Latest UK Episode Discussion (2006-2017 Seasons)

[Dan F]

^Oh yeah.Guess we don't see that wall very often.

Do you remember when VJ found something (money/drugs/gun) hidden up the fireplace? I can't actually remember now what it was (probably a gun - didn't he then have it in the garden), or who hid it there!

A load of Diazepam which Alex had stashed up there, after using Leah's suitcase to smuggle them into the country without her knowledge. VJ found them and played with them in the garden

[Miranda]

I am shocked to the core, that you, Red Ranger, did not notice the fireplace for 15 years I have an excuse as I have only watched HAA on and off for the last few years, but really, tut tut tut, call yourself head of the Nerd Squad?

I was so pleased Geoff snapped at Ruby, ha ha ha. Their relationship has really gone down the drain quickly. I thought they would be such a good couple but I can't see what their attraction is now. I'm even sympathising with Geoff, which is something I never thought I'd do! Ruby is just self centred, I can't think of any other description of her. Even if Geoff is nosy and bossy, he's never been self centred.

I feel sorry for Leah. She said that every man she gets close to has something awful happen to them, which is nearly true. She is normally such a positive and caring person, she is surely allowed to have some down time and wallow in depression some times. Where's her family at this time? They are usually sticking their noses in, they should be around helping her now.

That awful 'Minx'. It was so obvious what her crime was, I realised when she first arrived. She is really boring and obvious. She was so rude and disrespectful to Gina, an older lady who welcomed her into her home.

We need a Xavier/Romeo comedy sequence soon, please...?

[alreetlike]

^Oh yeah.Guess we don't see that wall very often.

Do you remember when VJ found something (money/drugs/gun) hidden up the fireplace? I can't actually remember now what it was (probably a gun - didn't he then have it in the garden), or who hid it there!

A load of Diazepam which Alex had stashed up there, after using Leah's suitcase to smuggle them into the country without her knowledge. VJ found them and played with them in the garden

Thanks - saved a few strands of my hair there as I had vague memories of that storyline and was about to start a hunt.

Just me who quite likes Mink then? Makes a change from most of the characters who I've found rather boring over the last year or so. At least she's obnoxious instead of just irritating.

Geoff/Ruby: Hate them as a couple so found it hilarious when he snapped at her. Really been hating Ruby lately so it was a bit of a YEESSSS! moment for me.

Charlie/Angelo: I know they're trying to focus on them as a couple more but really, I just don't see it. No charisma at all IYAM.

Leah: I quite want to throttle her at times, but hell, at least she's getting a storyline.

On the whole though despite my negative comments today I do prefer the new direction the show is taking, and look forward to it developing. Agree we need some more Xavier/Romeo comedy moments.

[Slade]

Firstly really good to see Alf back to his old self. I was getting a bit worried he’d done a Roman and just thrown in the towel.

I think the main problem with Mink is that she doesn’t seem in the remotest way likeable. Two characters (the two Rs) namely Rachel and Ruby at times I’ve really disliked but as much as I hate to admit it at least both of them have redeeming qualities (Ruby less so ATM). Mink has none. I genuinely don’t understand how people can like her and I’ve noted a couple of comments that actually said they loved her? I mean what is there to like, someone tell me please. I actually found Xavier’s remark about Gina being John Palmer’s biggest fan quite funny. Found the stuff with Gina and Mink quite fascinating. I do think that Xavier’s a big boy now so it was quite patronising Gina asking him to go shopping with her and offering to take him to the cinema just to keep him away from Mink. The fact that Gina didn’t debate Mink’s point about her being a bad girl when she was younger suggests there’s an element of truth in it (although Gina’s never killed anyone). I have to say I wasn’t taken aback at all about Mink’s revelation. I suppose at least we get an explanation for why she’s so screwed up.

Felt really sorry for Leah too Miranda. Seems as though she’s afraid to go out now. That’s kind of understandable but she has been in pretty bad situations before which you could argue have been worse (see Dan's pictures). I’d like to think it was the shock of everything that happened to Hazem but it that’s the case why hasn’t she contacted him yet.

I’m glad Geoff gave Ruby a serve and I didn’t like the way she stormed off because she didn’t get her own way. Following on from what she said to Irene at the hospital last week she was still making everything about her. The only thing I didn’t like about Geoff was when he said he tried to warn her about John where it felt he backed her almost 100%. I’m glad Geoff was being honest saying he wasn’t sure if he could forgive the guys responsible for the riot.

