2023 Season - UK Episode Discussion

[H&Alover]

True Alf doesn't  always welcome everyone with open arms - he's also known to be the first to break open the pitchforks and flaming torches.  When it was found out about the Morgan's history he was right up there at the head of the  queue.

Fair enough maybe not a good idea Harper should attend Irene's sentencing she is heavily involved in it after all.  But isn't Harper more involved than Irene was, she took Dana to Irene's in the first place and hid her.  Of course Dana wants to 'protect' Harper who is going against her solicitors advice but she could have been a lot more diplomatic about it. Can see Harper's point about not bothering to look for  a job as it may happen she'll have to quit it if things go against her in court.  Irene could have put off going  the next day but as she said she'll only be stewing for a lot longer so would rather have it done with either way. Ooh nearly forgot Irene used that well known and utterly false line of "I'm fine ". 

Yes Felicity is doing the wrong thing by lying to Tane, but he was coming across so keen, if not demanding, they start  a family.  She's obviously not happy about it but got herself into too deep.  She's always been on the pill then which is just as well seeing how often her and Tane are bonking for Australia, so not as irresponsible as she comes across.   He does know something is wrong but cross examining Mac wasn't going anywhere.  She is in an awful position. I spotted Tane's avoidance of Flick's serious question about what it would do to them if she couldn't have children, he just shrugged it off.  On the flip side he may not be able to father children.  I'm guessing with his history of being a bit of a wild one, he wasn't as careful as he might have been in the past, yet we haven't seen any women track him own and demand money for the child she had by him.  

[Red Ranger 1]

4 hours ago, H&Alover said:

True Alf doesn't  always welcome everyone with open arms - he's also known to be the first to break open the pitchforks and flaming torches.  When it was found out about the Morgan's history he was right up there at the head of the  queue.

Judging by his profile, Alf wasn't even in town when the Morgans' history came out! In fact, I don't recall any of the main characters being against them?

Alf's episode count this week:Four. The only characters to make three were Irene, Leah, Marilyn and Justin.

Harper quickly realised what Dana had been playing at, but it wasn't enough to stop Irene trying to throw herself on her own funeral pyre. I'm glad Harper still had the insight to realise Irene needs someone there. It's a shame we didn't see the conversation for the sake of the surprise reveal, because it feels Dana needed more of a redemption, even though she's the one who takes the lead in telling Irene they're there for her whatever she wants.

Well, Felicity really did back herself into a corner here. She says she was worried Tane would leave her, and to be fair he didn't exactly do a good job of reassuring her on that matter, but she's now given him a reason for doing that. I do think Tane needs to take some responsibility for his downward spiral which prompted all this. Looking back, I think the break has made it seem like Felicity was lying to him for months, when it's actually only been two or three weeks. Tane tried to justify it by saying this is something Felicity did without any outside prompting (well, except for him) but it would be ridiculous to throw their marriage away over this after everything they'd been through to be together. Cash didn't deserve that punch: Tane's lucky he's not technically a police officer at the moment, or he could be up for assaulting one. I was amused by Xander's complete inability to shut up despite Mackenzie's pointed remarks.

[CaptainHulk]

Thursday and Friday were a rough watch, if I'm to be fair.

[c120701]

I remember Alf calling Justin out on his family going about things the wrong way when they arrived but it was prior to the reveal of the witness protection.

[H&Alover]

Glad I didn't misremember totally.  Did John become caught up with the local's unrest with the Morgan's? 

I can see it from both sides Irene has always been an independent woman but never hurts to have people round you at times like this.  It was lovely they did both turn up at the sentencing despite Dana being the one to distance herself and Harper.  I could be utterly wrong but with all this doom and gloom Irene is putting herself through and her 'accepting' her fate about going to jail, transported, working on a chain gang is it all a blind and she gets a suspended?  Sentence that is.

Mac was put under a lot of pressure by Tane but despite what she told Felicity what she would do she resisted and told him to go and talk to his wife.  Flick was acting so twitchy not just with Tane abut also with Cash it should have  alerted anyone who was with her that something was wrong.  Flick only agreed as she knew it would make him happy but both parents have to be happy be it the potential mum or dad.  She's been telling him she's only just come off the pill  so may take time to get pregnant which is completely plausible.  They have been through such a lot, on and off engagement, the accident, her rape and let's not not forget the stalking incidents and their kidnap by Flick's 'friend' Anne when they first got together. 

