2022 Season - UK Episode Discussion

[Slade]

Really didn't like the way Cash guilt tripped Rose into staying despite Jasmine was the one who wanted nothing to do with them.  I do think what Jasmine's dad did wasn't good at all but it wasn't Rose and Xander's fault and she seemed to take it out on them being jealous and resentful.  Although seeing her sulk face is amusing as always.

I initially thought Mackenzie was beyond stupid deciding to follow Felicity's suggestion of the poker night and I was even more surprised at Ryder's attitude.  Not only did he not condemn it but he was very eager about the whole thing.

Dean annoyed me when he had a go at Tane re Mia and Chloe although I quite enjoyed it when Bella put him in his place for criticising his concern for her and she called him out about Colby.  I was cheering however when Dean called Chloe out on how she's trying to manipulate Bella.  I thought Chloe was bordering on creepy territory initially and I'm extremely frustrated with the constant lying.

Everything about Dimitri's  demeanour and attitude suggested he wasn't really interested in reconciling with Theo.  I quite like how John has Theo's back.  They kind of put things on hold with him and Chloe after the stuff with Matthew although the sleeping together came a bit out of the blue for me.

 

[H&Alover]

Ryder was/is just a friend to Bella, she's explained that no-one has needed her like Chloe has and doesn't want to let her down, she knows what it's like. Dean can see how it is but doesn't want to push Bella away. Bella was only going by what Chloe was saying about Theo, that just because they had slept together once they should be an item but she 'told' Bella it was  a mistake as she doesn't want anyone coming between them.  Why didn't Chloe just text Theo to stop 'bothering' her instead of ignoring him.   Before that she seemed keen to go back there when her & Theo were sitting on the bench then she saw Bella and cooled it down really confusing him.  She didn't have to say it was a 'mistake' just she would rather it was a one-off. 

John didn't actually say anything to Dimitri about what he really felt about him but Dimitri got some sense  that something was off with him.   Justin is definitely picking up vibes and not good ones.  Leah is too close and pity she brought up the fact to Dimitri that Cass asked her to ask Theo why she left.   John did a clever thing there by telling Theo he ought to sign in for his Community Service sessions getting Theo out of that awkward brekkie with Leah, Justin & Dimitri - shame he dropped Theo in it as Dimitri didn't know of course - something else he could blame Leah & Justin for.  Dimitri is far too intense on getting Theo alone.  I'm guessing someone took over while John was away?  Dimitri hunted John & Theo down at Salt but John made it look like he was just talking over his CS and Theo twigged John was reminding him of signing his timesheets.  That meltdown of Dimitri of suddenly accusing Theo of bad mouthing him came out of nowhere and him trying to drag Theo out of there didn't show him in a good light. I thought Theo had told John he'd hit his dad before he left home but he only hit him harder. Rather public this time so can't be hidden behind closed doors.  It rather depends on what version Leah believes, it's family for her - she's 'known' Dimitri a lot longer than Theo but Justin can afford

Not that John didn't want to talk to Marilyn he wanted to keep Theo out of Dimitri's way.  Btw I thought Maz had only recently see Jett - didn't she know about his girlfriend? Roo is being annoying again.   She kept talking over Maz when she was saying she was thinking of 'projects' for her.  Even Irene got fed up with her, interrupting Maz's shift.  Is Roo over compensating for her worry about Martha?  If Chloe wasn't fixated on Bella being her best friend Marilyn would be someone to lean on - though she can't be totally honest with Marilyn can she?

 

 

[CaptainHulk]

Chloe's doing my head in now. Actively manipulated Bella into guard dog duty against Theo, making him look "intense" (given her own behaviour lately, I had to 

As for Dimitri, you put crap in the Universe,  it WILL come back. I'm guessing that shiner he copped in that story was either Chris or Alex booting the ball at him deliberately for being a bully (standard Bro stuff, I feel he took up a notch)

As for Ryder, living with Grumps is probably a game, you can never bet on Alf's mood!

 

[Red Ranger 1]

John was taking a risk breaking Theo's confidence with Justin and Leah, fortunately it seems to have turned out for the best.I'm glad Theo and Leah are going to see Cassandra: Realistically, you'd have expected it to be her, not Dimitri, coming to see him.And we got a reference to Chris and Alex! I did wonder about the fact that Theo came back beaten up before but the episode seemed to forget that we already got the "real" explanation: That he ran into some of the customers he stole from. I guess that could have been a second cover story but also, we're suddenly being told Theo ran away from home, when Dimitri was supposed to have kicked him out because of his scams at the car dealership.So...was all that not true? Except we saw Theo trying to steal from Justin's customers at the garage when he first worked there. It just leaves me suspecting that the idea of Theo having an abusive home life was dreamed up recently, not something that was planned from the start.

