2026 Season - UK Episode Discussion

[Red Ranger 1]

Alf's episode count this week:Four.

Well, Justin is turning into quite the Alf whisperer, first being the one to get him to his doctor's appointment and now being the one to help him see things from Roo's perspective.Mind you, the way things have turned out, he might have been better off going to Merimbula! I guess Roo had to ask the question but she seemed convinced by Alf's reassurances. It's just a shame she did it in public with young ears listening.

Levi and Abigail had some nice sibling scenes both before and after her injury. Not surprisingly, less than a week after David telling Richie not to have visitors at the station, here's Lacey dropping by to meet him. Richie's attempts at small talk were painful. He might have done slightly better with Cash if he'd suggested they "hang" somewhere other than the shooting range: Cash was fine having a drink with him last week, although he may have had a bit too much exposure since then.

[James Martin]

And now Richie is having a full date night with Abby in the cop shop.

Like I say, the expositional dialogue about shooting seems very forced now...

Also, when did the cop shop do night shifts when Eve Jacobsen was breaking into it at 2am to get at Peter Baker twenty years ago?

[pembie]

Not that I’m that bothered about Mac having a baby now mostly due to her totally ignoring Levi after the miscarriage last time it was good with them trying to guess the gender But I have to say I think Tane has kind of ruined Macs character for me 

Alf I can see his point people who try and help or have opinions do become overbearing but at the same time I do find Alf quite unlikeable these days and this driving story is quite ridiculous really Abby isn’t the most interesting character 

[H&Alover]

Justin is becoming a younger Alf/John with offering advice without judging. 

Richie was in the right place at the wrong time when he overheard Roo talking to Alf about Abby's accident then reporting it to Cash & David, but in his defence he only knows one red UTE -  Alf's.  It would naturally follow they - the cops- would  want to question  Alf but to me it seemed very heavy handed with them marching Alf out of the Surf Club and bundling him into the back of a cop car in full  view of  everyone.  

Alf was doing himself no good with his attitude towards David, he was just doing his job as he would have with anyone no matter who they were. If it had been anyone else Alf would be right behind him.  No-one's above the law not even Alf.

IMO Roo came across as thinking Alf could have been behind Abby's accident. 

I spotted Lace popping up to see David, though of course Richie wouldn't know who she is, then Abby popped in to see Richie and David reverts to his usual self with his comment about Yabbie Creek being a drop off point for takeaways.

I was wrong - shock horror -  joking -about Richie not being able to know how to handle a gun, seems new recruits in Aus do.  

Another unseen visit to Tane, this time  Mac.    

 

 

[Slade]

I didn't mind Brax's return.  I didn't even have an issue with him fighting the River Boy because of what went down with Mackenzie (although admittedly it was her fault and shows her stupidity regarding the whole thing with Tane again).  I'm glad Ricky put her foot down and gave Brax the reality with them staying, i.e. Casey could very well become a River Boy.  I can understand the nostalgic element, I mean I've always felt drawn to where I grew up when I was a kid, but times change and I'm glad Brax made the right decision in the end and put his family first.

It was obvious when they showed that guy from the prison something bad was going to happen to Tane, else there would be no point having him there otherwise.  I commend Tane's courage for trying to help the prison guard.  I wouldn't have intervened if that had been me, although I would have felt very bad about it afterwards.  Part of me does think it wasn't wise because of Archie and all that happened is that both of them ended up in hospital.  I'm assuming that if Tane hadn't stepped in (delaying the beating the guard got), the guard would very well have ended up dead.  I had mixed feelings about him finishing with Jo.  Part of me thinks she was being practical, because they're not in a position to date.  On the other hand, maybe he thinks he's more into her than she is into him i.e. running into the train to rescue her when Eddie ran off showed how much she meant to him.

