2023 Season - UK Episode Discussion

[Red Ranger 1]

Justin seems to get enthusiastic about whatever Theo's interested in, which is good in a way but it can be hard to keep track! I'm not sure how much value to give to Leah's concerns. I do think this is a back-up plan and Theo would rather be with Lyrik.

Alf's behaviour towards John has now got so bad that he continues barking insults even when John is being conciliatory. His comment about John's dress at least had some humour in it, a lot of the time he's just being rude. At least John got his cocktail night and even a few concessions from Mackenzie, even if Xander didn't enjoy it as much.

I do like Rose and I was on her side at first but I think she's handled things very badly: She's hurt Xander, she's hurt Samuel, she's kept what's going on from their mother for far longer than was justifiable, and now she's even managed to upset Mali, having done an Eden and let him know she's gone away by text! I'm glad she recognised Xander had a point and is doing her best to correct it by going to tell her mother, and not entirely closing the door on Samuel. I was a bit amused by Marilyn putting her foot in it and get a stony look from Rose.

[CaptainHulk]

I'm ambivalent about the Rose's Roots story at the minute.

*slaps on Straw hat* "Well, it was Rose's mother than caused that the flamin' mess by sweepin' it under the flamin' carpet to begin with!"

 

On 22/10/2023 at 17:31, pembie said:

I was interested in Rose finding her dad but she found him too quickly there should have been some mystery there I think Alf is totally awful to John I think they have destroyed Alf all the humour has gone from the character he doesn’t even say any funny catchphrases anymore 

We would have probably got a retread of Ian/Tasha or Grant/Ruby or Matthew/Chloe if they did put in some "Mystery" with Samuel... And we know this show *milks* mysteries (Abalone/People Smuggling, Who killed Charlotte and what have ya)

[H&Alover]

As we don't know Dana's history with Olly we don't know why she is so willing to keep giving him the benefit of the doubt, well did.  She, I think,  didn't know about his connection to Madden so wouldn't have known what fallout her revelation would cause. 

I keep wavering about Rose, sympathising with her one moment and wanting to shake her the next. I like to think she doesn't know what to do herself so that is why she is so up and down.  If, Samuel had left it as it was and let her get in touch after their initial meeting maybe things wouldn't have become so traumatic for everyone. At least, finally, she's gone to see her/their mum and it needed a face to face meeting so Yvette can't put the phone down on her as she has before when Rose has asked her about it or tried to. 

 Where did Xander get off blaming Mali - telling him if it hadn't been for him talking about his family roots Rose wouldn't have been interested in looking at her heritage.  He did kind of apologise later at SALT.   I noticed she did an Eden, she could have phoned him at least but then she had had a go at him herself on the beach earlier. 

To be fair to Maz she didn't know the latest development  about Rose & her dad.   Besides I have the feeling she may have more to worry about when Roo comes back.  She hasn't, it appears, even spoken to Roo since she's been in the city so doesn't know her feelings about what happened, Alf's never said anything, so she thinks everything is OK with her.  She's even juggled her shifts so she can spend time with Roo.   flags anyone?

Does anyone else get the widely telegraphed signals there is going to be a problem with  those posh and daresay expensive drinks behind the bar that Mac said weren't to be touched at all at pain of death. We did see one was missing in the preview.   Silly question why didn't she just lock them away but then I guess there wouldn't be the chance of some fun/drama coming out of it.  Xander had come round but then the problem with Rose had been sorted so he could be more relaxed about it all.   

Again Alf was being his usual snarky self with John and snapping he wouldn't be going to the  team bonding night as he had to be up early as Roo was coming back to ND's hospital, even when John said that was great news, he still cut him off.  Yes, we know John can be very annoying and others, like Irene, Maz, Leah, Mac and Roo, in the old days, slap him down when he gets a bit pompous and up himself but they mean it as friends and can have a laugh with him and they are there for each other if needed.  If he was that annoying Irene wouldn't have put him up would she? 

Justin does go at things,  like I said before, like a  at a gate.   Now his stint at being a band manager has collapsed he's gone back to what he knows.  He certainly slammed those other proposed supervisors then came up with the bright idea of appealing TAFE's decision to dismiss him.  Mind you I  had that idea myself, no harm in asking them to reverse the judgement.  It was another bull at a gate choice and he certainly won't be making that one again.   There was nothing else TAFE could hold against him, he was a good supervisor, knows what he is doing, knew his pupil, Theo, and  they trusted each other workwise, well apart from that problem,  so why not ask them?   They didn't waste much time did they so now he and Theo can get going again.  BACK OFF NOW LEAH, Theo's heart may  not be in it as much as Justin's is but it's Theo's choice and he's a grown up so let him alone.  Otherwise you'll be added back on the annoying, interfering list. 

 

[Red Ranger 1]

I think Leah crossed a line today by dragging Theo off on some pretext so she could interrogate him again, even if Justin did end up agreeing with her. Theo's just trying to be practical and they should trust him to make his own choices instead of wringing their hands about him not following his dream.

I did find the stuff with John rather amusing. I think Xander played it right in getting John to own up and then insisting he pay the full amount when he tried to worm his way out of it. So yes, I think Mackenzie’s done right in trusting him to help Felicity run the place while she’s away.

Roo’s finally back after what seems like ages and she isn’t keen on Marilyn hanging around being patronising. If she’d treated John like that, I doubt Alf would even have noticed, but we’re not meant to notice that Marilyn is annoying and self-centred (although Justin did at least allude to it), so it must mean something’s wrong. This is another of those occasions where, even if Marilyn isn’t entirely to blame this time, she deserves the cold shoulder for all the things people haven’t blamed her for.