Well, one episode after Bella being fully taken in by Chloe, suddenly she gains a back bone and bites back in a very satisfying manner when Chloe tries to pull her usual victim act. And then she even stuck to her guns when Chloe came round with a cloying apology expecting to go back to normal. Throw in Leah giving her a serve for the way she treated Theo and, ironically, it's prompted her to speak to Mia at last!

Ryder was being a bit annoying bugging Mackenzie about another event, although Logan's bewildered "Did Ryder just pass you a note?" was a quality moment.So in the end Mackenzie gives in.So long as they don't take this too far...

[CaptainHulk]

10 hours ago, Red Ranger 1 said:

John was taking a risk breaking Theo's confidence with Justin and Leah, fortunately it seems to have turned out for the best.I'm glad Theo and Leah are going to see Cassandra: Realistically, you'd have expected it to be her, not Dimitri, coming to see him.And we got a reference to Chris and Alex!  

I think they wanted Salvatore Coco back badly enough. He's a reasonably high profile actor. Or couldn't cast Cassandra in time. And with Chris and Alex, who were the first siblings to appear (after Leah of course) respectively, it's only natural they would be mentioned.

[Red Ranger 1]

Mackenzie and Ryder should probably have listened to Felicity about putting on another poker night so soon, although she seemed to get it all together in the end.I was a bit confused at first as to Mackenzie handing Dean a wad of cash, but I guess it's to make up for him paying the wages the other week.So...was that an actual car repayment that the debt collector was after Mackenzie for? I assumed that was just what she told Logan but here it was treated as though it was true.I think that holiday Ziggy offloaded was the one she won in the surf carnival?

Roo's attempt to throw herself into helping Marilyn came crashing down to earth...or would have done if she hadn't completely missed the fact she was being insulted.Of course, now, with Alf and Martha on the way, she has other thing to worry about...

[H&Alover]

John had 'warned' Theo he would tell Justin & Leah the truth if he didn't, especially after the Theo punching his dad incident.  It did feel Theo wanted to but he wasn't sure how Leah or Justin would react or believe him so maybe it was better  it was heard from a third party.  Seemed slightly odd to me at least that Theo stayed in his room until John had left?

A clip round the ear may have been OK back in the day, not now of course, but the fact he'd suffered broken ribs, concussion and other injuries was NOT OK.  It seemed Dimitri  didn't touch Cassandra but it seemed she suffered in other ways. Leah can confirm the whole thing when she sees her.  How could Leah know what had been happening, how often had she seen them in the last few years, she certainly hasn't mentioned him, Cass or Theo.  They would have only let her see what they wanted her to see - like  she did only recently and didn't spot anything wrong.  Dimitri didn't even try and defend himself for his behaviour, he totally believed it was his right.  It seems Theo Snr did come down hard on Alex, Chris and Dimitri - Leah was lucky, according to him,  as she was female, only had to have an arranged marriage - which she ran away from.  

Ziggy is in on the secret of what had happened to Theo. 

Bella did a complete u-turn with Chloe, made me quite dizzy!  One day they were closer than close, telling Chloe she'd always be there for her, then  suddenly Nik turns up and she goes cold, ignored her call, amazed Chloe only rung the once.  They still don't lock doors in the bay, but at least Chloe did knock and not just walk in. Was very pushy and not getting the hint at all.  Bella did say it was 'her' home meaning the Farmhouse,  but doesn't she have half the lease of the flat over the  Diner or did she move out because of Logan moving in, so she's still ducking rent, does she pay Dean or Ziggy anything for her keep? Chloe may be a right pain but she is earning so paying rent at the Parata's or paying her way wherever she is. 

Didn't Ziggy and Dean have their Surf Carnival prize holiday away before?

Who would have thought Flick would be the bright - as in sensible- one.  She had very valid arguments for not having another gambling night so soon, putting it together so quickly, doing too many means word could get out and and also it is still illegal!  When and where did Ryder get so keen on gambling - he's getting some big ideas - though he hasn't got into it himself yet. They were supposed to be 'private' affairs, select few and people who could keep their mouths shut, roulette and Blackjack opens it up rather with maybe more reckless kind of folk taking an interest. Logan isn't daft, he knows something is going on with Mac. Ryder did think quick on his feet when Dean 'threatened' him but came up with the Function idea, baby showers, corporate events - phew!  Wasn't it the debt collector Logan paid off so he may not know who they were collecting the debt for.  Dean did accuse him if going behind Mac's back which he did but told her after so he hasn't lied to her. 

