Latest UK Episode Discussion (2006-2017 Seasons)

[claire_louise]

I agree the Charlie and Joey thing is a bit daft. 'I love you Charlie' 'I love you Joey' pleeeease I was eating my dinner! It's obvious Charlie is still on the rebound from Roman, how can she say she loves Joey she hardly knows her! Surely there's no way she could stay in the bay and hold down a job as a cop now!

I agree with you that they did seem to fall in love very quickly, but things always move much more quickly on soaps than they do in real life. Rachel and Tony used the 'L' word after about two weeks of dating, so it's hardly unusual. Soap time is faster than real time because if it wasn't viewers would get bored, and to enjoy a show like H&A you have to suspend disbelief when it comes to those sort of things.

Aside from that, I find your comments quite ignorant. Would you mind so much if it was a straight couple declaring their love for each other? And why wouldn't Charlie be able to stay in the bay and keep her job? Apart from the fact that she was involved with Joey on a professional level (which might be cause for concern, but seeing as their relationship didn't begin until afterwards I doubt it) her sexuality is nobody else's business but hers. She has just as much right to be there as a gay woman than as a straight one.

[Red Ranger 1]

Pippa often appears like a fairy god mother to offer pearls of wisdom. I think she's needed where Geoff and Annie are concerned, the way they were with Belle was a disgrace. I think the script writers should make it clear that Belles drug adiction is to prescribed drugs NOT recreactional. I feel sorry for her she's been admitted to hospital no less than three times recently, first her car crash, then being beaten to a pulp and then run down by Kane! No wonder she's been on tranquilisers! On top of that she had a job from hell at the newspaper. I hope she doesn't leave the series now.

"Prescribed drugs"?It might have started off like that(and that might be what she told Annie)but let's not pretend:She's been buying "stimulants"(NOT tranquilisers)from drug dealers.I'm a complete ignoramus when it comes to the subject and the writers have been a bit coy about what she's taking so I'm not sure if it's meant to be the sort of thing doctors would prescribe to patients that needed them (ie not Belle)or something like ectsasy but either way it was obtained illegally and did seem to have a euphoric effect.

[oscartg]

Joey is of legal age, I mean just because you appear to be a paedophile doesn't mean you are. Plus wasn't she saying she was in love with Roman shortly after she first meet him. She's like that with any person that pays attention to her, some people are just weird like that. I don't like the implication that Charlie can't be gay or involved with Joey and still be a cop. I'm sure where are plenty of gay cops out there.

I can't stand the tedium of Belle's addiction, I can't summon any sympathy for her because she's such a screeching harpy. I don't hate much time for Geoff as he's a self-righteous blowhard. I hope Aden keep well away from Belle, he could do so much better. Oh and Belle made her own problems at the newspaper because she was drugged up half the time she was working.

[claire_louise]

I can't stand the tedium of Belle's addiction, I can't summon any sympathy for her because she's such a screeching harpy. I don't hate much time for Geoff as he's a self-righteous blowhard. I hope Aden keep well away from Belle, he could do so much better. Oh and Belle made her own problems at the newspaper because she was drugged up half the time she was working.

I agree that it's hard to sympathise with Belle, but I don't think it's the storyline or the acting, just the fact that they've put her through so much trauma over the past year or so that it's become annoying watching her cry and moan all the time. Poor Jessica must be exhausted, it's no wonder there have been questions over her weight in the media. It's a shame because the storyline could have worked in a different context, but to be honest I just want them to leave Belle alone for a while. It would be really lovely to see her and Aden happy for a change as they make such a great couple. I do worry that all this misery will eventually take its toll on their popularity as a couple as well as on Belle as a character.

Also, do remember that Aden held Belle (his own girlfriend!) hostage not so long ago and almost murdered his father, so he's hardly an angel. I think they're probably quits when it comes to hurting each other now!

[Slade]

I don’t think Geoff was exactly over the moon to see Pippa when he came back from school. Although I still see she’s got the magic touch regarding the way she is with people. I think Annie made a valid point when she said Geoff was being stubborn regarding the way he acted towards Belle.

