2018 Season - UK Episode Discussion

[H&Alover]

2 hours ago, Slade said:

 

Whilst I didn't agree with the way she spoke to Jasmine one of the main highlights for me was Tori's reaction and facial expressions when Robbo's second lawyer showed up.  They were hilarious and reminded me of how funny she can be (e.g. when she put her foot in it with Scarlett and Justin).  I actually really like his cynicism and dry sense of humour.  Wasn't sure about him taking on Robbo's case.  A legal aid lawyer pushing fifty trying to now make a name for himself.

 

 

I don't actually think Kurt is doing it pro bono, I'm sure I heard him say something about Robbo being able to afford him.  He did say he'd just got a high profile criminal off a murder charge. If you know you are not insane would you really be wiling to spend time in a secure unit?

[Red Ranger 1]

I noticed that Dan Bennett was called upon to script the first full episode with Martha back today, which seems like something of a poisoned chalice, although it just about suceeded by again focusing on the emotions of those involved rather than the details that are guaranteed to have audience members going "But..." This does however mean that they explain this fairly seismic shift in the show's back story by...not explaining it at all, although hopefully Martha will deliver at least some of the answers in due time.Roo did seem a bit too calm at times, although you got the feeling she was trying desperately not to rock the boat, while Alf, on being faced with a scenario he's been imagining for 30 years, believably can't handle it and gets the heck out of there.Martha didn't really come across well, bailing as soon as things got difficult.I had to smile at her confusion about Alf having other children being dismissed with a quick "Dad doesn't want to talk about that" rather than addressing one of the show's past nonsensical retcons: The answer's pretty much "Three actually, and we're not entirely sure of the order."

Really, what does Robbo want? I mean, the show's being a bit vague as to what "fighting the charges" means, and certainly Kurt seems willing to get him off on the things he actually did do, which is another morally murky deal that we're presumably meant to accept because Robbo's a regular.It does seem faintly ridiculous that everyone's suddenly being nice to him, although he's probably got a point that they've only accepted him because they think it's not for long.The fact that the escape was Kat's idea probably counts as mitigation, but hardly makes him not guilty since he was an active and willing participant in the crime.For someone who supposedly wants to get off, he's doing an awfully good job of sabotaging his own defence, rejecting any plan that anyone comes up with.That said, putting Ash on the stand seems almost self-defeating:He's sure to look for any opportunity to help the prosecution and he won't even need to lie to do.(For instance, running off and hiding in the cottage was Robbo's plan originally and Kat just put it into effect.)I think there's a subtle difference between pro bono and legal aid, which probably amounts to at least some of Kurt's fee being paid by the tax payer.The scenes between Ash and Tori were intriguing:There probably is some lingering feelings there but I suspect we're way past the point where they could actually make a go of it.

[atrus]

I'll start with Martha, and it's difficult to disagree with Alf's assessment.

ALF: Flamin' ridiculous!

I'm not sure I've ever known such a blatant exercise in procrastination as this one. Roo seemed to be content to ask Martha every question under the sun - did she want milk, did she have lots of friends in Merimbula - other than the important one, which was asked apologetically a minute before the end of the episode, and which of course caused Martha to rush off to the motel looking affronted, complaining that she's 'tired'. That's after she'd already threatened to leave twice when people were acting vaguely surprised/annoyed to see her having rocked up unannounced after 30 years (or however many it is today). You were left wishing someone would have barred the door and told her to suck it up and explain herself. I can't believe Roo wouldn't have asked the big 'why' the moment she walked in, and I'm struggling to believe that Alf wouldn't have stuck around for answers too.  

Personally I feel that of the three defence strategies we've heard so far - pleading insanity, throwing Kat under the bus, or forcing Ash to testify - then throwing Kat under the bus is obviously the most sensible choice, and it bores me that Robbo doesn't agree. Not only is Kat dead; it was her idea, and she was corrupt; and it strikes me that Robbo is far less to blame for going along with the escape plan when he had nothing to lose, than Kat is for encouraging him when she had everything to lose. Trying to get Ash to testify will be like pulling hens' teeth, and also risks him either launching a deliberate sabotage, or headbutting the judge and jury if they make a decision he doesn't like.

[CaptainHulk]

No offence but Martha Sr. looks like she DID drown in 1985 and they brought her back to life!

(Ms Giblin has not aged very well, TBCH)

As I said before, I feel this storyline kind of Undermining/Insulting Intelligence. Why now?

I understand no funeral was shown in the 1985 flashbacks but Alf and Roo were clearly dressed formally and visibly sad.

I've swallowed the returns of Harold Bishop, Den Watts and Kathy Beale but...

