2023 Season - UK Episode Discussion

[c120701]

Assuming it is Stella and not Noelene Baker or Zac’s Mum (which would just be plain odd), surely VJ would be next of kin, it seems odd that “her family” are putting her into a home. Regardless, I wonder what the actual point of the story is.

[Red Ranger 1]

Alf's episode count:Suspended.

Theo of all people did refer to Stella by name here, so yes, it's her, even though Noelene would probably have made more sense given that she's the one with a family.(I've always assumed Zac's parents were long dead by the time Hannah was going to Zac rather than them about their grandchildren being dragged off to a cult, although there may have been a line to the contrary that I've forgotten.)The whole nursing home thing (because of a fall?) is downright weird though and I wonder if anyone's told Tina Bursill "You know how you played Ryan Kwanten's mum once? Well, apparently your character's in a nursing home now." Anyway, at least Leah quickly calmed down and accepted Justin's point of view...at least until the note turned up.(This is why you shouldn't treat promos as part of the episode, they're just something that will happen at an indeterminate point in the future!) As Cash implied, it seems Andrew is actually afraid for Justin and Leah more than himself, which makes sense given at least one person has been murdered for trying to get him away from the cult. (Of course, Andrew isn't supposed to know that, unless Margot filled him in during that off-screen conversation where he found out she wasn't his mother?)

Theo and Kirby, when they're not arguing about nothing, seem no different to when they were together, which makes their break-up seem even more random.

By this point, it feels like Marilyn and Stunning Organics are in a cycle of constantly poking each other: She denounces them, prompting them to threaten her to keep quiet, prompting her to speak out against them again. So, having escalated from legal documents to threats to thrown bricks, they've apparently decided their next step is...a bomb! Are they con artists or terrorists?!

Mackenzie was completely out of line barging in on Xander and Kate and making Kate feel unwelcome in my opinion, and then doubling down by pretty much trying to warn her off.It feels a bit early to be pushing the panic button on this, and Xander was never going to thank her.

[pembie]

I’m getting abit bored of this Andrew story now to be honest all that seems to happen is Cash goes to cult gets out of his car walks around while the cult watches him and he gets back into his car and drives away riverting stuff lol He should have told Andrew his mom was murdered and see how Mago talked her way out of that 

Marilyn’s story is nearly as gripping but at least now there’s a bomb hopefully that blows up the bay and that will be the end I’m very bored at the moment lol

[H&Alover]

On 28/07/2023 at 18:50, c120701 said:

Assuming it is Stella and not Noelene Baker or Zac’s Mum (which would just be plain odd), surely VJ would be next of kin, it seems odd that “her family” are putting her into a home. Regardless, I wonder what the actual point of the story is.

VJ's dead - he died a while ago.  Not in prison though - he was in witness protection.

[Dan F]

18 minutes ago, H&Alover said:

VJ's dead - he died a while ago.  Not in prison though - he was in witness protection.

That was Vinnie, VJ is Vinnie & Leah’s son.

[H&Alover]

2 hours ago, Dan F said:

That was Vinnie, VJ is Vinnie & Leah’s son.

Oh yeah so he is - brain not in gear.

That was a bit out there Theo mentioning her.  I did say it could be dementia or a brain tumour.   

Leah did indeed apologise to Justin and  so she should have!  Theo did tell her how it was when she wasn't there and how it was for Justin, being thwarted at every turn.  Bit strange Justin offering Leah his jacket as it seemed she was cold in SALT so she could fumble in his pocket  to get his card so finding the note.  I suppose Margot could have told Andrew about is mum but more like her to lie and say she gave up on looking for him a long while ago.  I did say he was a bright lad despite his counsellor saying he is mentally backward in age. 

Theo and Kirby did finally sign some kind of unwritten peace treaty thanks to Maz's advice.  At least they will be rehearsing ready for the Battle of The  Bands.   Loved John's whinge about how all the rehearsing was disturbing him but did say he liked the violin. 

Kirby is being there again  for Maz seeing as the police investigation into SO s on hold so her doing that vid, her decision no-one else's, may feel to her at least she is doing something and keeping it out there.  

This mysterious COE of SO, he must have a name, but seems to have disappeared.   Does seem ultra extreme to send a parcel bomb with their address all over it and to the Diner, not  a short time fuse it seems, are they planning that it goes off when the place is full, how could they know when their busiest period is? 

