2025 Season - UK Episode Discussion

[James Martin]

Kids generally have a 2-3 year younger playing age, certainly these days.

The use of language piques my curiosity.  Adopting instead of Fostering?  In that house?  The house has a fostering heritage that ultimately Roo (as Justine Clarke) was around to see the start of.  I'm genuinely unaware of what's coming down the track with this storyline.  Just seems like a golden opportunity to get the show back to its roots without alienating the new generation of fans.  The entire title of the show comes from its fostering heritage.

[H&Alover]

I thought Theo had been easy on Lacey when he intervened in her and her dad and Jo's spats before.  He genuinely thought now they had reached an agreement and yes it was Lacey's suggestion to give the ring back to David that it was all quiet on the Langham front but no Lacey still wasn't ready to forgive Jo.  It seems  his words sunk in and that is why she is hiring a PI, using the $100,000 David is giving her, to investigate what could have happened that day.  All he can do though is go through the actual evidence, check the car to see if there was any fault in it  that the cops or their guys missed.  Maybe and until Jo  remembers we will never know but maybe for whatever reason they were  having a row and Jo was distracted which would explain her not wanting to remember.

Tane was very good with Jo when he found her having a panic attack so she opened up to him about the accident. Not quite the same thing with Uncle Mikaere's death, he had been killed in a shoot out during  a robbery.   

Methinks Cohen may have taken Cash's advice a little too literally by wanting to help though it's not a bad thing for kids old enough to do so to do some jobs - don't want to use that American term chores - around the house, him clearing the dishes, washing up, putting his dirty clothes  in the laundry basket.  He did ask if he could keep his surname  when the adoption -if/when it comes through- so he'd still have connection to his mum. 

As we heard all the relevant paperwork has been done  and Roo is sending it off along with the letter to Samantha. I'm hoping she may have thought to put a little  note in to ask Samantha to read  this letter.   I was expecting Roo to ask David if there had been any progress  the authorities had  about any other  long lost relatives of Cohens but no. He was kind of distracted after getting back his late wife's Eternity ring. 

Would like to have seen some more of Alf's barbecuing his bangers.  He was joshing Cash and  Cohen about the right way to do it, Cash wisely stepped back and let the expert teach Cohen. 

Brief mention of Irene with Maz saying it wasn't the same in the Diner without her.  It seems it is a given that Roo knew same time as Alf about her Alzheimer's. 

 

[Dan F]

On 30/08/2025 at 13:11, c120701 said:

As was Roo’s first husband… It’s not unexpected but a reference to that or a “do you know… this house used to be full of foster children?” would be a nice tie in and might even help Cohen as Cash has that he’s not alone in going through this.

I was secretly hoping that, since Alf hasn't managed to bring up the fact that he himself was a foster parent (briefly), he might have suggested Roo reach out to Pippa at a point where she could have done with some advice about Eliza or Cohen. Or even when she was first considering becoming a foster parent.

Just a passing comment that she'd spoken to her would have been a nice reference to the past, which I'm sure wouldn't have caused the universe to implode.

Anyway, today's ep was the moment we were talking about a couple of weeks ago, Irene's signing over the diner being a very significant scene both off-screen and on-screen:

Spoiler

 

A significant moment in today's UK pace #HomeandAway, as Irene signs over the Pier Diner to Leah - more than 20yrs since she first became a partner in the former Beachside Diner. The moment where Irene signed the papers was also the final scene that Lynne McGranger filmed! pic.twitter.com/w0omFZbenV

— Back to the Bay (@backtothebay) September 2, 2025

 

 

[James Martin]

Great choice of flashbacks today.  Amazing to see Selina, Tasha & Belle amongst others.

That diner scene hit different knowing what we know.

[Red Ranger 1]

Whilst we're probably meant to share Theo's shocked look, Lacey hiring a private investigator is probably a sensible idea. It can possibly give her the answers she needs. There does seem to be a concerted effort to soften David these last couple of weeks, moving him from a hardass into a broken man covering up his grief. He did at least offer an explanation for what might have caused the accident, even if he does seem to be treating absence of evidence as evidence. And he extends a bit of an olive branch to Tane as well.

We got another nice flashback montage for Irene: Mostly post-2004 clips (or whenever they moved to widescreen), although they managed to sneak Selina in there. At some point I'm going to have to go back and look at that latest nostalgic photo shelf: Shane and Angel's wedding photo front and centre, and a familiar Kane and Kirsty photo off to one side. I wondered why they included that phone conversation with Jett, but I guess it was to set up Irene getting him and John confused. Irene still manages to be straight talking with Dana though, and a nice moment between her and Sonny at the end after Justin explains her history.

