2024 Season - UK Episode Discussion

[Slade]

I do actually agree with the thoughtlessness point, which is why when this was brought up last week, I mentioned that Dana was not nice as opposed to being outright unpleasant.  If you refer to how she pressurised Irene when Harper's lawyer advised Harper to move out, how she confronted Rose re pressing charges about Harper when she located Tane, I remember how focused and intense she was.  It was almost like, she wasn't asking them she was telling them in both cases.  Even when she manipulated Banjo, she wasn't particularly good at even pretending to be interested in dating him.  I accept in all those instances, she was looking out for someone else, however there genuinely seems to be a disconnect, not considering how what she is doing affects the other party.  One of the frustrating things for me is that she very rarely gets called out.  I mean she should have at least faced disciplinary action for what happened with Tane.

 

Thursday

I don't actively dislike Levi or Mackenzie as individuals or think they are bad people (I thought Levi displayed traits of the arrogant surgeon initially and I've mentioned before Mackenzie did look down on people in the past).  Although, I do admit I'm not as annoyed with them as I have been with other characters that have done something similar before (When Ari and Mia got together I was very displeased, and they didn't strictly 'cheat' but I guess I found both characters more objectionable).  It's hard to disagree with people that are coming down hard on them but as I mentioned before if Levi is to be integrated into the show then the couple can't come under scrutiny forever by other Summer Bay characters.

In saying that I really disliked a lot of Thursday's episode.  It seemed to be attempting to portray Mackenzie and Levi's date as a new couple, with Xander in support as being special.  Whilst I think there shouldn't be a witch hunt, I'm really not keen on them being openly endorsed.  I wasn't happy at all during their romantic meal but when Imogen's texts came though "Congratulations on your new unit" and "At least one of us is moving on", my eyes lit up.  I hate the way she's been dismissed (Levi literally rocks up and tells her that he's met someone else and leaving her) and whilst it was covered initially, there's been more focus on how it's hurt Eden than how Imogen's been struggling, so when she sent all his things with the torn up marriage certificate and the rings with a note for Mackenzie, I was practically cheering.  My biggest regret was that she wasn't there somehow to deliver the news in person.  You go girl!

Friday

Oh, man.  Mackenzie's reaction is wonderful.  I love how Levi's acknowledged Imogen is acting out of character.  Given how it's gotten to both of them, I would say Imogen has played a master stroke.  Whilst I'm happy Imogen is getting a small amount of payback, once again, not happy about the manner in which Eden gave Imogen Levi's address.  Eden has mentioned multiple times she has Imogen's back, yet Imogen called Eden in a drunken state and Eden told her where Levi was, knowing it was likely Imogen would have done something.  You would think if she's really looking out for Imogen, the best option might to talk to her and try and get her to sleep on things but because of her own Daddy issues, which Levi supported and continued, she also wanted him to have some payback.

Dana is very impulsive, often comes across as immature and I agree at times doesn't seem like the sharpest tool in the box, so I wonder how long Xander's prepared to put of for that.  However, John didn't come across too well either.  I appreciate the scenes with him and Dana reacting to the stuff turning up on the beach are light hearted but he was right that they should wait for the authorities to open the containers to see whatever is inside, so it was disappointing he is going do it himself although with Dana it's not surprising.
 

[Red Ranger 1]

Well, John and Dana's quest to open the container turned out to be a bit anti-climatic...or did it? Because apparently they've just unleashed the bubonic plague on the Bay.It has to be said Bree was spectacularly selective with how she treated people.Xander gets kept in overnight for tests because he had contact with Dana, while Dana is shut away like she's patient zero despite showing no symptoms (and Xander isn't allowed to speak to her even though they've already had contact), but Levi is allowed to just walk out of there after a quick questionnaire despite having physical contact with John (and even interact with a patient!) and apparently Bree made no real attempt to track John's movements and learn he spoke to Marilyn, Roo and Harper (albeit not as intimately as Xander and Dana).I think he can rule her attempt to contain this as an epic fail.