Charlie annoyed me too. As already mentioned she should have just been upfront and honest with Angelo from the start.

[H&Alover]

I feel sorry for Leah. She said that every man she gets close to has something awful happen to them, which is nearly true. She is normally such a positive and caring person, she is surely allowed to have some down time and wallow in depression some times. Where's her family at this time? They are usually sticking their noses in, they should be around helping her now.

I would think that would be the last thing Leah needs, her dad on his own maybe, but not her mum. She shouldn't be blaming herself for what happened to Hazem, but I think she probably is. Hazem's mum obviously isn't otherwise she wouldn't be ringing Leah asking her to visit. It didn't help that the attack on Hazem took place right in front of her, which could explain the panic attack. I hope someone tells Rachel who is more qualified to help her than well meaning friends.

I realise Geoff was confused why he felt he ought to be able forgive the rioters and that he couldn't considering his beliefs, but he is only human after all, as Ruby said (something wise for once), he would get through the anger and then perhaps he could.

Although Ruby has been just thinking about her part and wanting sympathy and reassurance, it wasn't her fault, John's or anyone elses, it was the rioters, they were the ones who decided upon their actions, noone else.

I think Mink hit the nail on the head when she told Gina that she (Mink) reminded Gina of her younger self, she certainly didn't deny it, did she? I dare say we will get more of the facts behind Mink killing her and Romeo's stepdad (maybe tonight?) from Romeo. Not being able to read the credits (far too small and quick) no idea what their surnames are, either their real dad died or was divorced from their mum or a third option she wasn't married when she had them both. Mink did say it wasn't self defence so could it have been to protect her mum?

What is Charlie's problem with moving in with Angelo? I'm pretty sure he would understand if she told him the truth whatever it is.

[Miranda]

A raspberry to you H&ALover I think Leah's brother Chris could really help her at this time, I've always liked him. The rest of them are a load of numpties, you're right.

What I think about Leah is that she is showing that human beings don't always act logically, in fact they usually don't. She probably doesn't know why she feels like she does and it would be hard to work it out without counselling. Credit to the writers for showing the illogical-ness of human behaviour. I hate it when everything is always worked out neatly in soaps, as in Neighbours, the early years.

You're right about Mink, Slade, I was just thinking that she has no likeability. If we saw a moment of 'oh, I shouldn't have done that/ said that' and a tiny bit of vulnerability, I'd like her better.

I think Charlie and Ruby are just terribly immature. I wonder if its the way they were brought up. Charlie had that terrible thing happening to her so young. I've read that if something awful happens at a young age, people can 'stick' at that age and not move past it and grow up. Or maybe Ruby and Charlie just have immaturity in their characters. Angelo seems more mature and he's younger than Charlie, isn't he?

[alreetlike]

I think the main problem with Mink is that she doesn’t seem in the remotest way likeable. Two characters (the two Rs) namely Rachel and Ruby at times I’ve really disliked but as much as I hate to admit it at least both of them have redeeming qualities (Ruby less so ATM). Mink has none. I genuinely don’t understand how people can like her and I’ve noted a couple of comments that actually said they loved her? I mean what is there to like, someone tell me please.

Just to clarify, I've stated on here a few times that I do like Mink but I guess what I really mean is I like her character. If she moved in next door to me I'm sure I would have a strong dislike for her, but I like the fact that her character is a bit different in that we're not meant to like her. Usually they put a boy in that sort of role then ruin it by making him "come good". They'll probably do the same to her.

I will add that in most TV shows I do end up quite liking the "bad guys" rather than the ones I'm supposed to like, who I always find too damn "goody two shoes". Maybe it's just me.

Plus between her and Romeo they're almost making me interested in Xavier, which I did not think was possible.

[charmed60]

I think the best bit of today's episode was watching Xavier having to run to keep up with Romeo His little legs weren't quick enough bless! I do like these two, their friendship seems real and Romeo's made me start liking Xavier.

The other friendship I really like is Rachel and Leah! I'm glad Rachel's visited her finally and it was nice to see how concerned she was, their friendship is the most real and consistent one I've seen on the show in a long time, if ever. It was good that she refused to go and managed to get Leah to finally open up about how she was feeling.

