2025 Season - UK Episode Discussion

[flashbulb]

Just been catching up with Thursday's episode as I am a couple of days behind.

Wasn't that a lovely nostalgic episode, with Irene going through all her photographs...with characters being mentioned that haven't been talked about for many years such as Selina, Chloe, Heath, Bianca and Chris.

Over the last couple of decades, Home And Away has really lacked any sort of nostalgia and characters from the past have been completely forgotten about and never mentioned ever again. So it was a lovely and unexpected surprise for there to be a trip down memory lane, with clips of Heath Braxton and Chris Harrington shown as well. It was the kind of nostalgia we have been more used to seeing on Neighbours rather than Home And Away in recent years.

It was interesting to see that the memories evoked from the photo of Chris Harrington seemed to bring out the most emotional response from Irene. This was no doubt intentional due to Johnny Ruffo's death a couple of years ago...I saw this scene as the show's unofficial tribute to him in a way.

Hopefully, there will be more of these kind of scenes in the weeks to come. Although Finlay has been mentioned a few times recently, there were no clips of her. Damian was mentioned a few years ago but he hasn't been mentioned as frequently as Finlay over the years...and Nathan hasn't been mentioned for decades. I think Mick has been forgotten about completely as Irene mentioned she had three children and not four.

It was nice to hear Selina mentioned as she was very close to Irene...she even took Irene's surname (I'm not sure if she was officially adopted but she was like a daughter to Irene). Will, Hayley and Nick are her step-children of course so it was only right that they received a mention. Chloe's memory was kept alive when Irene fostered her daughter Olivia but even Olivia hasn't been mentioned for quite a few years. So it was good to hear Chloe get a mention.

It really was one of my favourite episodes of recent years.

[atrus]

Irene's story is moving very quickly - a little too quickly for my liking, I think - but I'm nonetheless enjoying the focus on her and Leah's friendship, and we had some nice, bittersweet scenes with Justin and Marilyn as well. I did appreciate the flashbacks for what they were, too, and seeing Miles, Geoff, Annie, Jett, Chris and even a quick flash of Colleen. I'm guessing there may be more of this to come but, apart from Colleen, even these characters were really post-'my' era in a way - it's incredible to think some of them were what, 15 years or more ago now? And yet Irene's time behind the Diner counter spans double that period. It would be nice to see some more of the earlier part of her time in the Bay to further augment the memory themes of the storyline if the opportunity arises, although I suspect the producers might not be so keen to take a foray into pre-widescreen footage - we'll see.

Unfortunately for me, the flashbacks also had the effect of reminding me how much has changed in the intervening years, and not necessarily for the better; for example, these flashbacks also featured the Diner packed out with Summer Bay High uniforms, which we now haven't seen in real-time in several years, which brought back fond memories of the days when the cast demographics were a little more diverse. (And while I get teens are not the focus of the narrative anymore and that's not in itself unrealistic, it's strange they've disappeared altogether from the townscape, even as background extras.)

Tane and Cash playing happy families with Archie was admittedly quite sweet, and I enjoyed seeing them in something lighter than their usual romantic angst or action man guises. Indifferent to the Levi, Mac and Abby scenes, really.

Edited August 25 by atrus

[CaptainHulk]

23 hours ago, flashbulb said:

Just been catching up with Thursday's episode as I am a couple of days behind.

Wasn't that a lovely nostalgic episode, with Irene going through all her photographs...with characters being mentioned that haven't been talked about for many years such as Selina, Chloe, Heath, Bianca and Chris.

Over the last couple of decades, Home And Away has really lacked any sort of nostalgia and characters from the past have been completely forgotten about and never mentioned ever again. So it was a lovely and unexpected surprise for there to be a trip down memory lane, with clips of Heath Braxton and Chris Harrington shown as well. It was the kind of nostalgia we have been more used to seeing on Neighbours rather than Home And Away in recent years.

It was interesting to see that the memories evoked from the photo of Chris Harrington seemed to bring out the most emotional response from Irene. This was no doubt intentional due to Johnny Ruffo's death a couple of years ago...I saw this scene as the show's unofficial tribute to him in a way.

Hopefully, there will be more of these kind of scenes in the weeks to come. Although Finlay has been mentioned a few times recently, there were no clips of her. Damian was mentioned a few years ago but he hasn't been mentioned as frequently as Finlay over the years...and Nathan hasn't been mentioned for decades. I think Mick has been forgotten about completely as Irene mentioned she had three children and not four.

