2025 Season - UK Episode Discussion

[Medea Fleecestealer]

So Mali hires Lacey without asking any questions about her experience or looking at her CV just to keep John  happy.  

[Dan F]

1 hour ago, H&Alover said:

My comments from yesterday seems to have disappeared. 

Nothing's been removed - could be a case of unfortunate timing and you happened to post just as the forum was being switched to a new URL early yesterday afternoon.

[Red Ranger 1]

It feels like, as with Jo's blossoming friendship with Dana, this episode was designed to show us a softer side of David.All I could think though was "Hug your daughter in your own time", with another example of one rule for him and one rule for everyone else. Comforting Jo in his office when she'd been brought there on official business was one thing, but now she's dropping by for a gossip and a takeaway, and actually standing at his shoulder while he's dealing with a case..? Incidentally, we get a constable who isn't Cash or the departed Rose, and the actor was in two episodes in 2016 as a uni classmate of Oscar et al. Hilariously, he was in the same episode as Dylan Carter, although I don't think they shared a scene!

Well, it was good timing that Roo came back and signed back up as a foster carer within 24 hours of another troubled youngster turning up! I wonder how Alf will react, given it seems he's being as unpleasant as ever on the subject. I was kind of disappointed to see what Roo did with Eliza's card. Keeping it on display wasn't healthy, but boxing it up with the stuff to send back to Eliza wouldn't be good for the girl's mental health, and I'd rather she'd put it away somewhere to remember it wasn't all bad. Still...was that a photo of Alf and Ailsa next to it?! It's not much, but after seven years of virtually pretending she didn't exist, it was very welcome!

I'm usually on John's side, but I was glad everyone gave him short shrift here, given he was just tittle-tattling in a rather judgemental manner. Given how much he was on at Mali to hire someone to run the board shop, I thought he'd have been more motivated to keep quiet rather than trying to get Lacey fired just to crow over Mali. I'm glad Mali decided to keep her on: He was running what lessons there were himself anyway, so it makes sense to have Lacey run the shop while he does that and the boards. It wasn't until the credits came up that I realised Lacey was in the same episode as her family and didn't cross paths with them at all. I don't think that's a bad thing, she's benefiting from getting to interact with a lot of characters.

Dana lost a lot of my sympathy by sniping at Jo like that. Ironically, when he took a deep breath and stepped up, Sonny actually gave her good advice!

[H&Alover]

Heh heh Jo did drop into Yabbie Creek cop shop. David did indeed act like "it's one rule for the rest of the cops and another for me" when Jo just called in to give him her good news.  OK her dropping back in later was bad timing but she could have backed off when he was talking to Cohen. But then we did see a completely different side to him when he was talking to Samantha and Cohen,  he was firm but treated her with respect and was gentle with them both.  He persuaded her to go to the cop shop and took care of Cohen.  Wow there is another cop who is allowed to talk, he was a tad OTT when he and his silent buddies were hassling Samantha. 

That did later involve him meeting Roo when he dropped Cohen off at hers. I'm guessing the phone call she took off screen was from the local SW's asking if she could take him in. I'm also guessing that is what that phone call to Maz was about.  I didn't think the cops would just turn up. Hard to guess his age  but I'd say he was 11/12?   He's also mixed race not that has anything to do with anything.  Was odd  Roo decided she put her card from Eliza in her box to send to her, she could have put it in  a drawer somewhere.   

I may be getting way ahead of myself and it not happen but I can see David and Roo getting close. 

She was giving Maz some faff about coming home as she was missing the place but Maz wasn't fooled and soon wheedled the truth out of her that it was Alf turning up at Martha's and giving her  a hard time about fostering so she wisely left.    He won't be a happy bunny when he comes back - depending on how long Cohen's going to be there, hope SS gave Roo more back story for him unlike they did - or didn't - for Eliza. 

Like you Red, I'm usually on John's side but he was on the officious side with Lacey after he was giving Mali such a  hard time about lack of staff at the board shop.  Him spying on her and Theo was a tad OTT.  The lesson did go well though although did tire Theo out, good to see his injuries haven't been forgotten and are still bothering him, meaning ND's don't always perform miracles.  Btw now Tane isn't around is anyone making sure he is  keeping on track with his exercises?  Theo did urge her to own up to Mali which did burst John's bubble somewhat.  Mali made the right decision to keep her on to do  the job Abby used to do.  That will be interesting when they meet.  Have Abby and Mali touched base with each other since she's been back? 

Lacey, it seems still hasn't told Theo her dad and sister are in town or near enough, that would have been very awkward if either or both had wandered by or gone into the Surf Club when they there. 

I giving Dana some leeway with the way she was with Jo, to her it would seem someone just drifts in and she got the job she went for.  But once Jo told her she'd been a cardio nurse for x amount of years she backed down.  Sonny had also had his ear bitten off but once he got Dana  pinned down long enough to listen to him he did give good advice,  the same thoughts were going through my mind.  She could specialise, do they do rotations at ND's?  That way she find out what really interests her and what she'd like to be involved in.  That is how it works for docs after all, I dare say Levi was an ordinary doc when he first qualified then moved onto cardio. She is currently just a nurse - not meaning that in a bad way - mainly working in A&E so knows how ND's work, she could bend Bree's ear  and get her advice. 

From what we saw in the promo Kirby and Avalon have had a right u-turn and have teamed up to sing together - pretty head spinning.   Kirby's album is done Remi just needs to  do a few tweaks and it's done.  Said before and I'll say it again -  NO NO & NO DON'T GO THERE REMI!    

