Latest UK Episode Discussion (2006-2017 Seasons)

[H&Alover]

I was going  to mention about Leah and her spotting VJ had a crush on Billie. mentioning it to her and the subtle remark about him 'knowing' it was a one way thing translated as 'keep your hands off' - oops sorry too late. Hunter's teasing of VJ was verging on taunting by keep saying "But you're VJ" as if he could never pull any girl, let alone Billie.

I don't recall Josh 'rushing' Evie into getting married and she already had planned for it by filling in the correct forms, from what I saw he was trying to get her to wait. Btw how did Alf stumble upon the register office's website, do they have a page called Weddings Today? Him, Leah and Zac soon got there quick enough to stop it, Evie and Josh were in front of the celebrant and she was just about to make the  husband and wife announcement.  Zac's argument was more or less, but more effective, the same as Josh's, did she want their wedding day to be overshadowed by Oscar and Hannah's death.  Perhaps Evie's interpretation of 'always' dates from very recently seen as she was only 16 when her dad died and marriage wouldn't have been high on her list of things to do in the future.

So both Barrett brothers have a shock in store for the other.  I suddenly remembered Ash already knew. Andy's charge has already been called manslaughter as he (and Tank) had both left the scene and wouldn't have any idea they'd even knocked over the gas canister let alone it had caused the fire which caused the explosion.  I suppose him beating up the laptop was miles better than him beating a person up.  It's cleared Tank's/Warren's name at least though he was involved.  Is he going to have to keep out of the way until those who don't know have been told Andy has put his hand up. Be a bit tricky if Josh, Evie or Zac see him about town. Could Josh's charge (when  he eventually gets charged of course) be manslaughter he didn't go out looking for Charlotte and if the gun went off in the struggle could be argued as accidental. Guess who going to cop the flak when Zac and Evie do find out the truth - Roo, Leah and Alf for keeping it from them. Shame Kat was a bit slow in asking Andy not to tell Chris  as he'd already done that. I must have a different idea of coward punching, I would classed that as begun hit from behind without warning whereas Chris was  facing Andy when he threw his punch at him who with all his experience of fights could have easily ducked it but just stood and took it. Probably didn't make Chris feel any better but along with the other emotions that come from losing a loved one suddenly - grief, shock, denial, anger is one. 

Good idea there by Phoebe that John should be the one to get through to Chris, he was the last person (well man) to lose his partner suddenly although under different circumstances the cause was the same. He got him to the beach, like how he defended him to Alf, then persuaded him he had to say goodbye which was quite a moving scene.

It could be argued if Tank had never showed his face in the first place none of this would have happened.  Josh wouldn't haven't got all antsy about him Tank and Evie wouldn't have hooked up, everyone wouldn't have warned her off, he and her wouldn't have run off, Josh wouldn't have gone looking for them, rescued Evie, been attacked from behind by Tank, put in a coma, been temporarily blinded.  Tank wouldn't have been imprisoned, waiting for Zac to eventually be in the same place, later saving his life, I won't go on you get the picture.

Kat and Ash are still dithering about going public with their relationship as if sitting in the Diner chatting with their heads together wouldn't be a clue!  The reason being upsetting Phoebe, OK she and Ash have broken up but as she and Kat share a house it would make Ash going back to hers (Kat's) awkward by rubbing her nose in it. If you all recall Ash fancied Kat from the moment she first arrived and of course before he found out she was a cop and Brax warned him off, so perhaps they were meant to be all along.

Phoebe appears to be moving on anyway with Dom or as he termed himself (Dashing Older Man) .  It could be said Phoebe was wrong to eavesdrop on Dom's call from his daughter, but I think it would make any woman or man a bit suss if the person you'd just been snogging took a call and went out of the room to speak to the person on the other end. Now as they haven't even been on a date yet he had no reason to mention the fact he had a child.  In fact when do you tell your date that you do, first, second, when you are a proper couple? Look what happened with Roo and James.

[Red Ranger 1]

It looked to me as if Chris hit Andy side-on and he had no way to see it coming.Andy was standing talking to Leah at the time and Chris approached from out of his field of vision.