[pembie]

On 23/10/2023 at 14:04, H&Alover said:

Alf does still have his funny moments though you have to be quick to spot them.  Oh yeh his admitting he'd switched off his hearing aids when John was talking.   I know others pick on John and slap him down occasionally but they mean it as friends and can have a laugh with him.    

Is it so hard to spell Lyrik correctly?

I get the impression you don’t like me or my posts much but anyway 

I don’t think Roo is a very good friend to Marilyn But I kind of agree with her and Marilyn is abit dim here you did nearly blow Roo to kingdom come I think I would be slightly annoyed about that too

[c120701]

Does Martha really hate Summer Bay that much that she can’t even come and stay for a few days while Roo settles back in?

Roo seemingly blaming Marilyn makes sense, but the convenient way Marilyn has avoided her for months so the drama can happen onscreen is so contrived.

[Foellfan]

Hungover John...oh boy, I couldn't help smiling!

With Theo, I agree he shouldn't give up on his dreams but I think taking a Plan B seriously is a very sensible thing to do too, that way you've got all bases covered.

Roo's conversation with Bree about independence and the psychological impact of rehab and its implications was very moving and accurate; sometimes you don't feel overly lucky in that situation, even though you are still breathing etc, it's not just life but quality of life and although people don't mean anything bad when they use the 'Lucky' word it isn't always the feeling that you have. Rehab and it's implications can be very emotionally draining, not just  physically it can be the sheer feeling of entrapment that can turn your head and watching Georgie's performance really put that across, bravo to her!

 

 

[H&Alover]

I don't know where you get the impression I don't like you pembi, it just annoys me that people and not just you can't spell Lyrik correctly, it is there in black and white. 

Anyways, today -  nobody ever seemed to visit Roo while she was in the city.  Though if I remember correctly at first she was in an induced coma so perhaps only family were allowed to see her then, but once she came around surely either Irene, Maz or Leah could have gone to see her or even rang her? Did Alf (or Martha) say she wasn't allowed visitors?   Maz had hinted that she felt guilty about Roo's being caught up in the blast and was worried how Roo would feel about seeing her again, but Alf didn't have any concerns and he didn't pick up on the way Roo treated Marilyn.  Marilyn might not always be the sharpest knife in the drawer but even she noticed the difference in the way Roo behaved towards Leah and her.   It did come out in the end Roo has put all the blame on Marilyn, yes she was being naive in believing  all  SO's claims and all the trouble it caused when she tried to stop it and put those posts up but it was Roo who sent that final text to the CEO who had been threatening them, essentially telling him to do his worse which sent him over the edge. No-one knew there was a bomb involved so it could have meant anything.  

As Foellfan has very eloquently said it's not just the physical injuries it's the mental ones that you suffer from after what Roo went through.   Bree can kind of emphasise with her there after what she went through with Jacob.  Hope H&A treat it sympathetically and don't just forget about it.  As an aside I hope we see Roo ask to see Mali and thank him on screen for trying to warn her and John and getting them out of the van in time. 

Leah wouldn't back off would she and even dragged Justin into it but Theo overheard them talking about him and put his foot down.  Of course it would still be a dream to be in music but as it doesn't appear to be happening any time soon he's wisely taken another course so yeh for him putting them straight.  He, as he said, is an adult so can make his own choices. 

We did need a little bit of light relief so thank you John.  For all his talk of being an ex sailor and able to handle his drink it didn't work out that way did it?     But if he'd imbibed some of that A$500.55  whisky (how much?!) it certainly wasn't surprising. Loved how Xander and Mac took care of him though  it did mean Mac spotted the gap  where the bottle had been.  John - and Xander to a certain extent - didn't have much choice in the end to own up as Mac overheard them talking about it.  May be a bit after the event but why didn't Mac  put those very, very expensive bottles away to avoid temptation?  Glad she forgave Xander and felt she was able to leave him alone with Flick while she went to look after Izzy while Ziggy and Dean are off on Ziggy's surf comps.   Nice little mention of them btw.   It did seem the Team Building event went well and got SALT a lot of good reviews on social media meaning they will likely get a lot more customers.  Didn't mean  John got off paying the full amount of the whisky though.   

 

[Slade]

I for one am glad Rose has gone to see her mother.  Hopefully it will be a little while before we see her again.

It's interesting seeing Theo move on from Lyric.  He obviously doesn't want to do the apprenticeship but one of things I think Lyric provided was support from being around multiple people all the time.  He did have that to a certain extent when he started working at the garage but with Lyric it felt he was more of a team player as opposed to a subordinate with Justin and Ziggy.  He also wouldn't have had that going solo, which is why presumably he rejected Forrest's offer to manage him.

I do question Mackenzie having a $500 bottle of whisky in the first place but she does make me laugh.  Since the Gabe storyline, she seems to be playing more a support role now.  I do keep questioning why she's even still in the Bay.

I thoroughly enjoyed Roo giving Marilyn the cold shoulder and having a go at her when Marilyn wanted to talk to her alone at the hospital afterwards.  It was absolutely wonderful.  I hope it continues.  I knew Alf was going to fight Marilyn's corner.

 

[Posy]

1 hour ago, Slade said:

 

It's interesting seeing Theo move on from Lyric. 

 

Lyrik