Latest UK Episode Discussion (2006-2017 Seasons)

[CaptainHulk]

And what happened to nurse Julie

Probably flipping a coin with Nurse Gloria over who appears next!

[Shibs]

Monday

John/Jett/Gina – Nice bit of humour and a well acted comedy performance from Shane, Sonia and Will last night. I liked the first shot we had of Jett snuggled next to John and then when he woke up he just uttered a few words and dragged himself off to bed. And then the fun began. Poor John thinking he was Mr Fix-It, there might have been a reason why he hadn’t fixed the stuff in the house before now!! I’m glad Jett stuck around though and that he got to see everything unfold. John getting water in his face was classic and then the slip did make me laugh although I did like the fact though that in the middle of all the comedic moment they did mange to show the serious side to a bang on the head and that is always a good move. The three of them on the sofa afterwards and having a bit of a giggle at John’s expense was a sweet family moment, poor guy was slurring and still thought he didn’t need to get his head checked out! Glad that Gina managed to persuade him and that they all headed out together. They provided a nice and light relief to what otherwise would’ve been a very dark episode. Quality TV that had a real family feeling to it

Brax/Heath/Kyle – Now Brax is my favourite River Boy, but last night he was a bit too full on with Kyle. Yes the kid kidnapped Casey and tried to kill him in the desert, but Brax needs to remember that he agreed to come to Summer Bay with them, so maybe treat him with a little respect might get him somewhere. As for Heath his speech about Brax sounded a bit more like a speech about Danny! What is wrong with calling him Darryl? I liked the fact that he was given the job of watching Kyle and he lost him, a classic Heath moment! Kyle’s smugness makes him likeable in my opinion and I like how he’s already sussed out Braxton’s as thinking they run the Bay, when all along they are only the Three Stooges!!! That comment made me laugh

Natalie/Casey/Sasha – OK so I like the fact that Sasha has someone to talk to outside the Walker household, but I think Natalie should remember that she is a school counsellor and not their school buddy. She seemed to be too close to Sasha at the moment, surely there are lines that even a school counsellor shouldn’t cross? As for Sasha, poor girl, she didn’t half choose the worst time to tell Casey. And I loved his reaction, bless him, he didn’t know what to say! I do think she left too sudden after telling him, it was big news, surely she was expecting a speechless reaction and a very awkward and long pause before he said anything!?! I do feel for Casey though, everything seems to go wrong for him this year!

[Red Ranger 1]

I actually thought today's episode didn't have enough Braxton in it:The Brax/Heath/Kyle stuff seemed to be left on a tenterhook last episode yet there's no follow through(although going by the promo for the next episode it'll probably be a disappointment when they do follow through).I think Heath's "Don't call him Darryl" bit was just looking for something to make Kyle toe the line rather than anything particularly relevant, by the way.And the Casey/Sasha stuff, which I had the most interest in, didn't get as much screentime as I'd hoped.I actually found Sasha quite annoying in this episode, with the way she forced Casey to stay outside the house because he didn't have the perfect reaction she was hoping for the second she told him her news.I could have done without Romeo being involved as well, in another attempt to make us forget the last year and just see him as a good old boy.Why on earth would anyone take advice from him?He wasn't too bad with Sasha but I shudder to think what effect listening to the town's worst boyfriend will have on Casey, even if Romeo's advice was pretty much "Don't do what I did"(not that Casey seemed to listen much...).Wonder how Sasha would feel if she knew exactly what Romeo said to him, I noticed he was a bit evasive when she asked him.Like Casey, I'm a bit disappointed that the test was negative, I would have liked to see them deal with that. While I think they're sweet together and practically cheered the kiss at the end...I can't help remembering Casey's observation that he'd like the chance to be a father and wondering if he's thinking second time lucky.Either that or he's figured that they might not have much time together so he's going to grab this relationship while he can, even if he doesn't feel as much for her as she does for him. Sasha did kind of acknowledge that but I think deep down she is hoping that he'll feel the same eventually.At least it does seem like he's going to treat her right this time and I'm hoping it works out.