Phoebe and Dom's storyline got a bit better when it became about Phoebe being owned by a ten-year-old.Unfortunately, it turned out to be a case of Bella being won over very easily, despite Phoebe not being a children person.At least John was good value.And then...Phoebe and Dom sleep together?Huh?This is, like, the fourth day they've met and the first three their conversation didn't really progress beyond "You're annoying." Where has this "relationship" come from?Worse, they seem to do it in Hannah's old room.Guess Phoebe claimed dibs.And I'm guessing the girl in lifesaver's uniform sitting nearby when Phoebe and Dom met by the beach is older than she looks, because she looked not much older than Bella.

Some parallels between Ricky and Maddy here.Ricky seems to be able to open up in front of everyone but Nate.It's easy to forget that they were talking about having children shortly not so long ago, after she had that pregnancy scare.I think she's wrong about Nate, the way he is with Casey he seems to view him as his own and he'll probably be enough.I'm getting a perverse pleasure from seeing Matt feel the sharp edge of Maddy's tongue, although I'm going to enjoy it while I can, no doubt the storyline will soon be about how wonderful and supportive Matt is and how lucky Maddy is to have him.The scenes that didn't have Matt in them were quite incisive, with Maddy struggling with how even the littlest of things is going to be harder now.

[c120701]

By Hannah's old room do you mean the bedroom nearest to the front door at the Farmhouse? Hannah gave it to Phoebe when Ash moved in as they needed the bigger room as there were two of them.

[Slade]

I actually didn't mind Phoebe for most of that episode.  Thought she handled Bella very well considering how she was at first.  Given how Phoebe lost her twins a few months ago I'm very surprised that they didn't make more of this in the conversation she had with John beforehand and during the interactions with Dom.  Again more inconsistent writing.  So apparently all it took to sleep with her was for him to let Phoebe spend time with his daughter for an afternoon.

I am feeling quite sorry for Maddy now.  She's at the point of self-sacrifice.  Despite the serious nature of the storyline though, I'm finding her cynicism towards Matt re her amputation really quite amusing.

Tori is being portrayed as increasingly empathetic.  There was the way she was with at Maddy near the beginning of the episode when Maddy was telling Roo how she would struggle with every day things you normally wouldn't even think about e.g. her hair.  Also the way Tori looked at Nate when he was holding Casey knowing Ricky wouldn't be able to give him children of his own.

[Angelica]

I agree. Phoebe was actually OK in this episode - I liked how she handled Bella. I did feel her speech about being a bad mum felt uncomfortable knowing that she had been all geared to be a mum not so long ago. I didn't find it that odd that Phoebe slept with Dom - she has never been one to particularly think sex was a big deal, it doesn't mean that she necessarily wants to be a relationship with him. He is an attractive guy, and she is having fun. I don't get the feeling Dom will be sticking around for long.

I am still struggling to really get behind Maddy's storyline - mainly because I know H&A would never have the guts to keep a character with a limb amputation. I don't mind her scenes with Matt - they do seem to be going round in circles a bit. But I think they have a good balance of Matt trying to be supportive and well meaning, and yet forever saying the wrong thing. 

I agree,Slade.  I am enjoying Tori's empathetic manner as a doctor. I am relieved that there is a lack of available males (who aren't going to jail), so that we may have a chance to see Tori develop as a character before her sole purpose is that of a love interest.  

[H&Alover]

So Bella is Dom's daughter and he isn't into dating 10 year olds.  Dom is what in his early/mid 30's so he's another guy who became a dad at a young age, wife/mum is in the forces and they are just separated so still a chance they could get back together. For someone who isn't really into children which she was upfront with Dom about, Phoebe seemed very keen to meet Bella.  Having said that she got on fine with Darcy, eventually, and doesn't mind the occasional baby sitting Casey. Her rambling away to John about how to act in front of a ten year was amusing and he gave good advice (again) just be yourself, kids can smell out fakes.  They did get there finally, but her telling Bella her and her dad were just friends then going home  to sleep with him jarred a bit! He has now opened up to her but maybe a bit early to tell Dom she'd lost twins.

Maddy is going through the self pity stage of the aftermath of the accident, which she is perfectly entitled to, it's part of the process.  Her comments about realising how the things she used to take for granted she won't be able to do as easily or if at all were very true. I notice no mention has been made yet about her not being able to play the violin, tactfully not being been brought up by Roo, Alf and co perhaps.  She may have decided beforehand not to play any more but now the choice to retake it up has been taken from her and that is always harder to accept. I  know she thinks she is doing Matt a 'favour' by pushing him away and telling him he'd been dumped, but would she take it if it was other way round, of course she wouldn't. Btw keep your eyes peeled whenever we see Maddy.

