2023 Season - UK Episode Discussion

[Foellfan]

You can tell Mercedes type a mile off the 'I'm a woman so I get what I want and who cares about anyone else' type, Remi is as dumb as a sack of hammers if he can't see where she wants her claws to be i.e. in him, especially giving her subtly scathing appraisal of Bree. 

[pembie]

That Kid why did everyone seem to have forgotten who Andrew is?  

I have thought before that Remi doesn’t really fit with the cheesiness that is Lyric he suits a more rock scene I think 

[Red Ranger 1]

Okay, we finally got an explanation from Eden for what her deal with Mercedes is. I guess I can understand her being upset at Mercedes trying to lure Remi away from the band and being worried she'd do it again, but she seems a bit over the top with comments like "she has zero moral compass", and I'm not sure why Bree, who got on fairly well with Mercedes when they spoke, is giving her opinions so much credence.As it stands, Mercedes seems a bit wild, but no more so than Eden and Felicity.It wasn't really fair on anyone for Remi to convince Felicity to give Mercedes a place to stay without telling her the full story or considering that that means Eden loses her sanctuary. (I know they've got other things on their mind, but couldn't Justin and Theo have put her up?)

It feels like Mali and Rose could have just got back together yesterday if not Friday rather than dragging it out in order to fill their episode quotas: Nothing's really changed.

And we have to wait until the closing scenes to get some progression with Andrew. His mother being dead was always a possibility, although it's really not clear why the taskforce have suddenly found her body now, after all this time. I guess it underlines how, for all their pretence of being law-abiding citizens, the cult are actually pretty dangerous, and really not the people you'd want left standing if the apocalypse comes!

[H&Alover]

Remi didn't tell Felicity the full story as in Cash was Eden's boyfriend and was also living at hers, didn't stop Eden from pitching up later asking to stay over.   Definitely a bit of flirting by Mercedes imo anyway, when Cash asked her to move her bike.  She didn't know he was a cop until she turned round explaining why she was so ansty at first.  Bree does know Eden and has only just met Mercedes but she was told there was nothing romantic or anything between Remi or Mercedes, they just go way back.  Perhaps that is why he can't see her bad side.   Mercedes does seem very passionate about her music to be fair.  OK I got the Remi had been 'stolen' premise wrong, according to Eden he'd nearly been poached what did stop him though?  May be giving Mercedes too much credit but maybe she is looking out for him when she was questioning Bree in Remi so interested in a surfer and Bree not being into music but a doctor.  

I'm guessing Cash 'borrowed' the info on Andrew from Rose which is why he panicked at getting it back when he got the tip off the TF had turned up. I thought Flick had been told Cash was off the case  but apparently not. When did they find the real Esther, she had been dead for ten years, three years after Andrew had been snatched.   It appears from what we saw Cash recruits Justin into helping him to grab Andrew.  Raises the same question about Justin not doing his CS duties by Justin playing Robin to Cash's Batman.  

Rose and Mali back together properly at last.  Irene chipping in with her advice to Mali not to give up with Rose despite her asking Mali to give her some space, that soon went out of the window.  Let's hope they stick to it without any major obstacles coming  their conflicting principles. 

[Slade]

I'm enjoying the episodes with Lyric but that's only because Eden is out of shape.  I especially like how well Mercedes gets on with Remi and she and Felicity seemed to gel.  I'm glad nothing has happened between Remi and Mercedes but it's frustrating another character I like has allowed a member of Lyric to get into their head.  Very much feels like Bree thinks something is going to happen with Remi and Mercedes, because of the way Eden was talking about her initially even though Eden subsequently made it clear that wasn't the problem.  Objectively, I do accept Eden is probably right about Mercedes though.