Shame most of the episode seemed to focus on the Leah/Jamie stuff, which I'm really not buying.I've heard a lot of people call Jamie creepy or sinister but, really, if they didn't play creepy music all the time when he's around would we really know he's meant to be dodgy?What's the worst thing he's done, buy Leah a scarf?(Okay, he's involved with Adam but hey, so's Brax and we're probably not meant to see him as creepy.)I actually find myself sympathising with Jamie a lot more than Leah, who's sending out massive mixed messages:Every time she tells him to stay away she follows it up by sleeping with him or going round his for a meal or inviting him to stay for dinner.Given that the guy doesn't seem to have had a lot of experience with relationships, it's no wonder he doesn't understand what the rules are when Leah keeps making up new ones every five minutes.When I saw Jamie playing video games with VJ, I actually laughed in a good way because the set up was exactly that of a comedy beat:We see VJ playing video games while Jett looks bored, VJ apparently encourages Jett to play the game with him, then the camera pulls back to show it's Jamie he's playing with, we realise the reason why Jett's fed up and we laugh.Yet I've got a strange feeling we were meant to scream "Oh my god, Jamie's in the house!" and jump behind the sofa in fright. (Yeah, he's playing video games.What sort of monster is he?!)

Shame also that we didn't get much of John and Gina:It's nice that they're back on track and he's moving in and the electricity-less romantic meal was a sweet moment but it only really held my interest because the character work well together.And we get a glimpse of Nurse Alex who's shaping up to be a new familiar face at the hospital with her third appearance this year.Looking at my notes(yes, I keep notes, they're useful when doing the character profile updates), we last saw Nurses Julie and Gloria in the aftermath of Dexter's car accident.

[Merlin]

VJ/Jamie - I'd have thought VJ would have been a bit more careful when he first met Jamie considering he had been kidnapped by that dodgy friend of Bridget's (who deceived Alf and tried to cheat Leah of the insurance money she got when the old Diner was destroyed). Still he is older now and Jett was with him.

Merlin

[Red Ranger 1]

Okay, so I guess there's no doubt that Jamie's got a dodgy side to him, with his vandalising the Diner and photoshopped family picture.Which I find very disappointing and actually I still find myself sympathising with him, stuck between a domineering father and a woman who's the queen of mixed messages.So she tells him to stay away from her family, he comes to the house...and she agrees to go to a party with him?!"It was the only way I could get rid of him,"she claims.Well, how about saying no?That way he wouldn't spend the evening ringing you to ask why you haven't turned up.(Might help if you notice that Jamie and Adam give completely different stories too.)There did seem to be a bit of flirting between Liam and Natalie at the party but it's probably not going to come to anything.She's stayed away from Brax longer than I expected but still seems to think that if you tell him your problem everything's automatically all right.And as for the Bianca stuff...Seriously?Unless I'm reading too much into it, it seems like Adam's been keeping her at his house for about a week, effectively as a hostage, doped up to her eyeballs.Haven't Irene and April noticed?I know that family can win awards for lack of observation but this is like a whole new level.

Romeo and Indi...Oh boy.Plus side:The idea of them having children was, thankfully, portrayed as being as ridiculous as it sounds.But then we're treated to Sid giving us a big speech about how wonderful Romeo is because he's planning for the future.Excuse me?He's clearly doing nothing of the sort, he actually says that they should be thinking about right now rather than worrying about what's going to happen and can't manage a bigger plan for how the heck they're going to bring up a baby with no home and poorly paid jobs other than "We'd manage."And then we discover that they've never actually discussed the possibility of having children.They've been together on and off for nearly two a half years, they've been married longer than they knew each other when they got married(albeit separated for at least half of it)and, what, it never came up?Are we really meant to take this joke of a marriage seriously?Frankly, it feels like Romeo's realised he's played the "Let's get married to prove we're committed" card too many times so a baby's his next trick.

Hidden in a throwaway remark, we learn that Neil has frozen Lisa's bank account.She really does need that solicitor.

