Latest UK Episode Discussion (2006-2017 Seasons)

[Brian]

I'm really not feeling this whole Leah/Miles/Elijah tension, mainly because it seems to be the battle of two relationships I don't care about but also because it feels like we're meant to agree with Miles and see Elijah as the bad guy when I'm not really sure what he's done to deserve such hatred.It's a shame that Leah and Miles' ill-considered attempt at being a couple seems to have permanently ruined a decent friendship.Miles' decision at the end surprises me and I'm interested to see how it plays out with the promo suggesting it might not be that simple.

Person I feel sorry for is VJ. Miles promised him that he would never leave him/always be there for him. Poor lad must feel really let down, especially at his age. Miles should have at least gone to see VJ and talked to him.

[Red Ranger 1]

You know, early last year when people were considering who might leave in the next twelve months, I didn't even consider Miles.He seemed like someone who'd be there forever.I wanted to like his departure because sending him to join Sally in Thailand is a brilliant idea:She was his reason for coming to Summer Bay but he's never really had a chance to spend much time with her and it brings the character full circle.(And...I'm suddenly remembering it's what happened to him in a fiction I wrote about three years ago, set about now.Cue creepy music.)But the whole thing was handled really badly, first with the undue amount of attention given to his split with Leah, I'd want a better reason for him to go than "I can't bear to be around you and not be with you, even though I did just that for three and a half years and was perfectly fine with it."And he was a complete jerk towards Elijah, who hasn't done anything to deserve being painted as the bad guy, although like Slade I was glad they had that brief moment of "Okay, it's not worth holding a grudge over" before he left.And like Brian I wish we'd had more of VJ's reaction than a five second farewell where I'm not even sure he spoke.

I am seriously loving Dexter and Dallas together and I'm really hoping they become a couple, although given the show's track record of introducing girls who are perfect for Dexter and then sticking him with April instead I'm not counting my chickens.We are getting a look at Dexter's mature and caring side which has been a bit lacking at times this season.Whilst I don't hate April quite as much as I have done in the past, I'm in two minds about her plan:Part of me would love her to lose her virginity with Xav, since I still think there's a bit of a connection between them, but the way she's going about it I'm not sure it would feel right if it happened.It did seem a bit convenient that she happened to be at the caravan park saying goodbye to Miles just as Dexter was there with Dallas:She barely knows Miles and while I get that Liam and Bianca worked with him it seems odd they were there and characters like Gina, Charlie and Sid who know him as well or better weren't.Since when did Liam have parents, let alone ones that live in the city?Seems like a pretty random way to get him and Bianca out of town for a bit.

Continuity trivia note:The girl Romeo served at the gelato bar yesterday was credited as "Angela".When Dexter introduced her to Sasha a while back, she was "Alicia"(in dialogue and credits).

[Slade]

With the exception of Ruby and Casey it was a pretty bad night all round for most of the characters. Dex loses his date, has to go with his sister, gets drunk, makes a fool out of himself in front of Dallas, starts a fight with Xavier. April tries it on with Xavier to no avail and is all on the beach by herself feeling miserable (poor April, nobody wants her ). Seriously though, that sort of thing could cause her a relapse. Xavier's plan to get April and Dex together = fail. Sasha reluctantly accompanies Dex, runs into Stu who hits her again, Sid uses him as a punch-bag.

I thought Xavier showed far more loyalty towards Dex than Dex showed towards him and I loved him rejecting April although some people in his position might have taken advantage and slept with her.

I was really disappointed that Dex was still into April and that he tried to kiss Dallas (although admittedly he was drunk). He was very apologetic towards her so I just hope they can go back to how they were and try and build on a friendship and perhaps more. Have to say Dex confronting Xavier with regards to April was very much a pot-kettle-black moment

I really liked Sasha telling April to get over it and forgive Dex, nice one Sash. April's "excuse me" made me smile. Don't you just love it when some talks back to someone or jumps in unexpectedly? I quite like Sasha now (I knew I would). I think she's slotted into the Walker family unit quite nicely and I really like her relationship with Dex. Her relationship with Sid finally feels like father/daughter. Even today when she went to get Alf, it was because she was genuinely worried what would happen to Sid.

