Latest UK Episode Discussion (2006-2017 Seasons)

[Brian]

Apparently my QUOTE didn't work again. This is what i wrote :

Did you see in today's papers about the castaway who has just been washed upon the Marshall Islands after drifting for 8000 miles? He kept alive eating birds and drinklng turtle blood. Maybe we'll see Harvey again in April 2015. Don't give up hope Roo!

[H&Alover]

Yes, don't give up hope Roo!!! Though Harvey didn't have a boat. She finally cracked up and admitted to Alf she was scared and didn't know what to do.

Leah (I think) remarked on Casey and Tamara's previous relationship(s) being so full of trauma and been through so much that now it is normal it has lost its allure and excitement. They don't know how to handle it. Please don't let her go back to Kyle, that would be too much!!!

As I can't use spoilers I can't say what I wanted to say, but it does have to do with Dex and April. Who's to say once April's dad has got her over to Paris he'll have anything to do with her anyway? I see she still hasn't spoken to Bianca about it which seems odd.

Don't Heath or Bianca buy any food themselves, they are always 'stealing' food from the main house.

So Heath cocked up with the 'truants' but seeing as they were MR kids as he once was, couldn't really blame him for not believing them. He cleaned up the place to atone for it, even hovering, who'd have ever think that would ever happen!!!! Montgomery again slagged him off, he is now longer a pupil she can't do that. Liked Heath's 'speech' to Bianca about her not giving up on them, she's the first person who has even tried and they're not used to that.

Wait until you see what Montgomery gets up to next week!!

Just how far do Jett and Nina think they will get (though your idea Red isn't far off).

[Psychic Wombat]

I thought the Murray funny farm story line fizzled out a bit, I was expecting more drama like a Manson like gun siege but they all went quietly. The marriage ceremony didn't even involve blood bonding or sacrificing a roo.

I think Sasha should put a bit of distance between herself and Spencer, mentally ill people are very needy and she should be concentrating on studying at this time in her life. I sound like Sid, but she has to stop trying to rescue hopeless cases and leave that to mad Maddy. (I keep picturing the former Maddy whenever her name comes up! I guess there's only so many names).

[H&Alover]

Are you thinking of Matty Psychic? I know whenever someone calls her Maddy or says her name, it sounds like Matty to me.

[Red Ranger 1]

(I keep picturing the former Maddy whenever her name comes up! I guess there's only so many names).

You mean Matilda?This one's full name is Madeleine, not that that helps...

So, Josh gets labelled a traitor for wearing the Summer Bay High uniform.This is exactly why Bianca needs to put a stop to this whole different uniforms thing.If she's trying to integrate them and make them all one school, then letting the Mangrove River kids wear their old uniforms like they're gang colours is counter productive.I don't buy this whole "They can't afford it" or "They haven't got enough to go round" excuse:There's never been a problem finding uniforms for new students in the past, including the last time Mangrove River amalgamated with Summer Bay.They need to announce that they have to hand in their old uniforms and exchange them for new ones rather than allowing the "them and us" mentality to proliferate.

Moving slightly on, Josh going back to school should have been a momentous moment but there's no attempt to address it at all, he just comes down in the uniform and toddles off to enroll.(The one attempt to explain it is spoiled by the fact that once again the writers have gone "What are we going to have Alf do in this episode?I know, let's have him wander through a scene and be nasty to Josh.")And if he's wearing Spencer's uniform, what's Spencer wearing?Where is Spencer?He got let out of hospital so where did he go?For that matter, is Oscar still sulking at home instead of going to school?Far too many loose ends at the moment.

And one plot thread that didn't need picking up:Andy's back.Why, for pity's sake?It feels like the show expects him to be the new Heath but a couple of scenes of him feeling guilty over indirectly getting Josh shot then going back to trying to control him does not a sympathetic character make.He's the one that should be up on an attempted murder charge:That wasn't "reckless" driving, it was a deliberate act, he ran Casey and Maddy off the road and left them to burn to death simply because Maddy turned Josh down, and he hasn't shown a shred of remorse for it(even here he acts as though the fact they both recovered makes it all right), so why isn't he in jail?And two weeks after Josh refusing to go to hospital with a life-threatening injury, we have Andy doing the same.Is the show running out of ways to involve Nate in the storylines already?

