding his attitude towards Nate. If felt like he was trying to get Brax then Andy to give him a hard time.

[630si]

My thoughts Echo all yours really. Hannah and Andy seemed to be just like Maddy and Oscar. Interestingly enough though Hannah was dying to get home and the. Just sits in bed. Andy probably Isnt the right person to be pushing her and he's just letting her sit there so I agree with Nate and his visit. She needs to be reminded to not give up and to push herself or she will never walk again.

I really enjoyed matt and Sasha in this episode even the incidental music was all romantic and made me want to root for these two. They're not quite the power couple we used to have on the show back in the day I agree but they're thw most likeable out of the young crowd I feel. What is even more tragic is that you know they cannot possibly last the distance, literally, and this is that fork in their lives where they are going seperate ways.

What was Ash's issue with Nate suddenly. He realises he's in a small seaside town right? And when Brax informs him that he and Ricky were and item he gets on the defensive. I can marginally understand that but bit of anger reaction, he seemed surprised then that everybody like him. This is a guy the whole community trusts with their life. He's for skill! He even once drilled a whole into a head to save one of them. He no ordinary GP LOL

[H&Alover]

We all know Brax didn't kill Dean and he didn't really have a motive like Ash did, who btw was alibied by Sam of all people so Craig's suggestion they pin it on him goes out of the window. If Brax had killed Dean would he really have been so daft as to leave his body out in the open? Is Craig suggesting Brax cop a plea of manslaughter or self defence? Big decision either way, plead not guilty and hope the jury believes his version and if it goes against him he gets 20 years or if they do he gets off with a lighter sentence. Alternatively plead not guilty and if found guilty gets the same sentence with maybe a bit added on because he didn't own up to his guilt? Both Ricky and Ash were giving good advice, but in the end as Ash said when it come down to it it was his decision. Seems in the end he was going for Craig's offer.

Maybe Ash thought Nate would move in on Ricky once was inside, but last time of course Brax had finished with Ricky so she was a free agent, even though her heart would always have belonged to Brax. Alf hasn't always seen eye to eye with Brax, the Braxton's or the things they've done, but as he said at Casey's wake they are part of the town like it or not and the town looks after it own. Although he is no longer on screen, has Heath been kept up to date with what's been going on?

I'm sure Hannah did think that being home would do her the world of good, but it's certainly not turning out that way, her dependence on Andy is not good and I don't think he realised that is what she was doing until Nate pointed it out. The kids and Denny are going to think he has baled on her just like they thought he would, but I think Nate got it right, Andy not being there may just give her the motivation to continue with the therapy and do her exercises. Like she said to Nate, unlike 'normal' people, as a nurse she has seen patients improve and ones who haven't. She's scared and if not careful could slip into depression. Good suggestion by Nate that Zac go and visit her as she needed family around her so she's isn't just dependent on one person, namely Andy, a lot to ask of anyone.

Spencer was so pressing all of Matt's buttons, I was surprised he held out so long before he hit back and whoa, a lesser spotted teacher appeared! Not so surprising was Matt not telling Zac what the fight was all about, holding true to the old school tradition of not grassing on a fellow pupil. At least his talk with Zac did get him open up more, which it seems he can do one to one. Loved the surprise meal he cooked for Sash, even if just happened to be the only food he could cook. I thought the same as you atrus, by the look on his face, he seemed to be more aware than Sasha that things would change, whereas she was so confident things wouldn't. Still we will be seeing her in three weeks, maybe.

[Red Ranger 1]

It was good to see Zac finally paying Hannah a visit and he proved just what she needed: Their history obviously allows him to achieve just the right mix of teasing and tough love to motivate her.It was good too to see Zac and Andy being civil to each other rather than winding each other up like they usually do.A shame that in while solving one family's problems Zac has made a mess with the other one.He should have told VJ he was going to see Hannah and VJ should have given him a proper phone call rather than an easily missed text message.New VJ actually works fairly well with the lighter stuff so it's a shame we're back to belligerent angst by the end.

Nice to get a reference to Heath, right after you, H&Alover, and everyone in the Australian thread wondered if he'd been forgotten.(Still not clear if he knows what's going on with Brax though, or indeed why Brax and Ricky have suddenly left town right after he decides to plead guilty...Aside from the fact that Brax's three episodes are up this week.)Ryan's surname is Kelly according to the credits, so I wonder if the King alias is a reference to him calling Phoebe Princess.(Wouldn't Prince be more appropriate though?)I was wondering if we'd ever had proper clarification as to whether Kyle or Ryan left the tiara so nice to get that cleared up.Not sure how much danger Phoebe is in at the end but the potential is there...

