Latest UK Episode Discussion (2006-2017 Seasons)

[H&Alover]

I was taken aback  by Alf's sudden about turn he di seem to be blaming Duncan more that Caroline.  I could be way off but the thing that first sprang to my mind about Caroline was Parkinson's, that starts with tremors.

Admittedly Chris has had his really annoying moments, mainly by playing the fool and letting people think he's this really shallow type.  But as we have seen he has a caring side and has been a confidante to both Olivia who trusted him enough to admit she was self harming again and Irene after she started drinking again and after the trouble with Mick. He even blamed himself needlessly for Mick getting Irene's trust by saying he was his uncle. It was a good send off, he was dead chuffed with his cook book, I'm glad Evelyn was there and it was a lovely last scene with him at Hannah's grave.

Evelyn was very honest with Mason as she has been from the start, always difficult to avoid someone you've just broken up with in such a small town, though they do move in different circles. 

I'm glad Olivia has decided to give Hunter another chance, but from what we saw in the trailer there could be more complications coming for her.  These messages she's getting from this mysterious person do not look good asking her to take her clothes off and I'm not convinced they are from a random stranger. 

[Red Ranger 1]

Alf's episode count this week: Five! Billie was only in one.

So, Mason and Evelyn's arrangement imploded as it was perhaps always going to, at least on this show.Again, I found Evelyn slightly unlikable at times.Her dragging Mason into Chris' room expecting to have sex on request did feel like she was using him a bit.Her presence at his place first thing in the morning suggests they broke the No Sleepovers rule.Mason might be going too far cutting her out completely but he's obviously been hurt and he's probably thinking about Lara.Matt's behaviour was slightly confusing, going from telling Mason to go for it to telling Evelyn it'll never work.Maybe he's just easily amused?

The Morgan storyline is starting to remind me of the year-long mystery in that an already complicated story is having new elements thrown into it that may or may not be important, and it's becoming too confused to ever be tied up properly.Spike's encore seems to have been pure padding, nothing more than a plot device to get Decker out of the way right when he's needed to give answers and introduce his nieces.It feels like we should connect his escape to the double agent in the police but the script is at pains to remind us that Spike's nothing to do with the syndicate, so I guess it's just another example of poor security.Raffy seems sweet, and is closer in age to Ellie than Olivia if she needs a friend.(She might be close in age to Tabitha but I don't think the show wants Tabby to have any friends.)Hope seems a bit of a cold fish although probably didn't deserve Spike's treatment of her.(The show missed a trick by leaving her incapacitated instead of having her unblock the door for Justin.)Kat was supremely annoying, treating a scared teenager like a witness that needed interrogating rather than a person that needed comforting.Nate still recognising Spike as his old pal Tim was pretty bewildering. Okay, no-one knows he was behind the plane crash but are we meant to believe that Tori (or Decker?) buried the CCTV footage of Spike attacking Nate?Is he not curious about who it was?Despite a pretty public arrest for Spike and his cohorts, Nate was already gone: Does he still not know?

Last week Alf was treating Caroline with suspicion, this week he's almost defending her as she and Duncan row.I said last week that I thought Caroline seemed more suited to Duncan than Tori.She probably still does, but she was out of line warning her off and I'm surprised she and Duncan patched things up so quickly.But then we get those little hints of pains and tremors in her arms and it looks like there might be more to it...

I'm glad Zac and Leah are back living with together, it was a good idea but it had run its course.They haven't appeared much lately but I loved VJ and Billie working together as a unit to bring them together, they seem very at ease with each other now.Also forgot to mention last week that I liked the plotline of Ash getting a pram for Billie, we don't see enough of them together either.