[Shibs]

Tuesday

John/Gina – Lovely scene in the hospital and I liked the subtle way Gina told him she wanted him back home, her ‘light bulb moment’ line was funny. Best line of the episode had to go to John for the ‘There is no place like home’ and them two just sitting on the sofa together, that was a sweet moment. Then we had the dinner, have to give him a round of applause for making it look romantic even though he had limited recourses. Loved the fact that he got the flowers from the garden, the candles for light, and a pizza for dinner, plus the addition of garlic bread, because it was on offer in the meal deal! The champers was a nice touch though and speaking French just added to the cuteness of the whole scene Bad timing awards in the episode go to Jett and John’s nurse; I guess they weren’t meant to kiss, well not until that final scene. Reunited finally, and what a sweet reunion it was They are one of my favourite couples on TV and it’s nice to see them happy and together again.

VJ/Leah/Jamie/Jett – Ok so Jamie is officially creepy, but he’s also a bit naïve. Can’t see how he thinks it was OK for him to buy VJ the game or Leah the hamper when she told him to stay away. I think her gesture of him staying over for dinner only made things worse, and it was proved right when he called the shots after dinner. Poor Jett was fed up with him hogging VJ and the remote all night and you could tell that Leah wasn’t pleased at all when Jett told her he was in the living room. I think she was right in telling him as it is and that she wants him to stay away. He took the news to good in my opinion but by the look of the promo, he will react in a spectacular style!! This storyline is being played out really well, I just would’ve liked Jamie to be a bit less naïve, and last night he was like a 17 year old kid falling in love for the first time!

Romeo/Sasha/Casey – So it was Romeo this time playing the voice of reason and not Natalie. I kind of liked him in this role, no Indi by his side, just him dishing out the best advice he could. Casey’s comment about not wanting to stick around when Sid came home was good and I’m glad he turned up at the farm, wanting to have a chat. I like Casey and Sasha together, I think there is real chemistry but I’m kind of glad she wasn’t pregnant as I prefer to see them just as a young teenage couple for now, no complications just having fun! Bit disappointed really that there wasn’t more of the Braxton’s. Really hoped that we’d seen a bit more of Kyle. Glad that Casey handled the Sasha stuff on his own though and that Brax stayed away.

[H&Alover]

Jamie really has a problem relating to women doesn't he? My take is that he wants to be with Leah so he can be a 'father' to VJ as it seems Adam was absent most of the time when he was young. I get the feeling he hasn't had many girlfriends as it appears he comes on far too intense and scares them off. Why did I get the feeling he'd doen something like that in the past judging by Adam's reaction and him being so quick to give him an alibi. Leah, imo, played it right when she came home and found him there by not blowing up in front of VJ and asking him to stay for dinner. She did try and let him down as kindly as she could after and even apologised for giving him the wrong impression. Btw it wasn't just a scarf, it was the huge bouquet of red roses and a hamper. Obvious to anyone in the know that it was him that trashed the Diner, but she had absolutely no proof and what would she say to the cops "I told him to stay away from me, so it must be him".

Liam might think running the party is the job Adam wanted him to do, but to my mind that is far too easy. Wonder how he is going to talk his way out of being in Jamie's bedroom?

Nat is a lot more stronger than Charlie ever was, when Brax moved in for that kiss she had the strength to walk away, Charlie would have just crumbled.

When Adam had that chat with Brax at the Diner and he referred to helping Kyle at the trial by pulling his usual strings made me wonder does he mean he has someone at Yabby Creek cop shop in his pocket? It also made me think did he have something to do with Charlie's affair with Brax being brought up at Casey's trial (the fire at Jake's place)? His offer to bail out Brax even more had me screaming say no, it'll just make you even more in his debt.

I'm with Shibs over Romeo and Casey, he is the only other young bloke around who might have had fatherhood thrust upon him. The circumstances were different, Ruby and Romeo were in a relationship, kind of, plus Ruby was lying, whereas Casey and Sasha aren't. Casey showed he cared by sticking around all day so he could talk things over with Sasha and good to see him handling it on his own without running to Brax. I was pleased to see Sash didn't go off on one when she twigged Casey had told Romeo as she reasoned she'd told Nat so it was only fair Case had someone to talk to. I thought he looked disappointed when the result was negative, if he does go down, it's going to be a long,long time before he has the chance to be a dad, if ever.

