Latest UK Episode Discussion (2006-2017 Seasons)

[idris]

I won't say too much now, because I'm saving it all up for later today, and that's not said with any smug satisfaction , just a resigned sadness. I will comment though about Ruby's support for Annie. With friends like Ruby who needs ....... She's been her usual selfish self over the past month. Previously....Annie goes on the biggest date of her life..... so the next day Ruby shouts her down and prattles on about her song in the play (nice one Annie for 'volunteering' her. Although it means we have to listen to it, and Ruby's traumas getting it to the stage, so not such a nice one Annie after all ) and puts burn marks on Annie's wrists when she grabbed her (in the scene in the diner - where else ? What happened to their homes ?)

Ruby is 150% too full on all the time. In real life someone would be slipping Mogadon into her drinks to slow her down. Her relationship with Annie is just a plot device to ensure Annie gets no advice to prevent her returning to Japan. Ruby has also been undermining Annie, in her relationship with Romeo, with snide comments.

I haven't pre-emptied anything I will say later, because I think Ruby is peripheral to the main plot.

[Red Ranger 1]

^Although I'm not Ruby's biggest fan, I don't think that's entirely fair.Yes, she's been typically self-centred lately but I think if she was going "Don't go back to Japan, you're my best friend, you're better off here with us" that would be really selfish.Annie's already got Romeo making it clear he wants her to stay, I doubt if Ruby throwing her hat into the corner would make much difference.I think that Ruby, like Irene, recognises that Annie likes being in Japan(she must have applied for that exchange for some reason)and realises that going back there would make her happiest.

[idris]

Again, I don't want to do a spoiler, even if the episode on 5 is only a few minutes away. What part of my criticism of Ruby is unfair ? I think that it would be natural for a friend to at least to talk about the other option. Both Ruby and Irene, the only people that Annie has spoken to, apart from Romeo, have been like career guidance officers all the way through. It's obvious why that's being pushed at Annie, and us.

Can't believe that Annie would be so mad keen on Japan, and she shouldn't have been allowed to go there for so long anyway. The reasons for me saying that are in my posts about the farewell, to follow soon.

[H&Alover]

That's what you call thinking on your feet from Angelo. That will keep Martha quiet for now at least. I couldn't see why Charlie was so miffed about being kept in the dark about Hugo's 'death', surely the fewer people who knew about it the better to prevent it leaking out. When he said it looked liked Xavier had 'dragged' Ruby along with him to the battery I thought WHAT! Ruby wouldn't be dragged anywhere she didn't want to go. Could certainly understand Charlies motherly concern about her maybe being in danger. Her argument about letting Gina, Xavier and Martha know about Hugo being alive isn't feasible, all of them would act differently knowing that despite themselves.

Ruby isn't influencing Annie either way, naturally she would miss her as would Irene, but ultimately it is Annie's choice, though if as is being suggested she has already decided to go back she shouldn't keep Romeo dangling the way she is, it's so unfair to him. They managed before when they weren't even in a relationship, so if they really love each other as they both have said it shouldn't be a problem this time.

So where did Ruby's sudden attack of nerves come from? She was fine when she was singing in the Diner the other night and as both Liam and Xavier said noone else would notice if she got the lyrics wrong. Liam was the best one to advise her as he must at sometime experienced the same thing.

Agree there Red, it wouldn't be too much for Miles to ask Rabbit to stay away from school so he could do what he loves. Perhaps, though, subconsciously he wants her around all the time?

[idris]

Well, Annie’s left for good, and there’s a sour taste left by the way her departure was played out. It’s been achieved by character assassination and a plot cop-out.

How not to manage a graceful, realistic exit for a young character: Lesson 1.

Being offered a lengthy trip to Japan, aged 15 (foster care regulations anyone ?) without the school discussing it first with her legal guardian

On Annie’s ‘holiday’ return, she breaks it to Irene she can stay for another 6 months in Japan, instead of the 3 months originally planned. So Annie has been offered this 3 month extension, without the authorities consulting her legal guardian ? And it’s all Annie’s choice ? And Irene doesn’t bat a false eyelash ?

