1992 Episode Discussion

[beau_t]

Yeah I enjoyed the music in the finale, not just the underwater stuff, but the Sophie/David music used in the flashback montage, and the sweet versions of Sophie's theme too (nice that we ended this year on Sophie's theme just as we ended last year on Bobby's theme).

At first i was surprised we didn't see Shane's trial, but I think not showing it was actually quite effective for shock value. Things looking positive with Nick saying the judge seems lenient etc, then suddenly in the next scene Shane is being led away in handcuffs. We didn't really need to see the trial, this was more impactful.

Ryan throws in a couple of lines at Bobby's party about how he's going to move on.. I presume that's pretty much his lame exit? He says he will probably end up back in Perth. I still like to assume he and Lou get together offscreen. Otherwise really, what was the point of ANY of it?

I know she's been whiney and stroppy and annoying but I actually feel sorry for Sophie these last few weeks. I'm not saying I agree with all her actions but I can see how much emotional turmoil she's in and for that I feel sorry for her.

What's been interesting to me is Pippa's complete lack of support. I like this because it makes a lot of sense for her character. Sophie is doing the complete opposite of what Pippa spends her life doing - taking in and bringing up children who aren't even her own. Meanwhile, Sophie is giving up her very own baby. It's not that Pippa is being deliberately difficult, she just can't physically understand how someone can do it. She's not built that way.

I also like how Michael is keeping true to his promise that he made to Sophie earlier in the season, and continuing to support Sophie.

Ah, the ever-changing location of Stewart's Point! I can't remember - has it been explicitly stated on the show yet that it's named after Alf's ancestors? Also, has the story of Alf's ancestors founding the Bay been mentioned yet?

I have always remembered the scenes with Finlay trapped under the water. Did you notice that Blake encourages Finlay to breathe slowly (so as not to use up all the oxygen) but as soon as he swims away, she panics and starts breathing really fast? I was surprised that this wasn't the actual cliffhanger of the episode, as I had remembered, but instead we ended on an emotional cliffhanger with Sophie hesitating over signing the adoption papers.

[c120701]

Yes, Fin underwater is one of those images that has stuck in my mind too.

Where was Stewart's Point originally? Was it the where the lighthouse is? I remember thinking it was there until the noughties. I think I missed that the current location was meant to be Stewart's Point in 1996, probably distracted by the events at the time.

What's been interesting to me is Pippa's complete lack of support. I like this because it makes a lot of sense for her character. Sophie is doing the complete opposite of what Pippa spends her life doing - taking in and bringing up children who aren't even her own. Meanwhile, Sophie is giving up her very own baby. It's not that Pippa is being deliberately difficult, she just can't physically understand how someone can do it. She's not built that way.

I suppose the other thing is Pippa knows the pain of having to give up a child (Lynn and probably various others I can't remember who were crisis care or short stays or those offscreen), so she can't understand how Sophie could willingly do it.

[beau_t]

Yes, Fin underwater is one of those images that has stuck in my mind too.

Where was Stewart's Point originally? Was it the where the lighthouse is? I remember thinking it was there until the noughties. I think I missed that the current location was meant to be Stewart's Point in 1996, probably distracted by the events at the time.

What's been interesting to me is Pippa's complete lack of support. I like this because it makes a lot of sense for her character. Sophie is doing the complete opposite of what Pippa spends her life doing - taking in and bringing up children who aren't even her own. Meanwhile, Sophie is giving up her very own baby. It's not that Pippa is being deliberately difficult, she just can't physically understand how someone can do it. She's not built that way.

I suppose the other thing is Pippa knows the pain of having to give up a child (Lynn and probably various others I can't remember who were crisis care or short stays or those offscreen), so she can't understand how Sophie could willingly do it.

Yes good point.

[Sophie4life]

I have always remembered the scenes with Finlay trapped under the water. Did you notice that Blake encourages Finlay to breathe slowly (so as not to use up all the oxygen) but as soon as he swims away, she panics and starts breathing really fast? I was surprised that this wasn't the actual cliffhanger of the episode, as I had remembered, but instead we ended on an emotional cliffhanger with Sophie hesitating over signing the adoption papers.