I can see why Mac wanted to help Xander by warning him not to get too close to Kate as it could rebound on him.  No way though could she understand how Kate feels, by telling her she had recently lost someone - Gabe - no way it is the same.  We don't know how long Jamie and Kate were together but a lot longer than Mac and Gabe were.   Hope the rest of her (and Felicity's) work force are OK with Mac just letting Xander wander off when he likes. 

It seems there is a lot happening next week, not just the storming of the compound and the box ticking away but other things too. 

[Red Ranger 1]

Well, after a week or two of Justin and Cash having the same conversations, things finally seem to be moving forward: Justin being taken prisoner by the cult feels like it's going to bring things to a head one way or another. You have to fear for what would happen if this bunch of dimwits ever did inherit the earth: They were practically looking under plant pots while searching for Justin.There's a definite irony in the way Margot has well and truly brought retribution upon herself:All she had to do was leave Andrew alone and he couldn't have said anything to hurt her, but she couldn't bear the idea of losing control and as a result she's got the good folk of Summer Bay, never ones to turn their backs on a troubled teenager, banging on her security fence on a regular basis while she makes increasingly impotent threats to report them.

I'm glad Mackenzie and Xander cleared the air and she's taken a step back from interfering in his friendship with Kate.And I did like their banter at the start about who has to host Mali and Rose tonight.Mali did definitely sound like he was using the royal you, so I'd have thought Rose would have checked what he meant rather than assuming.

[H&Alover]

Leah actually believed Justin when he said he was going to see Cash.  In Justin's absence she had a go at Cash instead.   He is only one cop and he is bound by law of what he can and can't do.  I know not that it always stops them but he has been going by the book this time.  Vita Nova do have the law on their side, sickening as it it, by stating, well Margot does,  ad nauseam that the cops don't have a search warrant to look around the place.  Funny how no-one else  ever says anything, either  a lot of unpaid extras or no-one else dares speak at all, just glower a lot.  At least now Cash has seen Andrew's note and Leah confirmed it it his and Cash can check it with Andrew's first one.  Now the TF and the locals can move in as it shows he is not there willingly.  I guess we'll see in a flash back or talk to cops how Justin got himself captured and thrown into that storeroom.   Justin I have to say was pretty rubbish at running away, good shot that bowman, went right through his leg. Justin didn't look good though at the hospital, could there have been something in the arrow? 

That was one hell of a whack Leah gave Margot,   I'm not making any excuses for Margot but how long has she been in charge, who recruited her?  To semi quote a well known saying "We're all doomed, we're all doomed".   There will be likely other victims like Andrew, not as young, but vulnerable for the TF to look after and debrief or unbrainwash. 

Got confusing with Rose thinking she was being invited to Mali's mums Birthday do and panicking what to buy her only for him to explain it was strictly a family do.  She was rather relieved that she didn't have to meet them all in one go. 

It was good the air was cleared between Xander and Mac, they do have to work together after all. Well when he does, seeing as she keeps letting him off his shifts when Kate drops by.   A little tense when Kate walked in but Mac did apologise to her. I've probably asked this before but does she not have anyone else to talk to about Jamie?  Probably, as been been mooted in the Aus page, not a good idea if Xander and Mac get together unless he leaves SALT, she is his boss after all. 

For a box that contains, as we've seen, but on-one else knows yet, a bomb in it, it certainly gets moved about a lot.  From pillar to post in the Diner, Leah kicking it, toting it home and not that heavy either apparently, she easily picked it up, would have had to to carry it to her car, put it in the back or boot, drive it home, carry it indoors, plonk it on the settee, then move it again when Cash came round.  Where was Maz when all this was going on? I know Irene rang her but missed where she was. 

[Dan F]

10 minutes ago, H&Alover said:

For a box that contains, as we've seen, but on-one else knows yet, a bomb in it, it certainly gets moved about a lot.  From pillar to post in the Diner, Leah kicking it, toting it home and not that heavy either apparently, she easily picked it up, would have had to to carry it to her car, put it in the back or boot, drive it home, carry it indoors, plonk it on the settee, then move it again when Cash came round.  Where was Maz when all this was going on? I know Irene rang her but missed where she was. 

It's all very contrived, any other box they'd have just bunged it in the storeroom at the diner where I'm sure there's adequate room, or Leah would have plonked it next to the front door/on the floor in the corner/in the garage when she decided to take it home - but no, because we know it has a bomb in it, it has to be placed front and centre in an unrealistic fashion where it's deliberately in the way

 

[pembie]

Isn’t the bomb on a timer? 

Im glad the cult part of Andrews story is now over It got very repeatable I thought