Never thought I'd see the day where Nate wanted a day of snuggies and action movies and Chris just wanted to be left alone.So...that's Chris.I didn't want him to go but if he had to go then I'm happy with the way it happened.No unnecessary tragedy, just a quiet farewell.Perhaps a bit too quiet since we aren't actually told where he's going.Nate makes a comment about travel insurance which suggests he's going travelling again: That seems like a backward step after he's settled down and I'd rather he'd gone back to Spencer and the rest of the family.Nice that he got that private farewell with Evelyn.The involvement of Olivia leaves me frustrated that the show took so long to establish their "faux-bro" relationship:It should have been there from the start, not added as an afterthought to give them someone to talk to in Irene's absence.Both of Irene's farewell speeches were very emotional and underlined the show's theme of family being more than blood.Irene's fairy tale reunion with her lost child never happened, but she's got another "son" anyway.My other frustration though: Instead of Chris getting the last scene of the episode, we have to sit through what felt like ten minutes of Hunter and Olivia nonsense.

Yes, Hunter and Olivia nonsense.I felt absolutely nothing for Olivia here.Raechelle's got the scared and shaky act down pat by now and it's got a bit boring, it's just something that happens every now and then when they want to manipulate us into feeling sorry for her and show us what a swell guy Hunter is supporting her.(Similarly, Raechelle and Scott do their best to act "cute" at the appropriate moment but we've seen too much evidence of how dangerous Hunter is for me to buy it.)Irene didn't plead Hunter's case as I expected but was soon gushing like an idiot about how they're "made for each other" until I wanted to strangle her.And even though we got the scene of Irene comforting her, which I didn't think we would, I couldn't enjoy it not only because of the hypocritical attitude towards Tabitha, who gets frog marched down the police station when regulars have done far worse, but because they were soon talking as if Olivia's relationship with Hunter is the most important thing.So we get a name for Olivia's abuser and confirmation that he's a doctor, which demonstrates how irresponsible Irene and co are being, only caring about Olivia and not all the real Winnies that might be out there.The show can't quite decide what they're trying to say with Saint Hunter: He talks Olivia out of going to see Tabitha (which isn't bad advice in itself but might have stopped things getting out of hand) and it feels like we're meant to see him as a good influence, then he storms over and has a go at Tabitha himself next time he sees her without any real provocation and we're apparently meant to cheer because it coincidentally exposed her as the one threatening Olivia.As for Tabitha...well, her trying to get Olivia to undress doesn't help the psycho lesbian subtext but she might have just been going for humiliation. To be as fair to her as possible, the threats only started when Olivia failed to "play along" with her charade and help a fellow victim.Was Tabitha always planning to twist the knife and claim to be Kirk, or does she still want to connect with Olivia as a friend and thought posing as Winnie would do it?

ETA: Forgot to mention that I enjoyed the oblique mention of Sid...albeit a bit too oblique, I spent the rest of the scene trying to work out what Phoebe had just said.And as I predicted, the time scale of Justin going to the address Decker gave him was completely messed up.It takes him three episodes to get there, then when they leave they're back by the next morning.The show seemed to try and cover it by saying he'd been there some time, but Ash and Kat, who left only a few hours after him, have only just arrived.He also tells Hope Decker's accident was "a couple of days" ago when I made it at least three.

[Angelica]

Tabitha is providing the most interesting plot at present - but it frustrates me that she is just being treated like a cartoon villain without us getting any real backstory or expansion of her motives. It frustrates me how this storyline is being used as an opportunity to try to bring Hunter and Olivia back together. Notwithstanding that Hunter is a psycho who has burnt down people's houses, contributed to the electrocution of Marilyn and stabbed Andy, I hate the use of romances as a cure or solution to someone's issues related to abuse, That Irene would be pushing Hunter to be there for Olivia is ridiculous especially as Irene knows what Olivia has been through. It is a shame Skye is no longer here because Olivia needs more female friends, not a boyfriend. 

So tired of the Morgan storyline - it becomes more and more convoluted and involves characters I have no interest in. Do we really need 2 more new characters? Raffy looks promising, but I already dislike Hope. I just want some quick resolution so that we can have a break from the Morgans.