Annie immediately gives Romeo the challenge of making her stay in the bay by ‘doing something‘. That’s not Annie at all, and you know it’ll end in tears. It’s so obviously a plot cop-out and an easy (for the writers) exit excuse. So, she would have given up the study leave, to be with Romeo, if he could have met her (unspecified) requirements ? You just knew he wasn’t going to be allowed to do it. And Annie wouldn’t have asked it, let alone kept it up once she could see the effect it was having.

That last evening, she says she wants to keep their relationship perfect and not risk it sinking into fights etc. How does that fly, compared with her original challenge of wanting him to persuade her to stay ? Isn’t the rejection, through fear, of a good, loving relationship with Romeo - because reality can’t be perfect - classifiable as a emotional disorder ? Why has H&A, through Irene ( ), forgotten their duty of care to Annie ?

I was on holiday last week, so I’ll make a quick reference to the way Annie says one thing to Romeo, but something different, and alien to her character, when speaking to Irene or Ruby. Romeo told her he loved her and never wanted her to go to Japan. Next scene she’s in, she’s telling Irene that when she needs him to be there for her, he backs right off. Were those 2 scenes shown out of sequence ? Were they even part of the same show ? Bewildering

In this final episode, Annie tells Romeo she wants to keep their romance perfect, by ending it. I’m tempted to say what romance ? I will say that’s obviously an easy cop-out device to send her on her way to Japan. It also raises a very serious issue about this whole story: -

Annie is an orphan and in foster care. Fostered children, especially ones who have no possibility of return to their birth family, often suffer from emotional disorders, (lack of ) attachment problems are not uncommon. Apart from the fact that I don’t think Annie would have been allowed to go to Japan for so long, age 15, I think giving that reason as the relationship breaker - that Annie wants perfection and couldn‘t handle the reality of the ups and downs of a relationship - is appalling. I don’t think the writers have thought about this aspect at all ( add it to a long list.)

They have given Annie a farewell where the last thing she’ll be remembered by is causing the split up and hurting Romeo. That’s appalling to.

And I believe that next week, Irene receives an e-mail from Annie saying she’s settled back well in Japan and having a great time.

That’s rubbing salt into the wound. They’re just being cruel now.

[Miranda]

Can I just ask: what happened to people not posting about the day's episode before we've seen it in the evening? When I dare to post about the afternoon episode before 6pm, I get heavily criticised!?

So what is the convention on this thread? Post about the afternoon showing? Wait til after the evening showing? Avoid this thread until the evening to avoid spoilers? Is there one rule for Miranda and one for everyone else??

[idris]

Can I just ask: what happened to people not posting about the day's episode before we've seen it in the evening? When I dare to post about the afternoon episode before 6pm, I get heavily criticised!?

So what is the convention on this thread? Post about the afternoon showing? Wait til after the evening showing? Avoid this thread until the evening to avoid spoilers? Is there one rule for Miranda and one for everyone else??

Yes Miranda, because you're so special.

Seriously though I wasn't aware there was a spoiler rule between the same day showings. If I was, I'd have waited. I'm sorry if it messed anything up for you.

[Posy]

I don't see that idris has done anything wrong. Once the episode is shown on five there's no reason why anyone should hold back from commenting. If you don't want to watch/discuss the first daily episode then it's up to you to avoid reading the thread too early.

In particular, idris clearly indicated in previous posts that the discussion would focus on developments in this episode, so why carry on and read the post when you knew what was coming?

[Miranda]

That is exactly my point Posy!!!

I have had this argument quite a few times: I think it is okay to post your thoughts when an episode has been shown i.e. at 2.15 pm, but whenever I have done so in the past, I have been told off and instructed to wait until after the evening showing, 6pm or whatever!

So how come other people do not get told off for posting before the evening showing? Forgive me if I'm a bit paranoid.

I wasn't having a go at Idris at all, just wondering why I'm not allowed to post when I want, but others seem to be able to

[Posy]

OK, I think I must have missed some past discussions on this!

Miranda - sorry if my post came across wrongly.

Surely it seems sensible to stick to a clear rule that if an episode has been aired it can be discussed. Arbitrary rules around who may have seen a particular showing are just asking for trouble.