2024 Season - UK Episode Discussion

[Slade]

Thursday

I have to admit, I did raise an eyebrow when Leah gave Theo a speech about being a great guy and wanting to help someone.  I guess Valerie being easy on the eye helped.  It's not a straightforward scenario and I don't think it's as simple as Theo made out.  Leah is recovering from her own issues and I'm not sure someone like that should effectively be a live-in sponsor.  Theo is also looking at this purely from a romantic perspective and as Justin alluded to he's ignored how bad of an influence Valerie has been on him, to the point where he now needs help himself.  Although he seems to have accepted this, going with Remi to speak to Bree.  It's also worth noting, which Theo didn't factor in is that Valerie was receiving treatment before she met Leah so no reason she can just go back to that.  Well at least she did the right thing and fessed up.  Whilst I'm kind of glad she's gone, I don't dislike her as such and hope she gets the help she needs.

Xander annoyed me when he opened his big mouth and told Dana about Rose deciding whether charges would be pressed against Mali and Harper.  I absolutely hated how she pestered Rose earlier in the episode (Roo was annoying as well) and then when she went to Rose's place afterwards to put even more pressure on her (Surely she could have gotten into trouble for that).  And it's reached the point where I really dislike her.  I also wanted Rose to press charges against Mali and Harper because of this and agree Rose is in an impossible position.  Putting my own bias aside, purely from the perspective of a police officer, I couldn't think of a reason not to press charges against either of them, particularly Harper, given how recently she was let off doing this before.  Essentially, I thought Rose had to chose between her boyfriend/friends or her career although I don't think she really is friends with Tane and is certainly doesn't really seem it with many of the locals but if she did press charges, other people could make life difficult for her as a police officer.

Bree does actually seem like a true friend to Rose.  I quite like their scenes.  I liked Bree's reaction when Remi called her and her "Hey you" when she saw him with Theo later on that day.

Friday

Roo, really is a fickle one.  She was firmly Team Tane before to the point where she even had a go at Rose at the police station and because she's met Poppy's mum, she now gives Tane a piece of her mind and calls Mali out for helping him.  I don't disagree with her, don't get me wrong and think she is right, but I question the lack of consistency given that she's portrayed as reasonably wise didn't see this from the start.

Dana continues to be annoying.  I thought Mali did well to remain calm when she was pestering him to get Rose to not press charges (I would have told her to p**s off) and even the manner in which she conducted herself throughout that episode was infuriating.  I can't believe no disciplinary action is going to be take against her despite the fact Tane is being charged and you would have to call into question the validity of an establishment like that.  Absolute joke.  Her apology do Xander just reminded me of one of the reasons why I dislike her.  She came across as very disingenuous and was only telling Xander what he wanted to hear.  As I said before, I just see her a insincere and selfish.

I have to admit, I was suspicious of Irene initially when she brought Rose the coffee and spoke to her but she genuinely seemed to be concerned about Rose and be there as a friend.  I accept Rose did try and be impartial but I'm not happy that she caved, as it feels as though Dana's poor behaviour has been rewarded.  There's also the issue that it's a green light to put pressure on her in the future.  Let's hope there are no repercussions because there is still a concern for me that Mail is Rose's boyfriend and Harper did the same thing previously.

Tane has come across a lot better in the last couple of episodes I've seen him in.  Even agreeing to talk to Rose.  I agree that he's been portrayed and people in the bay are very sympathetically despite him blatantly being in the wrong.  And he knows it!

[Red Ranger 1]

To be fair to Roo, she showed a great deal of concern for the mother when Poppy was first found and wanted her to be found, and did make an attempt to talk Tane out of his dismissive attitude towards her (although she also seemed to be biting her tongue a bit around him).So I think that even if she hadn't met Sonia, she'd still see reuniting her with Poppy as the right outcome and be angry that Tane stood in the way of that.That said, her encouraging him to believe that he was destined to look after her long-term really didn't help.

[CaptainHulk]

10 hours ago, Slade said:

Thursday

I have to admit, I did raise an eyebrow when Leah gave Theo a speech about being a great guy and wanting to help someone.  I guess Valerie being easy on the eye helped. 

And we got a morning out-of-bed undies scene and the obligatory bikini scene from her.

