1995 Episode Discussion

[beau_t]

On 19/01/2017 at 1:31 AM, Red Ranger 1 said:

The Elizabeth storyline was well-acted but thinking about it, it seemed a bit of a cop-out.We get a lot of challenging scenes of her asking Kelly to help her die, Selina struggling to understand her mindset (with Shannon curiously being more understanding again), Elizabeth making a failed suicide plan...and then, instead of it being dragged out six months as indicated, she just dies.Are we meant to assume it was because she lost the will to live?Emotional but doesn't really address the issues involved.

I agree. I mean I never really expect H&A to address things like this fully. It's annoying and patronizing but that's how they do it, they bring up an issue for a few weeks (usually with a guest character)  and then wrap it up and pat themselves on the back for "dealing" with whatever issue it was. But in this case it wasn't only a cop-out but it was messy. Why did Elizabeth suddenly die? If she was THAT far along with only a few days to live, the whole thing should have been a non-issue. Nobody was acting like that the case, yet at the same time Kelly didn't seem remotely surprised. She walked into the room and somehow knew Elizabeth wasn't going to wake up (she wasn't actually dead at this point) just by looking at her. A woman with supposedly 6 months or whatever to live. Nonsensical writing, but nonetheless an emotional scene.

On the other hand, the Rosses v Stewarts thing, this time round I can see both sides.Ultimately, they're all trying to do what's right for their family.Michael's response is a bit over the top, but Alf's being naïve to think it won't have any effect on the caravan park at all and the points Michael has made are quite valid.

I agree, Michael's points are valid and Alf is just brushing them under the carpet. However Alf also made a valid point which fell on deaf ears - Michael and Pippa don't have any right to a monopoly. Tourists in Summer Bay are fair game, and it's not for The Rosses to decide they can't/shouldn't have any competition. Pippa said it's unfair that it's happening now because they have the best figures they've ever said. So... surely that means for the past 8 years they have managed fine with less guests. They were even booked solid a few months ago when Ailsa wanted a van for Mary. I do have sympathy for them but I'm not totally on their side like I was when watching this first time round.

It was also nice to hear The Sands resort get a mention, and the fact that the residents now seem happy with its presence and acknowledge it as being a good thing for the town.

We actually did get some very brief Sally/Dodge interaction although you wouldn't think they knew each other.

I don't remember seeing this. But that's disappointing. Almost more-so than no interaction at all. She was a huge part of Dodge's original story and she was obviously still troubled by it in later years as she mentioned it to Sophie when she was going through a similar thing with Tracy. Maybe if Kate Ritchie wasn't so obviously not around at the moment, they'd have written something in. I wrote before about how I don't like how everyone has shown no solidarity with Stevo against Dodge and given their 1989 story I would have expected at least Sally to.

And Part 1 of Shannon's fluid sexuality.The first thought is that it's a lot more daring than the current show (the near kiss between Mandy and Toni was a surprise) but it's far from perfect even if this is 1995. There's a touch of Being Abused Makes You Gay about Shannon's confusion, which now seems to be explicit, and Mandy flirting heavily with Shannon while apparently in a relationship with Toni seems to be leaning towards Gays Are Promiscuous. I've heard it said that their closeness at this point was retconned later on but nope, it's all there (even if Shannon's "Would there be a problem if we were?" is a lot more light-hearted than fan lore suggests).Pippa tries to strike a balance between open-minded and protective, while Selina seems to have a huge problem with it which isn't going to change any time soon...

This is one of my favourite storylines right now just because of how sensitively it's being written. I wrote before about how I think the way they are being kind of vague about the whole thing actually helps it in being character focused and not at all sensationalist. (When I say vague I mean in terms of dialogue. All the longing looks and touching are certainly making up for that). Selina's reaction surprised me, but I guess it's par for the course during gay storylines on TV in the 90s that when you have a gay character, there has to be people who object/are disgusted/don't understand it. I was about to say thank goodness we've moved on from that and gay characters can be in soaps without it being focused on as a big deal, but actually I doubt Home and Away - which is embarrassingly late to the party of having full time and openly gay characters - would be able to resist taking that approach. I still cringe at Alf's ridiculous reaction to Cassie's HIV in 2008. But I digress - back to Selina. Her reaction surprised me somewhat because when she was in hospital and Shannon was the one talking to Selina about Mandy, Selina seemed to be the one who suggested there was something more going on and didn't seem remotely phased by the idea.

[Red Ranger 1]

11 hours ago, beau_t said:

I agree, Michael's points are valid and Alf is just brushing them under the carpet. However Alf also made a valid point which fell on deaf ears - Michael and Pippa don't have any right to a monopoly. Tourists in Summer Bay are fair game, and it's not for The Rosses to decide they can't/shouldn't have any competition. Pippa said it's unfair that it's happening now because they have the best figures they've ever said. So... surely that means for the past 8 years they have managed fine with less guests. They were even booked solid a few months ago when Ailsa wanted a van for Mary. I do have sympathy for them but I'm not totally on their side like I was when watching this first time round.

Yeah, I'm the same.I think this is going to affect the Rosses, however much Alf might think otherwise, but probably not enough to put them out of business and, sad as it is to say, these things do happen.I have noticed as well that the storyline is being told pretty much entirely from the Rosses' point of view.All the scenes are either them on their own or them with the Stewarts.Apart from half a scene right at the start, there've been no scenes of Alf and Ailsa on their own discussing it.