I can't help thinking that the struggle to integrate the two schools would be an interesting enough storyline without Montgomery grabbing the Villain Ball with such force, although as hateful characters go she's definitely up there and it seems unlikely Bianca is going to be able to bring her under control.So what exactly was the favour she asked of Matt?To start a fight with Josh?The fire?I can see why she'd want to prove Bianca's incapable of disciplining the students so she can take over, but why would Matt help her?

I swear teenagers running away didn't stay within walking distance of their homes back in my day.Jett actually pops back to get some stuff and by the end of the episode he and Nina have only gone as far as the Walker farm(cos no-one will find them there...).While John's fears of Jett being taken away do underline the instability of their set-up with the adoption abandoned, it all feels a bit inconsequential at the moment.

CURS:Why were those clips of Bianca wanting to help Casey and Andy asking Heath to look after Josh in there?

[H&Alover]

It was said several times Josh had been expelled from MRH so why would he be wearing that uniform? Going by their head to heads Josh and Matt had history back at MRH. Simple suggestion Spencer has a spare uniform and lo and behold he and Josh are the same size! As he (Spencer) did his three days last week, I suppose he is 'resting'. Oscar has kind of vanished - so many questions - not enough answers!!! Andy playing Heath to Josh's Casey, wasn't that an amazing coincidence Andy comes across Josh, Maddy, Matt and henchman on the beach like that? And Maddy, don't you know by now dubbing someone in is not done!!!!

Let's just say Andy being there isn't as simple as he said. Nate is a busy guy isn't he, getting even more involved with the locals, stumbling across Jett and Nina like he did and being in the diner just at the right time. Then finding Andy.

We haven't had someone like The Sniper since Angie, who was oddly also a teacher/principal. About time Bianca confronted her on her attitude, it is Bianca's 'school' and her rules apply, how are the rest of the staff, is there any, getting on with her? I do know what The Sniper and Matt were talking about but keeping it zipped. Maybe she has some hold over him, but it has made me wonder about the fire at MRH, but can't think why it would be them.

Jett has done this running away thing before, but usually alone so first time he's had to think of someone else. Bit more of the Walker farm we've never seen before, funny how certain locations grow to fit the plot, then go back to normal size after. Did I hear him say to Nina he could break in the house if they needed more food? I had the strange feeling Nina has a hidden agenda by the way she put Jett off ringing John. John's understandably worried he is only fostering Jett, if he'd gone ahead with the adoption DOCS wouldn't be involved. Another set back for Marilyn and John to go further with their fledgling romance.

Roo seemed calmer, her fussing over Josh and Maddy her way to keep busy.

Perhaps those scenes of Bianca wanting to help Casey and Andy asking Heath to look after Josh were to refresh our memories for what's coming next?

[Brian]

Red and H&Alover, just what I was going to write. You took the words out of my laptop! The school situation is ridiculous. The blue and white shirts just mean confrontation - is that what the writers want? What about a classroom lesson with the two schools' pupils vying to show who is the cleverer? Are there any MRHschool tachers about? very poor storeylines!

[Red Ranger 1]

Well, in some ways Andy's backstreet surgery was an improvement on Josh:At least there was a reason for Andy not to want to go to hospital and just as we're wondering about Nate's willingness to help out with underworld surgery we get an explanation for why he's acting the way he is.(Could his decision to follow his "gut" rather than the rules be the reason he was transferred to Summer Bay?) Unfortunately, the pay off is Heath manhandling and bullying Josh and forcing him to go and see Andy, which is the most I've disliked him in a long time.Like Ricky, he seems to be dealing with his issues with Brax by giving the Barretts what they want without any thought as to whether it's actually the right thing to do:Hanging around with Andy has nearly landed Josh in jail once already, keeping his distance is a smart move.(And makes Andy's "Josh needs me" seem more like what he wants to be true rather than what actually is.)I'm very disappointed that Josh moved out of the caravan park house, especially since it's to an anonymous hotel somewhere rather than to the Braxtons', it feels like a backward step taking him away from the centre of the show.I was also disappointed that Bianca went and spent the night at Irene's rather than dealing with it and also that Irene let her:If she's serious about this marriage, she can't use the beach house as a bolthole.Possibly just a plot device to let her and Irene discuss Matt, who is basically confirmed as starting the second fire.Seems Bianca's got the wrong end of the stick about him and Montgomery but what's the right end?