I know she was disappointed but Flick seemed OK about Tane calling off their date to go and see Mia, a different Felicity to the Felicity that first came to the bay, she's grown up, well in some ways at least. 

Roo's plan came crashing down somewhat with Marilyn not being into her idea of meditating - Marilyn has done this for some years now so knows what works for her and others. It was nothing to do with Marilyn and her seeming lost, it was all down to Roo and her getting her head around Martha and the fact she is  coming home so can't hide from her anymore. 

[Red Ranger 1]

I know the show tends to say Leah ran away from an arranged marriage these days, probably because of decades of fans saying it, but that always makes it sound like her family tried to force her to marry a stranger or something: She was engaged to a friend of her brother's that she'd known for years and it was all cleared up quite amicably once she made it clear she'd changed her mind.Most likely the "arranged" part didn't go much beyond their parents matchmaking.

Kind of ironic that after Dean goes to all that trouble to get Chloe to spend time with Mia, Mia's response is to have a go at him for upsetting her! Tane isn't appreciating his assistance either (and to be fair, Dean is now offering to help rather than chucking accusations around), but he seems to feel he's got something to prove.Felicity gave him quite good advice and her sneaking in was probably unnecessary.

I have sympathy for Jasmine: She knows intellectually that Xander and Rose haven't done anything wrong, she's just having a hard time dealing with the fact that their father chose them over her.And I feel sorry for Xander and Rose as well, who don't really know what to do for the best: They can't avoid bringing up their father and Rose saying she can't forgive him for what he did to Jasmine didn't help either.

[H&Alover]

Not traditionally an arranged marriage but it was expected by both their parents for them to marry.

I didn't get that Tane blamed Ziggy for 'throwing' Chloe out but wasn't it Bella who told her to go?   We didn't see Chloe with Mia, apart from that very quick scene.  Oddly though it was Ziggy who alerted him when Mia had her meltdown in the gym.   It doesn't seem Chloe coming home has helped Mia much as it appears her sleep walking has remerged though luckily as Tane was awake -  so caught her before she went too far.   Felicity was a great help and her empathising with how it was for her with her breakdown and the affect it had on Cash  hopefully got through to Tane how he had to look after himself not just Mia.  

Dean seems to be still fixated on this holiday they aren't having but Ziggy seems to have placated him. 

Maybe it was a good decision that the meal was at the beach house so at least Jas could hide in her room.   I  feel for them all as well  - Cash was trying to  be the neutral one there.  A few awkward silences but not too bad until Rose mentioned her Police passing out parade with their dad being there.  It had gone well Cash saying how cold it had been for him and Rose's was in a heat wave and Jas and her had admitted they liked the heat but not too much.  I agree Jas on one level doesn't blame Xander or Rose, she knows it's not their fault they were in his life and she wasn't. It's awkward for them as they must have talked before not to mention him if they can help it.  One of those do you say something or not moments for Rose by her saying she couldn't forgive him for leaving Jasmine.  It doesn't help Jas that Xander looks just like him so a constant reminder and the fact Rose enjoyed the time she should have had with him and - she's not being unkind - but Rose wasn't his which must hurt more. 

 

[Red Ranger 1]

I don't know if we were meant to sympathise with Mia when she was blowing up at Tane and Nikau and insisting she was coping, but it just reminded me what an unpleasant person she is a lot of the time.Her saying she came to town for Ari seemed like rewriting history given she wanted nothing to do with him when she turned up: Fortunately, she seemed to remember that in a later scene and correct it to coming to town for Chloe.While I'm still annoyed that she's seemingly got away with covering up the truth about Matthew's death, I won't be sorry to see the back of her if she goes.

Still, at least she had a useful chat with Jasmine before she went.Cash's idea of going for a walk seems to have been an inspired one, with Jasmine and Xander finally bonding.It seems Xander and Rose keep flip flopping on who wants what: At first Xander was the one keen to meet Jasmine and Rose had just been dragged along for the ride, then Xander thought they should leave to show upsetting her and Rose insisted they shouldn't abandon her, and now Rose has abruptly decided it's not working just as Xander is getting optimistic and Jasmine finally seems in the right head space to give it a proper go!

Roo goes through all that upheaval preparing for Alf and Martha to come back and they're a no show!