11 hours ago, beau_t said:

I don't remember seeing this. But that's disappointing. Almost more-so than no interaction at all. She was a huge part of Dodge's original story and she was obviously still troubled by it in later years as she mentioned it to Sophie when she was going through a similar thing with Tracy. Maybe if Kate Ritchie wasn't so obviously not around at the moment, they'd have written something in. I wrote before about how I don't like how everyone has shown no solidarity with Stevo against Dodge and given their 1989 story I would have expected at least Sally to.

It was in 1787.They bump into each other on the porch, Dodge asks if Jack's in, Sally says he's having breakfast and that's it. There isn't even any hostility in it, in fact Sally seems to look at him slightly puzzled as if thinking "Who are you?" Maybe that was Kate Ritchie's way of handling it: No-one's told Sally that Dodge is back and she hasn't recognised him?!

I agree that some characters' lack of reaction is odd.Ailsa has one scene warning Irene about Dodge then forgets about it.Irene incredibly dismisses Pippa's valid warning as "wounded pride" and even more incredibly Pippa seems to end up agreeing with her or at least decide if they ignore him he'll go away.Possibly most bizarre was when Dodge accompanied Jack to the school, when last time he was there he tried to rob the place, and Don looks at him in a suspicious-but-not-that-suspicious sort of way but doesn't say anything.(Made even more absurd by the fact that he promptly does rob the place!)

Incidentally, aside from the blatant continuity error of Alf claiming he was at Duncan's birth (no-one bothered to check?), something else I noticed in 1989 because I knew this was coming up:Pippa says she didn't learn Dodge's real name until his trial, but the police rang her up after his arrest and told her who he was.

11 hours ago, beau_t said:

Selina's reaction surprised me, but I guess it's par for the course during gay storylines on TV in the 90s that when you have a gay character, there has to be people who object/are disgusted/don't understand it. I was about to say thank goodness we've moved on from that and gay characters can be in soaps without it being focused on as a big deal, but actually I doubt Home and Away - which is embarrassingly late to the party of having full time and openly gay characters - would be able to resist taking that approach. I still cringe at Alf's ridiculous reaction to Cassie's HIV in 2008. But I digress - back to Selina. Her reaction surprised me somewhat because when she was in hospital and Shannon was the one talking to Selina about Mandy, Selina seemed to be the one who suggested there was something more going on and didn't seem remotely phased by the idea.

I actually thought Alf's reaction in 2008 was handled very well: It would have been even more ridiculous if he'd been instantly fine with it (and indeed, I found the fact that everyone else was instantly fine with it ridiculous).Alf's response was perfectly in character:He cared about Cassie and didn't want to hurt her but it was too far outside his field of experience for him to take it in his stride, so he removed himself from the situation to have a think about it and get himself together, then supported her.I think Selina's discomfort was set up very well.As I recall, during the hospital scene, she acknowledges that Shannon and Mandy have become close but tries to steer Shannon away from viewing it as romantic, trying to convince both Shannon and herself that it's just a mentor/student thing.

[beau_t]

18 minutes ago, Red Ranger 1 said:

I think Selina's discomfort was set up very well.As I recall, during the hospital scene, she acknowledges that Shannon and Mandy have become close but tries to steer Shannon away from viewing it as romantic, trying to convince both Shannon and herself that it's just a mentor/student thing.

Ah ok, I obviously interpreted the scene wrongly but I'm happy to stand corrected as this flows better into the scene of Selina seeing them hugging on the boat.

[Skylover]

I'm pretty sure Red Ranger has seen upto where I am, and I haven't noticed Selina having a problem with Mandy/Shannon. ETA: I have to say I'm not particularly observant at times though.

[Chair]

I've got to about 1780. I know Dodge is a nasty character but I really can't see anything to like about him. He's a two dimensional character.

 

When do he and Steven go over a cliff please?

[notlookingback]

I thought Mandy leaving was done really well. I could really feel Shannons sadness. Part of me was hoping they'd kiss. Does anyone know what the song was that played during Mandys leaving scene?

 

 

[Jeremai]

9 hours ago, chair said:

 

  Hide contents

When do he and Steven go over a cliff please?

1806, so three weeks' time.

[beau_t]

I watched Mandy's leaving episode on youtube a while ago (I think it's been deleted now) and it was completely butchered by ITV. They made it look like Shannon rushed home but was too late, and arrived to find Mandy's caravan empty. In fact what happened was she said goodbye to Mandy, who gave her a tender kiss (on the cheek, but still meaningful) and then went into Mandy's van to find her letter. I'm still a little confused on where Mandy's feelings for Shannon lie. I'm guessing she feels some kind of attraction to Shannon but at the same time realises she's too young and confused for anything serious and that's partly why she's bailing.

Damien's back!! I had completely forgotten about this particular stint. I love how every time he comes back he has a different vocation, it's like a running joke. But it turned serious when he revealed his real reason for returning. The way he was planning to use Marilyn (and abuse her naive trust) was pretty low, but it ties in with how he's feeling. I much prefer Damien in these 1995 stints than I ever did when he was a main character.

Pippa's job at the school seemed to happen out of nowhere and despite telling Jack she wouldn't use her position to pull strings, she seems to be sticking her nose in everywhere on her first day! (The look of Jessica Fletcher-type suspicion on her face when Donald asked for the year 11 grades was ridiculous - on her first day why would she assume there was anything unusual about such a request. For all she would know Donald checks them on a weekly basis).

[Chair]

I keep meaning to post that Pippa and Michael managed to run the Caravan Park when Michael was working at the boatshed. When he sells the boatshed and has more time on his hands he now needs a handyman as well!

[akiralx]

I reckon Pippa and M should open a little kiosk selling milk, juice, bread etc for the caravan park residents, and take some of Alf's trade - or maybe they do...