1994 Episode Discussion

[Blaxland 89]

I adore these 1994 episodes. Still miss Bobby though. I can see her still being around. The show in 1994 has such a well balanced mx of characters and story lines. 

[CaptainHulk]

Andrew Howie obviously built on Des Monaghan's strong foundation and he  piggybacked off that momentum.

[Red Ranger 1]

Well, I've ambled my way through a five week catch-up and I'm finally up to date.So going back a bit, it was interesting how Sarah seemed to trust Shane not to cheat on Angel more than Angel herself did.And a bit weird that Cathy just disappeared as soon as we met her husband:I'm guessing Damian told her that he didn't need French lessons anymore or used Angel and Sarah bursting in as an excuse to pull out when he realised there wasn't anything else on offer?Really not been a good five weeks for Angel, from her antics in the night club (hmm, maybe you should have thought about Dylan before going underage drinking?) to her blowing Sarah's secrets.I think this might be the last time she thinks about being a writer.If so, guess it put her off.The only good thing about her recently was the fairly touching stuff with Don over Dylan's visit and the loss of Bobby's photos.And yes, her character's still all over the place:Right after she's aged up to 18 to try and make her old enough to have a three year old son, she's aged back down again to make the underage drinking storyline work.Meanwhile, Sarah has gone from freaking out at wearing a V-neck top to happily hanging around in bikinis.A sign that her time with Nathan loosened her up or inconsistent characterisation?She was a bit too bratty lecturing Roxy over Tug.Sometimes you'd think she was Tug's mother.

Yet again I'm left thinking Shane is the writers' whipping boy, he gets dismissed by everyone, especially his girlfriend and best friend, and belittled by Donald, who has no idea how to relate to someone who's not stupid but not book smart (something which will eventually cause him trouble with Sam, someone else who's hardly an intellectual) and instead gravitates towards his more academic friends.Yet his "We're both the same" speech to Tug (which I remembered near perfectly, despite these episodes being shown during a fairly nomadic summer holiday where I was missing episodes all over the place while trying to keep track of which ITV region I was in and when it was shown) is one of the perfect Home and Away summations and a restatement of the show's theme of family: That when the people you don't share DNA with let you down, the people that pick up the pieces become your family.Even if you don't like them.

Which brings us nicely on to Fin.I have zero recollection of her living at the beach house

(oh well, it only lasts about 30 episodes)

and would have sworn blind that, like Damian, she chose to carry on living with her adopted family over her biological one.(Ironic that a decade from now people will be complaining about teens living with Irene when they've got blood family in the Bay.)Didn't realise Luke spent time in the downstairs bedroom either, I'm now having to revise my mental list of who that got passed to and when.

It's incredibly frustrating that Haydn and Sally used to live together (and apparently still do), yet they've barely been in the same room, I don't think they've said a word to each other and she's still badmouthing him all over the place.(They have a bit more interaction in 1996 as I recall, although her attitude hasn't improved.)I can't decide if I dislike Haydn or not. He's a contradiction:I think there's a part of him that has genuine affection for Michael and Fin and feels guilt over what's happened, yet he's now being sucked back in and doesn't have the self-awareness to realise it.While he is attending Gamblers' Anonymous, Michael seemed to assume he'd changed a bit too easily, although he's having his doubts now.

Ah, Wilson.You know how a new character comes in and you think "Well, they're a pain now but I'll probably end up liking them"?I think he was the first time that that really didn't work.Whenever I thought "Aww, he's okay", within a few weeks he did something to make me think "Nope, he's still a twerp."(He had sorted himself out by 2000, though.)It'll be interesting to watch him with adult eyes and see if I see him as less of an arch-nemesis.

Don buying the beach house seemed slightly insane: He talks about it being an investment for Sam's future but what was the plan in the short term, carry on renting it to Luke, Irene and co?

I believe Sam doesn't so much spend the night there in 2000 as spend an afternoon there.Lying down.

[CaptainHulk]

I guess it was Bedroom Merry-Go around at the Beach House, Tug was in Sam's old room now it seems Luke was. Roxy occupied Adam's old room, and that is where Irene presumably is following Roxy's departure...  Hell, now I'm lost lol.

[beau_t]

I only ever remember Tug storming up and down the stairs to/from his bedroom. And I remember Luke and Roxy deciding around the time they moved in that Luke would have the downstairs room. No?

[Guest]

Sarah stop being a baby Angel is sorry for what she did just forgive her already.

Poor Alf not wanting Ailsa to fuss over him after he didn't want to anyone to tell her he hurt his back.

Nice way of getting out of class Jack by setting the fire alarm wonder if Fisher will blame Shane since Jack ran away so he wouldn't get caught.

Oh Sarah you really should listen to Tug.Alf you weren't dreaming you where drowning Duncan pinched your nose while you where asleep

 

[Red Ranger 1]

I guess it was Bedroom Merry-Go around at the Beach House, Tug was in Sam's old room now it seems Luke was. Roxy occupied Adam's old room, and that is where Irene presumably is following Roxy's departure...  Hell, now I'm lost lol.

I only ever remember Tug storming up and down the stairs to/from his bedroom. And I remember Luke and Roxy deciding around the time they moved in that Luke would have the downstairs room. No?

I think Luke, Roxy and Tug were all upstairs and the downstairs room was empty: Presumably Tug kept his old room and Luke and Roxy took over Bobby/Greg and Adam's old rooms.Now Irene's taken over Roxy's old room and Luke's moved downstairs so Fin can have his room.

[beau_t]

I remember Luke and Roxy discussing who would get the "big" bedroom and it was decided Roxy would have it. I guess I just assumed that meant Luke was downstairs, probably because I'd always remembered the Irene-sleepwalking incident

[Red Ranger 1]

I think there was talk of turning the downstairs bedroom into an office although they didn't seem to get round to it.Luke clearly moved from upstairs to downstairs when Fin moved in so if he was downstairs before that he must have been pinballing back and forth.

[j.laur5]

I wish Bobby had stayed on the show for at least another year as she could have had more interaction with Irene.

Same with Ailsa, I wish she had stayed another couple years as I loved Ailsa and Leah's friendship and I would have loved it to develop.

As much I love Alf  I would rather Alf had dies instead of Ailsa!.

I love having Alf and Irene in the Early Years and knowing they are still in the Bay in another 20 years.