For a split second when Sid went after Stu, I actually felt a bit sorry for him. As Red Ranger mentioned previously his behaviour was learned so although what he did to Sasha is wrong it was understandable from his perspective. I have to say I didn't find it very believable Sid laying into Stu like that. Especially not after a backhand even if he did it before. I think a simple smack in the mouth possibly but not GBH. He has everything to lose, his career, his freedom, what about Dex and Indy? Again hard to believe. Worse thing is saint Roo is probably going to get on her high horse. Regardless, I can actually see Sid getting out of this. Brax is not going to be too happy with Stu when he finds out what he did to Sasha and I think he might get Stu to drop any charges.

[Brian]

With the exception of Ruby and Casey it was a pretty bad night all round for most of the characters. Dex loses his date, has to go with his sister, gets drunk, makes a fool out of himself in front of Dallas, starts a fight with Xavier. April tries it on with Xavier to no avail and is all on the beach by herself feeling miserable (poor April, nobody wants her ). Seriously though, that sort of thing could cause her a relapse. Xavier's plan to get April and Dex together = fail. Sasha reluctantly accompanies Dex, runs into Stu who hits her again, Sid uses him as a punch-bag.

I thought Xavier showed far more loyalty towards Dex than Dex showed towards him and I loved him rejecting April although some people in his position might have taken advantage and slept with her.

I was really disappointed that Dex was still into April and that he tried to kiss Dallas (although admittedly he was drunk). He was very apologetic towards her so I just hope they can go back to how they were and try and build on a friendship and perhaps more. Have to say Dex confronting Xavier with regards to April was very much a pot-kettle-black moment

I really liked Sasha telling April to get over it and forgive Dex, nice one Sash. April's "excuse me" made me smile. Don't you just love it when some talks back to someone or jumps in unexpectedly? I quite like Sasha now (I knew I would). I think she's slotted into the Walker family unit quite nicely and I really like her relationship with Dex. Her relationship with Sid finally feels like father/daughter. Even today when she went to get Alf, it was because she was genuinely worried what would happen to Sid.

For a split second when Sid went after Stu, I actually felt a bit sorry for him. As Red Ranger mentioned previously his behaviour was learned so although what he did to Sasha is wrong it was understandable from his perspective. I have to say I didn't find it very believable Sid laying into Stu like that. Especially not after a backhand even if he did it before. I think a simple smack in the mouth possibly but not GBH. He has everything to lose, his career, his freedom, what about Dex and Indy? Again hard to believe. Worse thing is saint Roo is probably going to get on her high horse. Regardless, I can actually see Sid getting out of this. Brax is not going to be too happy with Stu when he finds out what he did to Sasha and I think he might get Stu to drop any charges.

yes, entirely agree with everything you say Slade. You described the episode precisely. I knew it was going to be an interesting one and they didn't let us down. All players reacted exactly as we would expect them to : Xavier, Dex, Stu, April (the little cow!), Ruby, Sasha, Dallas (ah sweet), even Sid, but he went too far. Interesting repercussions to come, no doubt.

[Red Ranger 1]

I...found it a bit disappointing actually.There was an opportunity for some great character interaction here but they seemed to muff every opportunity.There was a real spark between Xavier and April when she was flirting with him on the couch and I rather liked the idea of him being her first time but Xavier turned her down for reasons that were noble but a bit misguided, if the positions had been reversed Dexter wouldn't have hesitated.April's got no right to feel aggrieved though:She made a lot of assumptions of Xavier and should have been upfront with him and it was annoying to see her playing the victim, even more so when it seems to be mostly about Dexter, given the way she was griping about him and Dallas at the start.I was thinking when Dallas ran into Dexter that they should have gone together and thought it was really sweet that she went there for him(and has to be said, for a struggling single mum she has a nice selection of fancy dresses)but then he made a mess of it.Basically, after a couple of episodes where I've actually liked him, Dexter spent most of the episode acting like a self-centred jerk, much like he usually does when April's concerned, and I really hope he apologises for attacking Xavier, which was completely unprovoked.Please don't let these two get back together as that mini-montage of them both being miserable on the beach suggests.(I actually thought they were going to bump into each other for a moment.)Frankly, Dexter ruined the night for a lot of people, although I guess it was mostly Stu's fault for spiking the punch.Someone always has to cause trouble at the formal.Thinking about it, Gina refused to have one last year for exactly that reason.Maybe she should have stuck to it.

