Latest UK Episode Discussion (2006-2017 Seasons)

[CaptainHulk]

Yeah, I'll be pissed too if Claire is someone to rip Reenie off. This was about the only thing that kept my interest in this ep. Olivia's begging for a swirlie. Maybe when some of the Y12 "It" girls roll her, that'll make her a more humble (read: likeable) character. Surprised Chloe and Lachie aren't spinning in their graves.

Disclaimer: CaptainHulk does not Advocate Bullying but feels if people need their just deserts, he will say it

Chris/Hannah. No, No, No. No more of that please. Someone probably dug out some of the Vinnie/Leah scripts from 2000 and crossed out the names, not to the mention the charm. Judging by the preview for next week, it's pretty hard not to agree with Hannah (much as I don't care for her) and her assessment of Chris.

 

 

[Slade]

10 hours ago, CaptainHulk said:

Disclaimer: CaptainHulk does not Advocate Bullying but feels if people need their just deserts, he will say it

I don't think you need to justify yourself TBH.  One thing I do like about this thread is for the most part I think people in here recognise this is a fictional program with fictional characters so won't judge you in that respect.

Good to see some actual comeback re Kyle.  As I said a couple of times before he admitted the illegal gambling to the police so given that he's on a suspended sentence it's ridiculous he's not in jail.  Isla is very cunning indeed.  I wonder if Kyle's annoyed that he at least didn't get to sleep with her before she revealed who she was and her purpose.  Judging by the preview whilst I'm glad about Kyle something that does bother me (given Isla's warning) is that innocent people will be dragged in i.e. Ricky, Casey, Josh etc.  And we've already seen this happen when Andy owed money that time also Ash having to waste a kidney.  Anyway I will watch this storyline with keen interest.  I will say that Billie was like a dog with a bone with Kyle yesterday although objectively it did actually seem to help him confide in someone else.

Couldn't help but find the puppy dog eyes of Olivia turning to the death stare really cute with regards to Claire.  Maybe it's because I just think that Olivia's really cute period.  I am left wondering if her initial disdain towards certain individuals is partly fueled by jealousy and not wanting to share Irene with anyone else.  Both the characters she's immediately distrusted have been female (i.e. Skye and Claire).  She didn't seem to have any issues with Nate or Chris.  She and Irene have this (female) bond over being sexually assaulted so I'm guessing Olivia thinks she's special in "Reenie's" eyes.  So another female turning up in Irene's life, I wonder if Olivia perceives that as some sort of threat to her bond with Irene.  I really didn't like her going through Claire's stuff like that.  It was absolutely an invasion of privacy.  And I do actually hope she's wrong about Claire, for Irene's sake more than anybody's.  Although it's telling that even Roo seems quite concerned.  Logically they should get the DNA test done first and take it from there.

Was rolling my eyes at the Chris/Hannah stuff.
 

[H&Alover]

Olivia was totally wrong to go through Claire's handbag, but the stuff she dug out was vey interesting, would you tote that along with you when visiting your mum for the first time. Btw if she is broke how come she was able to afford the plane ticket from Adelaide and was there  a motel?  It would be even worse if she did turn out to be Irene's daughter and was still out to get money out of her. Claire did say she had done her research on Irene which may mean she knows Irene is half owner of a fairly successful business has a nice house so could afford to give her money. Relief that Roo is also concerned that Irene doesn't want to get a DNA test just yet so it's not just Olivia being paranoid/jealous. It's like you said Red maybe Irene really wants to believe Claire is her daughter rather than find out she isn't and have to go through it all again. We know Morag would definitely advise it.

Billie did well to get Kyle to fess up, but she said she had been around the Braxton's long enough to know when he was hiding something, so how come Ricky didn't suspect anything, she's known them a lot longer?  Nice mention of the fact it was originally bought for Heath and Casey who have now both moved on in one way or another. Plus for her it would be the end of another link to Brax. I hope he doesn't do something really, really stupid following his reading of the insurance ,he is supposed to be the more intelligent of the Braxton's.

Only Chris could prepare a picnic and leave the food out to get covered in ants, the house as Billie told Kyle Hannah and Chris were planning a romantic evening and I imagine Kat was at work. It was obviously meant to be an up moment before the downs of this week.  Did Evie and Oscar also get a call to attend the hospital to get their results? 