I can't say I am particularly sad to see Chris go except to think it is a shame that we have very few characters that have been around for more than 1 or 2 years. While I am not attached to Chris, it seems odd to have culled so many of the older characters in such a short time.It is rather unsettling  

[Slade]

Good to see that they are still exploring Olivia's abuse.  And I liked that the episode seemed to me to be fairly Olivia centric.  I did think Tabitha was behind it initially but then I thought surely she wouldn't stop to that level so did wonder whether it was actually someone else but that was really, really low (making Olivia think Kirk had been arrested, asking her to repeat what he did then announcing she was really Kirk and getting her to undress).  Although objectively a lot smarter than before, if Tabitha had been even smarter and done it from home she wouldn't have been exposed by Hunter so quickly.  Unless she doesn't have internet access which is rare nowadays I don't see any logical reason for her to actually be getting Olivia to undress and watching that in the diner.  I did feel really bad for Olivia but at the same time whilst what she is doing is disgusting part of me is fascinated with Tabitha's determination to make her ex bestie suffer.  She obviously said it was a joke as a way to gain some sort of leniency.  Surely she's going to get into serious trouble with the cops now.  Just one week after getting a warning for harassing her.  Although this goes way beyond simply harassing someone.  You can argue that it's quite sick.  Especially for a girl Tabitha's age to torment a sexual abuse victim like this.  It's hard to gauge whether Tabitha actually got any pleasure out of it or whether she was just so focused on punishing Olivia for rejecting her.  All I can say is that Tabitha seriously needs help although I am glad she's still in the show.  And judging by the preview it looks like it's not the end of this.

Two minds about Phoebe.  I have liked her as of late and find myself on her side regarding Hope - I would be annoyed if someone started wearing my clothes going through my draws without asking.  But on the other hand in terms of entertainment it is good to see Phoebe on the receiving end of someone annoying - Even if judging by what I've seen that person isn't a particularly nice one.  I guess the alarm bells should have gone off when Hope immediately went for Justin with a plank of wood before even finding out who he was.  And then we've got the fact that she's in some kind of trouble and add to that the way she was with Justin she's obviously quite manipulative.  Phoebe was actually one person who wasn't present at Chris's leaving do although I suppose she said goodbye to her former lover over the phone.

[TheBoss]

That episode copied the film "Cyberbully" although in that the guy driving his victims to suicide with blackmail is some kind of hacker, I can't for the life of me think how Tabitha got into Olivias camera and microphone, you can't just download an app for that kind of stuff. 

I liked the previous storyline of Olivia being harassed online but the show was, as with most soap operas, very wishy washy and naive in its handling of it. First of all Tabitha is a loner with no friends, it isn't very likely that she could convince the whole school to "follow" her and start ganging up on Olivia, its beyond even her skills of manipulation. Secondly, the conclusion was total cheese, with Zack giving a speech and the bullies hanging their heads in shame and apologising, a lot of the people who do this kind of harassment don't give a damn if the person they're doing it do was in "the wrong" or not, they just get a kick out of it, Zacks little moralistic speech would fall on deaf ears I'm afraid, if it was as easy as that then there be no such thing as bullying.

It is an important subject to handle though and I've experienced this stuff first hand, it is incredibly stressful, humiliating and soul destroying, people can get a hell of a lot braver behind their computer screens too

I was glad to see Tabitha again though, I really like the actress

On 29/10/2016 at 11:11 AM, Slade said:

  Although this goes way beyond simply harassing someone.  You can argue that it's quite sick. 

I don't think there's much of an argument about that one, the girl needs some serious help, which is a pity cus that probably means she's leaving soon once this is over.

I also think Mason can do a lot better than Evelyn, can we see a nice guy not finish last for once?

[CaptainHulk]

I'm assuming Harrington's going to find himself, then probably catch with Spence and Ian.

