1989 Episode Discussion

[dncllpyk]

I watched yesterdays episode. Im at work when its on but I have My Star (got it on Thursday arvo) so I recorded yesterdays episode and watched it yesterday afternoon. It was a good episode. I loved Marilyn when she was coming out of the flower.

[Old H&A Fan]

EPISODE 373

Dodge's days of fun and freedom come to a crashing end.

After the recap of the scene from the previous episode where Dodge drunkenly admits to Adam to lighting the fire, the main body of the episode begins around sunrise, when Dodge wakes up and has a chat with Adam about his first day on the job as school janitor, and Dodge coming home from the concert drunk. Dodge has lost all memory of the time he came to his yacht and crashed, and asks Adam what he said last night. Adam tells him he was going on about "a whole lot of nonsense" about him not being able to the shop to call "Pippa" because he had burnt the shop down.

Back at the Fletcher house, Steven continues to put in a good word to "Pippa" as she rants and raves about Dodge not coming home last night. Then Dodge walks in and apologises for not coming home last night, saying a mate of his left his lights on and he crashed at a mate's place. "Pippa" says he was supposed to be home at 11pm last night and it is now a quarter to 9 in the morning! Then, Dodge and Steven walk out of the caravan park together to school, for the final time as best mates. Dodge tells Steven we met a couple of girls, and tells Steven to think about what happened between that and when he didn't come home till morning.

Meanwhile, back at Lance's house, Lance, Martin and Marilyn rehearse for their flower scene at Seven studios.

At the school, Mr Fisher finds some girls laughing as Adam does some cleaning. Mr Fisher blows his stack at Adam for coming to work with his clothes torn and warns him he is skating on very thin ice. Dodge witnesses this from around a corner, and it seems this is a good way to set him up (while Adam looks bad to the boss) somehow to try to stop him from blabbing about his drunken confession, I presume.....

The first commercial break interrupts. After the interruption, we are at a TV studio at Channel Seven in Epping, Sydney. Lance, Martin, Marilyn, Nina and Stacey discuss producing their scenes.

Then in the Diner, Alsa and "Pippa" gossip about Dodge, with Alsa going on about how from the moment he arrived he has shoplifted, stolen stuff, lied, etc. as "Pippa" goes on about how he was out all night last night on a school night. "Pippa" says he can change if given a chance and shown how, but Alsa says he has to want to be helped. Meanwhile back at the school, it appears Dodge is late for lunch so he has to buy his lunch, so asks Stevo to lend him a couple of bucks. Adam laughs about what happened last night, putting Dodge in the awkward situation of trying to cover up the truth about what really happened.

At the Seven Network studio, the 1st Assistant Director gets Marilyn to act the scene where she steps out of the flower in front of a blue background for the chromakey to superimpose the flower image. As the scene is reshot to iron out the goof-ups, the date by the clapper board is 16/8/89.

Back at the school, a class Steven and Dodge are in finish watching a video about a Shakespearean play, and Mr Fisher gives Steven an assignment to do about the Fatal Flaw In Hamlet's Character. School finishes for the day. Mr Fisher asks Adam to move the AV equipment into Room 22 for first thing Monday. Dodge and Steven continue to discuss his version of events last night, and Steven says it's getting to the stage where he can't believe a word he says anymore. Dodge says he just remembered something, and has to leave him for a bit and so Steven walks on while Dodge goes back into the school, and the next thing we know, Adam finds the video player missing. As Dodge jiggles the lock on the storeroom door, Mr Fisher sneaks up on him and catches him.

The second commercial break interrupts.

After the interruption, Mr Fisher is questioning Dodge in his office, as to why he was stealing a $1000 piece of equipment. Dodge says he was trying to help Steven pay off his fine. Mr Fisher doesn't buy this. Dodge denies he was trying to frame Adam Cameron, saying why would he want to frame him and get him fired? Dodge begs not to be taken straight to the police, so Mr Fisher takes him to see his foster parents instead.

Back at the TV studio, Marilyn tells Lance to cool it with their "love" play because there are press people everywhere, then Lance, Martin and Marilyn shoot a scene of them flying over the tall buildings of the city of Sydney.

In the Diner, Adam tells Steven he can't understand why Dodge would land a hot video on him after putting him up for the night. Steven says he wouldn't do something like that without a reason, and asks him exactly what happened last night. Steven wants to hear all of it.

We then go to the Fletcher house, where Mr Fisher tells "Pippa" it can't wait for Tom to get back, and he is willing to listen if there are any mitigating circumstances. Are they any? Dodge apologises. "Pippa" begs Dodge to tell her the real reason why he did it. Dodge tells her he is sorry. "Pippa" tells him to shutup and that she is sick and tired of hearing him lie.

Back in the Diner again, Adam's mouth flaps freely in the wind. He spills all the beans about how he said he couldn't use the phone in the shop because he burnt the shop down (dramatic music plays). Good one Adam! Good one! Steven asks Adam does he know he said it? Adam says he told him this morning. Steven then BOLTS out of the Diner as fast as he could.

Then we are back at the Fletcher house again. "Pippa" abandons Dodge, telling Mr Fisher he is welcome to use her phone if she wants to call Sgt Barnett now. Dodge bolts from the house, and Mr Fisher runs after him. Then out in the caravan park, he runs into Steven and tells him the cops are after him and he's gotta find a car. Then Steven says he's been talking to Adam. Mr Fisher tells Knight to GET BACK HERE as Dodge runs off. Steven and Mr Fisher chase him into the bushes until he eventually stops behind a tree. Dodge tells Steven he got it all wrong, he was just raving, it didn't mean anything, then admits he burnt down the shop.