Possibly wasn't a good idea for Romeo to suggest to Indi they had a family, though with all those hints he was dropping I was surprised she didn't catch on earlier. Sid took overhearing their row very well and didn't jump up and interfere. What he said to Indi had the right effect because at least they were able to talk calmly about it later which proves promising for their revived relationship.

The light relief with John and Gina was just what was needed, and luckily he was given the all clear after knocking himself out. His improvised dinner, take away pizza, garlic bread thrown in, candles and slighty warm champagne was really romantic, very diplomatic of Jett to decide to go to bed.

[Red Ranger 1]

Hmm.Oddly, although I didn't think so at first, I think Adam was just after a free events planner with Liam and I think he's got Brax earmarked for whatever the job he and Jamie keep whispering about is. Heath storming round and demanding Bianca go with him was never going to work but it's nice to see him and Liam sort of working together.Leah almost seemed to get one over on Adam with her comment about parents paying for the damage their children have done.It's a shame April didn't go to the house, seeing what sort of environment Bianca's in might have given her even more of a jolt than her away-with-the-fairies behaviour at lunch.She really needs to trust her own instincts and not be deterred by Dexter speaking with great authority about something he knows nothing about.I guess if she's been in the city it partly explains her lack of attention and Irene does seem to be slightly worried but not wanting to come down hard, although that's probably Lynne McGranger playing against the lines to avoid looking like an absolute idiot.I hoped Adam basically offering to kill Heath might have helped Bianca realise just what she's got herself involved in but she's so determined to hide from reality that even that didn't give her a reality check.

Again, it's played out longer than I expected but I'm frustrated that they seem to be making Dexter all better, especially if it means I have to squirm through yet more awkward "romantic" moments with April.The only moment I really found Dexter bearable was his casual "Dad, Lisa" greeting in the middle of an argument.Neil is, in my opinion, far more creepy than Jamie because you actually believe he's a threat:I'm guessing we're meant to assume he was behind Sid's state at the end.Not sure that Sid escalating things by getting Lisa to take out the AVO was at all helpful, lucky that he was on the phone to Dexter and he and April are close at hand.

[Shibs]

Wednesday

Adam/Bianca – Not sure how to take this anymore. He does seem to care for her but in a getting revenge sort of way, not that she cares about that. I do hope she will wake up soon though. Adam is a nasty piece of work, only listening to him talking to Brax, and you could see his no good!

Brax/Natalie – Please get back together. They were sweet couple who deserve a second chance. He should’ve made his move to go and talk to her sooner at the party though; waiting until she left was never going to be the smartest move!

Jamie/Liam/Leah – And we have finally crossed into stalkerville, population: Jamie. First of all what did he gain from trashing the diner, surely he’d know that Leah would keep her distance even more after a stunt like that. Secondly, turning up at her house after she told him the night before to stay away, he really doesn’t get the concept of keeping his distance. Last but not least the picture, that was just beyond creepy. To think he had probably gone home and done that after he trashed her property is a frightening thought. It was good of Liam to help Leah out, although he might’ve landed in some hot water himself with Adam catching him at the end. I think what is unclear in this storyline at the moment is Jamie’s background. The impression I’m getting is that he’s not all there and that Adam has been looking out for him because he struggles with some concept in the real world? Adam treats him like a little kid at times, and with the naivety he’s shown with Leah, could it be that it a illness rather than acting sly and just playing the game with her?

Romeo/Indi – I like them in these situations. Yes it feels like we’ve been here before, but I kind of like the fact that this time around they are working through it and chatting about these kinds of topics. I do think he went in a bit too sudden though; maybe it would’ve been better if he left it a couple of days and then bring the subject of babies up! Glad they are on the same page at the end though

Thursday

Liam/Adam/Leah – So Leah accept money from Adam, the guy she warned Liam to stay away from and the father of the stalker boyfriend!?! I’m confused and I guess Leah is too with everything that’s happening. That picture that Liam found out was creepy, and I’m glad he showed it to Adam; he really did need to know how far Jamie has gone. The look on his face wasn’t best pleased though when Liam gave him a serve about the situation with Bianca and Jamie. Brax needs to watch his step with this guy, I though Danny was bad, but I guess we haven’t seen nothing yet, not with the way Adam is going!! His line about Bianca’s two knights in shining armour was pretty good though!

