Latest UK Episode Discussion (2006-2017 Seasons)

[Red Ranger 1]

As much as it was a kick in the teeth, it's probably a good thing Justin said Phoebe's name before things went any further: As they realised when they sobered up, neither of he nor Scarlett is really ready to start something.I do wonder how long they'll stick with their "just friends" idea though.Justin did at least have the sense to ask what happened the next morning.I did wonder if that was a national newspaper Alf produced, but this episode makes it clearer that it was one of Phoebe's gigs where the shooting happened, so there was some local interest.

Fair play to Ziggy for picking up her boot straps at last but I might have respected her a bit more if she'd actually told Ben and Maggie what she was doing instead of just flouncing out of the house and ignoring their protests.And whilst it's nice that she's got something, it's hard to see how a few hours a week answering the telephone at the garage will pay her way.I wasn't too keen on the way the episode acted as though Ben and Maggie were the ones in the wrong and paid only token attention to Ziggy's stealing.Okay, charging interest to family is a bit much but she should have been made to pay back what she stole. Still, Maggie's chat to Leah about having post-natal depression (when she wouldn't have been that old to boot) provided an insight into their relationship.

Marilyn annoyed me again.Despite saying she's thinking about it, she still refuses to talk to John and then talks to Roo instead.And then she goes and throws a tantrum at John for something that he was pressured (if not outright forced) into by Alf.I hope there's an apology some time even if John does end up mostly agreeing with her.

[c120701]

I know it's tried and tested, but the Astonis are following a very similar format to the Sutherlands...

Dad = Wants to make changes/rubs locals up the wrong way.

Rhys with not allowing shortcuts through the park & increasing food offerings at the kiosk.

Ben with the pier refurb.

Mum = In a position of responsibility/child related job. Makes friends more quickly than the husband.

Eldest daughter = Doesn't want to live in the "country" and used to being kept.

Youngest daughter = Confidence issues, body image issues.

[Slade]

If Justin had just kept his mouth shut for ten more minutes he would have got laid for sure.  Have to say Scarlett looked especially hot in a bikini.  More of that please although judging by tomorrow's preview it looks like were in for a bit of a treat.

It felt like Ziggy had a bit of a personality transplant.  She was polite and seemed quite sincere.  Not sure Justin knows what he's letting himself in for.  If she's anything like Hope then he should be worried.  I actually don't mind the scenes with Justin and Ben.  To me Ben doesn't actually seem unlikeable in them and I liked the part where Scarlett rocked up and Ben mentioned they'd been in that situation before and promptly left.

Not sure what to make of the growing friendship with Leah and Maggie.  I said last week that Maggie pitied Leah and whilst I still think that's true to a certain extent, it does look as though she genuinely likes her.

Can't believe John's still considering having a baby.  Even though I didn't like the way Marilyn acted towards him I do think that she's right to not want to have a kid.  It would be selfish and irresponsible at their ages.

[H&Alover]

Justin did pass out just after he'd called Scarlett Phoebe - the wombat - so nothing would have happened anyway!  It was a reversal of their last encounter, with him asking if anything had happened with Scarlet gently teasing him about it.  Very wisely she didn't tell him then he'd called her Phoebe which would have made him feel even worse and waited until he'd sobered up. She handled the whole thing very well. Then of course she found out about the shooting via Leah and Alf talking about it, quickly looked up Phoebe's profile and sees the notice about her new love and puts two and two together. no problem with Justin ringing Phoebe to make sure she was OK, they had been engaged after all but finding out she'd got a new bloke does make Justin's actions rather suspect and as she rightly said it was rebound even allowing that he and Phoebe had been over for a while now.  Can't see why they can't be friends, she is as she said still married, friends can become lovers later, there is a definite attraction.  I say again I do like Scarlett.

I would have said the friction between Maggie and Ziggy was normal mum/teenage daughter was pretty normal, though the friction could be explained by Maggie revealing she'd had post natal depression, she was young 19, so didn't connect as soon or easily as other mums do. Ziggy's change of demeanour overnight was a bit out there, but at least she is going to do something, handing her CV into the Diner and Salt, though that is a lost cause at the moment, shows she can be  the grown up she keeps telling Ben & Maggie she is.  Handy that Justin bumped into Ben as I don't suppose Ziggy would have thought of the garage. Little niggle but I thought Justin said to Ben she'd asked him for a job the day before when to me it seemed the same day?   OK it's only  a few hours a week but it's a start and of course she should pay back what she stole, YES Ziggy it was stealing even if it is family, less interest though, that would be over the top. Was Coco spending all day in her room no sign of her?  As for Ben grounding her, she may well be 19 but she is living under their roof, rent free so has to abide by their rules.