[Medea Fleecestealer]

Can parents just abrogate their rights to their kids?  Sounds weird to me.  

[Red Ranger 1]

Alf's episode count:Suspended. At least we know where he is, since it's Leah's turn to not appear at all even though references suggest she's in town. Tane only appears in one episode before going away, and even then it's only on a video call.

Harper was annoying as ever in her first scene: Tane got on a plane to Japan because she told him to, and he left Archie behind because she kept him away. Even Irene looked fed up with her.Still, she actually worked well with Cohen despite having apparently no briefing, demonstrating she's a much better character when just doing her job rather than sulking over Tane.I guess we could add David in that category too.When Harper explained she'd put Archie in day care, Marilyn was probably thinking "Why not give him to me?!?!"

That's an incredibly fast turnaround from Samantha, last time we saw her she was promising Cohen she'd see him tomorrow, now she's apparently decided she never wants to see him again. Even if she thinks a clean break is the best thing so he can be looked after properly, it's a pretty abrupt way to break off contact and leaves Roo in an awkward position.

I'm not quite sure why Remi needed to stay up all night, he didn't even have Justin's deadline to deal with at that point. Kirby and Avalon have indeed done something of a 180. I'm not sure Justin did the right thing by getting Remi to agree to the duet. It isn't clear from the ending whether Remi's going to take the drugs or not but the promo suggests he did.

[H&Alover]

A pretty abrupt decision for Harper to return to work but in a way, it's good that she'll have something to concentrate on rather then sitting  at home fretting about Tane and driving else mad whinging on about him.  She would have returned to work at sometime.  It did come out  when she was talking to Irene why she became a SW as they look after kids like her and Dana so can smypathise  with them. It was very handy that it just had to happen as Cohen turned up and at least this time Roo has a SW actually there.   Harper has been suddenly dropped in it with Cohen  but him and his mum not being local  TPTB behind her would need to do some digging into their history.  David didn't get very far either with his investigations  I loved, again how he  was with Cohen, Roo being there as appropriate  adult of course.  Not sure if Cohen was telling the whole truth  about his background, this lady he called nan for one, or whether his mum had drummed into him not to reveal too much about themselves.   He did say he didn't know who his dad was,   so either dad may have been a one night stand, brief encounter, died when he was very young, it  could even be likely Samantha is a widow.  

 Going off on  a tandem, his name is Kingham but in the closing credits, which I admit I don't usually look at,  his name was shown as David Miller.   Wasn't that his wife's maiden name which Lacey changed her surname to? 

He and Roo did get on and although they may have had a transient background he's well read so Samantha has been able to educate him somehow.  David did tell Roo  Samantha was being sent down, did he say for how long,  which may have been why she decided to give up any parental  rights on him so it was a clean break for both of them.  Maz seemingly got a good vibe from him unlike the one she got from Eliza.   

It does seem a good idea that Kirby and Avalon have teamed up, but I'm still not sure about her.  It's putting  more pressure on Remi though and Justin isn't helping  by announcing he's got a venue for Kirby's Launch Party in a week's time.  He's going to have to crack on too getting the fliers out, get it on Kirby's SM page.   Kirby telling Avalon that Remi didn't any money problems re financing the album made   ring for me.   

You know what TPTB are like letting us think one thing when something else happens.  I'm hoping it isn't what they are suggesting.   Avalon may be one of those people who can just take drugs as and when they want and don't get hooked.    

 

[c120701]

On 24/07/2025 at 14:28, H&Alover said:

Seems Roo is back, did she and Alf pass each on the road to Martha's?     David turns up on her doorstep with this young lad called Cohen and tells her she's his emergency foster carer! Can the cops do that without any warning at all? 

I assumed she’d heard from DoCS (or whatever “The Department” are called these days), but maybe he called ahead which is how he knew to go to the side door instead of the front as the Police used to do.

[H&Alover]

14 hours ago, c120701 said:

I assumed she’d heard from DoCS (or whatever “The Department” are called these days), but maybe he called ahead which is how he knew to go to the side door instead of the front as the Police used to do.

Everyone goes to the back door, it's only Alf, Roo and Maz that use the front door. 

[Red Ranger 1]

Yes, I noticed that rogue David Miller credit! Samantha hasn't been sentenced yet but maybe it's easier to give up parental rights when the child isn't in your care anyway?

It feels a bit like we can't see the important parts of Remi's storyline so are left filling in the blanks. I'm guessing that he took some of the drugs and possibly took the rest of them later. I can understand the frustration of people constantly changing plans on you, even if you don't particularly like those plans. Kirby deciding to have her big album launch at Salt is a bit of an eye-roller but her justification is understandable, she wants to do it with her friends, not a bunch of city strangers. It is a bit disappointing that Kirby and Avalon's enthusiasm over the duet has dissipated slightly. Justin is proving to be something of a super manager, maybe Avalon actually will sign him!

I can understand the difficulty, and it's a bit annoying that no-one's thought to ask Samantha to explain the situation herself, but Roo and to a lesser extent David (although he's mostly taking Roo's lead) aren't doing Cohen any favours by lying to him like this.I really hope Roo passes on that letter and doesn't do something awful like sticking it in a drawer. Harper once again proves a decent social worker and a lousy human being with her grumbling about Tane. And yep, I was totally right about Marilyn trying to convince Harper to ditch day care and just give Archie to her!

Edited 1 hour ago by Red Ranger 1