Latest UK Episode Discussion (2006-2017 Seasons)

[Red Ranger 1]

So, confirmation that John's got a brain tumour.I don't know why that hospital hasn't been sued, with the way they kept sending both John and Billie home with dismissive shrugs.Trying to give Kat the benefit of the doubt here, maybe there isn't enough evidence to charge John and he's in no state to be questioned? Because otherwise it seems like we've got another case of her solving a mystery and then not telling anyone.Oh, apart from Alf. He didn't exactly give her much choice but then she wasn't exactly being discreet.Mind you, Alf sucks at keeping things to himself as well: Within about sixty seconds of him coming home, both Leah and VJ know.

Even though it didn't do him any good, Justin did the right thing telling Nina the whole story about why he didn't turn up.At least now she knows it wasn't just because he couldn't be bothered, and maybe the news will filter through to Ava.It is hard for Justin to give a guarantee, but it feels like this storyline keeps hitting the same two beats of "Justin decides to see Ava" and "Justin decides he can't see Ava".

And yes, Ash came back and instantly started laying down the law.I'm glad he finally realised that VJ is just trying to do what Billie wanted, and also glad that VJ didn't immediately let him off the hook.But it was good that VJ asked him to speak at the service: He knows that Billie had a whole other life before they met and Ash is the only one left who knows about it.

[Slade]

Can't really blame Nina for not wanting Justin to see Ava now that she knows the truth.  Even though Ranae is behind bars the reality of the situation is Justin can't guarantee her safety and he knows this.

What is wrong with Kat?  After the way she conducted herself which led to her leaving the force initially how could she let Alf demand to know the truth and tell him like that without arresting John first.  And the fact that Alf told Leah straight afterwards even though Kat said to keep it to himself shows precisely why she shouldn't have told him even putting the professional element aside.  The old I won't tell anyone who tells someone that someone agrees not to tell anyone and they tell another person and so on.

I'm glad Nate spoke to Ash.  I knew he would respect his opinion given that they spent quite a bit of time trying to help Heath and Bianca re Gunno.  I don't recall Ash actually apologising for hitting VJ just for blaming him for Billie's death.

What made me laugh was the preview.  Ash is looks like he's going to go off on one again.  Even that scene was amusing and VJ looks like he's acting the way Ash was towards him.

[630si]

who was the weird bloke at the beach at Billie's service? 

I thought the scattering of Billie's Ashes in the sea was lovely and beautifully shot. Ash and VJ did a great job. 

John is going to struggle to live with himself and Maz is putting on a brave face I think. She will crack I'm sure. 

Leah is very much all over the show ATM and her character isn't really enjoyable to watch in my opinion. At least for now, but I guess all what's going on she kinda has a pass on this. She is pushing Zac away big time and I'm still on the fence as to whether I can sympathise with him and finding comfort elsewhere. 

[Red Ranger 1]

Well, I'm glad that the "Everyone blaming John" thing wasn't focused on too much, I was half-expecting Ash to start beating him up in a hospital bed but fortunately it was more restrained than that.Beautiful performance from Shane Withington, capturing John's guilt and confusion.But I think blaming him for what happened to Billie as well as the fires and Marilyn's burns is over-egging the pudding.The show seems to be taking refuge in vagueness over that one, with it based around one throwaway comment about the fire accelerating things.Which means what?Would she be dead by now anyway?Would she have lasted a few more weeks?Could they have operated if they'd spotted it at a less advanced stage (assuming they did, given the general incompetence on show)?It feels like we've been definitively told that VJ taking her out of hospital made no difference, but they're not telling us exactly what difference the smoke inhalation made.And of course, John's another victim of the cancer cluster, making it doubly responsible.Nice to see Alf as the voice of reason after a period of being the first to fly off the handle.I couldn't quite take VJ and Ash insisting arsonists should be locked up seriously when Hunter's sitting right there.I kind of wish they'd taken advantage of his brief conversation with Olivia to touch on that, rather than just hoping we don't notice.As it is, that conversation seemed to serve no purpose except filling their mooning quota and showing Mason's a good guy.

