H&A Spring Break - From the Bay to LA

[Slade]

Their first meeting was when Kim was OD'ing and she saved his life. I don't remember all the details, but I think he pursued her until he wore her down. I think it was a relationship based on him hero-worshiping her and her enjoying that. I don't think they ever had anything "real" between them, but that doesn't mean that their feelings for each other weren't intense at the time. I actually loved them for a while but as time went on, she began to be more and more resentful towards him, and I never forgave her for not having the guts to just cut him loose. She was the "adult" in the relationship, he was the love-sick patient who owed the brilliant doctor his life.

The parts I've highlighted in your post make me wonder whether you think she took advantage of him. He'd obviously just finished high school when they got married but how old was she? I'm guessing mid to late twenties. It doesn't seem that bad when you actually watch it because the actor is obviously a lot older than the part he's playing.

[atrus]

So, I see we've reached The Amanda Years. (Or at least, they seemed like years.)

Intense and compelling scenes with Kim and Barry. Not even sure I saw this the first time round - I think I must have been on one of my temporary lapses. It reminds me how H&A has often been more radical than other soaps in terms of redeeming characters who've done pretty terrible things; Kane Phillips is probably the most extreme example, but this is another. I'd have expected a swift exit for Barry after that, but turns out he's still around 60 episodes later.

A brief glimpse of new-face Hayley there. Scandalous decision to recast such a long-established character - far longer-established, indeed, than Declan from Neighbours, which was bad enough. Did Bec Cartwright leave at very short notice, and was Ella Scott Lynch supposed to stay longer than she did - or was it always intended that she'd be written straight out? Unless it was absolutely impossible in terms of timing, I think they should have written Hayley out with Bec.

I'd forgotten all about Brad Armstrong; not surprising, really. (His sister Rachel was a much better character.) Good to see a bit of Ric, Cassie and Matilda, though - I recall they were one of the stronger teen groups of later years.

A lovely, strong performance from Amy Mizzi - she really nailed that role of a single mum trying desperately to put her baby first by keeping a fickle Kim at arm's length, despite being so obviously in love with him. I'm glad Kit got a happy ending, even if I was never that enamoured with Kim as a character.

[H&Alover]

Good last episode. I do remember it, hadn't Rachel slept with an old love, which was why Kim went on a bender? I do think if Kim wanted to be with Kit just because of Archie she wouldn't have taken him back, there would have had to be more otherwise it would have been unfair on Archie. I don't know if Kim felt he 'owed' Rachel for all she went through for them to be a couple which made him so undecided, but that again is no reason for one person to stay with another. Just because she was the 'adult' it doesn't follow she should break it off with him. He was over 18 so he was an adult too. It was more the fact he became her patient when she was counselling that put the relationship on a dodgy footing ethically wise.

Sally did indeed seem to be morphing into Pippa, laying down the law about Cassie working at Noah's, Martha's compromise seemed a good idea. Is it me or are there not so many teenage groups like Mattie, Cassie, Ric and co nowadays?

Alf's problems with his eyes, was that before or after he run little Pippa down as he couldn't see her, though to be fair even at the time I thought it was unfair for Sally to blame Alf as Pippa was behind the car and out of Alf's line of vision.

[Angelica]

Their first meeting was when Kim was OD'ing and she saved his life. I don't remember all the details, but I think he pursued her until he wore her down. I think it was a relationship based on him hero-worshiping her and her enjoying that. I don't think they ever had anything "real" between them, but that doesn't mean that their feelings for each other weren't intense at the time. I actually loved them for a while but as time went on, she began to be more and more resentful towards him, and I never forgave her for not having the guts to just cut him loose. She was the "adult" in the relationship, he was the love-sick patient who owed the brilliant doctor his life.

The parts I've highlighted in your post make me wonder whether you think she took advantage of him. He'd obviously just finished high school when they got married but how old was she? I'm guessing mid to late twenties. It doesn't seem that bad when you actually watch it because the actor is obviously a lot older than the part he's playing.