It was nice to hear Selina mentioned as she was very close to Irene...she even took Irene's surname (I'm not sure if she was officially adopted but she was like a daughter to Irene). Will, Hayley and Nick are her step-children of course so it was only right that they received a mention. Chloe's memory was kept alive when Irene fostered her daughter Olivia but even Olivia hasn't been mentioned for quite a few years. So it was good to hear Chloe get a mention.

It really was one of my favourite episodes of recent years.

Nathan got a mention in 2019 during a beach walk with Bella; Irene mentioned He was still with Grace. 

Edited August 26 by CaptainHulk
Fix character name

[H&Alover]

That was really moving seeing the flashbacks of all the people, well most of them, who had frequented the Diner in the years Irene has worked there.  Very quick glimpse of Colleen.  Dare say there will be more to come, maybe at home.

Good that Maz has been brought up to date and I hope we see Irene telling Alf and Roo, that will be emotional.  Irene didn't ask how Justin knew, he didn't push it and let her take the lead,  but guessing she twigged John had told him - we haven't seen him this week so far.  I reckon she wants this stepping down as co-owner is being settled now while she still has all her facilities.  Did smile when she walked in the Diner the next day and got a gob smacked look from Maz and laughingly reassured her no she hadn't forgotten she no longer works there  but was there as a customer.  Hope TPTB can keep some humour in what will be ultimately a sad end. 

Oh Cash, you have such a lot to learn about babies don't you?  He did do as instructed  by dad, test the milk was on his wrist before giving it to Archie, but that lid can't have been  screwed up tight enough if it went all over him when he shook it.   Por Archie waiting for his morning glug and this dopey adult sloshes it everywhere, I'd be crying too.  Cash wouldn't have needed to think of the fridge if all had gone well and he would have had to call Tane anyway to ask how long do I  heat it up for?  Tane and Harper were novices, as all new parents are, when Archie was born but they have had a few months to learn things as they go along.    by Tane when Cash rocked up in a panic and just at the wrong time too.  

Ditto about Mac being  ultra pushy at getting Tane and Jo together, back off woman!  It did though prompt Jo to ask Tane if she could join the boot camp before she joins the gym, and it did go well until Cash walked in with Archie - see above - which made her back off again.   Some might say she's being cold hearted at not wanting to  be involved with a man who has a young baby - he/she will always come first. Be the same if/when Harper  finds a new guy, he'd have to accept Archie comes first. 

I do find it funny whenever Abbey walks in on Levi and Mac's conversations that  she always gets hold of the wrong end of the stick. 

In normal, if that is the right word,  cases couples are advised to wait for a lot longer than just a few months into trying for a baby before going down the IVF route but what with Mac's family medical history it does, I suppose, make a difference. Yes she did fall pregnant with Ari's baby but it was an ectopic one so that may be another factor to be considered.  She was getting obsessed again by staying up half the night looking at the various successful cases. 

Not looking good for Remi and Bree going by the  promo. 

[Red Ranger 1]

Jo and Abby should start a club: It was almost painful watching Jo trying desperately to find the right thing to say to Bree and failing miserably. We got the cliffhanger in the promo again, although it's not as important this time since it doesn't feel like such a pivotal moment, plus Bree and Remi aren't exactly the main focus. Hardly a case of "All good" as things remain incredibly awkward between them.Cash might have been a bit more helpful but I guess there's no easy solution, certainly not the one Bree went for.

Tane and Jo seem to have decided to build a friendship, which is a good start if they want to take things further.Cash and Eden had a nicely angst-free chat about having children.

John turns up and discovers he's missed a huge chunk of Irene's storyline.He gave her some sensible advice, and Leah certainly didn't want her to gift her share to her, but there was something rather uncomfortable about the way Irene seemed to be relying on John to tell her what to do.

[c120701]

3 hours ago, Red Ranger 1 said:

John turns up and discovers he's missed a huge chunk of Irene's storyline.He gave her some sensible advice, and Leah certainly didn't want her to gift her share to her, but there was something rather uncomfortable about the way Irene seemed to be relying on John to tell her what to do.

I agree, but as we’ve seen with the Coffee Cart order, whenever she’s questioned on something she’s done Irene’s doubting now doubting herself. It did come across a little weird, but Leah’s willingness to paying full market price made it seem like it was the right decision and also down the track, Leah’s not likely to have Fin, Damien or Nathan wondering if she’s conned their mother, despite her spending more time with her than they ever have.

[atrus]

Not that I really care about Remi and Bree repairing things, but it annoyed me the way Cash self-righteously said the situation didn't compare to him and Eden because Remi cheated. Well, Cash may not have cheated but being honest, I think the way he treated Eden was much worse in some regards; he was the 'dumping party' and Eden had done absolutely nothing to deserve it, and he treated her worse than dirt for weeks. For all the wrongs of Remi's behaviour at least it was impulsive and drug-induced. 

