H&A Spring Break - From the Bay to LA

[Jamie2811]

Yeah i hope the next episode is more Vinnie centred too, I did enjoy yesterdays though with the caravan park sale.

[marcosb]

I preferred how there was much less background music in the show back then compared to now, I was watching some 2008 episodes I had on dvd yesterday and there was a noticeable difference too, nowadays it seems like you are watching a music video.

[c120701]

It couldn't help thinking 'these are Ailsa's final weeks/days' when I was watching today's episode seeing the Beachside Diner prior to it's disastrous opening and before Ailsa's death.

Nice that they went to the effort of having a removal van in the establishing shot of the Diner too. Not that there was a lot to move.

I do love the sound tracks and effects in these old episodes though - the 10 second bird song on loop and the milk bottles rattling in the fridge even though they're taking out plastic bottles or cartons by this point.

[Jamie2811]

Feels strange to see the old Beachside diner being set up and of course this means its nearly the end for Ailsa

A year on from yesterdays episode and theres been a lot of departures, I believe 2000 is the year of the most departures?

Again not the best episode to showcase Vinnie, was sweet how he was taking care of Leah though. Am I right in thinking that the short lived 2000 reruns in 2013 ended with Leah stepping on the syringe?

[Red Ranger 1]

^I hadn't thought of that but yes, I think you're quite right.

So, into the Channel 5 era.Vinnie still wasn't particularly prominent but there was some sweet stuff and his scene at the Diner was a nice one.Leah looks particularly young and Shauna was quick to put Vinnie down again.Very early days of Sally working at the school (there's a throwaway line establishing that she's doing a day's supply prior to starting permanently), nice to see a bit of her.(In fact, it was a very densely populated episode.)A glimpse of the Ailsa/Shauna mother/daughter relationship that we never got to see much of.

Jude jumping to conclusions with Alf, who's oddly even-tempered here, and I'm sure a few people cheered at the sight of Noah.That odd period where Harry turns into a bit of a sleaze prior to his departure; Gypsy's setting herself up for a fall, but didn't do herself many favours by having a hard time taking no for an answer.Duncan in his wannabe bad boy mode: Interesting that he seems to be the one dragging along a reluctant Nick, given that the following year this culminates with the realisation that Nick's become less of a jerk since he turned up while Duncan's still as bad, ending their friendship.

And ye gods, Don looked old.It's what comes of seeing this after watching 90s episodes...

[Angelica]

I have been a bit intrigued by the choices for Vinnie. None of this have been particularly stand out episodes apart from perhaps the Monday episode.

That being said, the Vinnie in this episode was the Vinnie I loved the most - sweet and well meaning even if getting things completely wrong. He and Leah were always really cute together.

Never understood why everyone seemed to want to leave their girlfriends for Shauna - never particularly liked her as a character.

[atrus]

Judith really was a flash in the pan, wasn't she? Not sure how long she was there, but it can't have been much more than a year, if that? Edward seems to have already gone.

I found myself completely surprised that Ailsa was still alive by this point. I'd got it in my head that she'd been killed off much earlier.

I don't recall anything of Nick's friendship with Evil Duncan, who definitely seems to be the agitator of the pair here. I always remember Nick and Seb being the big double-act later on, by which point Nick was the edgier one - albeit still a likeable character. I suppose what made him really memorable was the Angie Russell storyline.

Never really thought much of Harry or Shauna as characters. Bit bland. But not as unmemorable as Jude; I recognised his face but it genuinely took me until the closing credits to properly place him.

[Jamie2811]

Judith was in the show for a year, Edward less than a year.

[j.laur5]

I noticed that 2000 was the year that most regulars left and a lot that left had only arrived the year before!.

[Slade]

We didn't see it in this episode but what made me laugh the most about Duncan was that he was so small so at full badboy stage his henchmen would tower over him.

I didn't mind Shauna even when she made a play for Flynn although it cost her her friendship with Sally. I did like her concern for Kirsty when Kirsty confided in her about seeing Kane and Shauna sought advice from Flynn about it. However I was disappointed with her attitude towards Vinnie in that episode. Can't blame her for what was happening with Harry though.

I really can't remember Harry but going by what I saw today didn't think too much of him. Can't believe he used the headache excuse with Gypsy (Thought only women did that). I quite liked Leah telling him how it was although for purely selfish reasons I would have liked to have seen Gypsy discover the truth.

I thought Jude was OK. From what I could recall his relationship with Noah was quite rocky. Also Noah actually slept with one of Jude's ex girlfriends. I remember being quite surprised at the time.