I would actually like her to return completing her 12 steps if she can stick it out. Hmm... *starts scribbling fanfic dialogue*

"You get *one* chance and you mess up you can take another  12 steps outta here!"

[H&Alover]

Everyone was telling Rose what she should do regards Mali and if she should or shouldn't report him but then as said if you live with the locals  that is  what  any cop would get them sticking their noses in.  Yes, yes that is exactly what Irene did but she did it objectively.  Putting it to Rose that if Mali wasn't her boyfriend and by extension Harper a friend and just two people she hadn't come across before what would she do?  Then  as an afterthought maybe she went and spoke to Tane to get his version of events which somehow got overlooked before.   There was no collusion, no-one knew where he was despite many texts/calls to him until he saw himself on TV then he rang Mali to bring his passport, which he didn't, just Harper and as he said to Rose they talked him down/round, it all happened on that one day. How was Tane going to get Poppy out of the country? If  needed he can write a statement to that effect and Rose could submit it with her report as to why she's not going to be charging Mali or Harper with anything.  Callan can like it or lump it, he should have done his job properly in the first place, he's the Sarge!  I know it sounds  like a cop out - sorry - but Rose was following orders and she was already on rocky ground. If it was the other way round and Mali the cop and Rose the 'guilty' party would we be having the same argument?

I have been here before but Tane's heart was overruling his head so was reacting not acting the way some think he should have been.  Poppy is a little darling. 

Roo did do a real head spinning u-turn, even Alf looked dumbstruck.  She was fully behind Tane getting emergency foster care and was willing to jump in there to get it herself to help him keep Poppy in the bay. Now he's the bad guy in her eyes.   Was it him snatching her that turned her against him? Was it the fact that the emergency foster carer wasn't local so Maia/Poppy wouldn't be staying do it?

I can see why Dana was so upset, she is looking after Harper despite their earlier falling out - they are still sisters -who didn't do anything wrong - just tagged along with Mali to try and talk Tane round/down which as said before worked.  There was no plan just played it by ear.  Did she really say she had had no comeback on what she did or was she playing it down and has been suspended?   Xander should have kept his mouth shut about Rose investigating but then it wouldn't be soapland if everybody did what they should.    But as we saw, partly maybe to shut her up, he kissed her! Although we got the "We shouldn't have done that" response, it didn't stop her kissing him!

A lot of pros and cons with the Leah/Justin/Theo/Valerie debate.   Leah isn't in the best of places yet to make an objective decision and of course it involves family which would screw with things anyway.  Theo is an adult so Leah/Justin can't  stop him  from seeing Valerie, the police could I guess and Valerie herself can refuse to see him which may be better for him hearing it from the horses' mouth as it were.   Leah did go through the 'just let me have one' thing with Justin when he had his drug habit so had been there.  If that person who has the problem is living with you how do you stop them walking out and getting some and who knows how dodgy they could be, Justin fell into that trap.   At least in a clinic/hospital they can be monitored. 

Alf did compliment John for doing a good job though he quickly shut him down  by  telling him not to make such  a big thing about it. Justin and Leah do have bigger things to worry about than answer another call from John. 

[CaptainHulk]

Snoresville today. 

Bon Voyage, Stevie!

[Red Ranger 1]

I dunno, I actually rather enjoyed today's episode.Dana is an acquired taste, and there are times when I really find her frustrating, but I found her entertaining today while simultaneously rolling my eyes at her insistence on making a mountain out of a molehill and refusing to just talk to Xander.I rather enjoyed Irene and Harper's frustration with her, and especially that John was allowed to join in and actually gave decent advice, not that she listened.Irene says you can't just barge into people's homes without notice, even though it seems to be the done thing most of the time. (And sure enough, Dana does exactly that not long afterwards!)

It was nice to see Cash trying desperately to be supportive to Eden, even with Hurricane Stevie paying another visit.It's kind of nice that she can be out and about with the public again.I was surprised at how disapproving Felicity was of her given they seemed to be kindred spirits until now.

I appreciated Felicity's tenacity with Tane: Her sitting there waiting for him made me smile.That was about the only good thing though, as Tane's stupid enough to say he doesn't regret doing it.Just how stupid is he? Was playing daddy for a few days really worth jail?