John  actually didn't  too badly with looking after Luc, I did forget he did his bit with little Casey.  Alf seemed very amused volunteering John to look after Luc, but he was surprised he wasn't making  a fist of it.   I think Marilyn wanted a less heated discussion and have another woman's view, are she and Roo more or less the same age, valid question she asked Roo that if she hadn't got pregnant accidentally would she have chosen to? It has to, ultimately, though be her and John's choice. No mention of her being infertile, just it would be hard at her age - not to mention any other risks. I do think she totally overreacted when she saw John with Luc, he didn't plan it, it just made sense he'd take her home to change her, she thinks he's trying to pressure her into trying for a baby. As she said though, having a baby for a few hours is OK because  you can hand them back, but when their your own that's it, you've got them 24/7. 

Talking of Hope is her nine months of prison time  up yet?

 

[Red Ranger 1]

Alf's episode count this week:Four.

I found Marilyn supremely annoying again, I'm afraid.She storms out on John and again has the conversation with one of her girl friends that she should be having with him.Then, having typically ignored him, she throws a strop at him for leaving Luc with Raffy, who was coping well and didn't mind.And I get the feeling that he was more disappointed by her refusing to have children than he was letting on.Fair enough, if she doesn't want to no-one should force her.But she's talking as though they've both got one foot in the grave: She's in her 40s, he's in his 50s.There's a good chance they'll both be fit and healthy in 20 years' time.

I should probably feel more sympathy for Coco than I do because she's clearly got self-esteem issues and it's no fun.But really, she's coming across as such a self-absorbed drama queen, to the point that even Raffy seems fed up and probably feels like saying "Well, I'm sorry that an older boy doesn't fancy you but one of my brothers is half-paralysed in hospital and another's in drug rehab so could we talk about my life for a minute?", and it doesn't help that her life actually doesn't seem that bad.I'm starting to get the impression that Hope's prison sentence is in the same category as Annie and Jai's exchange trip, we're not meant to notice that it should be over by now.

Hunter and Wally continue to be supremely awkward around each other...although not as awkward as his oblivious wife turning up.So, are we meant to assume that Charlotte was not a one-off?

[c120701]

Loved the in-joke from Hunter that sometimes a trip to the city seems to take 5 minutes and others it seems to take most of a day.

When Irene arrived home with Luc during the dinner party she entered from the left of the kitchen rather than the right, like she was hiding where the oven is the whole time and no-one noticed.

[Slade]

Although I agree with her not wanting kids the way Marilyn acted towards John really annoyed me.  I hope this isn't going to cause a problem with their marriage again like his tumour did.

So Hunter isn't into bird watching.  Although Wally doesn't believe in climate change.  Interesting...

I've really liked Leah over the cast couple of weeks and continue to like the way she supports Hunter.  The only thing I don't like about her at the moment is that she's made up with Maggie.

Objectively watching that episode I do think Coco was acting self-centered.  She seemed to completely focus on herself ignoring how Raffy feels about Mason.  I think Raffy wanted to just do something positive to help her take her mind off him but sadly Coco went on a bit.  So I guess Raffy was acting like a shoulder to cry on where (watching her scene with Marilyn towards the end of that episode) she wanted somebody's shoulder to cry on.  And Coco didn't once ask her how Mason was or how she was feeling.  However I fully sympathise with her.  Jennifer is making her life a living hell.  She hassles her at school, she harasses her outside school, probably online too.  She has all her mates laughing at Coco so I understand her being depressed and worrying constantly.  I think it's good to see this storyline every so often as it's important to cover as kids often in extreme cases might commit suicide.  Don't think Coco looked anywhere near as bad as she thought she did in a swimming costume.  I was disappointed we only saw her for a few seconds.  In fact I was disappointed we also didn't see too much of Jennifer and her friends either.  In a funny sort of way I liked the way Coco accused VJ of dating Ziggy.  Thought it was sweet.

Didn't occur to me they used "Soz" in OZ too.

[H&Alover]

That was a bit out there Marilyn accusing John, unjustly, of trying to force her into a decision, then throwing a wobbly when she found he'd left her alone with a 14 year old girl, yes 14 not four! Raffy is a level headed girl and she wasn't alone anyway, but that's beside the point. Wasn't sure what to make of Leah's expressions, was she worried about Raffy looking after Luc or the fact Maz went rushing back home thinking it was chid  abuse on both sides. Things seemed perfectly fine.  He did recognise having Luc around was tiring so he would be glad to give her back to Irene, OK so they can't foster but there must be other things they can do to help kids. Good point about their age and either one or both of them could die before their child grows up but a very strong argument against that is Billie who was young and seemingly  fit and healthy yet died in her 20's.  Maybe on a bit but you can get knocked down by a bus, get killed in a car crash and leave your child motherless/fatherless or an orphan. I did like how they comforted Raffy when she asked if they could take her to see Mason and gave her a hug.

