Latest UK Episode Discussion (2006-2017 Seasons)

[H&Alover]

If and it's a big if you believe the date of the year Martha was born - 1988, according to the bdm list on the H&A home page that would make her now 29 but how old would that make Roo?  To be realistic and assume, though we should never do that - Roo was 17, that makes her older than I was thinking she was - 47. Any further bids?

[Red Ranger 1]

Well, talking of ages, Irene said today that she was pregnant when she was 45.Assuming she was referring to the surrogacy, which was the last time she was pregnant, that would make her around 66, which is a bit older than previous ages and seems to contradict her giving birth to Mick as a young teenager in 1970.Anyway, that was about the only interesting thing about the storyline, with a non-cliffhanger of James saying something he's pretty much already said.

I'm glad that, after weeks of VJ being character assassinated in order to give Ash a case, we got to see what a good father he is.His last night with Luc was both sweet and heartbreaking, showing how wrong it is to take her away from him.And then he showed he was the better man, helping out with Luc because it's the right thing and because he loves her.Still, there was something satisfying about seeing Ash struggle to settle Luc after weeks of acting like he can do a better job.Confirmation that Luc is in with Ash and Kat, which must be a bit crowded.

Home and Away doesn't have a good track record with dogs so I was rather relieved when Buddy pulled through.To be as fair as possible to Brody, he didn't quite swear on their mother's grave, he just said "I swear." But yeah, it's clear by now he'd say anything.He's long since crossed the line from taking drugs to feel good to taking them to stop feeling bad.A meatier role than usual for Raffy but she really should have told Justin when she found the drugs.

[CaptainHulk]

ZZZZZ episode today.

Brody is an interest vacuum. Justin, Mase, Tor, punch him to make him see sense.

Maybe tomorrow there'll be less "Wake me when it's over".

[Red Ranger 1]

I'll give Hunter and Olivia points for good intentions but I was cringing at the way they were around VJ.It was completely the wrong approach:His sort-of-wife's died and his sort-of-daughter's been taken away from him, he's not going to be cheered up by pizza or cupcakes or video games.They should have dropped the upbeat thing when they realised it wasn't working and just supported him.And then Hunter loses the good intention and behaves like a macho idiot, pointlessly confronting VJ when it wasn't really a serious attempt to crack on to Olivia, more a moment of madness in the midst of grief.Mind you, yet again I'm left wondering why on earth she prefers Hunter to VJ anyway.

There is a certain satisfaction in seeing Ash find out that this parenting lark isn't as easy as it looked, especially when he's living with two people who seem to want as little to do with Luc as possible.Talking of parenting, James was right to be honest although walking out on Roo, even with her permission, is very dodgy morally.Morag's initial lack of support was frustrating but believable:She said much the same thing to Ailsa when she was pregnant with Duncan 28 years ago, and she only took Roo in during her last pregnancy to convince her to give the baby away.But she did come round in the end.Meanwhile, Marilyn's looking for excuses not to visit the prison and should probably try being honest.

[CaptainHulk]

Olivia/Rachelle looks moderately nice in a Tankini. Not tongue-out, howl-at-the-moon like Kat but still a nice enough figure.

Hunter using his fists again... Just don't let him turn into 2002 Jesse McGregor who would basically beat up somebody every week (though a couple targets deserved it). He was being a massive Brighton Rock  (You don't have to be a genius to workout the rhyming slang) over the whole thing. It's not like Veej slammed her up against the wall out back and ripped her dress.

Ash is like that kid who only wants something because someone else has it and when they finally get it they realise that they've bitten off more than they can chew. seeing s*** blow up in this guy's face is kind of cathartic (yes he got rid of a Scumbag in a spinoff who had it coming, still don't like Ash. I've never really taken to him! ) He and his non-emotive brother can take Yabbie Creek road and get lost. Just leave Luc with people who were supposed to in the first place. I understand he's the child's uncle but he's been awful throughout.

This week has just felt a bit out of sorts thus far.

I'm glad they've abandoned Brody and his problem for one ep... It's just a dry storyline that's been done better elsewhere.

 

[H&Alover]

Thanks for answering my question Roo, you were 16 when you fell pregnant so that would make you 46/47. From extreme to the other for Roo, teenage mum to older mum. Although it may be seen as harsh of James to walk away he had been honest with Roo about his not wanting children and he didn't pressure her either way.  I don't know how it works in Australia but wouldn't he have to make some sort of financial contribution once Roo has the baby?  Opposite opinions from Irene and Morag,  Irene may not have been the best mum back in her bad old days but does have an maternal instinct unlike Morag.  After her initial rant at Roo she did at least said she'd be there for her.  Now all Roo has to do is to break the news to Alf! Will it a phone call or will she wait till he comes home, he won't think much of James.

