1989 Episode Discussion

[Old H&A Fan]

But wasn't Dodge a bored teenager when he went into the city when he and Steven were supposed to be going camping? The thefts, the car-stealing, joyriding with Viv, etc. Dodge did do, wasn't hot air?

[beau_t]

Dodge stole cars and vandalised things, Shane stole cars and vandalised things. Both had supportive or semi-supportive families. Both had best mates (Dodge Steven, and Shane Damian). The difference is, Shane had a brother (who was also a policeman). Dodge had SOME support from Tom & "Pippa".

Why do you find it worrying there are "people walking around" who you claim "can't differentiate" between the 2 you claim are "very different"?

My fears have been confirned. You really can't see the difference. Love is blind, as they say!

[Old H&A Fan]

My fears[!!!] have been confirned

AHEM......I think "FEAR" is a bit of a strong word. Don't you??

Anyway, I couldn't give a damn about Uncle Phillip. He can rot in hell for all I care.

Oh and also.....I don't like the way Stevo jumped down Dodge's throat just for joking that Stacey would make a good girlfriend for him. I also object to the way Stevo commiserates together with Stacey as if she had a genuine stake in Phillip's life like Steven did.

[Red Ranger 1]

Whilst the show is inconsistent in terms of who deserves forgiveness and who doesn't, Dodge and Shane is completely the wrong example.The difference has been spelt out pretty clearly:Dodge killed someone, Shane didn't.Basically, Dodge did everything Shane did and then did a lot of worse stuff as well.(One in particular but I don't think Shane was ever a bully, "just" a petty thief and joyrider.)I guess someone who doesn't like Philip might not care as much about that but I think most people would recognise that Dodge is far more likely to be rotting in hell than him.

And anyway, Shane wound up just as dead so it's not as though he got off that lightly...

[beau_t]

Anyway, I couldn't give a damn about Uncle Phillip. He can rot in hell for all I care.

But you personally not caring about Phillip doesn't have anything to do with your question about the town's forgiveness of Dodge over the incident. I'm curious, did you deliberately leave out the stuff about him killing Phil (and framing an innocent man!) during your comparison with Shane? Or did you genuinely forget about it or see it as not an important factor? Because you are increasingly coming across to me as somebody who only sees what he wants to see!

For me, Dodge is like the River Boys in the current show. I could have and probably would have liked the River Boys, but the show's over-promotion of them really put me off big time and I still haven't warmed to them because of that. I could also like Dodge, because he is a complex character (which is the best kind) but I'm being put right off him by an over bearing pro-Dodge "he can do no wrong" agenda every time I visit this forum. If he could be discussed properly, warts and all, I'd probably have a lot more sympathy for his character.

[j.laur5]

It's so funny how Morag and Maz are at the end of the credits and they are the ones that are still on the show in 22 years time.

[alexx]

But wasn't Dodge a bored teenager when he went into the city when he and Steven were supposed to be going camping? The thefts, the car-stealing, joyriding with Viv, etc. Dodge did do, wasn't hot air?

Eh, yes it was. But that is where the comparison with Shane begins and ends as I've said. And as far as the community go, they are giving him a fair chance (most of them) considering they dont know anything about Phillip.

[Old H&A Fan]

EPISODE 372

DODGE'S DOWNFALL — PART I

Synopsis: The timebomb starts ticking

Original Australian broadcast date:

Tuesday, August 15, 1989

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1st repeat in Australia:

Friday, May 4, 2001

2nd repeat in Australia:

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Recap: Adam, applying for a job at the school as janitor, threatens Mr Fisher with a lawsuit for discrimination, in response to Mr Fisher's concerns about appearing too attractive to the girls.

Main body of episode:

The episode begins I suspect on the morning of Dodge's last full day of freedom.

After the recap is a scene at Andrew's house where he and Stacey have silly bickering about his 24-hour youth counselling service being practiced from his home.

