UK Episode Discussion

[Slade]

I quite liked most of that episode. After treating his bride to be like a possession the night before it showed the caring side of Paul and I actually didn’t mind Rebecca either (usually I can’t stand her). Some good comical moments with Paul and Elle with one thing going wrong after another. Firstly spilling the coffee on his shirt then Elle bleaching it. Then the way Paul said he couldn’t eat a thing, threatened to faint later on, getting something to eat, spilt some sauce on the bleached shirt and Elle swapping his shirt for hers. And finally his car not starting and Paul and Elle driving off with Lucas’s truck. Liked the way Paul’s started explaining why he was late and his reaction when he saw Rebecca in the dress. Loved the way Declan still played the part of the overprotective son and warned Paul how lucky he was. I was actually smiling when they were getting married and Lynn had to turn up and spoil everything. Looks like the wedding’s probably going to be off now. Paul, get yourself out of this one mate!

[Red Ranger 1]

Got to say the whole "Paul didn't know he was married" thing is a bit implausible.The reasons given were a bit flimsy.Okay, he told his lawyer to file for an annulment but he didn't.I'll buy that.But shouldn't he and Lyn have received official notification that the marriage had been dissolved?Wouldn't the person issuing a marriage licence have asked for proof that he was free to marry?Wouldn't Paul have looked for the proof and made sure he knew where it was before applying?It doesn't really make much sense if you stop and think about it.

Had to raise an eyebrow when Rebecca told Susan that was the second time Lyn stopped her marrying Paul.Actually, Rebecca, that would be the woman standing in front of you:Susan was the one who insisted on telling Rebecca Paul had cheated on her when Lyn and Elle asked her not to.

[Slade]

Lynn is really getting on my nerves. I just find her so annoying, especially the way she constantly stands there goading Paul and Rebecca with that self-satisfied smug expression on her face. When Paul gave her the money did he really think she would stay away for ever? As the master of blackmailing and someone who has been economical with the truth over the years he should have known better.

Looks like Donna’s brother has taken them for a ride.

[Red Ranger 1]

Hard to sympathise with Paul, Lyn or Rebecca because they're all behaving in a thoroughly unpleasant manner.Annoyingly but typically, Rebecca's being held up as a paragon of virtue when she's marrying Paul and is clearly willing to ignore the sort of person he is.

[Slade]

I haven't watched Neighbours in quite a while but what a brilliant episode. I've traditionally been a Libbi/Steph hater (although not so much Steph now) so to see both of their lives turned upside down in the same episode and what looks like the end of a long standing friendship was a treat (although they'll probably kiss and make up relatively quickly in soaploand). I loved the way evil Paul was looking over at them when he played the tape after making the announcement. I'm definitely going to have to make sure I tune in the whole week to see the fallout. It's difficult to comment having missed most of the episodes but I knew Toadie and Steph were hiding something a while back and you could argue that Steph has been selfish allowing Toadie to keep up this pretence although I have to ask myself why Todie was prepared to do this for so long at the risk of his own relationship and possibly his career?

Oh and that looked like Jane Badler AKA Diana from V. It will be interesting to see her try and bring Paul down.

[Slade]

I didn't think there was a chance anytime soon of me saying that Neighbours is better than Home and Away but at the moment I am finding that I prefer Neighbours to its rival. I've really enjoyed all the stuff with the buildup to the 6000th episode, the attempted murder of Paul and the events surrounding and following it. I've thoroughly enjoyed the rivalry between Paul and Diana. At the moment I'm really not sure who did it although I did find Lynn's comments implying that half of Erinsborough had a motive (OK slight over exaggeration) quite amusing.

I'm still finding it hard to like Lynn but I do quite like her in scenes with Summer when she is playing the part of the Grandmother. I also liked the support she gave Rebecca and didn't rub the fact that Paul cheated on her with Dianna in Rebecca's face in the I told you so fashion. I actually find that I'm liking Summer more and more now. At first I thought she came across as totally self-righteous but she's shown how loyal she can be towards her friends. First there was Chris and now that obsession is out of the way her attention seems to be diverted towards Andrew and appears to be very touch feeling with him. Funnily enough since Paul fell, Natasha seems to have focused on Andrew too rather than her relationship with her boyfriend. I'm really enjoying the interaction with those three in particular the way Summer and Natasha are vying for Andrew's attention. It's funny although I've only started watching Neighbours again recently up to about a week ago I would have said they don't even like each other. Summer always seemed to be on Andrew's case when she was going out with Chris about the type of person he was. Natasha always seemed to be making snide remarks towards Summer and obviously as Natasha went out with Andrew and broke up things are strained (even though it's obvious Natasha wants him back). Didn't see much of their relationship before and probably wouldn't mind them getting back together however I'd much rather see something happen with Andrew and Summer.