I must admit to being slightly underwhelmed by the service on the beach.Maybe I'm feeling spoiled after the two weddings, which were both beautiful, but VJ's speech was rather perfunctory, and while Ash has a good singing voice (who knew?), the song didn't really feel like one Billie would like.I do appreciate them pouring the ashes away together and the hug, and Ash's scene on the beach with Kat reminiscing about Billie was a nice change of mood.I'm guessing we'll see that onlooker again but it was a bit weird that no-one seemed to react to his presence except Kat shooting him a few curious looks, when he was standing there in full view.Felt weird for Irene to just turn up after days of "We can't get hold of her".Riley chatting to Evelyn was very random, I'm going to assume it was innocent even though Brody seemed suspicious. Saw VJ and Olivia chatting in the background: Would have liked to see that conversation but I guess at least it happened.

Leah continued to treat Zac dreadfully and for what, because he spoke to Sam and didn't tell her? It seems spectacularly vindictive and childish. And yet it doesn't feel like things had escalated anywhere near far enough for Zac turning to Sam to feel like anything other than a complete character assassination.No way would the Zac who didn't react at all to Bianca, Charlotte and Sam's advances do that.I guess he's trying so hard to be the strong one that it's easy to forget that Billie was his family too.But if he wants someone to talk to, go and see Alf or Evelyn or Matt or Irene.Pretty much anyone but Sam, and especially not to then start making out with her, which he even initiated. It didn't feel remotely believable, and the frustrating thing is that after acting like a complete cow Leah is now going to be seen as the victim.

[Angelica]

Was it just me, but when Sam was in her runwear on the beach, I thought I almost thought she was Charlotte incarnate when seeing her from behind. I hate how they have basically made Leah and Zac act out of character to push this affair storyline. I am not sure why the writers felt the need to go down this route - coupled with John's new pyromaniac tendencies - I feel like the writers are really ruining the older characters. And I am sure Irene's reappearance means that she will too be ruined once everyone starts fighting for custody over Luc.

[630si]

37 minutes ago, Angelica said:

Was it just me, but when Sam was in her runwear on the beach, I thought I almost thought she was Charlotte incarnate when seeing her from behind. I hate how they have basically made Leah and Zac act out of character to push this affair storyline. I am not sure why the writers felt the need to go down this route - coupled with John's new pyromaniac tendencies - I feel like the writers are really ruining the older characters. And I am sure Irene's reappearance means that she will too be ruined once everyone starts fighting for custody over Luc.

Agreed. I don't think it's ruining the older characters though, you could argue at least they are actually doing something. What I don't like is the character assassination as Red says above. It's just bizarre and makes it a little  unbelievable. Irene rocking up at the wake was just insane. She'd have been there at the drop of a hat

[samdanfan]

5 hours ago, 630si said:

Agreed. I don't think it's ruining the older characters though, you could argue at least they are actually doing something. What I don't like is the character assassination as Red says above. It's just bizarre and makes it a little  unbelievable. Irene rocking up at the wake was just insane. She'd have been there at the drop of a hat

Sadly its a habit among show ( Not only H&A)  to TRY to incarnate former characters with current ones . Nothing new there.

[H&Alover]

15 hours ago, 630si said:

who was the weird bloke at the beach at Billie's service? 

 

I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you!

I think Alf had sort of guessed by the questions Kat was asking Nate, within Alf's earshot to boot, not privately, about the symptoms people may have with John's condition, he after all would know about that and how they can affect people so we'll allow Kat admitting John is no. 1 suspect.  What he did next was wrong by telling Leah and of course as always happens VJ just happens to walk in as did Ash. Naturally he storms off to the hospital leaving Kat with no choice but to tell John what they had found at the scene and that he would be questioned. John himself asked why the tumour wasn't picked up on the last two occasions he had been in when admitted.  Nate gave the same reason why Billie's wasn't spotted.  Easy for us to say that people wouldn't buy the excuse he didn't know he was doing it, John didn't believe it, but it finally dawned that he could be responsible when he couldn't remember what he had done once Alf had gone home. Poor Maz was shattered, but as yet isn't blaming him and is sticking by him.  Did I hear right that Kat said there was evidence he was at the scene of two of the three fires, is that excluding the one at the schoolies night? I think Maz made the right decision not to got to Billie's service, I know only the family and friends were there but there would have been looks and whispers.

Leah seemed to have done an about turn about letting Ash in the house when he arrived back from his trip. His having a go at VJ regarding Billie's last wishes may have been OTT and his 'you've no right to decide what happens' was wrong, at least legally, VJ was her next of kin so it was his right.  Leah, this time, did the right thing by sticking her oar in and asking Nate to speak to Ash about how Billie being taken of hospital didn't hasten her death.  He was able to tell Ash the facts from a medical point of view and he was able to forgive VJ.