Trey’s stepdad seemed particularly controlling during the interview with the department, hardly letting him get a word in edgeways. Miles kind of put his foot in it with his “ridiculous” remark. I am starting to get sick and tired of Kirsty’s attitude and she didn’t do him any favours the way she just kept mouthing off like that.

I was actually extremely impressed with Miles and the way he handled the whole thing. I think Jai was probably looking to either blackmail or pay Trey back for the way he had been acting, but Miles decided to use the good cop approach requesting Jai not to show the photo to anyone and then having a quiet word with him instead. I quite liked that scene and (surprise surprise) we get to see that maybe Trey’s not such a bad person after all and is simply misunderstood. And the thing I liked the most about that was I felt that Miles seemed more concerned for Trey than saving his own skin (even though he still wanted to do that as well). I’m glad he decided to do the right thing in the end and come clean about what really happened.

I can’t really say I’m sorry about Aden breaking up with Belle but I’m not as happy as I thought I would be. Namely because I am starting to feel a bit more sympathetic towards her, especially after the treatment she received from Geoff. I’m in two minds about this. Miranda (and others) made valid points previously about the fact that he kidnapped her, called her a “skank”, supported him with ordeal he was going through having to relive the abuse etc (even though she dumped him) yet the first real sign of trouble (excluding all the injuries she received) he decides to bail out was disappointing in that sense. The flip side though is that it’s hard for me to argue his reasoning i.e. she said originally broke up with him because it was better for him and his recovery. And the other day I think he mentioned something about having to go through something similar before regarding Larry but the difference for me is Aden’s actions before directly affected other people. Belle did not deliberately set to harm anyone and any pain she caused was indirect. I guess when he said they were meant to be together a while back, he was wrong and I think it will be extrmely difficult for them to be just friends.

[H&Alover]

I agree with you that they did seem to fall in love very quickly, but things always move much more quickly on soaps than they do in real life. Rachel and Tony used the 'L' word after about two weeks of dating, so it's hardly unusual. Soap time is faster than real time because if it wasn't viewers would get bored, and to enjoy a show like H&A you have to suspend disbelief when it comes to those sort of things.

Don't forget Rachel and Kim fell in love very quickly as well, then there was Brad and Sally (even though he was engaged to his dying fiancee).

Geoff did seem a bit sniffy when Pippa turned up, but they weren't exactly managing that well as was revealed by what was in the larder, I'm guessing Irene did leave money behind for food and stuff? As for the housework normally I would say that's teenagers for you but Annie would have been responsible for that back at the farm wouldn't she?

So Trey's dad was his stepdad, I couldn't catch all he said to Miles about what happened when his mum married John, (anyone help me there) is she still around? Will his confession to Martin suddenly make him a better person? Agree you with you there Slade Kirsty's attitude was way out of order.

I quite admire Aden for breaking up with Belle (for the moment) he was honest to admit to her that he wasn't strong enough to handle it. Maybe when she has been through rehab they can start again (again).

Was it me or did it seem an exceptionallly long afternoon on H&A on Friday. Geoff and Annie get home from school, Annie mentions Belle didn't want them visiting her, Pippa goes to see her, comes back, having done shopping on the way, Annie then gets a text from Belle saying they can visit after all which they do and it's still light! Is the rehab place close to the Bay?

[Lesley Bee]

Geoff's face was a picture when he saw Pippa

[Mrs Bishop]

I couldnt understand why Geoff and Annie were funny with Pippa they should be thankfull some one was there to make sure they were ok, leta face is Belle hasnt exactly done a good job.

[Psychic Wombat]

Joey is of legal age, I mean just because you appear to be a paedophile doesn't mean you are. (snip)

Huh?

Belles adiction began with *prescribed* pain killers before she started pill popping controlled drugs, it's bit different to using class A drugs! I guess the plot was to illustrate how easy it is to get addicted to drugs in general.

Aside from that, I find your comments quite ignorant. Would you mind so much if it was a straight couple declaring their love for each other? And why wouldn't Charlie be able to stay in the bay and keep her job? Apart from the fact that she was involved with Joey on a professional level (which might be cause for concern, but seeing as their relationship didn't begin until afterwards I doubt it) her sexuality is nobody else's business but hers. She has just as much right to be there as a gay woman than as a straight one.