I couldn't work out what Blake was doing. I was think man Finlay might drown and Blake is just wasting time. If he was trying to get her to breathe slowly then that makes alot of sense.

[Red Ranger 1]

Taken me nearly a week to catch up but I finally reached the end of 1992.I found Pippa deeply unpleasant in the last week and I'm not prepared to be as generous as some.It felt like wilful blindness with her inability to understand why Sophie would do this.Where does she think Fin and Damian came from?How does she think Sam ended up living with Bobby?She's surely been part of the foster care system long enough to know that yes, sometimes the best thing a mother can do is let someone else look after her child:It doesn't mean she doesn't love them and it doesn't make them a bad person, as Sophie does and isn't.Damian even tried to point this out and Michael basically told him to shut up.It's hard not to see this as at least partly down to wounded pride:Pippa's never taken failure well and the idea that someone she's raised isn't up to motherhood would probably be a failure in her eyes.Either that or she thinks it's only okay when she's the one being the substitute parent.I did find the bit with the dummy ridiculous though.We've never seen Sophie give Tamara a dummy and it seems to fly in the face of all those scenes of her walking her up and down to try and stop her crying.It just felt like a contrived way to make her feel inadequate next to Mary.

Ah, Blake and Fin getting close again after the show frustratingly put the brakes on their romance a few months back.I'll just sit back and enjoy the ride.And Nick and Roxy's first kiss.

Which, similarly, is pretty much their last.

You know, I could have sworn Ryan announced he was leaving in the Diner and that he was talking to Alf but as I'm picturing the late 90s Diner my memory's obviously got befuddled.Maybe I was getting mixed up with that scene in the finale.I really don't like the idea of him and Lou reuniting off screen:For me, the point was that Ryan spent too long pursuing Lou, unable to accept that she didn't love him and maybe never had done, and once he moved on from her he became a better person.So having him go back to Perth and start chasing after her all over again would feel like a very backwards step.

And yes, Shane on the receiving end of a miscarriage of justice.I actually found I remembered that scene outside the courthouse, with him being dragged past a devastated Nick and Damian, angry about being let down, while Nick insists it's not over, pretty much perfectly so that was definitely one that stuck in the mind.I didn't realise it was quite that early in the episode and we actually saw him arriving at the detention centre.Which, weirdly, seems to echo the last two 2010s finales.The more things change...And talking of which, two episodes until another current castmember shows up!(So, that'll make two then.)

[Old H&A Fan]

Why did Loo no longer want anything to do with Ryan? If Nick was her reason, that was no longer relevant because she has finally given up on him and chosen to move back to Perth. If Loo never gets a boyfriend again, then that's her problem.

I think you'll find Pippa continues to be unpleasant in the first week of 1993, and the way Sophie butts in as Pippa keeps denying Damian permission to visit Shane, is extremely annoying to say the least. As with Bobby sticking her oar in when Nick and Greg demand that Tug own up to setting Shane up.

[dncllpyk]

Lou shouldn't blame Ryan for what happened it was her fault too as they say it takes two to tango Lou knew very well what she was doing with her night visits to Ryan's caravan Ryan didn't hold a gun to her head.

[Red Ranger 1]

Yeah but it's not an either/or situation, just because things didn't work out with Nick doesn't mean Lou should get together with Ryan by default.There are other people in the world, just because they didn't end up together doesn't mean they're both going to die old and alone.

[Blaxland 89]

If Sophie stayed on at school, like Pippa and Michael had wanted her to. How would they have coped. If Sophie had the same study schedule as Fin etc.

How long has Sally been taller than Bobby? Where did that toilet come from in Alf shop? It seemed very close to the counter.

Ah the old Christmas decorations seem to get a mention every year.

[CaptainHulk]

According to data, Sophie appeared in the most episodes this year.