I think I heard Nate or it may have been Riley say Billie had had her cancer for a number of years but was slow growing so symptoms wouldn't have shown until the smoke inhalation exacerbated them, also it wouldn't have shown on previous x-rays unless they were looking for them.

I thought the ceremony was lovely and for once half the town and assorted strangers didn't turn out just her new family and her friends were there.  All of them hugging, apart from Hunter who refrained from hugging Olivia, nice moment between Hunter and VJ when he squeezed his shoulder. VJ's eulogy was as it should be faltering but heart felt and Ash's song was touching.  I loved that shot of Ash and VJ scattering Billie's ashes in the surf and the hug between them was very moving. it was strange the way Irene suddenly showed up without any explanation as to why it taken she so long to be reached. I was like Brody when he saw Riley talking to Evie, but I don't think there was anything in it, wouldn't she be a bit young for him? Mason as usual played the decent guy by telling Olivia to go and talk to Hunter who quiet rightly in my eyes told her to back off. Hunter did do his community service for the fire at Leah's and he wasn't a serial arsonist.

I know we should cut Leah some slack but I'm on team Zac. She is making it all about her, she actually accused Zac of making it all about him, and how aggrieved she is about him not telling her Sam was back town and he'd met her, in the great scheme of things that is small fry.  Now is not the time, they should be pulling together as a family.  She is cutting him out, refusing to let him help, pulling her hand away at the service, brushing off his 'I need you'.  He could have turned to Alf, Irene or Evie but they are all too close to what has happened to Billie so someone removed from the family makes sense, but did it have to be her?  Yes she is ready to listen and lend a shoulder and lots more besides to cry on. When she opened the door to her motel room the expression 'Come into my parlour said the spider to the fly' was in my mind. She made the first move by putting her hand on Zac's and not making excuses but he's vulnerable and she knows it.

I'm glad Justin decided to tell Nina why he didn't turn up to see Ava, though it meant he had to tell her the truth. Justin then made the heart breaking choice not to pursue his seeing Ava so to keep her safe as he couldn't guarantee that she'd be safe.   Hopefully Nina will let him at least write to her so he can give her some reason why and so she knows her dad isn't cutting her out of his life because he doesn't love her.

It is good to see the older characters getting their teeth into meaty stories I'm sure they can handle the fact they aren't upbeat, much more interesting I would have thought from an acting point of view.

 

 

[630si]

Well Zac really should've come clean about sleeping with Sam when Leah suggested drawing a line under and starting a fresh. Their domestic situation is far from resolved. I jumped off the sofa in elation when Irene told Leah she was basically being and unreasonable cow.

 

Although we didn't see Matt agree to go to Vietnam in this episode, it's only a matter of time before he does. This is s shame and I will miss him and to a degree, Evie. 

I can't believe Tori would even consider moving to the city with Riley so soon, she obviously is head over heels more than I thought. It's s classic case of not listening to anyone around you and doing the dumbest things. I hope she sees sense soon.

[Red Ranger 1]

To be honest, it feels like Zac's in a lose-lose situation here.If he tells Leah, then their reconciliation would be over.Keeping quiet means it's going to come out later on with the same result.It was a stupid decision and now he's pretty much living on borrowed time, which is a huge shame.By soap tradition, Leah suddenly decides to stop being a cow right afterwards.Irene being away seems to be the new Alf being away: Last time she was out of town Hannah and Oscar died, this time Billie died, and if she'd been around things might not have escalated between Zac and Leah.Alf's had his eye off the ball somewhat and I really didn't like him having a go at Zac here.No sympathy for Sam:As I said a while back, Zac was never going to leave Leah for her, no matter what happened in a moment of weakness.

Really not bothered by Tori and Riley, although I think things were innocent between him and Evelyn.(Evelyn would be 19 now, I guess?Not sure how old Riley's meant to be, although old enough to have been a doctor 7/8 years previous.)Some nice stuff between Matt and Evelyn, especially Matt's self-deprecating "I'd literally be stopping you from helping needy children." Neither character's really been a favourite (I did like Evelyn a lot around the beginning of 2014 but went off her when I realised what an utter cow she is a lot of the time, although she's been okay since getting together with Matt) but it does feel like we're losing a lot of characters whilst keeping the ones I wouldn't mind getting rid of.I'm not sure about them taking Ellie, I guess she'd go to school in Vietnam and is probably young enough to miss a year of standard education without too many ill effects but...