Heath/Liam/Bianca – Heath and Liam working together and getting along was a nice change. Can’t help but think that Heath made the situation slightly worse when he confronted Bianca at Adams’ but it was nice to see that he’s not given up on her and that he still wants to be a part of her life. Telling Adam at Angelos that he could have her might’ve not been the smartest move though!! I like the new more mature Heath we’ve got at the moment, he slowly changing without losing any of that charm and characteristics that he bought with him when he arrived in the Bay.

Sid/Lisa/Neil – Well this situation got messy, quickly didn’t it? Poor Sid, nothing seems to be going great for him this series, it seems to be one thing after the other. I do feel for Lisa and I’m glad he’s there to help her, she does seem a bit lost out on her own yet she slots nicely in with the Walkers. Loved the fact that she was part of the group hug and she’s settled quite happily into the farmhouse. Neil is a nasty piece of work though, taking him to lunch might have sounded good at the time, but that turned disastrous. And who takes the fall for this whole thing, Sid. Although we did not see him I think it was pretty obvious that Neil was the culprit that just left him there. I really hope someone finds him pretty soon, but I guess there is a happy ending, the promo gave us that.

Dex/April – Very sweet. They make a cute couple. Nice to hear that Dex is getting better each week. The group hug was nice, plus I liked his sneaky way of getting rid of Sid at the table and sweet talking him to fetch some treats, even though Sid was at the gate getting the mail, and only a few steps from the house!!!

[H&Alover]

Adam was genuinely shocked when Liam showed him that doctored photo, maybe now he will take Jamie in hand more, though his throwing money at Leah is typical of someone who has loads of dosh and think that is the solution to everything. He did admit to Liam, as I mentioned, Jamie does get over involved with any woman he gets friendly with. Can't see how Adam can ban Jamie from the diner and if he stays in the bay he is bound to bump into her or VJ anytime. The only thing he can do is send him out of town on a job.

Nice bit of near bonding between Liam and Heath with the latter thanking the former for looking out for Bianca while he was away, then making the most ridiculous statement that Liam had slung Bianca over his shoulder and carry her out of Adam's house! He ought to have known Bianca better than that as he found out when he went round there, if she wants to stay she will. It is obvious to us viewers though her thoughts are being dictated by whatever Adam is supplying her with. Adam's suggestion that he get rid of Heath 'for good' can only mean one thing, though Bianca clearly didn't (or doesn't) want to understand the true implication.

April wasn't too annoying last night and is clearly very worried about Bianca, but realises she can't push her too far otherwise she'll retreat even further. Ditto Irene. April did make a good point, fine for now Bianca not wanting to face reality but sooner or later she is going to have to and the longer she leaves it the harder is going to hit her, especially if drugs withdrawal is involved at the same time.

Good to see Dex doing so well, so far. I liked his playing on his bad eye/hand co-ordination to get out of clearing the table. When he first suggested a incentive to get April to play another game of Trivial Pursuit, after her getting beat three times, I thought oh strip Trivial Pursuit, that's new!!! Glad that Sid opened up to Lisa about his fears over Dex even when he survived the accident and came round because he was scared he'd 'lost' him.

Not only is Neil using physical abuse he's playing the mental abuse card as well, which can be a whole lot scarier. It might seem Lisa was pushed into getting the AVO, but that remark by Neil was threatening. It was more than likely it was Neil behind Sid's attack, but why does he lie to Dex & April about what happened, fell over indeed! We saw that scene where Lisa was deciding or not to keep wearing her wedding ring, but I'm pretty sure she wasn't wearing when her and Sid had their first drink together, I know because I looked out for one.