Mentioning Coco's self interest, she just ignored Raffy's comment she was an orphan when she was moaning about her mum and dad, though it is in the teenagers handbook to do that. I do wonder how long she has been feeling like she does, I can see she feels overshadowed by Ziggy.  Now it has been revealed she is bulimic or has that just started?  Bullies like Jenny hone in on the quiet ones, have a built in radar who the vulnerable ones are. I thought Coco had a good little figure, but seeing Jenny who I guess is the same age who is, shall we say, fuller can make you feel you have the shape of a kid. It didn't seem to me VJ was encouraging Jenny and it was her running after him.

Hunter wasn't alone in thinking Wally was reserved, he seemed to be making most of the effort, I'm wondering in fact if Wally is regretting getting in touch at all. It was a very strained meal, he didn't want to reveal anything about himself. Irene, Leah and Olivia all picked up on it. Then Claire turns up pointing the finger as to who out of the three women was having an affair with Wally, he's obviously left some incriminating evidence lying around, like Hunter's address.  I agree Red I think too from her reaction Charlotte hadn't been an one-off, Peg had mentioned without going into details he'd been a bit of a lad.  Maybe she could have overlooked his affairs if they had been away from home but Charlotte had been their next neighbour so too close for comfort.  If you are going to cheat you don't do it on your own doorstep. Hunter was just about to blurt out why Wally was there with his "He hasn't told you, has he?" but the  credits rolled.

It looks like my initial theory about Robbo remembering Kat from before was right, as we saw from the trailer she and Scarlett go back to the cove to look over Robbo's hideout and find that photo of her in uniform.  Did he have it so he would be able to identify her for some, as yet, unknown reason?  The plot thickens.

[Red Ranger 1]

Warning: Discusses the episode shown at lunchtime today

Well, I wasn't too keen again on the way Tori seems to be hanging around Ash like a girlfriend-in-waiting while protesting innocence every time Kat gets jealous, so I really didn't have any sympathy for her when Ash said they couldn't hang out anymore.That said, my sympathy for Kat has started to wane slightly now that she's acting the same way with Robbo, to the extent of dragging him down to the station as an excuse not to talk to Ash.I was a bit annoyed with Scarlett too, with her rather snooty reaction towards Robbo being involved in a fight that Ash pretty much started anyway.Mind you, Kat soon seemed to abandon her "He's one of the good guys" attitude on finding that photo at Robbo's old camp, suddenly acting like he's an axe murderer.I think she's going a bit too far and I suspect Robbo's amnesia is real.It does seem like they've never met before, so he probably had a vague memory of the photo and didn't know her name until she mentioned it.

Leah did the right thing telling Claire the truth since it was obvious Wally wasn't in any hurry to.And I think Hunter realised that in the end despite his initial annoyance.But it seems we've put a stop to Hunter and Wally spending time together for now.

And again, I'm pretty much taking any mention of VJ spending time with Luc I can (maybe she even crawled for him!) even though it'd be nice if we actually got to see it.

[Slade]

I definitely thought Leah did the right thing telling Wally's wife Hunter was his son and I didn't like the way Hunter was with her afterwards.  Although at least he apologised.  I suppose it all worked out in the end and I guess it's good they will still keep in touch.

I laughed during the testosterone exchange between Ash and Robbo over Kat.  I also found it funny the way Scarlett was looking over at them.  I thought she was rolling her eyes in disgust at Robbo even though Ash was the one that pushed him first.  Although I accept it was none of Robbo's business.  I was mostly on Kat's side in that episode.  The first time Ash went to tell Tori they couldn't be friends he didn't actually tell her.  And the second time when he actually did it he absolved himself of any responsibility "Kat says" etc.  So even though he says he's in love with Kat he obviously still likes Tori.  How long does Tori think she can avoid him for?  I do find it funny that she's still oblivious as to why Kat would have an issue with her spending time with Ash.  And Leah had to point this out to her.  The way I see it if someone likes someone, can't have them and wants to be friends it's usually because they are hoping something will happen later on down the line.  This is a recipe for disaster and I'm glad Leah also told her it was a good thing Ash didn't think they could be friends as it would give her a chance to move on.  As I've mentioned in this thread in the past you shouldn't be friends with someone you fancy IMO.

It slightly bothered me the way Kat was helping Robbo because firstly she initially was still operating on the he's completely innocent basis like she was last week and she also (even though I accept it was work related) was kind of rubbing it in Ash's face to prove a point later on in that episode.  I thought Kat was really warming to Robbo until she found a photo he had kept of her.  Scarlett obviously still didn't trust him which prompted her to accompany him and Kat back to the Island.