Latest UK Episode Discussion (2006-2017 Seasons)

[atrus]

So I was wondering when we'd get back to Mr Snelgrove - I'd almost forgotten that he showed up three weeks ago. I thought it was strange the way we kept hearing about his conversations with Irene through her chats with other characters later on, rather than seeing them directly. He seems like a nice enough bloke for now, but then so did Jekyll Hyde.

Oh dear; it seems a 'Matt's better suited to Maddy than Oscar' plotline has commenced in earnest. Heavy-handed though it was thanks to the age-old device of the teen magazine compatibility quiz, I do wonder if it might be true. 'Matey' relationships like Matt and Maddy's can turn into some of the most intense romances, but they can also be the most fraught with pitfalls and complications. I would also feel dreadfully sorry for Oscar if Maddy left him for Matt. Plus, whatever would Spencer say?

Speaking of the brothers Harrington, it felt like Ivana was very much onto Chris and Hannah, despite Chris's belief that he'd successfully pulled the wool over her eyes. But none of that matters anyway; the point is that the writers really seem to be pulling out all the stops to put the pair of them together - so that viewers as well as the other citizens of the Bay can start to think of Chris in terms other than just the town clown. Because while his scenes have always been fun, developing a more serious side to his personality is something that's long overdue. His scene with Irene, where she told him everyone loved him, was really nicely done.

Matt's sympathy for Hunter was misguided, I felt, but it was still heartening to see all the kids and Leah willing to give Hunter another go, despite everything (I don't blame VJ for losing it with Hunter, but even he manned up and apologised later). And then even Hunter himself seemed to be coming round, especially after his chat with Leah - until Charlotte stupidly left the papers about the paternity test lying around. Was it stupidity, or was it more calculated than that? I'm not putting it past Charlotte; she's a strange one. Then again, Leah could have backtracked from her suggestion about a paternity test to keep the peace, but chose not to, which was a shame. Not that that remotely justified anybody tampering with the brakes on her car, if that's indeed what happened.

So who knew Denny was still related to Zac? It feels like she's got a large sticker bearing the words 'supporting character' stamped on her head at the moment, so I'd welcome her involvement in this storyline if that's what transpires.

[c120701]

I realise now why I was surprised that Josh was so tall, it's because Andy is taller. 

[Red Ranger 1]

I don't think Matt was deliberately trying to come between Maddy and Oscar but I think he is the sort of person who likes stirring if he's bored.(I am ignoring any possibility that Matt might be better for Maddy than Oscar because...he isn't.Knowing her favourite movie does not a good boyfriend make.)No, Ivana Frost isn't a real person: She was actually played by one-time Miss Universe Australia Tegan Martin.(No wonder she was a stunner.)

When Matt and Evelyn were first suggesting that family dinner to welcome the family psycho, my response was "Are you insane?!" But...actually it went a lot better than I expected. I think VJ made a huge mistake in snapping at Hunter like that, I appreciate the sentiment but it was never going to achieve anything other than making himself look bad.Was Hunter actually sincere here?He did almost seem willing to accept Leah until that paternity test stoked up his paranoia again.Like atrus, I can't help wondering if Charlotte left it lying around deliberately to push him over the edge.Even though Hunter seems to be behind everything bad that happens at the moment, I'm not willing to assume he tampered with the brakes despite the heavy hints in that direction.I wouldn't be surprised if Leah accuses him, then it turns out the brakes failed because of a mechanical problem and she ends up having to backtrack.(I also wouldn't be surprised if the paternity test gets quietly dropped...)It was good to see Denny involved, I was wondering if this whole Charlotte and Hunter storyline was going to play out without her meeting them.I nearly mentioned it last episode but the opening scene was a big "They're going to say it, aren't they?" Zac slept on the couch...which is quite an achievement because that's where Evelyn sleeps.Has she moved in with Roo and Maddy without telling us?Incidentally, what happened to Maddy?She's there when the teens are discussing building bridges with Hunter but she's nowhere to be seen at the lunch.It can't just have been immediate family because Matt was there.Is it because she's more Alf and Roo's family than Zac and Leah's?

I'm curious about what's going on with Chris, it seems to be deeper than John's comments.Was he in a low place already, aware that it's a bit sad to rustle up a fake girlfriend so your life doesn't look so bad, when he's got no relationship and no career, and that just pushed him further?Still, it was nice to see John being genuinely concerned about him rather than just assuming it was all sorted.