[H&Alover]

I'm putting Roo's not asking Martha that question right away down to shock.  Alf, as is his wont, stormed off, leaving Roo to be 'introduced' to Martha by Ryder  who Martha did think was Roo's son and when told he was her nephew, Alf having returned by then, was 'asked' "Oh you remarried then"  stormed off again. Hate having to use that old cliché 'it's complicated' but this time it really is.  Martha has a lot of catching up to do. There's not only another (late) nephew - Owen - there's a great nephew (Ric) and who knows by now a great great nephew/niece and half brother Duncan.  Both Quinn and Owen were born before he married Martha so no cheating involved. But the biggy for Martha will be  hearing about her actual granddaughter and her name. Plus of course Colleen being Alf's half sister!!!  I guess it could be  case of you don't ask because you are scared of what you might hear which is more or less what Roo admitted to Marilyn and although he didn't say so is what Alf was thinking when talking to John and Marilyn about it. Ryder did a great job of sloping off leaving the 'grown ups' to it. Maz will be accused by some of sticking her oar but I think she was 'sent' by Alf to see how things were going and Roo did seem relieved to see her. If Martha is to be believed we, Roo and Alf will find out tonight why she left. Yes Belinda hasn't aged well but conversely you could say at least she hasn't gone down the botox, surgery route and is not looking like she was frozen in time so all credit to her.  Spotted an error in her  photo gallery they popped in an image of Rita Tushingham!

I would rather think that Robbo is being a honourable man by not being willing to throw Kat under a bus and get himself a get out of jail  sooner card, he knows what is at stake and it would be so easy to muddy her name, yes I know some would argue it was muddied anyway, but he's thinking of her family and the fact she isn't here to defend herself. Ironically probably the only thing he and Ash would agree on. Another complex, I resisted the urge to use complicated, involvement, Kat was Ash's ex and carrying his child but was with Robbo.  Kurt has dug up Kat's other 'crimes' but would those be admissible in court when it was her actions on the night in question being the main point of the whole argument in getting Robo off?   It will all be down what was actually said between Ash, Kat and Robbo it could have been anything. As to whether Robo is Beckett Reid Kurt rightly pointed out the police had nothing on him, the crimes he was supposed to have committed were only alleged to have been by him, they didn't even have a photograph of him until that passport was found 'saying' it was him which may have been a  plant by persons unknown. It didn't help matters when Tori told Kurt Ash was her ex  so no wonder she felt she couldn't ask him to be a witness for Robbo's defence. He's not going to have a choice anyway but he could say anything when he goes into the witness box. At least Robbo is under no delusion why the townsfolk, well Marilyn anyway, is feeling less hostile towards him, they think he'll only be around until he's sent down.

They did seem to be rather awkward scenes between Ash and Tori at the hospital he's obviously under the impression things will go back to the way they were after his admission of love, but I got the feeling she's not feeling the same way though she still cares about him.

 

[atrus]

Better stuff today between Martha and Roo - although I couldn't help thinking these were the answers we should have had about Martha yesterday, and that today we ought to have found out how she'd managed to go on to live a normal life having faked her own death, apparently under the same name. But no, still no curiosity about that on anyone's part. 

Good that Roo managed to get her feelings out there, though, and to disabuse Martha of the notion that she'd somehow done her daughter a favour by letting her believe she was dead. However legitimate Martha's mental health problems and reasons for the vanishing act, she needed to hear that I think, and Roo certainly needed to express it. Don't particularly blame Alf for 'not wanting a bar of it', although perhaps he'll soften when he finds out about the personality disorder. (Or perhaps he won't...)

Elsewhere, Ava hasn't been eaten by a shark yet, but she did almost fillet herself, so that's a good solid start for her latest visit to the Bay. To be fair to Willow, there was discussion of snacks, but none of cooking - so it seemed a bit odd that Ava went straight for the knives. (No crisps or biscuits in the cupboard?) I guess you don't know what kids are going to do next when left alone, though, and that's the point. Nonetheless Justin probably overreacted in effectively throwing Willow out, but I can understand why he's so overprotective after what happened last time.

So Tori did the right thing by deciding not to pressure Ash into testifying - only for Kurt to subpoena him anyway and Ash to promptly leap down her throat. You'd think she'd get a bit of a free pass having just saved his life, but nope - a petulant man-tantrum ensues as usual.

[Red Ranger 1]

I forgot to mention yesterday when Martha said she knew her way around the caravan park that if we believe that shot of the explosion from a couple of years back then it's about two miles away from where she left it. But maybe they've decided to forget that bit of silliness.Anyway, the acting continues to be good, the emotions continue to be as real as possible in the circumstances and I actually think Ms Giblin has aged quite gracefully...but I'm still tempted to call bullsh** at what seems to be a bog-standard "long-lost relative turns up" scenario, with everyone acting as though Martha just left apart from a couple of cursory lines of dialogue. If she had just left, that might be acceptable, but instead she let everyone think she was dead and there's no attempt to explain how or why she did that.Is it coming?Let's hope so.That aside, while her explanation almost-sort-of makes sense, it was nice to see Roo refused to let her off that easily (and is maybe thinking of the hard time she gave Alf and Ailsa for the sake of a mother who wasn't the person she thought she was). A shame that Alf missed that and instead saw the conciliatory hug, which seemed to be a bit of a punch in the guts for him.