[Red Ranger 1]

I know it's easy to sit here and judge, and I can fully understand Justin, and to a certain extent Cash, going into a panic at there being fairly strong evidence that Andrew is with some very dangerous people.You could argue they've got no reason to harm him given that he's going along with them, although we know (if Cash and Justin don't) that they've already tortured him.Obviously, the taskforce have been as much use as a chocolate teapot so far, although the fact they've managed to find Esther's body suggests they're making progress (Justin asks how it was found but Cash doesn't know) so maybe giving them a chance to shut the cult down wasn't the worst idea.Instead, Justin and Cash basically riled each other up into doing exactly what Justin stopped Theo doing last week with good reason.Cash instructing Justin not to tell Andrew about his mother's murder was sheer idiocy, since that was exactly the piece of information that might have persuaded him to come with them.Okay, so they're asking Andrew to sneak out rather than openly walk out in front of scary men with bows and arrows, but without that bit of leverage, Cash's half-assed plan has a distinct whiff of repeating an action and expecting a different outcome: They've already asked Andrew to come with them once and he's refused, wasn't there at least a chance it could happen again? I can understand Felicity's worry at Cash going off half-cocked, although Eden's probably right that it's best to just get out of his way when he's like this.

From one potentially dangerous set of people to another: Roo was oddly enthusiastic about Marilyn's crusade until Irene brought her down to earth.Odd that the reference to Marilyn being offered $15,000 went by with no mention of her paying for Jett's wedding, or paying John back for it, which was supposed to be her reason for getting involved with this in the first place.Of course, no sooner has Marilyn decided to take a step back than more threats come in...

[H&Alover]

Methinks it's guilt on  both Cash and Justin's behalf for their actions (or overreactions) as they feel they let Andrew down.  We know the cult or rather Margot has really got him under control, but of course they won't let outsiders see that  side of their organisation, they are all there fighting for  a common cause even if they aren't the most cheerful of cults though seeing as the are a Doomsday cult not surprising.  That message blaring out from the loudspeakers would get in your brain which is the whole idea. Mind you it is a paraphrase of  an old saying so Vita Nova can't claim it's theirs. We haven't seen anything or anyone for that matter from the TF doing a thing but they have had years of dealing with people like Vita Nova so while it may seem to us they aren't doing anything who knows what they have going on behind the scenes.  Cash & Justin could be blundering in and wrecking a carefully planned operation.  Wicked I know but I was expecting the fence to be electrified and when Justin cut into it it went fizz, bang and he got thrown backwards alerting the goons.  Cash had warned Justin about his bail conditions and if he breached them and he went into prison what help would he be to Andrew then, then that went by the by and they both went off on their mad escapade.  

I did agree with Cash telling Justin about not telling Andrew about his mum being  dead, not the right place or right time, who knows how he would have reacted, let's not forget he isn't your average 17 year old, his mental age is a lot younger according to his counsellor.  Justin did try to get him out of there quietly but that backfired.  Obviously both got out unscathed as we saw Justin at home.  But Andrew, it seems, played it clever and plants another note on Justin, he's good at that and brighter than both Justin and Cash in that respect.  

Seems Felicity didn't know Cash was off the Andrew case so I can see her concern, look what happened last time, he came back from having been dumped by Jasmine and walked straight into the stand of with the bikers and got himself shot.  But as Eden, who must also be worried, said he is an adult so needs to get it out of his system, it would only eat into him.  

Leah is back tomorrow and has been brought fully up to date, but why is she putting all the blame on Justin?  Then he/she finds the note - see above.  We didn't see what he had written but I have a feeling it could likely involve another invasion of the camp.  It could mean though the TF have a justifiable/legal reason to get Andrew out of there.  Actually will Vita Nova report Cash for harassing them so getting him into more trouble with his bosses? 

Bloody hell Roo you do run ahead of yourself, so as Irene would say "back off girlie!"   Maz didn't start all of this off for herself it was for others who had been bullied and users being affected by SO products.   It would have been a very nice sum, A$15.000, bet it never entered her head she could pay her half of Jett's wedding or pay John back,  events overtook the initial reason for her getting involved with SO.   Either whoever is skulking is there by chance or has some knowledge about Maz's latest offer hence the photos and cryptic messages.  Take them straight to the cops.  Admittedly they are clever with covering their tracks but there should be something Rose could follow.  Am I old fashioned to think they were taken on an old fashioned camera with a telephoto lens or a new fangled smart phone?   Alf sneaked in via the phone call between him and Maz assuring him things were fine. 

 I do like how co-ordinated Maz was, but then she always is, with her spotted earrings matching her dress/top. 