[atrus]

Loved all the flashbacks for Irene (and even a 4:3 clip!) Notably, it was all footage of the girls who had stayed at the Beach House and none of the boys - but then I suppose we know how much Irene loves 'girlies'! And we did get Chris the other day I guess, though he was famously a 'Diner lady' too. Leah's hesitation in signing the Diner contract was really tugging at my heart-strings as well (although I could well have done without someone warbling "This is the end!" over and over again on the soundtrack to hammer the point home).

Regarding Lacey changing her mind about the money - was I the only one who was hoping David would turn around and say, "Ha, well, you snooze, you lose"?  

Edited Tuesday at 19:46 by atrus

[Red Ranger 1]

Watching it again and freezing it, that's not Kane and Kirsty and I'm not entirely sure who it is: Darcy and Rocco, or at a pinch Harley? (By the way, did I mention I could make out what I think was Matilda's sleeve in that clip of the Diner opening last week?)

Also, I was glad Dana and Sonny did actually get some time away!

[Dan F]

6 minutes ago, Red Ranger 1 said:

Watching it again and freezing it, that's not Kane and Kirsty and I'm not entirely sure who it is: Darcy and Rocco, or at a pinch Harley? (By the way, did I mention I could make out what I think was Matilda's sleeve in that clip of the Diner opening last week?)

Also, I was glad Dana and Sonny did actually get some time away!

It's definitely Darcy, though don't ask me which baby 

[Red Ranger 1]

54 minutes ago, Dan F said:

It's definitely Darcy, though don't ask me which baby 

Given your reference to Irene's death shelf a few episodes back, I wondered if you had an insight!

[H&Alover]

Funny you mentioning about no boys atrus, we did see Irene bursting into  Chris'(?) room and catching him in his undies - Cash  lived at the Beach House with Jasmine and that was fairly recently, so does he know about Irene, because I'm sure if he does he'd want to be there.

Good to see Morag and Colleen on that first photo, must have been an emotional moment for Lynne and Ada.  I'm guessing Irene has decided to do it now while she is still compos mentis enough to know what she is doing.  I did spot Leah is still a Patterson. 

I had trouble remembering everyone but Selina did have a distinctive look, did we see any of Irene's children?  Was that Greg we saw along with Bobby? 

Very touching that Lynne was gifted the  phone. 

Ah that was  when Irene called John Jett but he took it well and like you Red I think it  was because John had just been talking to him and Irene said 'Hi Jett'.  it wasn't  a huge mistake, same initial and Jett is John's son. 

Dana and Sonny are back from wherever they went to but she was already fretting about Irene, but sweet she was so understanding when John told her about Irene's error with his name, she knew something had upset him.  Btw who did pay?

It was funny when Irene was laying down the law to Dana  on how she wanted things to be, no fussing, alternative meds, vitamins, just be treated as normal.  It's great that Dana cares but her nurses instincts would kick in.  It was nearly an awkward moment when Harper said she was going off to Boot Camp and  Irene said about Archie may disturb things and Harper said she was dropping him - Archie that is - off at Marilyn's. 

Tane was very caring towards Jo and ringing John who must have been taken aback a bit  by answering his phone and speaking to Tane.   Maybe all that gruffness when we first met David is due down to the fact he is still mourning the loss of his wife.  He has  seen another side to Tane from the stroppy guy he first met.  

Interesting looks between Tane and Jo when she was walking away with David and Harper was quick to pick up on it but said nothing, didn't even go into  a sulk. 

Theo's words to Lacey did sink in regarding the crash, she  is so adamant that Jo is lying and David shouldn't be forgiving her BUT what if it had been Lacey driving and she was saying she couldn't remember yet David forgave her, odd that no-one has brought that up.   I think David has told Lacey about the circumstances re the crash but  she hadn't been willing to listen before.  The traffic police did do all the usual things, breath test/drugs test though If I remember correctly it was in the morning.  Of course Jo could have been under the  limit which wouldn't show.  They hadn't skidded, no faults with the car.  only explanation she swerved to avoid an animal.   No-one  else apart from his late wife can say what caused it. 

Whether this PI lacey has decided to hire will be able to find out more is anyone's guess. Let's hope Lacey doesn't tell him money is no object.

That was a lovely scene with Sonny joining Irene on the beach bench and as we saw in the promo he and Irene were having fun celebrating her retirement - good way of looking at it. Btw were Graham and Gwen Reid, the names on the bench  significant to H&A in anyway?