[Slade]

I was extremely frustrated at the scenes with Chris.  I hated the way John was basically forced to go round to Irene's to apologise to him for telling the truth.  Chris is a clown.  He's incredibly immature and needs to grow up.  That's why his previous relationships IMO have failed.  This is someone who's continually wound people up and baited them throughout his time on the show and we're supposed to feel sorry for him just because he's having a bad day.  I'm sure Chris has had far worse than that.  It was so ridiculous  how he pulled a sickie and Irene let him get away with it.  I really hope they're not going to spend much more time on this.  And I suspect that once he gets with Hannah (that I'm sure) he will be as right as rain.

Was starting to warm to Hunter slightly but the way he was with Leah was again uncomfortable.  I'm not surprised she was scared.  I also don't blame VJ for having a going at him even though it wasn't the smartest move.  Everything from that episode seems to point towards Hunter tampering with the breaks on Leah's car so my immediate thought is that he is responsible but then again it was the same with Billie and the fire and look how that turned out.

[H&Alover]

May well have seemed a mad idea of Evie's initially but of course she didn't know about the paternity test problem.  Adults do tend to think they are shielding the kids in their lives from any problems they are having but never works like that, in this case Matt spotting Zac had spent the night on the sofa.  Good point though Red where did /or is Evie sleeping. Talking of Matt he's had a sudden change of heart wasn't it only the other week he was threatening Hunter he'd hurt him if he hurt Leah, now he's all for giving Hunter another chance?  Did Hunter look like he was threatening Charlotte when she told him to grow up when they were on the beach? I think you answered your own question Red about who was there and who wasn't, it was the Macguire/Patterson families and Matt is part of the Patterson family according to Leah, whereas Maddy is part of the Stewart clan. It would have been very awkward to have had Alf there anyway after his encounter with Hunter earlier at the diner, so now not just Leah he's being rude to but also Marilyn, Irene, John and Alf, not a good idea.  It was a great idea to include Denny giving us a reminder of how she came to be in the bay and how she missed out of knowing her dad.  VJ did rather spo8il the event by acting like a brat, though he did have the good grace to apologise later. 

Hunter really did seem to be ready to change his outlook when Leah went after him and was explaining how he and VJ were more or less in the same position about their dads,  he actually gave a genuine smile, funny then that when they went back indoors looking relaxed Charlotte chose that moment to hustle him off back home.  Must admit the same thought crossed my mind, was that paternity test paper left on the coffee table accidentally on purpose?  He was scary when he was threatening Leah, again no witnesses, and he was giving the car some meaningful looks as he walked away.  Would he need to get into the car itself to fix the brakes, Leah did think she had locked it, but that beggars the question how did he get hold of the keys? If not would a 16 year old know what parts of it ( brake fluid line/brake cable) to tamper with. He would have had to make his way back to the Stewart house and back home to do it - if he did do it.

I'm a Chris fan Slade so you are not going to like what I'm going to say.  John's remark, although he said he was joking, really did get to him, even Irene's clocked something's amiss, he would normally bounce right back, but this time he really is worried that is all people think of him.  John even made light of his apology. Yes, Chris can be irritatingly bouncy and jokey, but even with all the winding up he's done, he's never deliberately hurt anyone with things he's done.  There's one serious guy under that brash exterior (not that I'd like him to change completely),  Irene got it right he's not as thick skinned as everyone thinks he is.

[Angelica]

I had to laugh when Charlotte referred to Hunter as "harmless" in Mon's episode. So harmless that he started a fire for a pretty weak reason; a fire that could have killed his father if Billie hadn't swooped in. Charlotte is either ridiculously manipulative or ridiculously clueless when it comes to Hunter but either way I am finding her character less and less tolerable. Is a paternity test a big deal? Surely, this is the rational thing to do even if one believes Charlotte (and surely Hunter would be in a better position to make claims on Zac if their relationship was legally recognised). Hunter is a psycho, but it doesn't matter because in a week's time he will save someone's life and becomes everyone's bff. Isn't that the usual path of redemption for our bad boys these days?

I am looking forward to Chris's character being fleshed out beyond just comic relief. He may sometimes be a bit OTT, but he is probably one of the least malicious characters in the bay. I remember they did a good job with adding some depth with his character when he first arrived and was in love with Indi. Hopefully, we can see more of it.

[Brian]

Anyone know what has happened to Billie? Is she still in hospital?

[Slade]

Anyone know what has happened to Billie? Is she still in hospital?

AFAIK - Still in the city.

So just as I thought Hannah decides to spend more time with Chris.  I'm really not sure what to make of Andy still liking Hannah but looks as though they could be setting up another love triangle.  Oh and add to that one more judging by the preview.