[Red Ranger 1]

So, yeah, any differences in Cash's plan from the last rubbish one went out the window and he's reduced to asking Andrew to come with them with absolutely no new information or leverage, since he's absurdly committed to his idea to not bother telling him crucial pieces of information.Maybe it wouldn't have made a difference, since it's obviously fear, not loyalty, that's keeping Andrew with the cult.(Of course, doing what you're told doesn't always mean a psychopathic tyrant will be nice to you.)After kind of realising this, Cash then decides to be useless and declare they should just give up.Leah was out of line blaming Justin, especially since she couldn't come up with a better plan and, again, the fact they're approaching this from completely the wrong direction means their barmy schemes keep failing. I thought Justin did tell Leah what was going on last week, but apparently not? We get an update on Leah's mother-in-law: I know it's been twenty years since we've seen Stella (assuming it is her, we still haven't got a name!) but it's hard to imagine her being old and frail enough to go into a nursing home. Isn't she about Alf's age?

And yep, Cash gets to be ineffective in two storylines.Well, at least he had the sense to order extra patrols to keep an eye on Marilyn. Still, all the threats and police warnings seem to be doing is bringing out her stubborn streak!

Xander continues to be a shoulder to cry on for Kate, who's increasingly treating him like a substitute for Jamie, albeit with separate rooms. Perhaps the most interesting thing is the development of Xander's friendship/work relationship with Mackenzie after that rocky start.We have noted that Mackenzie has lost most of the characters she's close to (aside from Felicity and Tane).Moving Xander into Ryder's old role, in much the same way Mali seems to be standing in for Dean, has potential.

[Dan F]

2 hours ago, Red Ranger 1 said:

I know it's been twenty years since we've seen Stella (assuming it is her, we still haven't got a name!) but it's hard to imagine her being old and frail enough to go into a nursing home.

Very soon

I had the exact same thought though with trying to imagine Stella going into a nursing home, especially when you actually look at Tina Bursill nowadays (who turned 72 this week)

[H&Alover]

Was it me or did it seem to suddenly skip from a scene of Leah and Justin talking to something else and come back again? 

Leah at first seemed understanding about Andrew and how Cash and Justin had left him, not that they had much choice, then after 'hearing' her thoughts she snapped and took it all out on Justin blaming him for everything!  Demanding he and Cash should have just grabbed him and dragged him out of the compound - er excuse me she wasn't there was she so couldn't know what the situation was. Guilt too may have played a part as she admitted, belatedly, she should have picked up on the fact Esther wasn't who she said she was - the fact she didn't know who Ted was was brought up again.   Maybe Cash thought it would be third time very unlucky which is why he told Justin the TF should take over. Not siding with Margot at all but to her the cops only keep turning up since they took Andrew back so in her twisted mind she likely thinks he's been leaking info to them. Now he's going to be punished again.  Have TPTB decided to delay the Andrew had slipped Justin a note scene, nothing in tonight's it seems, unless it wasn't mentioned in last night's  trailer? Confused.com.

There wasn't a mention of mother-in-laws name - very odd just to keep calling her that.   It could be illness, brain tumour or dementia that has resulted in Stella, let's call her that, for arguments case,  having to go into a nursing home, none of those conditions are a respecter of age. It may have just got to much for them to handle. 

Good for Maz doing the right thing into taking her phone into the cops after initially telling  John and Roo everything was 'fine' but John knew her too well to be fobbed off.  They, whoever they are,  are very clever, again giving the false contact details.  Maybe now they have upped the threats the tech guys and gals will dig deeper.  I'm guessing Cash, after getting the OK from Sarg, to increase patrols to watch out for Maz is thinking seeing increased police activity may stop 'them'.  Maz was casting aspersions by accusing SO on that video message when she has no proof it is them. It did look like 'they' have changed tactics again and from what we saw and heard is not good. 

Mac did jump to  a huge conclusion about Kate staying over with Xander.  It must be hard for her, Kate, seeing as it looks like she is losing Timothy too, not blaming his mum but now that  Jamie is dead I guess he doesn't need to go and stay at Kate's now Jamie's not there.  I'm supposing the arrangement was he stayed with his dad and Kate for a certain time, weekends and that and the rest of the time with mum?  I thinks she feels close to Jamie with Xander telling her tales of what he and Jamie got up to, well the fun calls at least. May also be  helping Xander.   Mac is very lenient with him dropping out of his shifts  at the drop of a hat.  Could there be something between them at some point or would that too awkward her being his boss and all that would entail?