Then, at the school, as Andrew sticks up posters around the corridor advertising his 24-hour service, Dodge starts a conversation with "why am I getting the ice treatment for" and he's arguing with Viv about how uncool it is being Mr Fisher's pet. Viv sarcastically tells Steven not to hang around with her because she is the biggest dag in the school. Andrew offers Viv some counselling to help her deal with this problem, and Viv accepts his offer.

At the Fletcher house: Scene starts off with little sally saying "I've never been to Hobart". Neither has "Pippa". Tom is going to Hobart on a business trip for the Macklins. He is not allowed to take any of the family with him. (Tom is not seen at all in this episode). Dodge and Steven arrive home. sally appears to be getting along OK with Dodge but seems to resent being "treated like a baby" when he offers to babysit while "Pippa" drives Tom to the airport. "Pippa" is very thankful to Dodge for this kind gesture of babysitting. Steven goes out for a jog.

Andrew's house: Scene starts off with Stacey on the phone, apparently to Nina (as usual you can't hear Nina talking on the other end). Stacey seems to be exasperated as she seems unable to hear Nina on the phone over the noise of Andrew's typing. Then when she is finished on the phone, she walks up to Andrew and tells him this isn't going to work and she isn't going to survive 2 weeks living with his counselling service. Andrew "negotiates" it down to 10 days in a silly, joking manner while Stacey begs for this arrangement to be a lot shorter or her nerves will go to pieces. A client knocks on the door. Andrew tells Stacey in a silly joking manner to get away from the door as she begs him to turn the client away until tomorrow. He makes silly wanky body motions and says "I can't", in his peculiar way of saying he can't turn away a client. It's Viv. Stacey says "don't mind me, I bark a lot but I won't bite".

First commercial break.

Andrew's house: As Viv talks to Andrew about her problems with the other kids at school, Stacey rudely clears her throat as she brings in the tea on a tray. She asks Andrew whether he would like her to pour the tea or "can you manage" and asks him other "questions" like whether she has his permission to get on with her own work, in a condescending, belittling fashion. Stacey seems to deliberately make excess noise packing up her work folder in the background as Andrew and Viv discuss Viv's problems. Andrew seems to talk more about his own problems with Stacey rather than give Viv helpful advice on dealing with Mr Fisher.

At the Diner: Morag is talking to Alsa about opening her legal practice in Summer Bay. As Morag moves over to the front counter talking to Alsa across the counter, Morag sits next to Adam, who overhears her discussing her legal practice. Adam takes interest, and asks if he could talk to her about being discriminated against on the basis of his looks.

On the driveway outside the Fletcher house: Steven is out jogging. A car hoons past at high speed, nearly running him down — he jumps into the bushes to avoid being hit. The car stops, a closeup of the driver is shown, then the car takes off again.

Outside the entrance to the Fletcher house: little sally has nearly finished building her Lego house. Dodge is babysitting her and the baby. The car that hooned past Steven rolls up. It's a mate of Dodge's from the city, by the name of Wayne. They say g'day — Wayne asks who the little girl is, and jokingly says is this your wife? Dodge introduces sally to Wayne, and sally introduces Christopher and offers a cup of coffee. Wayne rejects the offer, saying he "can't stand the hard stuff". Wayne tells little sally he is a roadie for a rock band called the Witchery Grubs. little sally says she's never heard of them. Wayne promises she will hear of them. Wayne remarks to Dodge he's been quiet after "what he got up to in town". little sally asks what he got up to. Dodge tells sally to get them a coffee but she seems to abruptly and rudely tell him he can get it himself. Dodge says you could say he needs a break from the family, and says he can get him in to see the Grubs tonight for nix. Dodge seems a bit reluctant and Wayne assumes he needs permission. Dodge says he has something else lined up. Wayne says he will be at the pub until about 7pm in case he changes his mind.

At the Diner: Adam gets legal advice from Morag about taking Mr Fisher to court for discrimination. At the end, Adam says he can't afford the enormous legal fees Morag charges, but Morag says he will be able to, once he is employed. (Boys Will Be Boys by The Choirboys plays on the jukebox in the background).