I do think there was an element of inappropriateness, but not because of the age gap (which was masked by the fact that Chris Hemsworth could not pass as a teenager), but rather the fact that their relationship started while she was his doctor. There did seem some imbalance while KIm was originally pursuing Rachel (although that was presumably because Rachel was more wary of entering into a relationship that was ethically wrong), but over the course of their relationship, I think the balance swung the other way. Rachel made quite a few sacrifices to keep their relationship going. What I did like about the Rachel/Kim relationship, was the effort made into keep their marriage work, even when the easier or more appealing option was to leave.

[Red Ranger 1]

Does anyone know if Peter Baker (Nic Bishop) appears in any of the special eps on 5*?

Well, he was in Tuesday's episode (3833) but he was comatose throughout.Going by the schedule on the main site, the only other episode he could possibly be in is the Tasha one, the next latest episode is from 2002, long before he appeared.

Except...yellow alert, people, because the EPG is listing today's episode not as 1555 but as the much later 5781 from 2013.Channel 5's website is still listing 1555 so hopefully it's just a mistake, the EPG has listed the wrong episode quite a bit lately.(5781 was that year's break return as I recall, which could explain where the details came from.)

[H&Alover]

Would I be right in thinking Kim and Rachel were living in what is now John and Marilyn's house going by the layout of it?

[CaptainHulk]

Does anyone know if Peter Baker (Nic Bishop) appears in any of the special eps on 5*?

Well, he was in Tuesday's episode (3833) but he was comatose throughout.Going by the schedule on the main site, the only other episode he could possibly be in is the Tasha one, the next latest episode is from 2002, long before he appeared.

Except...yellow alert, people, because the EPG is listing today's episode not as 1555 but as the much later 5781 from 2013.Channel 5's website is still listing 1555 so hopefully it's just a mistake, the EPG has listed the wrong episode quite a bit lately.(5781 was that year's break return as I recall, which could explain where the details came from.)

Boooooo.... Was really looking forward to 1555 My Sky + and Freeview listings report said episode being from 2013 (mention of Dex)

[c120701]

My EPG (BT Vision) stated that for every episode this week.

There's a reason I don't remember Rob and today I remembered why.

Pip's line about Roxy liking men who smelt of chalk dust made me laugh.

[atrus]

So it was Episode 1555, not the odd Dex-fest promised on the EPG - and quite a treat to see Pippa, Michael, Don and Ailsa again. And Jack! I haven't thought about that character in a long time. Strange how young he looks - when I watched it the first time round, I thought of him as practically an adult! (Probably because I was about nine years old at the time!) Didn't see much of Shannon/Curtis to say that it's supposed to be Isla Fisher week, but I guess they're trying to complete the story arc for each character, from beginning to end.

It makes me nostalgic for the days when a cliffhanger could safely constitute a relatively minor domestic spat, rather than someone being shot/run off the road/kidnapped etc. A bit of a generalisation I know, since these things did occasionally happen back then. But the whole tone was just so much gentler and true-to-life - and all the more immersive for it.

I particularly miss that fostering aspect to the show, which is still there in 2015 but nowhere near as prominent as it should be. I thought they were going to return to it wholesale with Roo and Harvey, but then Harvey left and we seemed to revert to Braxton antics.

There's a reason I don't remember Rob and today I remembered why.

Yes, me too! I remember Roxy, but Rob pretty much drew a blank.

[Slade]

Whilst they weren't in the episode, if you include the people in the opening credits, there's still a wealth of talent even back then - Angel, Sarah, Shannon and Roxy.

Roxy I remember fairly well. She was Blake's half sister. I even remember when Blake tried to introduce her to their dad and that ended badly. I thought Rob was a wet blanket but if my memory serves me correctly he supported her when she had breast cancer.

Jack's another character I remember although I can't recall if he was a hit with the ladies. I do remember one episode where he was copping off with Sally and Michael caught them and Michael's face was a picture - Re today, did they have to show him giving Pippa a foot massage though?

Once again we had to wait till the end of the episode until we saw the main character and even then although we got to see Shannon we also had to put up with that idiot Curtis too.

I enjoyed listening to the opening/closing credits Reminds me of how the music used to be.