2023 Season - UK Episode Discussion

[CaptainHulk]

I just find it annoying they made a big fat fuss of bringing her back to life, disrupting established lore, just to give Alfl somebody only to have her gradually fade away (no fault of Belinda's) at the expense of Ailsa's memory (Yes, Alf would have moved on but still)

Now if they do kill her off for *real*, nobody's gonna care.

[H&Alover]

Considering what we saw coming up tonight, all that running around by Maz, Roo, John and Mali acting   like headless chooks and the business with Lyrik was  from TPTB point of view I guess was meant to be light relief for us.  Lulling us into a false sense of calm. 

I get Alf was so keen to be back with Martha  he was grumpy with everyone but why did he have to  be  so vitriolic with John?  I do not like that side of Alf and there is no  need for it.  No wonder John is so bothered about his speech he hasn't any idea what to  put as he knows  Alf's not his NO.1 fan.  I know others take the mick out of John at times and knock him back when they think he's acting like a galah, but they mean it kindly  and as friends.  Good suggestion by Maz that he just concentrate on the work Alf has done for the Surf Club over the years. 

Does Martha not have Alf's number or is she not wanting him to know  she's ill so he doesn't go rushing up to Merimbula?  It did answer my question if Martha was going to show for Alf's surprise do.  Bit much of her to ask for it to be postponed though after all the work they have put in and it wouldn't be the Anniversary then either would it.  Poor Mali he was really backed into a corner and having Alf's gimlet eyes staring at you would have shaken a better man than him.  Mali suggesting going back to the Diner  switched the light on for Alf.  

Nothing much to do with what was happening but one TV mag did say Roo's ruse didn't work - think about it. 

I know John used to moan about Lyrik and having to hear their 'racket' but methinks he's secretly pleased to have them back and as has been said he was singing their songs.   Did that copyright ban on playing their music extend even to them playing it in their own backyard?  

I maybe being cynical here but you don't think Forrest could be behind the fact no-one is picking up on Lyrik's social media and the album sales have ground to a halt, he'd have the contacts after all.   If that is the case Kirby has shown way more integrity than he has by not using the contacts she  acquired while working with him.   Remi did come across as wanting Kirby to betray the trust Forrest put in her by  giving up the names  but it appeared Eden did manage to talk him round.  Sort of  a problem if there had been a tie, Justin is hardly in that fit a state to take all the arguments for and against in and make a management decision.

 

[CaptainHulk]

Uh-oh for Irene...

 

[Red Ranger 1]

Well, Alf's presentation went off without a hitch, essentially.The slideshow seemed like a good excuse to get in some pictures of old characters, but all we get is one shot of Sam, which was nice to have but I doubt he'd be anyone's first choice for inclusion! I appreciate that, despite a grumbly aside, Alf did have the courtesy to thank John for his speech, which was both quirky and heartfelt. It was probably what John needed after yet another example of how Alf's constant haranguing him does leave him feeling a bit inadequate under all that bluster. I did like Alf's "surprised" acting.

Another day, another life and death situation for Justin.Jordan was in for a disappointment as Justin put up a bit of a fight, while both the police guard and Rose had a reasonably good day by turning up in the nick of time and managing to put two and two together.There was some satisfaction in seeing another Vita Nova loser get taken down while whining helplessly.I guess it makes sense that, even with their leader out of the way, they'd just set up another compound.Hopefully that's enough of them caught this time.

Finally we get confirmation that Leah knows what's going on with Irene, and she gets brought up to date off-screen! Despite Irene acting as though the world's come to an end, it's probably best to get this sentencing out of the way.

[c120701]

I find the friendships between the older cast harder and harder to believe as they’re all either absent or (when it falls around UK finale/return time) too wrapped up in their own story to support each other. 
 

As Roo kicked Marilyn out we just had Irene & Leah pretty much accept her living on her own despite having mobility issues, Alf is happily disappearing whilst Leah/Justin & Irene are doing it tough and even his own daughter is only just back on her feet and Leah/Irene while often only interacting at shift handover or when Leah needs someone to cover her shift last minute barely speak anymore.