[630si]

There is something about Ryan's face that makes him less scary and as red says, the way the episode ended, although creepy, we're not really sure how much danger she is in. Agree with comments about the tiara. It felt like days since she had found it and not even mentioned it to Kyle. Then I realised it HAD been days and it was just that we were off following other stories in those episodes.

I and so thrilled Zac went to see Hannah and as Red says is just what she needed. I Got te impression Andy felt a bit put out by her progress when he arrived back at the farm but nope, Hannah just assured him Zac hadn't helped her get dressed and he sighed with relief. Typical bloke. I'm not sure how much of these modifications to the house were gunna see. Didn't Sasha mention to Evie last week there are already hand rails in the bathroom etc from when Dexter had his accident? I'm sure she did. Seemingly Andy got her out to the beach no problem.

I'm kind of with VJ on this one. As pleased as I am that Zac went to Hannah's, right now Zac is all VJ has and he let him down by not turning upto lunch. Mug grovel needed.

[H&Alover]

Agree with both of you Zac's visit was just what Hannah needed. Could it be Andy is a little too close and was afraid of doing the wrong thing and upsetting her? After all they are all new to this situation. I'm pleased she asked after Leah and assured Zac that talking to her did do good and it was likely Leah could hear them. The doors seemed wide enough for her to manoeuvre the wheelchair through. Her getting out to the beach would have done her the world of good, some of us may not like the character of Hannah but the actress who plays her is doing a good job. Must be so tempting to casually cross your legs, have a scratch without thinking and just let your legs dangle.

Zac could have told VJ where he was going, she is family as Irene explained, he would have understood, but just to seemingly dump him wasn't on. Zac nearly answered VJ's call but Hannah made her appearance just at the wrong time.

Spooky that wasn't it Red, Kyle is staying with him and Bianca while he visits the hospital, no mention of whether he knows about Brax's latest crisis. I was going to ask if the city be within the limits he's allowed to be from the bay, but that wouldn't make sense him and Ricky going there if Kyle is already going to the city.

Ryan (and that surname is definitely an alias) may not come across as obviously scary, but they are the ones to look out for. Kyle had the faintest of feelings he was a bit off the wall, but he has no idea how far! Guess it's one of those things, you keep meaning to mention something to someone and you just keep forgetting, handy it got sorted just before Kyle went away and even more handy he told Ryan he'd be away that night. Ryan was able to just walk in because once again no-one locks their bloody doors or puts the latch on!

[Red Ranger 1]

Alf's episode count this week:Four. Denny didn't appear at all, although at least we know where she is.

I'd have rather Marilyn's childish towards John had been forgotten rather than dragging on into the early scenes of this episode but at least it's been forgotten now, even if they are still at odds over the house sale.Ryan was believably creepy and obsessive and it was probably a good thing John stepped in.Did John really get a good enough look at Ryan to identify him as the prowler he met earlier? And what happened to Josh?He was only meant to be at the movies with Evelyn last episode but the implication here was that he was going to be gone all night.(I don't think they're at the sleepover stage yet, mentions of him sleeping on her couch after the bus crash notwithstanding.)Still, good to see Kat doing her job rather than applying for the Braxton Fan Club, and also to see Alf looking out for Phoebe.Ryan seemed to display limited self-awareness, approaching Phoebe when she's got a police officer with her then running when Kat tells him to stop.Despite the AVO, it seems he's still going to be hanging around.

Oh yeah, and VJ did something.There have been times when I'd quite happily see him go, and they'll probably come again soon, but having him go now would be hard on Zac.

While there's still a voice in the back of my head going "Please don't die, please don't die, please don't die", aside from that worry I'm quite pleased with the way Maddy's health issues are being handled, with her having continual troubles rather than it all being sorted out in a couple of weeks.Alf seemed a bit schizophrenic: Last time they were together he told Oscar they'd look after Maddy if he wanted a break, here he tells him to go and see her after just three days away.The kiss was a sweet moment;I never actually thought these two had a chance of becoming a couple but I'd really like it if they did, he couldn't be more different from Josh and they could be good for each other.My only worry is that the last two years have had Maddy happy in a relationship at this time only for her boyfriend to be in love with someone else and her cast as the vindictive jealous ex halfway through the year.I hope it doesn't follow that pattern, and I also hope that with Josh having broken her heart and her and Spencer having kind of broken each other's hearts it won't be Maddy's turn to be the heartbreaker (again...) this time.