As Red said parallels between Maddy and Ricky in regard of their situations.  Even though Ricky was ambivalent about her recent false alarm she was wasn't against having another baby in the future but now that choice has been taken away from her.  She has to be thinking that Nate would want  a child of his own at sometime which is why, I think, she is being distant with him, still too painful. It's usually much easier to confide in someone who isn't involved.  But they way we saw Nate with Casey I don't think she has any need to worry.

[Red Ranger 1]

To be fair, Phoebe did mention to John that she was preparing to have a child of her own not so long ago.

3 hours ago, H&Alover said:

Btw keep your eyes peeled whenever we see Maddy.

If you're talking about what I think you're talking about, according to the Oz pace viewers and Kassandra Clementi herself that was just nonsense spouted by idiot journalists. They are still spelling her surname wrong on the hospital board though, which is irritating.

Alf's episode count this week: Five! (Obviously making up for his recent time off.)Roo was in four.

Maddy's just lost an arm.So why on earth do Alf and Roo think the most important thing in the world is that she doesn't break up with Matt, her boyfriend of about three months?I'm trying very hard not to be harsh on Matt even though I'm not a particular fan of the character: He's well-intentioned but in my opinion he's not the person Maddy needs at her side now.But then, in my opinion he's never been the person Maddy needs at her side, so perhaps I'm biased.But it felt like far too much emphasis on something incredibly trivial, partly because no-one can ever just date casually in soap, it always has to be the most important thing in their life.I think it was when Roo said she'd never seen Maddy happier than when she's with Matt that I finally snapped and started yelling obscenities at the set because...nope, not true."I'm not Oscar,"says Matt early on.No, mate, you don't even come close. Because despite all the claims that Maddy treated him the same, my memory is that she went round to his house, hugged him and said she needed his help.Yet Maddy can't even mourn him without Roo going "Yes, yes, it's a shame you missed the funeral but let's talk about Matt."(And whatever possessed Roo to present Maddy with a box of food that she can't open?Yeah, way to rub it in.Why not an open box?)It's a shame because as ever Kassandra is acting her socks off but no-one around her wants to do anything except mouth platitudes and act like a transient teen relationship is somehow sacred.Oh well, I can take comfort from the fact that her response to Matt saying he'd never leave her was to do a runner.

Ricky's really annoyed me with the way she kept snapping at Nate, then Nate started doing the same to Tori and I stopped feeling sorry for him.So, are we to assume her name's short for Victoria?Finally seem to be putting a bit of bones on the character with her getting a bit of background and hinting at a possible future storyline, plus the friendly rivalry with Nate.Ricky thinking sex is going to solve everything (right after a hysterectomy!) made my eyes roll.

I get that there's other things going on but no-one is curious that Irene isn't answering Chris' messages?Chris' scenes are, sadly, starting to feel a bit samey and Alf was a bit heavy-handed, although I liked the use of John again.Chris wanting the emergency ward named after Hannah...Well, for a start, the hospital agreeing to it might be a bit of a stretch.And is anyone going to name something after Oscar?

[c120701]

I bet Oscar will get a tree or something in the caravan park. Or given how much the writers thought of him, maybe a trash can. He got an extra's death, not even dying on screen or any last words.

As for Maddie, the cynical soap viewer in me suggests that she can't stay around with one arm. How can they continue to show it onscreen? Is Maddie going to wear tents for the rest of her life so that they can hide that Kassandra Clementi's arm is either behind her back or down her side, with a false shoulder/stump? I thought they'd removed her arm in post production at first, but then I noticed what Maddie was wearing.

[Red Ranger 1]

On ‎30‎/‎06‎/‎2016 at 11:27 PM, c120701 said:

By Hannah's old room do you mean the bedroom nearest to the front door at the Farmhouse? Hannah gave it to Phoebe when Ash moved in as they needed the bigger room as there were two of them.

Ah, okay.No memory of that at all.Given that Ash's stay literally lasted about two days, I guess Phoebe got lucky...

[pembie]

I thought Oscar's death was quite good getting instantly killed Made to feel raw in a way and had more of ampact not being able to say goodbye Shame though always liked Oscar You always remember the deaths in soaps as well. I feel pretty much the same about Matt as Red he just so often feels to be there for the sake of it. With not that much to do.