Steven: YOU KILLED PHIL

Dodge: I thought it was empty, fair dinkum, you gotta believe me, I didn't know he was there.

Dodge tells Steven he doesn't wanna fight, but Steven says he's going to do more than just belt him up. Mr Fisher yells "STEVEN!", Steven throws a punch, and the episode ends.

[Old H&A Fan]

Today's episode was one of those episodes you just have to watch over and over again. Dodge's background is bizarre and interesting. How did his dad come to be an accountant and his mother run Tupperware parties? What character stereotypes were at play here, was Dodge from a rich background? Was he born evil or did he mix with bad company? And what Steven believed in and what Dodge believed in, a very interesting insight, with serious counselling from Andrew Foley. This is interlinked with the Shakespeare play The Fatal Flaw In Hamlet's Character, in that it is themed about avenging someone's murder with another murder and how 400 years later society has "progressed" into making sure the murderer was caught.

[beau_t]

Andrew Foley really bugs me.

[Old H&A Fan]

Not in this episode, but in the coming episodes he's going to bug you even more.

[GameTime]

Just watched last Thursday and Friday’s episode, as well as today’s. Wow, what a storyline, quite possibly the best I’ve ever seen on H&A. The end of Thursday’s episode where Dodge lets slip the truth, and then Friday’s episode where he’s doing everything he can to hide it, while slowly but surely he’s digging a bigger hole and the truth is about to be revealed. The scene where Steven finally found out was what I had been waiting for a long, long time, and it was as good as I had hoped. Really excellent stuff, the tension throughout the whole episode was great, and the end was powerful stuff.

For mine though, today’s episode was incredible. The truth about Dodge’s past was revealed, and what a shock that was. It goes to show that everything about Dodge has been a lie, there is virtually nothing that he’s said or done that can be taken as truth. I actually allowed myself to feel sorry for him when he was telling the story about his past, only for the interrogator to reveal the truth. There was no father who walked out, or drunken mother, or abuse. There were obviously some issues, but nothing like he had made everyone believe. He was totally full of lies; he spun them all the time, and did such a good job in conning everyone. His whole life was a con job. The writers did a sensational job on this one, a truly outstanding storyline. Dodge’s character was very complex, and the effect it had on Steven, Tom, Pippa, pretty much everyone, went to show just how good a character it was. To think, this storyline has been going on for some time now, and the entire Steven playing up arc has revolved around Phil’s death and Dodge. I couldn’t have been more impressed with the way it was done, and how it panned out. I'm going to keep the last few episodes on the IQ for a while to watch back.

[beau_t]

Not in this episode, but in the coming episodes he's going to bug you even more.

He's always bugged me. He was ridiculous during his "counselling" session with Viv when she didn't want to go home, it was entirely obvious he didn't believe her which is kind of against his profession isn't it? The fact that he couldn't even see the blatant emotional blackmail going on when her father insisted she phone Tammy and then she suddenly changed her mind about going home, just showed how incompetent he is.

Speaking of this, where has her concern for Tammy disappeared to? She seems more concerned about girls at school giving her a hard time (who really cares what they think? Why would she want to be friends with girls like that anyway?). She seems to have forgotten there's a much more horrible situation going on at home with her sister. I know there is physically not much she can do about it right now, but it doesn't mean she'd just stop caring.

[Old H&A Fan]

Just watched last Thursday and Friday’s episode, as well as today’s. Wow, what a storyline, quite possibly the best I’ve ever seen on H&A. The end of Thursday’s episode where Dodge lets slip the truth, and then Friday’s episode where he’s doing everything he can to hide it, while slowly but surely he’s digging a bigger hole and the truth is about to be revealed. The scene where Steven finally found out was what I had been waiting for a long, long time, and it was as good as I had hoped. Really excellent stuff, the tension throughout the whole episode was great, and the end was powerful stuff.

For mine though, today’s episode was incredible. The truth about Dodge’s past was revealed, and what a shock that was. It goes to show that everything about Dodge has been a lie, there is virtually nothing that he’s said or done that can be taken as truth. I actually allowed myself to feel sorry for him when he was telling the story about his past, only for the interrogator to reveal the truth. There was no father who walked out, or drunken mother, or abuse. There were obviously some issues, but nothing like he had made everyone believe. He was totally full of lies; he spun them all the time, and did such a good job in conning everyone. His whole life was a con job. The writers did a sensational job on this one, a truly outstanding storyline. Dodge’s character was very complex, and the effect it had on Steven, Tom, Pippa, pretty much everyone, went to show just how good a character it was. To think, this storyline has been going on for some time now, and the entire Steven playing up arc has revolved around Phil’s death and Dodge. I couldn’t have been more impressed with the way it was done, and how it panned out. I'm going to keep the last few episodes on the IQ for a while to watch back.

Which is why it is a shame we don't have any followup for the next 6 years. No Magistrate's Court committal hearing, no Adam, Steven, "Pippa" or Mr Fisher being called as witnesses, Dodge's real parents never appear on-screen, and no Supreme Court trial or sentencing. NOTHING.

[Lulu1978]

The last few episode have been H&A at its best.The Dodge storyline was one of the best ever.Like others have mentioned it's a shame that there was no follow up until Dodge reappeared in 1995.

[English Invader]

No Magistrate's Court committal hearing, no Adam, Steven, "Pippa" or Mr Fisher being called as witnesses, Dodge's real parents never appear on-screen, and no Supreme Court trial or sentencing. NOTHING.

That all seems interesting, but it's a bit of a digression. Dodge's fate was sealed the moment he admitted that he set fire to the general store, so there wouldn't have been much of a trial.

There's definitely enough material there for a bit of fan fiction, though.