Nothing to do with nought but I did like her bag.  

I'm not excusing Felicity but as said before Tane had done a complete u-turn about not being bothered about having children just yet but then it was the most important thing in his life to become a dad.  'Advising' her to stop drinking,  not to drink caffeine, not too much exercise.  Telling her about her about the Maori tradition of pregnant mums not cutting their hair.   Him finding out like he did would be gut wrenching and never mind how long it's still been a shock and it is a pretty big lie.  May be  a macho thing but I suppose Tane had to hit someone and better he hit Cash and not Flick.  Would it count as assaulting a police officer if Cash had still been a  cop and was off duty when Tane hit him?   

It was strangely amusing Xander's waffling but it did distract Mac's mind a little.  I still see them as a possible couple. 

 

 

[CaptainHulk]

6 hours ago, H&Alover said:

I'm not excusing Felicity but as said before Tane had done a complete u-turn about not being bothered about having children just yet but then it was the most important thing in his life to become a dad.  'Advising' her to stop drinking,  not to drink caffeine, not too much exercise.  Telling her about her about the Maori tradition of pregnant mums not cutting their hair.   Him finding out like he did would be gut wrenching and never mind how long it's still been a shock and it is a pretty big lie.  May be  a macho thing but I suppose Tane had to hit someone and better he hit Cash and not Flick.  Would it count as assaulting a police officer if Cash had still been a  cop and was off duty when Tane hit him?   

It was strangely amusing Xander's waffling but it did distract Mac's mind a little.  I still see them as a possible couple. 

 

 

Cash is probably decided "I'm gonna look the other way... THIS time."

Mac and Xander both *do* need a storyline but to be hooked up because the PTB don't really... have anything for the pair at  the minute just seems a bit lazy.

[Red Ranger 1]

Neither Tane nor Felicity came across very well here.Felicity laying into Mackenzie as a scapegoat when it's her choices that caused this situation was just ridiculous, and she continued to be standoffish with her at the end after admitting she'd made a mistake.Cash and Eden might be supporting her but they don't agree with her.On the other side of the coin, Tane is being ridiculously stubborn and equally self-deluded (as Mackenzie recognises): When he claimed he's not the one who lied and made promises they couldn't keep, he seems to be ignoring the fact he promise Felicity was enough for him and then kept banging on about how much he wanted children. As for assault charges, if Tane knows Cash is a police officer and assaults him, that's assaulting a police officer, whether he's in uniform or not.

The prosecutor came across as someone who's more interested in twisting the facts to get a result than serving justice.Greta initially seemed rather a cold fish but was doing her best for Irene and probably came up with the best thing she could.No-one seemed willing to acknowledge the fact that breaking the letter of the law was pretty much the only way to avoid a bigger injustice.I'm glad Dana seems to have lost her wavering support for Irene and is fully on her side, and hearing Irene speak about how she doesn't regret helping her may have sunk home.Harper continues to insist on doing what's right rather than what's right for her.And I'm glad John made it there, and that Alf apparently respected him enough to tip him off to what was going on: Maybe his speech made a difference? (Unless he just mentioned it in passing after ringing John up to give him a hard time about doing his job while he's away. Yeah, that's probably it...)

[H&Alover]

Faults on both sides with Tane and Felicity, Mac got the flack as she was the only one who knew what the situation was, Tane had gone off so she was the one who Flick had to have a go at.  Cash & Eden had a lot of catching up to do, but until Felicity can calmly put her case to them they don't know the full story or her side of it at least. Tane too needs to explain his understanding of what was supposed to be happening.  OK Tane owns the gym so he is entitled to stay there but not a good image, would Mac take him to hers or would that in Flick's eyes look like she's taking sides? 

Not a good idea Flick wanting to speak to Tane  so soon -  the old he needs some space/time  thing. 

Is Cash technically still  a cop seeing as he's suspended? 