Despite my comments on Friday's promo, it seems it's not as simple as "It's all good" for Mackenzie and Levi.She's decided to paper over the cracks, but despite Xander pleading Levi's case, the old adage of "If they can do it with you, they can do it to you" seems to be ringing in her ears.

Harper getting a tarot reading from Marilyn...well, it was nice to see her interacting with other characters but she seemed to be hoping to hear she'd meet a tall dark Parata who'd marry her and live happily ever after.

Edited July 23 by Red Ranger 1

[pembie]

8 hours ago, CaptainHulk said:

Though if they came after some characters for brains, they'd starve!

I would love it to be a zombie apocalypse story way to get rid of characters haha

Just don’t bring in Jeffery Dean Morgan that guy bored to tears on The Walking Dead 

Edited July 23 by pembie

[Slade]

John only has himself to blame for being sick and he's responsible for any other person who gets seriously ill as well.  I thought it was pretty bold of Bree to immediately suggest quarantining John and Dana and any others who had been infected.  Given how many people have been sick already, this virus appears to be reasonably transmissible.  This is certainly the case when you consider the fact Marilyn wasn't near the container with the soil and she's been sick already.  I agree there has been inconsistency with regards to quarantining people.  Levi and Xander both should definitely be quarantined.  Realistically though, in order to be effective, the whole town, would need to be put on lockdown, but I'm not sure if they would have the resources to even do this.  I know when Anne poisoned those people, they were able to deal with it but that was different.  This would also be problematic for any tourist that might get infected, be asymptomatic and have left the bay already.  Presumably this storyline is partially motivated by Covid.
 
I also agree that it was good to see Harper talk to people not tied to Tane or even Irene.

[j.laur5]

16 minutes ago, Slade said:

 Presumably this storyline is partially motivated by Covid.
 
 

I was thinking that too at least H&A did once very vaguely mentioned COVID pandemic unlike Neighbours that  never mentioned it all. 

Edited July 23 by j.laur5

[H&Alover]

But hasn't it now been ruled out it wasn't the 'container' it was something at the Diner - possibly Legionnaires'?   John had gone there to get  a coffee and it was when he came back he fell ill.   That would explain why Dana had no symptoms.  I know she was isolated with John - no other room available(?) -  but I like the way she was with him. We saw the obligatory people in white suits looking at it, will we be told what was in them? Will they be looking at those chlorine tubs at the Surf Club, are  the deckchairs and the gnome connected?  If more people fall ill they will need more rooms.  Certainly different symptoms, the diner throwing up, Maz collapsing, Harper and Roo apparently fine - very mysterious.      I see why Xander was taken in, he kissed Dana  so was a lot more intimate than Levi was with john.  I was wondering if Dana would mention that fact - do 'they' know John went to the Diner?  Mac stayed back but yes Levi did touch John so should have been kept in.    If it is Legionnaires' which is usually associated with polluted air conditioning could that be down to the Diner - does it have air conditioning?  We did see Irene telling everyone to clear the Diner as they had to close. 

OK Levi being at the hospital was explainable as he brought John and Dana in, but Mac catching him chatting (up) that lady patient got her spidey senses twitching. Oh he brought up before he didn't tell her about his contacting Imogen to 'protect her' . Mac casually asked how he got on at the hospital which he cleverly dodged as he isn't actually on their staff yet. 

The bay is a  small town  and we all know what they can be like - but then we are in the 21st century so no need to get out the  tar and feathers.  Levi for all his other faults is a good doctor.

[Red Ranger 1]

10 hours ago, j.laur5 said:

I was thinking that too at least H&A did once very vaguely mentioned COVID pandemic unlike Neighbours that  never mentioned it all. 

Other way round, I think.

So, yes, as the promo suggested, it turns out that John opening the container didn't affect anything at all, although they don't seem to have got to the bottom of exactly what it is yet apart from it being something at the Diner.I don't think it's necessarily legionnaire's, that was just one possibility Bree suggested that matched the assumed method of contamination and the symptoms: She said there were dozens of others. Bree's incompetence turns out to be even greater than in the previous episode: Not only did she completely fail to trace John's movements and track down anyone he'd been in contact with, but she made assumptions based on a snap judgement and had better hope this isn't airborne, because she's just left Dana, who was perfectly healthy when she came in, shut in a room with a man who's infected for the best part of a day. Oh well, at least it gave us John and Dana's repartee... Incidentally, the guy that collapsed at the Diner previously played a new dad befriended by Rachel Armstrong in 2009!