Obviously it makes sense that Irene sells her share of the Diner rather than giving it away and I'm sort of surprised it took John to make her see that, but given her diagnosis I suppose she gets a free pass on pretty much anything like that now; I guess she was willing to defer to John because she no longer trusts her own judgement. In many ways she seems more at peace with the decision to leave the business than Leah does, and I'm surprised she's got there so soon. 

[H&Alover]

I wondered where John was and then he pops up just at the right  moment, He was trying to cover for Irene again with the muffins but then she broke the news Justin, Maz and Leah knew which as I've said before will take a weight off his shoulders.  He has been so good with her and he gives good advice as seen by him being against her gifting Leah her share of the Diner which Leah wasn't happy about either.  He doesn't have an invested interest in the Diner  so his advice was neutral and coming from a  good place. She doesn't know how long she will be  living with Alzheimer's, if she'll maybe need special  care at some point  and what about her children and grandchildren, they should be deserving of any money Irene leaves. As Irene said herself, she is already forgetting silly things so wants to step down now before it gets more noticeable.  Leah is making the right move, to get someone in to give the place a correct price for it, but saying that isn't it rented?  It would be a lot for her to take on and run by herself, and does she enough money or would she get a loan?   I know Maz would happily step up her shifts.  I'm guessing Irene will be letting Harper and Dana know, though Dana  does have a suspicion from what John hinted at.  

That was quite an awks chat between Jo and Bree, she was well within earshot of that rant Bree had at Levi and maybe felt she ought to say something.

Cash was trying to help but didn't.  It can be seen from different sides from what Cash did to Eden and what Remi did to Bree.  Cash and Eden had split, though he did get  a tad stalkerish following her around, so she didn't cheat on him but Remi did cheat on Bree even if it was just the once and it wasn't drug induced and he fessed up.  It was kind of weird from Bree not wanting to be touched by Remi and that lunch 'date' was awks too, neither of them knowing what to say, then they took the  back to Remi's.  She took the advice from Eden the wrong way by deciding to pounce on Remi and stripping him off and wanting to drag him into bed.   It would have seemed to her he was rejecting her but he knew she was doing it for the wrong reason so tat is why he stopped her. 

Cash seems to have calmed down and he and Tane were playing nicely with Archie.  The babies who play him are so good being handed around.

Interesting talk between Cash and Eden on the subject of babies - he shouldn't have assumed Eden didn't want babies ever - unlike Flick.  The Eden he first knew wouldn't have back then, but the years have moved on, she's older as is he (30's?) and although she saying not yet, she's not saying never. 

Another interesting and relaxed talk this time between Tane and Jo sharing family history but not going in too deep about how  members of their family had died.  It's a bit rawer for Jo as she only lost her mum two years ago.  I can see them as a couple if she can her head around Tane being  a dad and if she can connect with Archie - or more importantly if he connects with her. 

[flashbulb]

On 26/08/2025 at 09:57, CaptainHulk said:

Nathan got a mention in 2019 during a beach walk with Bella; Irene mentioned He was still with Grace. 

I have absolutely no recollection of that at all. Do you know what episode number that was? The fact that you remember that it happened in 2019 means that you possibly might know the episode number too.

[Red Ranger 1]

I can't say I remember Irene mentioning Nathan to Bella. I'm wondering if someone's got mixed up with her mentioning him to....a character who's name I can't be bothered to look up. The one that thought she was her daughter around 2016.

Anyway, today. Ever since telling Leah and then Marilyn, Irene seems to have well and truly moved into acceptance mode with regard her Alzheimer's, although it was still obviously a wrench to have to tell Harper and Dana. I'm tempted to wonder if she actually had forgotten where John had gone. Dana and Sonny learn that you really don't argue with John when he's being that intense. Dana was well-meaning, but a bit much for Irene, who also doesn't want to handle the guilt of Dana giving up her life for her. Alf abruptly knows (did Leah or Marilyn tell him?), but it doesn't seem to be common knowledge with Remi apparently in the dark.

I can see why Remi said Bree didn't need to apologise but she kind of did. It was unfair of Remi to blame Eden, so I'm glad he apologised too. There's been no brilliant insight into their troubles but I guess deciding to keep working at it is something. I'm not sure if Abby's disconnect, wandering around town trying to find where she'll do the least damage, is leading somewhere or just a way of involving her while Mali's away.