I'm finding Donna and Ringo so boring. I wish they hadn't come back from their honeymoon to be honest. I don't like Declan much either and definitely prefer the previous actor.

Although you can't fault Toadie for his loyalty to Steph, I'm finding it increasingly annoying, especially the way at times he appears to neglect Sonya. I keep asking myself is he really that much of a friend or is he still in love with her.

[Red Ranger 1]

I'll put my tuppen'orth in so it's not just Slade in this thread...The whole storyline with Paul goes through peaks and troughs for me, sometimes I'm really interested, sometimes it doesn't seem to be going anywhere and I find it a bit boring.Holding out hope that the revelation will be really shocking and the fallout truly earth-shattering because I suspect that either the culprit will turn out to be someone we hardly know like Diana or it'll turn out to be someone we do know like Declan or Rebecca but the police don't find out and it's just forgotten about.I'd also love it if one day one of these near-annual attempts to kill Paul just succeeds...

Kind of heading in the opposite direction with Summer, I liked her when she came in and she was cheeky and fiesty but now she just comes across as a snob a lot of the time.I find Andrew and Tasha more interesting;although they can be quite nasty and there are times I really don't like them, they seem to have more depth to them and you can tell that at the core they're quite damaged and vulnerable people.I'd really like Andrew and Tasha back together, they complemented each other well.Andrew and Summer would be a bit more watered-down.(Plus I think I still feel a bit of resentment for the way the Andrew/Summer/Harry triangle went...)

I have something of a love/apathy relationship with Ringo and Donna but I'm really liking them at the moment, they seem to have got rid of their argumentative side and become rather cute and sweet and I'm hoping they go the distance.Don't mind the new Declan but it's a shame that a combination of the recast and the way the story's gone seems to have spoiled the relationship with Kate, I really liked her with the old Declan.

Toadie's annoyed me constantly since the whole storyline with Steph started, often coming across as a self-righteous bully, and I don't know why Sonya's still putting up with him.I don't think he loves Steph in the sense of wanting to get back with her but he does seem very protective of her, perhaps even over protective.

[Slade]

I think it was pretty obvious by the hints they’d been dropping with Kate in Thursday’s episode and the way Rebecca changed her mind about divorcing Paul that it was either Declan or Rebecca who pushed him. I thought a little while ago that it would have been too obvious if it was Diana especially the way the writers tried to imply that she paid someone to push him at first. I’m really hoping it’s Declan. That way at least we have an excuse to get rid of him. As I said recently I didn’t mind the previous Declan but I really don’t like this one. Also I quite like Rebecca. Declan seemed to have more of a motive for pushing Paul given his state of mind at the time after Paul showed Rebecca the video of him trashing the building site. Again the writers could be doing that to deliberately throw people of the fact it could be Rebecca. Either way I’ll guess we’ll find out for sure on Monday.

[Red Ranger 1]

I had a feeling it would be Rebecca.Declan and Diana both seemed too obvious while Rebecca was plausible without being obvious.Well done I suppose for making it a main character rather than some random.Now I guess it remains to be seen whether there'll be any real ramifications or whether it'll all be forgotten about in six months.Have to say, I don't mind the new Declan.And I didn't really like the old one until near the end when they paired him up with Kate.Shame that pairing seems to have died a death.

Really not sure about where the Steph storyline seems to be going.When she gave the baby to Dan, I was pleased, it seemed like a good end to the storyline and made Steph seem selfless and sympathetic for the first time in ages.But instead of being the end, it just seems to be the beginning of the next stage.As with Rachel on HA last year, they seem to think flinging around words like "post-natal depression" counts as a serious exploration of an issue, even though the woman in question is behaving in a perfectly rational manner given the situation.

[halcyon06]

Have to say, I'm loving Neighbours at the moment!