After seeing Leah say she's used to a full house, I suddenly found myself thinking about how full it is.At last clear count, the four bedrooms(don't ask me when it gained a fourth bedroom, that's a whole other headache)were occupied by Leah, VJ, Tamara and Zac.So are Hannah and Evelyn in Zac's room and Oscar on the couch?Or is Oscar sharing with VJ, given he and Evelyn both disappeared in that direction when they went to bed rather than telling Zac and Hannah to move cos he needs to sleep there?And where was Hannah sleeping when Zac was still there, in with Leah or Tamara?

Moving on...They put Ethan coming back in the promo and it's the last scene.Which completely destroyed what I assume was the intention to show the MacGuires settling down into their new makeshift family, Zac and Oscar making up and bonding, the twins getting ready to go to Summer Bay High(ah, so that answers the question about Oscar), only to throw them a huge curveball at the end, since instead I was drumming my fingers throughout thinking "When's Ethan going to turn up?"Incidentally, is it really responsible parenting to make a $20 bet with your 16-year-old nephew?

[630si]

Everytime I see this Casey and Tamara thing it confuses me! 1. I'm like oh FFS that girl just isn't happy with anything and 2. I'm like they literally just sorry all this out let just chill out for a bit!

Going back a couple of episodes here cause I've been working and had to do a marathon but Barrat Snr didn't explain how he was out of jail in the surf club to maddy and josh. Is that laziness of the writers or something to hide? Either way it's all a bit sus.

Agree about previous comments regarding April and Dex. We've been here before in exactly the same way.

Brian's take on Marilyn is interesting. She's always been a sensitive soul but I can see why it feels like it's over the top. Perhaps it's cause of her worry about Harvey and Roo just shutting her out that we've seen more of that side of her this week?

Also Roo finally broke down her barriers and apologised for being difficult. I felt that was typical Roo and I'm glad she has gone to see Lottie. She must be so worried.

More surgery at the Braxton s is just rediculous so I won't waste anybebergy Witt an opinion in that one. Although doctor aexy seemed to be EVERYWHERE. The park. The diner. The pool. The beach. Does he ever do any work at hospital?!

Bianca seems to have grown a backbone and is standing up to Montgomery now more and more looks like the penny has dropped with that one. I can't help thinking these more to Montgomery and (Matt?) relationship. Is her son or something? Just a thought as to why he would actually set a fire off and do these things when she tells him to.

[Red Ranger 1]

Zac did a pretty good job handling things with Ethan, certainly better than Hannah shouting the odds and getting Evelyn offside.I was glad that Evelyn apologised though, even though I can understand her not enjoying seeing her father get hauled over the coals.The whole thing was slightly unsatisfactory, with there not exactly being a resounding "Yay" vote in favour of staying in Summer Bay, more Oscar still being annoyed with Ethan.The obvious option of the twins continuing to live with Hannah and sort of Zac while maintaining regular contact with Ethan seemed to be ignored in favour of him disappearing for a while.

Nice to get a reference to Lottie, wish she'd come to Summer Bay instead of Roo going to her, maybe if April leaves then Lottie will be allowed back because no-one would notice she was April Done Right.

Kind of unhappy about the Walker/Harrington situation.For a start, it feels like it's the wrong pairing that's been thrust back together:An alternative "This is different" view might be that Indi broke up with Chris when he hadn't done anything wrong, whereas Spencer told Sasha to take a running jump when she tried to help him.Irene deciding to grab the nearest troubled teen and take him home with her was a bit bothersome, guess it's her empty nest syndrome kicking in.I'm also more annoyed than I should be that Irene knows about Spencer's bipolar but as far as we know Maddy still doesn't.I was dreading the episode ending with a Spencer/Sasha reunion so relieved when Spencer actually bumps into Evelyn, the girl he should be with...and then Sasha walks into the scene and we're apparently meant to care that her boyfriend of five minutes has found someone he actually has decent chemistry with.

And 630si, I've been thinking exactly the same about Matt and Montgomery!