Classic Episodes on 5★

[Red Ranger 1]

RR1, someone onced showed me a still image of Laurie Foell in a film when she was approximately the same age Tasha was when she was on the show and the likeness between them was actually pretty scary.

Okay, maybe it's not quite ridiculous.But I always had that feeling that if, unlikely as it might be, Tasha comes back when she's older, there'll be that slight awareness of "Why don't you look like Laurie Foell?"

[alreetlike]

Well since Sky decided to remove my series link it looks like I have a bit of online viewing to do.

[Light of the Bay]

Well since Sky decided to remove my series link it looks like I have a bit of online viewing to do.

I feel your pain

[Blaxland 89]

Caught the mineshaft episode online at lunchtime.I had seen it before, it seems to have been one earlier in the week I missed, but found it quite enjoyable, even if it did rely on Rhys doing an idiotic "Let's not bother getting help, I'll climb down while you two stand on an unstable shaft cover."Not sure about the VFX side, the live action mineshaft was good but that CGI overhead shot was a bit awkward.But I actually found the characterisation very effective:Rhys quietly panicking while he's alone but putting on a brave face for the family, Rhys and Kirsty's bond being re-emphasised, Jade being the most fragile both emotionally and physically(I wonder if someone remembered her childhood asthma, given she seemed more breathless than the others?).Kit looked rather swish and I was surprised and pleased that she came across as the only sane one while Seb and Scott were in dire need of a slap.Nice to get the "It's Angie" moment in there too, although I always felt Tasha being Angie's exact double was a bit overdone.

2004 Olympic cliffhanger.I don't know, maybe repeated viewing dulls its impact because I remember finding it quite dark at the time.But I felt it dragged horribly, the attempts at casual conversation in the first half seem forced and it's hard to sustain interest in Jesse offering Kane a job when there's a mad woman with a gun on the way.It's vaguely interesting to see who supports who during the siege-Leah comforting Kane, Jesse holding old friend Sally while Flynn's busy doing the doctor stuff-but that's the closest to decent character moments we get.Even at the time, I found it frustrating that the whole thing is down to Scott's criminal stupidity in placing all his friends in danger rather than leading Sarah on a wild goose chase, especially when Dani wasn't even in danger(well, not until she decided to come racing after them anyway).I find that's often one of Dan Bennett's biggest faults, having everyone act stupid in order for the story to work.Sarah does have an unstable edge which just about stops her descending into panto villainy, even though I found some aspects a bit silly.(Pretty soon we'll be treated to Eve Jacobsen deciding that instead of going after people who were actually involved in the storyline, she'll target a bunch of people who just happen to live in Summer Bay, even if they never met Sarah or weren't even in town at the time.)The closing minutes, when you get a real feeling that Sarah's just going to start killing them all, were pretty tense, however.

Well, the aftermath's often better than the event and, whether because I haven't seen it in yonks or because I find myself more drawn to these "ordinary" episodes(mind the ghost), I enjoyed the second episode more.Pretty much the final act for the Sutherlands, as all of them bar Kirsty leave in the space of a few months(and she didn't last that long into 2005).Max seems oddly grown up and worryingly cynical here, I always wished they could have had him stay with the Hunters as I rather liked the friendship he built up with Henry and Matilda.(And yes, Mattie is today's "Yikes, you look young.")Guess this is heading towards Henry getting mixed up with Ric.Nice use of Alf's recent experience in his chat with Hayley, Flynn's doubts would ultimately come full circle when he learned Kit had seen Noah as well and realised there were more things in heaven and earth.It is kind of ironic watching those scenes knowing that ultimately it was Scott and Hayley who went off to Paris together, even without knowing what's coming up there's a doomed air about Scott and Dani despite Hayley and Noah acting like they're going to get a happy ending.

Agree about the characters acting stupid thing. I have a question. We here about Dan Bennetts era and Cameron Welsh etc. Who was in charge in the late 90s anyone?

[Dan F]

Russell Webb was Series Producer from around 1994 to 2001 when Julie McGauran took over.

There's been many Script Producers during that time, and part of our planned revamp of the Year Summaries section is to try and identify as many as we can.

[c120701]

I'm a bit miffed we aren't seeing the episode where Coleen falls of a cliff!

Is that the one where there is the Earthquake just at Summer Bay House and she ends up on the sofa or something. Or is it the batcave.

[c120701]

I miss the old Summer Bay House decor, mostly when Sally and Flynn lived there, it really was a beautiful house before the makeover.

[Red Ranger 1]

Didn't bother taping the 4000th episode since it's been on so many times, probably catch the online 2005 episode tomorrow.Which just leaves an episode that was ostensibly about Flynn finding out he has cancer but gave more focus to the trials of Amanda.Ah, paternitygate, the storyline where we were apparently meant to be rooting for Scott and Hayley to get back together and play happy families but which actually turned me against a pairing I was initially a fan of.That's possibly the main reason why, apart from what she did to Kit, I actually found myself on Amanda's side most of the time she and Scott were together.Especially with the looming presence of Evil Josh.Didn't realise they'd already switched Hayleys by that point until I saw the opening titles.As for Flynn's diagnosis, did they really have those scary red lines in MRIs?I don't think they have them now.The final scene was actually quite effective, with the music drowning out Flynn telling Sally he's going to die.Of which more tomorrow.

[beau_t]

Didn't bother taping the 4000th episode since it's been on so many times, probably catch the online 2005 episode tomorrow.Which just leaves an episode that was ostensibly about Flynn finding out he has cancer but gave more focus to the trials of Amanda.Ah, paternitygate, the storyline where we were apparently meant to be rooting for Scott and Hayley to get back together and play happy families but which actually turned me against a pairing I was initially a fan of.That's possibly the main reason why, apart from what she did to Kit, I actually found myself on Amanda's side most of the time she and Scott were together.Especially with the looming presence of Evil Josh.Didn't realise they'd already switched Hayleys by that point until I saw the opening titles.As for Flynn's diagnosis, did they really have those scary red lines in MRIs?I don't think they have them now.The final scene was actually quite effective, with the music drowning out Flynn telling Sally he's going to die.Of which more tomorrow.

Scott crossed a line with me when he ripped up a letter (without even reading it) which told him the truth about the father of Hayley's baby.

[Blaxland 89]

Russell Webb was Series Producer from around 1994 to 2001 when Julie McGauran took over.

There's been many Script Producers during that time, and part of our planned revamp of the Year Summaries section is to try and identify as many as we can.

Thanks for the information. I had no idea Russell was in that job for so long. I remember him being interviewed in G'day Summerbay presented by Tristian Banks. Anyone remember that?