Casey's return seemed a bit casual and while there's possibly an interesting back story building about what happened in juvvie(he seemed a bit evasive about it), I am so over him and Ruby.They worked well as a short-term couple when they were both going through a bad patch but they seem to be trying to turn it into some great love story.I'd rather she'd stuck with Dexter as her date.

Stu really is deluded, he seems to think he can get Sasha to come back to him just by turning on the charm, whatever he's done.Has to be said, Xavier didn't help winding him up again.(Although I loved his casual "Take her!" when getting Dexter to take Sasha as his date.)From the way he tried to deny it to Sid, it does seem like he realises what he's doing wrong.Don't blame Sid for hitting him but, as Slade and Brian said, he went too far.One good thing, it's now very clear Sid cares about Sasha as his daughter:Actually, I think he has done from the start but I think Sasha realises it now.(Forgot to mention at the time but there was a lovely sisterly scene between her and Indi last week.)

[Pierced Musie]

One word sums up yesterdays episode...

Ouch. Ouch to Stu & ouch to Alf dancing !

[Miranda]

I thought April and Heath's- er- situation- was very unlikely, even though I haven't been watching H&A lately so haven't seen them making friends or whatever. I thought Heath was in his 20s and April just a little schoolgirl? In my aged opinion anyway. I loved the way when April first kissed him in the car, he was still wearing his seat belt! But that didn't save him from the advances of April who suddenly seems to have become a maneater. Most strange. I could have understood it if they were both really upset and emotional but they didn't seem to be.

[Slade]

I did find Dex annoying in that episode. First there was the way he was banging on about what a bad night he had to April - The worst night of his life. Xavier tried to get him and April back together, he starts a fight with Xavier, Xavier comes round to see how he is, apologises even and Dex still acts like Xavier's the one in the wrong. In saying that I did think Xavier was trying to be a good mate because of Sasha. Thought it was really sweet of him to come round and check up on her. Not sure what he was apologising to her for.

Sasha is actually quite hot when she doesn't don the Madonna 80s style look. Interestingly yesterday she told Stu she hated him but seemed to be making all kinds of excuses for his behaviour. I really liked the scene where she hugged Sid and called him dad. I've wanted to see something like that for a while.

Roo wasn't anywhere near as annoying as I thought she would be but I still hated her even being there acting like she knows what's best for everyone. I did find the interaction with her and Sid interesting. She was clearly there to support Sasha but she actually seemed quite disgusted with Sid. I thought she did well to remain as calm as she did because I'm guessing she wasn't feeling like that on the inside.

If I'm honest I found it hard to understand the viewpoints of Charlie and Alf. They both basically said they would do the same thing in Sid's position but I'm not sure they would. Maybe because Charlie was finishing with the police she doesn't particularly care about upholding the law (although that didn't make much difference to her before).

So April finally gets what she wants. I don't really care that she slept with Heath but she did seem quite pleased with herself. I don't blame Heath for sleeping with her. I probably would in his position. Although to be fair he was in the right place at the right time. Barring Dex, April probably would have slept with anyone. One thing I'm really looking forward to is seeing Bianca's reaction (assuming this comes out). She is going to hit the roof. Was that the same window Aden used to climb in before jumping into Belle's bed that Heath climbed out of?

"Don't want you to start your last day on a downer" - which proved to be a very telling line from Casey to Charlie. I had a feeling something was going to happen but wasn't expecting her to get shot. I think the writers did well to bring Geoffrey into the equation to purposely throw people of the scent of Jake. Although I didn't want Charlie to leave, Brax was that close the leaving forever...damn. Charlie and Brax for that matter are probably going nowhere now.

[Red Ranger 1]

Alf's episode count this week:Five.Roo was also in all five.