I was very unhappy with the way both Felicity and Eden bullied Remi into going and playing nicey-nice to Cash, as if that's going to be some sort of cure-all...and I really hope it isn't, because Cash knows he screwed up and whether or not Remi agrees should be immaterial, just as a report saying their people should have called his people is immaterial. We seem to be being told that Cash had no way of knowing she was in danger a lot, as if that somehow completely exonerates him. Well, sorry, but his job was to protect her. Was he only supposed to protect her from people who rang up in advance to let him know they were coming? What if some other crazed fan had been inspired by Wickham's actions and decided to take a potshot at her? Cash himself noted he got complacent and didn't keep a proper eye on the court proceedings. Remember when he had his phone set up to let him know if anything was posted online that related to Stevie (even if it was just her sleeping with Remi)? Apparently, at some point he decided not to bother doing any of that and thought he was being paid to stand around on the beach looking vaguely intimidating. And he didn't even get that right!

[j.laur5]

2 hours ago, Red Ranger 1 said:

Other way round, I think.

So, yes, as the promo suggested, it turns out that John opening the container didn't affect anything at all, although they don't seem to have got to the bottom of exactly what it is yet apart from it being something at the Diner.I don't think it's necessarily legionnaire's, that was just one possibility Bree suggested that matched the assumed method of contamination and the symptoms: She said there were dozens of others. Bree's incompetence turns out to be even greater than in the previous episode: Not only did she completely fail to trace John's movements and track down anyone he'd been in contact with, but she made assumptions based on a snap judgement and had better hope this isn't airborne, because she's just left Dana, who was perfectly healthy when she came in, shut in a room with a man who's infected for the best part of a day. Oh well, at least it gave us John and Dana's repartee... Incidentally, the guy that collapsed at the Diner previously played a new dad befriended by Rachel Armstrong in 2009!

I was very unhappy with the way both Felicity and Eden bullied Remi into going and playing nicey-nice to Cash, as if that's going to be some sort of cure-all...and I really hope it isn't, because Cash knows he screwed up and whether or not Remi agrees should be immaterial, just as a report saying their people should have called his people is immaterial. We seem to be being told that Cash had no way of knowing she was in danger a lot, as if that somehow completely exonerates him. Well, sorry, but his job was to protect her. Was he only supposed to protect her from people who rang up in advance to let him know they were coming? What if some other crazed fan had been inspired by Wickham's actions and decided to take a potshot at her? Cash himself noted he got complacent and didn't keep a proper eye on the court proceedings. Remember when he had his phone set up to let him know if anything was posted online that related to Stevie (even if it was just her sleeping with Remi)? Apparently, at some point he decided not to bother doing any of that and thought he was being paid to stand around on the beach looking vaguely intimidating. And he didn't even get that right!

In 2021 Irene was telling Marlyn she was going to Sydney to visit Finlay and Marlyn said it’s good you getting away for bit even if is just too city  as you can’t travel too far at moment . 

Edited July 23 by j.laur5

[Red Ranger 1]

9 hours ago, j.laur5 said:

In 2021 Irene was telling Marlyn she was going to Sydney to visit Finlay and Marlyn said it’s good you getting away for bit even if is just too city  as you can’t travel too far at moment . 

And? The show's makers outright said that they were ignoring Covid because no-one wants to see it on the beaches. Neighbours referenced the travel restrictions (albeit inconsistently) and showed facemask wearing and warning signs.

[CaptainHulk]

23 hours ago, j.laur5 said:

I was thinking that too at least H&A did once very vaguely mentioned COVID pandemic unlike Neighbours that  never mentioned it all. 

 

Neighbours saw Sheila mask up and the Waterhole was socially distant for a bit.