[Red Ranger 1]

Hmm.Hannah's plotline has the potential to be interesting and we're already seeing some intriguing sides to characters, even if they don't necessarily make them likable.Hannah's gone into a huge level of denial and is trying to pretend it's not going on now that she hasn't got the result she wanted, an believable development despite her being keen for them all to have the test in the first place.Chris is trying to be the supportive boyfriend even though he's somewhat out of his depth, and Nate's advice to not take no for an answer was possibly the wrong idea.Not sure what was motivating Hannah at the end, I suspect she thinks Chris will leave her sooner or later so she's getting it over with while she's strong enough to deal with it.Matt typically tries to make light of the situation and cheer everyone up but, well-intentioned as he is, the result is dumb and insensitive.(Finding out you've got a gene that will probably give you cancer is not in any way good news.Testing negative would have been good news.)Maddy overreacts but it's born out of her own fears that her cancer will return some day.Similarly, Evelyn was out of line trying to force Hannah to have the operation - it's Hannah's decision and it's not even like there's any real urgency - but it comes out of her fears of losing another close relative, possibly increased by the recent loss of Denny and the absence of Zac.Only Oscar gets short-changed, so hopefully his reaction's to come.Are we to assume that he got lucky?As with Spencer's one night stand, it feels like more should be made of his first time with someone other than Maddy.

Meanwhile, Billie is fast turning into Kyle's Jiminy Cricket.No matter how bad things are, arson isn't the answer, and Billie's admonishment gains weight when you recall she was badly injured in an arson attack because she just happened to be walking past and went to help.(Incidentally, I did momentarily think Billie was Maddy when she appeared behind Hannah and Chris.Not sure if that's because she looked different or if I'm just going nuts.)And I gained a huge amount of respect for her when she convinced Kyle to stop playing the game and just go to the police.

[H&Alover]

Hannah's reaction was totally believable and very thoughtful of Chris (showing his sensible side) to call Evie and Oscar so they all be there for the results. A lot of people behave like she is pushing loved ones, family, partners away, because they think it will hurt them less. I think I can see why she is doing it to Chris she thinks as you said Red because he won't be able to cope and may bale at a later date, though she is not giving him enough credit for being a lot stronger than he sometimes comes across as. She's still thinking of him as the carefree, not wanting to commit Chris. Evie, obviously thinking of her mum, wants Hannah to have the operation as soon as possible but it is Hannah's choice, she's got to get her round the fact first, it's up to her to decide when it's time. With a double mastectomy she can at least have reconstructive surgery but having her ovaries removed has more far reaching consequences it would mean her chance of having children in the future would be gone. Just because Oscar and Evie were given the all  clear doesn't mean they wouldn't get cancer of any kind.  What Matt said came out all wrong, but I think he meant at least Hannah has a chance to avoid  developing it. Naturally it did bring back Maddy's fears that hers may return and but she forgave Matt for what may have sounded like his insensitive remarks. Zac is going to feel bad that he's not there to help her.

My thoughts exactly Red about Billie being Kyle's Jiminy Cricket, her reasoning against him setting fire to Angelo's to get the insurance money were sound, it could  spread to the gym and Surf club and some innocent passer by could get hurt, the windows would blow out and they could get badly hurt by flying glass for one thing. Besides the insurance won't pay out immediately anyway so he'd still have to wait for the money, so much for him being the clever one. I did notice he was  echoing Brax (practically word for word) when he was telling Billie why he was doing it, to keep Ricky and Casey safe this time from Dave and his pals.  Billie and Kyle would make a good couple.  Looks like Kyle going to the cops backfires badly.

Ricky still hasn't picked up on the fact Kyle's being very snappy and you can't blame it on baby brain anymore. Casey is getting cuter and he does have hair as we saw 'cos he wasn't wearing one of his many hats. Love the look he gave Kyle when he snapped at Ricky when she asked him to look after Kyle as she was working.  Talking of Ricky did she really just pick up Casey's dummy from the floor of the Diner and put it on the tray of his high chair for him to stuff back in his mouth, what were you thinking of woman!!!!  At least get one of the staff give it a good wash under hot water first.

[Red Ranger 1]

Wow, for once Nate actually did a good job.I wasn't entirely impressed at Chris going straight out and writing himself off, but once he managed to pull himself together he did a good job of supporting Hannah.Just as it's her choice as to what treatment she has, it's his choice whether he still wants to be with her or not.And he did a better job than Evie of helping her make her decision: Instead of laying down the law, he gently guided her through the options.