And...wow.I actually really enjoyed that episode.Dexter's behaviour was the only real wrong note:He was okay in the scenes with his family but a total jerk everywhere else, especially with his attitude towards Xavier, who he really doesn't deserve as a friend.Dexter was the one out of line, yet Xavier apologises to him and he still acts like a jerkass.Otherwise, I agree with Slade that Roo wasn't anywhere near as annoying as the promo suggested.She basically just refused to condone what Sid did, which I can understand, despite her making perhaps one snide remark too many.(I loved the way Sid was squirming when Roo was telling Sasha there's no excuse for violence, it obviously struck a chord and I think he regrets what he did.)I am slightly puzzled by the sudden emphasis on Sasha calling Sid "Dad", since I thought she'd been calling him that all along and actually thought it contrasted with Ruby's continual failure to call Charlie "Mum" after two and a half years.Is it a tonal thing?But yes, loving the Walker family dynamics and also loving Xavier;I wish he and Sasha had had more to do than look at each other down the length of a corridor but I do find myself mildly shipping them.Xavier's girlfriends have a tendency to treat him badly but maybe if they get together she'll be different.While I was surprised they condoned it so much, I think Alf and Charlie probably would have done that if someone hurt their daughters:I remember Alf punching Brett just for getting Roo pregnant and abandoning her back in the day and even punching Don Fisher for reporting Curtis to the police, while Charlie, if I recall, tasered Grant, tied him to a chair and beat him up when she thought he was a danger to Ruby, not to mention scaring the hell out of some boy simply for kissing her when he had a girlfriend a year ago.I'm surprised Charlie seemed so shocked that, shock horror, some of the people Brax hangs around with aren't very nice.A lot of the River Boys, including Brax himself, have done far worse than hit their girlfriend.

And oh gosh, April and Heath.I'd never have dreamed of putting them together but I love it and I'm probably setting myself up for a fall because it'll probably end up just being a one-night stand or fling but I think they'd make a really good couple.Being with Heath would put a bit of life back into April, who's been transformed into a self-proclaimed "timid virgin girl" with tendencies to be an utter cow since she hooked up with Dexter, while April's probably more strong willed than Bianca and might be just what Heath needs to keep him in line.I accept that April would probably have slept with anyone and that Heath was probably just looking for comfort because he's going to miss his brothers more than he admits.(And maybe he went for the other sister because he can't have the one he wants but I think he respects April as an individual since she's one of the few people who treats him like a person.)A few things give me hope:Heath actually stayed the night rather than getting some and getting gone and April's reaction was less "What have I done?" and more "That was great!"And, yes, he used that window, which is practically code for Forbidden Romance.I loved how Heath was all "I don't use windows", then when Irene knocked on the door he was all "Ooh heck!" and jumped out like a scared cat.

Didn't mind the Charlie/Brax stuff, mainly because it had "Doomed" written all over it:Charlie even says that another day won't kill her at one point.The whole Charlie/Brax, Casey/Ruby loved up thing was laid on so thick it was obvious things were about to go to pot.I was worried something might happen to Ruby for a second and do wonder where Leah was:How would she feel about Casey staying over given she had a hissy fit about it not long back?(Does she recognises Ruby as an adult?Guess she's let Charlie have a number of men...and women...stay over.)I didn't find the end as satisfying as I expected but it feels like an appropriate outcome, although I'm intrigued to hear the explanation for how come Jake's back and presumably has been for days.(Escaped and no-one told them?Let out and no-one told them?)Charlie once again proves pretty rubbish as a police officer:It seemed like she was just standing there waiting to get shot for about half a minute.(Maybe she was expecting one of Hammer's over elaborate plans rather than Jake just shooting her, man.)Although we didn't see what those bullets did to Charlie, it didn't look good, although the promo seemed to be sending out mixed messages.

[Miranda]

I suppose Heath/April is the ultimate Bad Boy/ Good Girl thing. More so than Charlie and Brax, cos Charlie really isn't a good girl! Or even Bianca/ Heath cos Bianca isn't good either. Still don't see the attraction of little April though, isn't she 17 or 18? Like a baby compared to Heath. Although he isn't the brightest of people, maybe he needs someone younger. Still, he probably was a fairly good choice for her as he must know what he's doing, although Xavier presumably does too.

Yes, the Window of Forbidden Love. Why does Irene always put the lonely single girl in that downstairs room? Since the dawn of Home and Away, boys have been climbing in and out of that window to get to their girlfriends, its happened with all the girls Irene fosters.