I continue to have sympathy for Ash: He's struggling against his instincts to do the right thing and move on and let the courts deal with Robbo even though they're doing a pretty bad job of it so far while probably still grieving, and now he gets dragged back into it and is left feeling that Tori's been playing him all along.At least Justin's managed to remain apart from it and stay a supportive friend.Tori would probably have been better off steering clear, since her turning up made things worse if anything, and again her actions seem to be motivated by her thinking the worst of Ash and acting like he's going to beat up the process server or something. I think it did help that it was Murray, who Ash sort-of likes, dealing with it (and probably hating it as much as Ash did): I don't know if he volunteered or was assigned it, but it was a good move.

I guess Justin's got memories of Ava running off and being run over but he did overreact in ordering Willow out of the house.I'm not quite sure how old Ava's meant to be, but thinking about it, given that she was born two years before the Morgans went into witness protection, and they've been out a while now...she must be about 11 or 12, which is WAY old enough to be left on her own for a bit.Maybe not for long, maybe not in a house on her own, maybe not in a room with sharp objects, and on balance Willow probably should have insisted she come outside with her and wait to eat, but she seemed to be handling that knife with quite a bit of familiarity and her reaction to Justin was pretty much "What are you doing, you crazy person?" So yeah, the more I think about it, the more ridiculous Justin's behaviour seems.

[D.B]

On 07/05/2018 at 18:03, Red Ranger 1 said:

Really, what does Robbo want? I mean, the show's being a bit vague as to what "fighting the charges" means, and certainly Kurt seems willing to get him off on the things he actually did do, which is another morally murky deal that we're presumably meant to accept because Robbo's a regular.It does seem faintly ridiculous that everyone's suddenly being nice to him, although he's probably got a point that they've only accepted him because they think it's not for long.The fact that the escape was Kat's idea probably counts as mitigation, but hardly makes him not guilty since he was an active and willing participant in the crime.For someone who supposedly wants to get off, he's doing an awfully good job of sabotaging his own defence, rejecting any plan that anyone comes up with.That said, putting Ash on the stand seems almost self-defeating:He's sure to look for any opportunity to help the prosecution and he won't even need to lie to do.(For instance, running off and hiding in the cottage was Robbo's plan originally and Kat just put it into effect.)I think there's a subtle difference between pro bono and legal aid, which probably amounts to at least some of Kurt's fee being paid by the tax payer.The scenes between Ash and Tori were intriguing:There probably is some lingering feelings there but I suspect we're way past the point where they could actually make a go of it.

Well, in fairness, you can't deny that Robbo is still trying to do what's best for Kat,  even though it was her own idea,and also Robbo admitted himself that he was an "acting participant",so let's give him some credit, he does show responsibility for his actions.

[CaptainHulk]

Is it wrong to like Kurt? I hope he has a recurrent in and out spot like Celebrant Claire or Prter Flett's Priest/Reverend guy!

[630si]

Ok so due to being away I’ve just done a 2 week binge. 

 

Why oh why did that car not just finish Ash off for us? Good to see his lack of one kidney Hasn’t been forgotten mind. Will he need dialysis permanently now? I was unsure by Toris explanation. 

Speaking of Tori, she still continues to split herself in 2 between Robbo and Ash. It’s tiresome to watch. She has been pretty much impossible for this whole storyline and not only has she got away with harbouring a wanted criminal in her garage, Ash seems to be coming round to liking her again. I swear if they get back on again I’m done with her. I know many here have been done with Tori long before now but I have been imploring her to wake up and smell the coffee. It seems I’ve been a fool....

The new lawyer is just the best. I love him. He’s so funny and unlikely that it works. And I agreed with his idea to make Kay out to be in the wrong. She was an awful cop. Always giving stuff away and not doing things or seeing things right under her nose. I can understand why Robbo didn’t want to do this however.

Completely disinterested in Dean/Colby history other than the fact that we still know little about Colby and his Rover boy past. How did he get in the police? Why? Etc etc. I was hoping we would find out a little quicker than this but I want to know enough to keep me interested in watching the storyline. I do think it’s only a matter of time until Dean and Willow relight the old flame...

I do wish Maggie would stop for a minute and just have cancer. You know what I mean?! She’s being a bit frustrating with the whole carry on a fb get dizzy routine. I have a new found love for Ben though since she was diagnosed. He seems to be stepping up. He doesn’t get it right all the time but his intentions are good and I’ve warmed to him. He does need to swallow his pride though and go get a job. 

Now, Martha, this episode was a very good episode I felt. It was a little odd havingthe stewarts in numbers at SBH, it felt good. I agree with previous comments about Roos reaction being quite subdued but I feel all the questions we have about this whole thing will be answered slowly. Could you imagine if Alf forgave her and could reconcile? The pie of them running the caravan park with Roo and Ryder. We just need Duncan back eh? I’m really interested in where this is going so far I think they’re pulling it off.