Loved Ricky's reaction to Kyle going to the police.I was expecting the identity of the gym buyer to be revealed today but still to come.I suppose it could be someone new.Not sure what to make of Kyle's change of heart with regards Isla.Yes, both he and Ricky know that basically good people can do bad things, and Isla does seem to have a bit more to her than two-dimensional villainy.(Where are her kids though?Are they in care or being looked after by a relative?)But to be honest, I'm not convinced that she didn't lead Kyle into a trap at the end and her pretending to be a fellow victim is all an act.

Why on earth were Matt and Maddy in this episode?I thought at first they just stuck them in that first scene at the Diner to make up their episode but then they appeared again and again and it turned into a whole C-plot about how they keep arguing and Roo's fed up and moving in together was a dumb idea but they're going to stick with it anyway because "I love seeing your toothbrush next to mine."(I think I just heard someone vomit on the back row.)A storyline which they seemed to have had about twice already this year, and I'm fully expecting them to still be bickering next time we see them, in which case it was just a waste of time.

Should probably save this till next episode going by the promo but I'll say it here: This idea of all the non-regular townsfolk turning on Leah is ridiculous.Someone needs to decide whether the town are a simmering lynch mob or a bunch of wholly-minded liberals and disinterested bystanders.Because...why now?Why no posts about "Leah Patterson's stepson is an arsonist"?(Seriously, no-one except VJ is bothered about him being allowed back into school?)Why aren't they boycotting Angelo's, since Brax was not only charged but pleaded guilty to murder?Why didn't they do it when he was in jail for killing Johnny?Or when Casey was charged with murder?Why didn't they boycott the Diner when Irene was charged with murder?Or Roman?Why didn't they steer clear of the caravan park when Alf was charged with murder?It becomes even more ridiculous when you consider these are probably the people who chucked a brick through Charlotte's window for sleeping with a student!(Unless that was Olivia or Trystan.It's anyone's guess frankly.)

[Little bean]

Couldn't agree more Red Ranger. The town turning against Leah is utter nonsense. Yet more padding to try to squeeze some extra "drama" out of Charlottes murder before revealing who actually killed her.

[c120701]

The town turning against Alf is even more ridiculous - I can perhaps understand bookings being cancelled as if you're going to Summer Bay you'd google the town and see the stories about Zac, but even then it's ill thought out by the writers. 

[Slade]

So Hannah has to deal with another condition and how does she respond?  Pushes the person who's closest to her away just like Andy as Nate pointed out to her.  Regardless, I suspect at least for the foreseeable as shallow as she is she's not going to get bored of Chris as she needs him.  Maddy's reaction was interesting.  I suppose they can share cancer war stories if Hannah gets ill.

I'm not buying this new Billie.  It's only a few months ago she was all psycho and now she just seems too nice at times.  To me it's coming across as disingenuous.  I was actually impressed with Kyle going to the police even though there was a certain level of poetic justice given what's he's done.  Isla didn't seem as bad yesterday but I still don't trust her.  I did actually quite like the way Kyle's attitude changed towards her once he found out she had kids. 

[Red Ranger 1]

Possibly it's because I'm a fan of the character but I can believe that Billie's experiences over the last year or so have had an effect on her and caused her to do a bit of growing up. It's no worse than the odd sight of VJ making jokes about Hunter's psycho past, which even Hunter seemed weirded out by.So, much of what I said yesterday still applies:I really don't find it credible that all the non-speaking townsfolk have suddenly turned on Leah.Vandalising the caravan park house is tantamount to sacrilege and certainly not what we'd expect from the good folks of Summer Bay.And it was stretching believability that the Diner, where the main characters usually outnumber the extras, would suddenly be full of people whispering.(Maybe the smear campaign had the wrong effect and everyone read it as "Go to the Diner to gawk at the murderer's family.")

I was slightly suspicious of the fact that Isla seemed to be making things worse for Kyle, slowing him down by making him wait for her and then conveniently twisting her ankle, but she did ultimately help him ambush Dave so okay, I'll accept her as genuine.Even the police demonstrated a high level of competence, even if they didn't have much to do except clear up the leftovers after Kyle had done his hero bit.(Incidentally, what happened to the man that Kyle beat repeatedly with a shovel and was never seen again..?)I can understand Kyle sympathising with her but he possibly needs to listen to Ricky and think about whether Isla's kids might be better off where they are.It's hard not to suspect that Kyle's only helping with her because he fancies her.(And she did seem to go to him for help, rather than to warn him.)