Inside the Fletcher house: Scene starts off with the camera focused on sally, as Dodge tries to talk Steven into coming out with him to see the band. Steven can't go because he has to babysit. little sally interjects "I'm not a baby, I don't need babysitting". "Pippa" comes home early, it seems Tom is scared of her driving so he took the bus to the airport instead. "Pippa" reluctantly allows Steven and Dodge to go out, she doesn't like it because it's a school night. Steven can't go, because he has too much work to do. "Pippa" wonders what's got into Steven. Dodge says it's "women trouble", "Pippa" understands this as trouble with Viv. Dodge offers to stay home but "Pippa" gives him her blessing to go out, because she is very happy with the way he has improved lately! Dodge promises "Pippa" he will have a good time!

2nd commercial break.

In the Diner (Daryl Braithwaite's Rise is playing on the jukebox): Mr Fisher comes in and sneers at Adam for threatening legal action against him, saying he doesn't take very kindly to the bullying tactics he is taking. Adam tells Mr Fisher that if he refuses to admit discrimination and would let the courts decide instead, he tells him he can start tomorrow at the school, 8:30am sharp, but warns him he will be taken to court instead for harassment if he puts so much as one foot out of line with the female students. Mr Fisher suggests he dress a little more appropriately while we're at it. Adam talks to Alsa about how he can't help looking attractive, so Alsa suggests he make himself look unattractive. Viv walks in and sees Mr Fisher. Her schoolmates laugh about her new boyfriend. She asks Mr Fisher for a Saturday detention, just to make herself look cool in front of the other students who are giving her a hard time.

At the Fletcher house: Stevo has his head down in the books, doing his homework. "Pippa" can't get to sleep (she says it's because she's missing Tom?) so she comes into the living room. Stevo gets her a cocoa. "Pippa" asks what time it is. Stevo says it's 11:30pm. "Pippa" starts to get worried because Dodge promised to get home by 11pm. "Pippa" tells Steven the anniversary party last night was a lovely thought, and is very pleased it was Dodge's idea. It proves he has changed, and that it is the difference being part of a happy, stable family can make.

Then, we go to a scene of a dark street corner beginning with the sounds of tyres screeching and a car hoons up and jams on its breaks in a fishtail. Adam witnesses the car pulling over. Out comes Dodge, who is heavily drunk, laughing about what a rage he has just been to. Because he is so drunk he can hardly walk, his mate asks if he is sure he doesn't need a lift to the door. Laughing his head off like crazy, he says he'll walk, to clear the head. Dodge thanks his mate for driving him home, and the car then screeches away. He meets up with Adam, asking each other what they are doing in the middle of the night. Adam tells him Summer Bay House is the other way. Then he suggests he better come home with him instead. Mike Perjanik music plays as Adam guides a half-blind Dodge into his yacht to put him up for the night. Dodge lies down drunkenly rambling about what a party it was, wishes "Stevie" was there, and the chicks.....what a rage, as Adam pulls his shoes off Dodge's feet. Dodge is worried "Pippa" is going to kill him, but Adam tells him to go to sleep. He'll ring her and tell her he's OK. Dodge says "you're a real mate Stevie, a real mate".

Then the time bomb starts ticking when Adam says "I've got to go down to the shop to make this call so don't you go walkabout on me OK?"

Dodge then starts digging his own grave: "No more shop.....all gone"

Adam: "The shop across the street, the Diner"

(Mike Perjanic's music that ends this episode starts playing)

Dodge: "Not there now. No more shop. Old bag. She was asking for it anyway. One little match, and WHOOOSH!!!! HAHAHA No more shop. Green, and gold and red. (laugh) All them flames, and Dodge did it.....all by himself. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA"

Adam stares at him in silence. The episode ends.

[beau_t]

LOL why are you telling us this?

Good recap though, you should do this for every episode!

[Old H&A Fan]

I posted my take on the episodes.

There isn't the time to do this for every episode though.