The prosecutor  was only doing what a prosecutor does ditto Irene's defence.  Odd how we see it differently if it's someone we know and love being prosecuted isn't it? Anyone else - a real baddie - and we'd be totally on their side.  There wasn't a huge argument on Irene's side,  she did hide Dana but only after what she had been told what had really happened by Harper.  The Irene we know does protect the underdog.  It appears it was an unusual approach for the defendant to make a speech about why they did what they did.  Typical of most soaps they left us just as m'lord/your honour  was about to announce his verdict.   I do think because of all this fretting Irene has been doing she'd go down for seven years, he'll hand her a suspended sentence. As thought Harper's lawyer wasn't happy about her being in court.  It was nice to see John there, obviously Justin couldn't be and Leah would be with him, but no Maz?

[CaptainHulk]

4 hours ago, H&Alover said:

Faults on both sides with Tane and Felicity, Mac got the flack as she was the only one who knew what the situation was, Tane had gone off so she was the one who Flick had to have a go at.  Cash & Eden had a lot of catching up to do, but until Felicity can calmly put her case to them they don't know the full story or her side of it at least. Tane too needs to explain his understanding of what was supposed to be happening.  OK Tane owns the gym so he is entitled to stay there but not a good image, would Mac take him to hers or would that in Flick's eyes look like she's taking sides? 

Not a good idea Flick wanting to speak to Tane  so soon -  the old he needs some space/time  thing. 

Is Cash technically still  a cop seeing as he's suspended? 

The prosecutor  was only doing what a prosecutor does ditto Irene's defence.  Odd how we see it differently if it's someone we know and love being prosecuted isn't it? Anyone else - a real baddie - and we'd be totally on their side.  There wasn't a huge argument on Irene's side,  she did hide Dana but only after what she had been told what had really happened by Harper.  The Irene we know does protect the underdog.  It appears it was an unusual approach for the defendant to make a speech about why they did what they did.  Typical of most soaps they left us just as m'lord/your honour  was about to announce his verdict.   I do think because of all this fretting Irene has been doing she'd go down for seven years, he'll hand her a suspended sentence. As thought Harper's lawyer wasn't happy about her being in court.  It was nice to see John there, obviously Justin couldn't be and Leah would be with him, but no Maz?

Someone's gotta pump out the coffee!

*sees self out*

[Red Ranger 1]

5 hours ago, H&Alover said:

Is Cash technically still  a cop seeing as he's suspended?

No. Hence why I said Tane's lucky he isn't technically a cop at the moment.

So...can a magistrate actually do that then? Find a defendant not guilty of a crime they've already pleaded guilty to and are supposed to be being sentenced for? It felt a bit like he was exceeding his authority, but then the whole thing was a farce from beginning to end. I guess the charges against Harper were dropped because Filmore had already made a fool of himself once advocating for a strong punishment for a ludicrous charge and didn't want to be humiliated again. Anyway, I'm pleased for both of them, and I did like how delighted Harper and Dana were for Irene as well as for themselves (again, there's that feeling that "found family" is still a strong part of Home and Away even if it's not really "fostering" as such). John was an absolute darling and just what Irene needed, and I appreciated him referring to her as his "best mate".

I noticed the episode kept Alf and John apart: Maybe they thought John had suffered enough! Another incredibly quick Merimbula trip for Alf: He was back the day after he left, and he seemed to leave quite late in the day on top of that! I loved Alf's expression when Roo and Marilyn were putting their second pitch to him, it just screamed "Do you two think I came down in the last shower or what?" (Similarly, his reaction to Mali calling him the OG legend!) Roo's plan to answer questions pretending to be Alf is so ridiculous that even Marilyn, who's not exactly the brightest spark, can tell it's a bad idea. Giving him the questions and letting him decide if he wants to answer them would be a lot more sensible.

Seems Leah's still getting it hard even with Justin seemingly out of danger. To be fair, Rose is being a lot more positive this time: I seem to remember when most of the Vita Nova members were still at large she admitted to Justin that she couldn't say for certain they wouldn't come after him or Andrew for revenge. (Maybe they should have kept those security cameras!) I liked Rose's chat with Mali about how it's easy to forget that these things don't just stop.