[Slade]

I sometimes struggle to understand why Bree is so into Remi.  I don't think that the two can be compared but I wonder whether it's transference from Jacob.

I have to admit, I did find it funny when Jordan declared "The end is near" before attempting to suffocate Justin with the pillow.

"With our history, it couldn't have been easy" is an interesting way of Alf saying to John during his speech that he often treats him like crap.  I will say that I also liked that Alf followed Mali's request and pretended to act surprised.

[H&Alover]

I know Mali asked Alf to  'act' surprised but I think he really was as he wouldn't have expected so many people to turn up.  There could have been photos of folk Alf had helped more recently - Nikau and Ryan for instance.  It was  a good ceremony and John wasn't too gushng, kept it simple, just focused on how Alf had been at the helm of the Club for many years and had helped so many, welcoming people in even the galah's - nod to himself perhaps.  John did keep quiet about the folk Alf took a instant dislike to though - very wise that.  How did they manage to get Alf's measurements for his blazer/jacket? Laughed at Roo's comment that it can't be 30 years as she hasn't aged a bit. 

How handy that Leah suggested taking Jordan a slice of cake while Rose and Bree were standing  there with Bree asking "Who's Jordan?".  I get she wouldn't know every wardsman, as he is apparently known, what with working different shifts and all that but it piqued her and Rose's interest.  Leah had to go with them as she is the only one who knows what he looks like and of course it was in the nick of time.  I thought Justin said Jordan had attacked the guard when he came back from wherever he had ducked off to and had come to his rescue?  That was a fluke that Jordan was trying to call the lift when Leah spotted him, hospitals are easy places to hide, so many corridors to run up and down in  they're like mazes  and doors to duck into. 

Just because Margot is inside wouldn't mean she hasn't still got followers out here and  be able to get into contact with them.  The cops thought they had got everyone last time so no reason to think it'll be the end of it entirely. 

Naturally Irene forgave Leah for not checking upon how things were for her because as she said Leah had other things on her mind.  Good job Irene finally checked her phone seeing as she has her sentencing  hearing the next day.  Alf did wish her luck before going off to Marimbula. Liked how John asked Irene if she wanted him there. 

 

[c120701]

I did laugh at the suggestion of Alf welcoming people with open arms, I just tend to remember him throwing them out for not being members.

I presume the photo of Alf and Sam was press coverage of the Mirigini disaster from the Coastal News rather than just someone happy snapping whilst their friends and family were missing.

[Red Ranger 1]

I know she's only trying to help her sister, but I felt Dana was out of line here.She shouldn't be taking Harper's choice away from her and she shouldn't be putting pressure on Irene to sacrifice herself like that.Harper hasn't helped her case (either legally or with Dana) by not bothering to look for a job but I do appreciate her loyalty to Irene.I wonder how long Alf was sat keeping an eye on Justin: Leah seemed to head off to the Diner for hours!

Felicity seems to be digging herself a bigger and bigger hole here.She's not even very good at the deception: She gave everything away to Mackenzie with one guilty look, and Tane can clearly see something's up. It does feel like she'd have been better off sticking to saying she's not ready to have children and might never be, and if Tane can't handle that then that's on him, rather than making half-hearted (at best) promises that she's already trying to backtrack on, with her asking Tane what happens if she never gets pregnant.She's put Mackenzie in a difficult position too since she's good friends with both of them.

[Slade]

I know logically Dana is right and I don't have an issue with her looking out for her sister, but it was just the way she spoke to Irene, telling her to ask Harper to move out and not to come to court to support her.  She came across as quite cold and someone who lacks compassion, where you would expect more given she's a nurse.  To reiterate what I mentioned in a previous post, if it wasn't for Irene, Harper could be attending Dana's funeral rather than her own court case.  Dana is just coming across as ungrateful and not very likeable.

I'm not angry with Felicity, because she's not doing this out of spite or malice but because she loves Tane and doesn't want to lose him.  Whilst I found Tane noticing the tension with them at the beginning quite amusing, I do sympathise with Mackenzie given the position she's in.  I just hope when the truth comes out all three of them will be OK.