[H&Alover]

We did need a bit of light heartedness and Dana was getting herself in a right knot so overthinking it. A lot of Summer Bay folk can be frustrating at times.   Both her and Xander were just as bad as each other, he was all over the place pouring vodka in a Virgin Mary.   Not long ago Xander told her he didn't see her in a romantic light so doesn't want to make another mistake, not that he's anything like her last boyfriend.  We did find out he has a little mechanical robot on his bedside table.   Her begging Harper to find out what he was thinking  and if he had found her phone and Harper telling her NO!   She wasn't exactly quiet when quizzing Irene so not  a surprise John overheard and  we did get the male point of view from him.  It appeared she did wangle the key from Irene to be able to get in, loved the "I'm not  a burglar, just looking for my phone".   Of course Xander appears and do we need three guesses what happens next? 

It has been good Cash has been there for Eden, although I did enjoy him saying talking about ykw was out of bounds when he took her out to lunch. There is nothing either of them can do about that situation  until he tells Imogen - more of which later.  Stevie is certainly making the most of her new found or rather re-found freedom.  Cash appears to be the only one to tell Stevie what to do and say no to her   which I think she respects.  It was  a good offer but he needs/wants to be there for  Eden but she was OK with for him to go for it and so was his choice to turn it down.    We found out a bit more about the 'fan' who had a lot of crazy stuff in his flat - guns for one. 

Tane, it seems, is ready to put his hands up and accept his fate, though not regretting what he did would mean a longer prison term.   Shows I guess how much Maia/Poppy meant to him.  If Sonia hadn't come forward and Poppy had been fostered away from the bay would he have found some other way to escape?   Harper and Mali he could shrug off  but  Felicity, he should have known, wouldn't give up him he had been with her for  while and is married to her.  I'm wondering if part of her still blames herself for him getting so attached to Maia/Poppy that he snatched her because of her refusing to have children with him?

Back to ykw - Levi in case you are wondering.   Eden fretting about whether Levi will tell Imogen about him and Mac - give him  a chance - he was waiting for her to come back from her conference and it had to be a face to face conversation.  We did see in the teaser he was about to reveal all so I guess Eden will be getting a grilling about if she knew and for how long. 

[CaptainHulk]

Glad it's finally hit the fan.

No Sympathy for the Doc and Mac!

[Foellfan]

Definitely no sympathy for Levi...his snivelling I'm sorry and I'm worried about you are truly as Imogen said...meaningless.

The best thing she could do now is change the locks, block his number and straight onto the lawyers! Seeing the preview I do feel sorry for Eden as she's bearing the brunt, as she originally was duped into this, hopefully she and Imogen can patch things up.

[Red Ranger 1]

Well, after yet another interruption with Rose coming home at the wrong moment (and then Xander's conversation with her gets interrupted by Mali!). Xander and Dana finally manage to have a talk.They've got good repartee and maybe he'll be a moderating influence on her impulsiveness, so yeah, I think I'm in favour.I liked her interplay with Harper as well.

When Tane was whining about prison changing Ari, I just thought "Didn't it change him for the better?" It seemed like that (coupled with Mikaere dying) was what gave Ari the push he needed to stay on the right side of the law (well, unless Tane or Mia was dragging him into their mess).I'm okay with Felicity supporting him and even quite like the idea of her and Harper teaming up, but it feels like she's crossing a line by insisting on helping Tane when he doesn't want her to.Still, guess she's used to being in his bad books by now.I agree it's mitigation but Tane not knowing the mother had come forward doesn't exactly let him off the hook entirely: Poppy was still going to a safe home with caring people who had been vetted by social services and he chose to take that away from her.

Levi indeed came across as pretty contemptible.His apologies and concern were meaningless because he's still making the choice to go and shack up with the woman he's been cheating on Imogen with.No sympathy for Mackenzie either, who's been asking for that serve from Eden.I did like Felicity once more being in the unfamiliar position of being the grown-up(shame she had to resort to "She's not worth it" cliches).Mackenzie was also incredibly rude kicking Rose out so she could moan to Mali: Maybe she didn't want to get into it, but if this is going to be public soon, why not let Rose in on it? Oh well, at least she had the decency to send Mali after Rose when he's too daft to think of that himself.

Edited June 11 by Red Ranger 1