[Red Ranger 1]

I am shocked to the core, that you, Red Ranger, did not notice the fireplace for 15 years I have an excuse as I have only watched HAA on and off for the last few years, but really, tut tut tut, call yourself head of the Nerd Squad?

Yes, I hang my head in shame.To try and redeem myself, according to the last ages we were given for them, Angelo is about three years younger than Charlie.Maybe.

Sigh.Geoff apologised to Ruby.When he went up to her in the surf club, I was going "Oh no, don't say it..." but he did.What is this, Neighbours?Almost redeemed himself by telling her to get lost pretty soon afterwards.And because Geoff isn't telling her she's wonderful, she runs round to Xavier because he's soft-headed enough to do it...Liked the ending with Geoff in the church, getting back to his roots, the fact Alf had to suggest it to him shows how far he's come.Nice entrance for Elijah, a minister lugging a vacuum cleaner around is a good sign they're going to avoid the cliche.

And while Ruby's being treated like a saint, John's being accused of inciting violence, whereas from where I was sitting they both seemed to be doing plenty of inciting.Wonder if people really are staying away from the gym because they blame him for the riot.The chat between Tony and Gina touched on a few things:Like Gina said, John's who he is and Tony needs to work with that not expect him to suddenly change.I've been waiting for Gina to give an opinion on John's comments on the immigrants and I'm still waiting but I'm glad that they really haven't spoken since Hugo died rather than it just being laziness:Not sure if he's keeping away out of embarrassment or wanting to distance himself or because he thinks she wouldn't want to see him.The incident with the rioter worried me slightly:Given that Geoff would have only seen him for a few seconds and John seemed to be outside the whole time, you'd have thought he'd be more likely to be able to identify him.Is he covering?The police don't seem to be doing much good but then no-one really seems to be co-operating, including Geoff himself.

Well, we got all the details about what happened with Mink and Romeo and surprisingly it sounds as though their mother just vanished off the face of the earth and they haven't seen her from that day to this.Despite claims that she used to be sweet, it sounds as though Mink was exactly the same back then, her own and everyone else's worst enemy.Romeo seems to be suffering from survivor's guilt:He tried to fix things and only made them worse and Mink paid the price.(Maybe he and Ruby should start a club...)I actually quite liked the scenes between Xavier and Mink.(And she actually brought a change of clothes with her!Or else she raided Nicole's wardrobe.Hard to tell.)Certainly more so than I liked the scene between Xavier and Romeo:the more they try to make him a three-dimensional character, the more one-dimensional he seems.You can almost hear Luke thinking this isn't the character he signed up for.

You know what I thought when Mink said her mother had a victim mentality?That's exactly how Leah's behaving, even if she did manage to get dressed this episode.Rachel seemed to be getting through to her, even if I was left wincing and wishing she'd talk less like a doctor and more like a friend on a few occasions, but then she clammed up again.Going outside might not make everything better but staying inside is going to help even less.

[H&Alover]

So Romeo was 14/15 when the murder happened, he is Mink's younger brother which makes her what 2-3 years older? If she was in juvvie she must have been under 18, so wonder how long did she serve? It certainly explains his reluctance to get involved in anything violent or avoid drink and drugs. When Mink was talking to Xavier at the house she was quite restrained and quietly spoken instead of her usual in your face mode. Romeo was obviously reluctant to talk about it but it was good that he felt he could talk to Xavier about it.

As for Geoff apologising to Ruby that is just Geoff being Geoff. I said in a previous post it wasn't Ruby's or John's fault it was the rioters. Talking of John the the look on John's face when he walked out and told him to run the gym was a picture.

At last Rachel talked to Leah and she got her to admit what was happening to her, shame she wouldn't accept Rachel's advice though. I was right that she blamed herself which is totally illigiocal, but in her current frame of mind is what she feels. At least she got herself dressed by the time Colleen came round and by the way she collapsed in tears on her shoulder may be a sign of a breakthrough.

Nice scene between Geoff and Alf and his advice to Geoff to do what he used to do when he had a problem. It seemed to me that Geoff may have lost his faith somewhat which is more or less what he told the reverend, he seems like a understanding guy and not the type to berate Geoff because he is feeling the way he is.

BTW just an afterthought, how did Mink know where to find Romeo?