[H&Alover]

What Tabitha did to Olivia was unbelievably cruel, she would have known from the counselling sessions what Olivia had been through so to then pretend to be a fellow victim, to get Olivia hooked, then the attacker himself just defies belief.  All this just because Olivia didn't want to be her friend anymore OK get your own back someway but to use someone's ordeal like that is so, so wrong in many ways and for a girl/woman to do that to another just for spite. Of course if Tabitha hadn't been using her PC in the Diner no-one would  have picked up on it so quickly and she was acting very shifty. Actually fitting in a way it was Hunter, and I KNOW  HE'S NOT A SAINT, but he has been a good friend to Olivia and it is the sort of thing Charlotte would have done if she had still been around and thought Olivia wasn't good enough for her little boy. Olivia can't have had a camera in/on her  computer as she was shocked to realise 'Kirk'/Tabitha could see her and knew when Hunter was there so maybe my suggestion Tabitha had a camera in Olivia's room the other week wasn't as off the mark as  I thought. What microphone I thought we were only hearing Olivia say out loud what she was typing?   Olivia was right in her initial thinking that the English police would have been in touch if Kirk had been charged in anyway. Tabitha's actions will now have her worrying that he, the real Kirk, would be able to find her. I don't get how they are showing no concern about the real Winnie's. Olivia chose not to report it back when it happened as Kirk is a friend of James, but now she may, if it happened to her then it could and may well have already happened to others. Olivia's jumping when Hunter touched her wasn't anything to do with him, maybe that is how Kirk started off with his abuse. Although what Tabitha can't be forgiven I hope she does get proper help.

I'm not into Hope either though Raffy seems OK.  I'll let her wearing Phoebe's slippers go, but rummaging around in a drawer looking for a plate, that is definitely iffy, plus what is her reluctance to go and see her uncle? Her whisper to Phoebe about blabbing to Justin was off as well. If Hope and Raffy are/were in hiding not surprising she took a swing at this strange man who's come looking for them when no-one is  supposed to know where they are.

I would imagine Chris would pop into see Spence and his folks before going travelling. 

It suddenly occurred to me Evelyn has lost a lot of relatives and none of them peacefully.  Her mum died of cancer, her dad died from his injuries caused by Montgomery bombing the hospital, Dennie was killed by Charlotte and Oscar and Hannah both died after the explosion at the Fund Raiser, for a young girl that is a lot to get through.

[CaptainHulk]

1 hour ago, H&Alover said:

It suddenly occurred to me Evelyn has lost a lot of relatives and none of them peacefully.  Her mum died of cancer, her dad died from his injuries caused by Montgomery bombing the hospital, Dennie was killed by Charlotte and Oscar and Hannah both died after the explosion at the Fund Raiser, for a young girl that is a lot to get through.

^ She's more cursed than  Hannah Martin from Neighbours (Jim died, Julie died, Helen died, Cody who fiiled the sister role went and died!)

 

[TheBoss]

5 hours ago, H&Alover said:

 What microphone I thought we were only hearing Olivia say out loud what she was typing?  

 

I could have swore she could hear her too.

 

 

Another thing I forgot to mention though it happened a while back but I havn't been here, Hunter getting a slap on the wrist for STABBING someone, in a police station!!! That's not "assault", slapping someone in the face is assault, stabbing them is either a serious case of GBH or attempted murder.

I also have to say I find Tori very attractive, while she may not be as "classically" (or should that be "conventionally"?) beautiful as Kat, someone with some actual personality and charm is a lot more attractive than a stunning looking plank of wood. Roo is the same, she's played by somebody who can actually act which makes her come across as a real, strong person rather than a charicature in a bikini. Not that I'm specifically talking about Kat here or even Home and Away but a lot of soaps (Eastenders has been awful for this) have had a trend the last few years of hiring people out of modelling catalogues rather than actors who can, you know, act.

[Jeremai]

9 hours ago, TheBoss said:

I could have swore she could hear her too.

I also have to say I find Tori very attractive, while she may not be as "classically" (or should that be "conventionally"?) beautiful as Kat, someone with some actual personality and charm is a lot more attractive than a stunning looking plank of wood.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure Tabitha could hear Olivia. Wasn't Olivia was standing up and talking at one point, so definitely not typing? Also, we saw Tabitha wearing earphones in the Diner.

I agree with you about Tori. She has a nice smile, and is genuinely funny, sweet and friendly, which is very endearing.