Very moving moment when VJ handed Luc over to Ash, telling him & Kat what she needed and stopping Leah having a go showed who was the grown up.  I liked it when he took Billie's  ring to Ash as he said it helped her sleep and good that Ash accepted his help. Btw did TPTB decide that Luc should be a crier so that anyone that has had care of her should  have sleepless nights?  Ash does drop everything when she does start to cry.  My not have been the best thing to leave her alone in the flat while he, Kat and Patrick went for lunch but she wouldn't be getting into danger and they had the baby alarm.

I guess Olivia and Hunter's idea of trying to cheer VJ was well intentioned but Olivia was trying too hard.  When they did drag him out it all went pear shaped.  His lunge at Olivia was drink induced and Olivia was in a lose lose situation, tell him there and then or not say anything and have Hunter find out later and still have them face each other off.  VJ did his own share of pushing so not all down to Hunter.

Not good that Marilyn hasn't seen John for a couple of days, in any case is it correct that prisoners have family/friends visit every day, I thought, unlike their solicitor,  they had set visiting days. 

Thank goodness Buddy was OK, I would have thought the vet would have been able to find out what he had taken instead of the vague he'd eaten some poison. We already knew Raffy wasn't stupid and she certainly let Brody know it, not sure how wise it was her letting Brody off, but she won't let him off the hook a second time.

 

[Red Ranger 1]

I understand that VJ was in the wrong making a move on his friend's girlfriend, and he did push Hunter first, but Zac and Olivia were right: There was no need for Hunter to confront him the way he did, he should have given him some slack and let it go.Ah well, they both apologised so all's right with the world.And VJ once again proves himself the better man by going to Marilyn and reminding her of the truth about John.I was worried it was going to backfire - and maybe it did, since Deacon (as the credits name him) seemed to overhear them discussing the appeal - but she needed to hear it anyway.I've no idea why John pushed Deacon knowing full well what the result would be, especially when he'd been talking to him quite sensibly up till then. Maybe he wanted to get it over with?

Meanwhile, Leah continues to be frustratingly black and white in her treatment of Zac, giving up on him just because of one out of character decision.So he's making one last attempt to win her over.I wish him luck but I suspect he'll need it.

[CaptainHulk]

It just hit me...

John + Deacon = John Deacon! (Most famous for being Queen's Bassist and writer of "Another One Bites the Dust"!)

[H&Alover]

Good to see Hunter and VJ make up like they did.  As Olivia pointed out to Hunter in no uncertain terms if she was Ok with it and nothing actually happened he should be too. I liked the way VJ went to see Marilyn about how she should give John the benefit of the doubt.  She did confess to Leah she had seen another side to him and wondered if his setting the fires was due to something else a lot deeper. His violent outburst definitely scared her, I'm glad she went to see him again.   Could understand why Deacon had it in for John he'd obviously been burnt in a fire at sometime in his life, accidentally or deliberately so having a fire starter in with him brought back bad memories. John's still feeling guilt so maybe that is why he goaded Deacon the way he did.

One moment Leah is being reasonable with Zac, the next she's back on the offensive. Hunter gave kind of good advice but just because they still love each other it's not enough if the trust on Leah's side is gone it's not going to work. I've said before it's not quite what Zac did it's who he did it with.

Roo's news is slowly being revealed, Irene and Morag already know now Leah's been told.

[Red Ranger 1]

Roo's episode count this week:Five, for the second week running.

Viewing the storyline as a whole, I find John's prison beating rather gratuitous and unpleasant.I guess it provided a reason to bring his appeal forward but it feels a bit like it was included just because prison storylines always have a prison beating.I think in some ways today's episode would have been more powerful without it.Because John and Deacon's final showdown was surprisingly emotional and a perfect way to handle the issue, with decency ultimately winning out against blind hatred.Despite the lack of detailed back story, Deacon is a cautionary tale of what VJ and Ash could have become if they hadn't managed to let go of their anger, someone so consumed with the need to make someone pay that he's destroyed his own life and seems set to just carry on destroying it.Still, it's hard not to agree with Morag's view that John should never have been locked up with people like that.At least he's out now with a typically quick appeal: Morag does at least tend to get it right second time round.Glad that she at least got a proper farewell scene this time, with her awkward attempt at being nice to Roo being quite sweet and funny.

I wasn't really interested in Phoebe and Justin toing and froing, but I'm glad we got that little moment of Phoebe looking back at the farmhouse for the last time, it felt like the end of an era.Meanwhile, Leah continues to be very frustrating: She's throwing away a good marriage over next to nothing.