Snelgrove seems to be adopting a zero tolerance policy.  Sending VJ and Hunter home after their fight and Zak and Charlotte too even though they were both teaching.  Then he expels Josh.  I was disappointed with that although I can't argue with Snelgrove's reasoning.  I thought Josh had done really well considering how he was struggling with his studies this time last year.  So as far as I'm concerned it's a shame.

Even though Hunter didn't tamper with Leah's brakes (what a coincidence they were leaking) I still don't blame her for wanting nothing more to do with him.  She can tell he's unstable.

[atrus]

I accept that he shook her up a bit, but Leah's suspicion of Hunter would have felt more credible if she'd already known he'd set fire to her house. Since she didn't, it seemed like a bit of a leap for her to suggest that he'd have slashed her brakes - even though viewers were of course suspecting it. Meanwhile, I'm not sure exactly why Hunter thinks the two crimes are in any sense 'different' - as if slashing brakes is entirely beyond the pale but burning someone's house down is perfectly acceptable, everyday behaviour - since both are highly criminal and highly likely to lead to loss of life. But suffice it to say, Charlotte needs to start genuinely challenging her son on his behaviour. That's if it doesn't prove more efficient at furthering her goals than her own dubious misdeeds.

Chris and Hannah's scene was really sweet today, and I felt that Chris confirmed a lot of what viewers have been fed in terms of subtext for a very long time - beneath the bravado he's a very lonely character. I was really hoping they wouldn't throw an Andy in the works, but it's clear that's the way this is going; so I'm simply going to hope that Chris and Hannah ride out the storm and get an opportunity to make a go of things.

I can see why Snelgrove felt he had to give Josh zero marks, and can just about see why he expelled him. But it seemed incredibly cruel to give him his good results, and then declare them null and void and chuck him out of school. Still, I can see this decision yet being reversed following pleas of mercy from the usual suspects, or possibly even an eleventh-hour intervention via an appeal to The Department.

[Red Ranger 1]

Called it! (Hunter having sabotaged the car was so obvious there had to be a double bluff in there somewhere.) But surprisingly Leah didn't actually back down that much and knows it doesn't suddenly make him a nice person.Telling that Charlotte didn't make any attempt to defend him this time round, whereas Zac was frustratingly naïve in believing that just because he's his son (maybe) he couldn't possibly be a psychopath.Leah's solution, Zac only seeing Hunter away from the house, doesn't seem very workable in the long term, I can only assume she's hoping he'll see through Hunter soon enough.VJ needs to pull his head in: Picking fights with Hunter in class isn't going to help anyone.

I find that I actually like Greg.Not sure that I'm supposed to but it's good to have a principal who actually does the bits of the job that make him unpopular.I loved him chewing out Zac and Charlotte over their inability to control their families.And while I've nothing against Josh, I actually found myself pleased that Greg had a realistic reaction to his drug taking rather than just patting him on the head and going "There there, don't do it again."(I'm having far from fond memories of the days when Gina actually did turn a blind eye to April taking drugs, and during the HSC proper at that.)There seems to be a conscious decision to move on from the show's No Consequences era, which is something of a relief after the excesses of the last year (and the preceding six for that matter).I'd actually be somewhat surprised if he's back in school by the end of the year.I'm not sure how far off exams they are but it seems like Josh has done nearly all the work and just needs to find another school to sit the exams at.But I'm still expecting him to be repeating Year 12 with VJ and possibly Hunter next year, possibly after Greg has been replaced with a more liberal principal a la Zac letting Maddy back in this year.Is the area really so bereft of restaurants that if Angelo's is out of the question Irene has to cook for Greg at hers?What about Yabbie Creek?

I'm not at all sure I like what they did with Chris here.I agree there's been signs of him being lonely underneath the smiles in the past, and there's been plenty of signs that he can be serious and sensitive when necessary in the past, but making out that his ebullient gregariousness is all an act felt like a bit too revisionist and I'm worried they're going to throw the baby out with the bathwater and lose what makes Chris watchable with lines like "You never have to do that with me." I'm still scratching my head slightly at how Chris and Hannah have become so close so quickly but I'll run with it.Andy suddenly having feelings for Hannah again felt rather abrupt, he seemed fine with Charlotte, at least in a friends-with-benefits way, up until Hunter showing up, and the smirks on his and Josh's faces on hearing Hannah kissed Chris didn't make him seem particularly jealous.I'm not sure it's a love triangle so much as a last throw of the dice, Barrett's reaction on seeing Chris and Hannah together seemed to basically amount to shrugging and going "Okay, missed out there."