Don't worry I'd be just as critical if it was a hetro coupling, it doesn't excuse such a icky scene. I think you'd find the police force isn't that enlightened towards same sex relationships just like the army. But I'm willing to suspend my disbelief if it helps ;-)

[Red Ranger 1]

Okay, I'm expecting another barrage of Hugo hating after that episode so consider this a pre-emptive strike, apologies if I've misjudged anyone.Apart from his overly macho attitude towards Brett(which just makes him a male Australian soap character)and possibly that last scene, I didn't find anything wrong with anything he said or did in that episode.I liked that first scene, where he seemed more relaxed with and protective of Xavier and Brendan.And I liked his following scene with Martha, which showed a lot of insight into his character.I can imagine how difficult and frustrating it would be having to handle someone like Brendan, especially when you know it's a lifetime commitment, and I suspect that a lot of people, myself included, would react to him a lot more like Hugo does than we'd like to admit.And the next scene, where he takes the sticks off Brendan, showed even more insight.As he said, a lot of people see him as the bad guy because that's the role he has to play.I'm not saying that Xavier isn't good with Brendan or that looking after him isn't a responsibility for him but in a way he gets to be the loving brother that Brendan has fun with, while Hugo, like Gina, has to be the disciplinarian who sometimes has to be hard on Brendan for his own good and others'.It's all right laughing at an autistic boy running around naked on a TV screen but I imagine it would be a different story if you were responsible for someone like that.Martha can play good cop and try to go easy on Brendan but Hugo has to make sure he doesn't hurt anyone else, even if it means upsetting with him.I was actually a bit annoyed that Hugo then went and apologised to Martha like a wuss or rather that he gave an unqualified apology.I think he should have admitted he shouldn't have lost his temper but made her see where he was coming from.Making a comment to Xavier about his lies was probably unnecessary but I don't think he was trying to avoid Xavier and Brendan when he left the house, he was embarrassed to be around Martha after Brendan's probable insight.(As an aside, when did the Austins' father leave them?He obviously stuck around long enough to have Xavier, who appears five years younger than Brendan.)As for that last scene...They were both at fault, Charlie probably more so since she's in a relationship.It's debateable whether Hugo knew that;Leah obviously filled him in outside the house but Charlie effectively told him it wasn't true.His comments about being relieved she rejected him because she was gay were inappropriate at best but he did just seem to be taking his mind off Martha.

Charlie...As Joey said, everything's fine when they're alone(and kudos to the show for showing them so physically affectionate after a tentative start)but when other people are around...She seemed to put off telling Leah more because she was embarrassed than anything.And then because she gets a few remarks, she goes and throws herself at Hugo.As George(that's her name according to the main site, so much for Rosie)said, she was asking for trouble by getting so personally involved with a crime victim.Her dismissive attitude to Brett's complaints probably didn't do her any favour either.And by the way, her speech to the school was so dull they'd probably been heckling her if she hadn't just been outed.(Who was the speech to anyway?There seemed to be the usual dozen or so extras, including Trey from Year 12 and Ruby and Xavier from Year 10.)If I was being really charitable towards Brett, I'd characterise it as a more extreme version of Ruby's reaction, not wanting his sister to have a side to her he doesn't know about.Except in his case, you get the feeling he'll never accept Joey for who she is.I don't know why I'm not as willing to condemn Brett as the show seems to be suggesting I should.I think it's because he doesn't come across as someone who makes people misery for the sake of it but as someone who the modern world has just passed by completely and is adhering to a set of outdated values.It makes me pity him more than anything.

And it brings a sense of stability to my universe to know that despite his mini-epiphany, Trey's still a jerk.Surprisingly, I actually liked Xavier's comeback to him(and the way one of his mates laughed at it.)Although it's odd, if not surprising, that he's completely forgotten about Xavier leaving him to take the blame for the accident.(I get the feeling this is meant to be a few days later, especially given that last week's episodes only covered three days.)

(As an aside, I don't think the police is any more or less enlightened about same sex couples than any other institutions.And while it might be an exaggeration to call them enlightened, the army, certainly in this country and I assume in Australia, dropped any anti-gay regulations nearly a decade ago.)