I said the last time I posted here that I thought Harper was still in love with Tane and I'm even more convinced now.  The way she had a go at him at the hospital about him leaving Archie was understandable, but I thought it was telling when she basically said that Tane had walked out on her as well.  I think in her mind she's accepted that he isn't into her but wants him to still be around, whether it's because she's playing the long game and hoping he changes his mind, or simply thinks half of something is better than all of nothing, I'm not sure.

With regards to Richie, Cash seems to have taken an immediately disliking to him.  I can understand why because if I had to work with Richie, I would find him annoying as well.  I'm assuming it's because his overeagerness i.e. offering to get food/coffees etc. and generally trying hard is coming across as disingenuous.  I don't like the way Richie's been using the investigation with Alf re the hit and run to score points with Abigail.  I will say I do find a bit funny how David finds it slightly amusing when Richie naturally winds Cash up.

I think David has been a lot better as of late, but I'm not keen on how the whole thing is being handled with Alf.  They're going easy on him because he's a Summer Bay legend.  Even Alf initially wanted to be fined for driving without a license.  And the way the whole thing is being handled, if that had been someone else, it would be different.

 

[H&Alover]

But on the other hand David was doing what  any senior cop would do  when he took Alf in for questioning after the accident, following the correct procedures, asking Alf where he had been, had he seen Abby or any other car, asking him for his keys so forensics go go over it.  It was Alf being awkward and not helping himself at all. 

[Red Ranger 1]

Whilst the whole "Go on, take a caution, you know you want to" did come across as preferential treatment (especially given that the justification that it's a first offence is patently untrue), I think Cash and David are handling things right with Alf this time. Maybe David went a bit soft on him with the interrogation, especially given how unco-operative Alf was being, but I guess that's part of what community policing's about, following the evidence but also using your personal knowledge of the people involved. I'm not sure why Justin and Marilyn were so determined to sneak a look at the ute when they could be accused of evidence tampering. Richie was highly unprofessional in jumping the gun with Abby, hopefully Cash's lecture sunk in. Marilyn and Roo going to see Abigail is one thing but Alf should stay away from her in the circumstances. It was unfortunate that Roo tipped the police off the way she did but I don't blame her for asking the question, she just should have been more discreet. Alf seems to be having a selective memory again. "How many times have you known me to go out and knock someone down?"he demands. I dunno, two or three?

Levi and Mackenzie's latest baby chat seemed a bit superfluous but I guess they need to have them in an episode somewhere.I was more interested in them checking on Abigail.

[H&Alover]

I think David said something along the lines of  it's down to the head of the local cop shops  discretion  of how he treats the 'suspect'.  He hasn't known Alf that long but would have got the measure of him by now.  I don't think Alf has run down that many people - excluding little Pippa.  Justin, as Justin would, checked Alf's UTE over but couldn't  find any damage but natch the cops would want an  independent forensic team to look at it. As seen Alf did approach Abby - but saying no more  other than Richie handled it well.   I did get your Mrs. Doyle twist there Red.

I guess we needed a little light relief with Mac and Levi and shall we find out the sex of our babe scenes. 

One very awks moment in the 'new' episode last night.  I liked they didn't overfuss her but they were there  for her. We didn't see Mali so we don't know if he knows?  

[Red Ranger 1]

Alf ran over Angel, which wasn't really his fault but still counts. I think he either knocked over Sally or came very close to it when he had his cateracts. He was wrong to harass Abigail the way he did, this week hasn't exactly been a good one for her either and it's not her fault the police have latched onto him as main suspect. (As has been pointed out, surely there are other red utes around?) And yes, it was daft of him to suggest the case is closed just because they didn't find any evidence against him: Someone hit Abigail. In the end, it seems that recent knocks have done for his confidence, as he decides to stop driving.

Cash is turning into a brilliant straight man. I loved his rather matter of fact appreciation of the song while Remi got more and more frustrated. (As it turns out, Justin thought much the same as him!) It did feel like he made the bare minimum of effort with Richie, the only thing you can really say is that he wasn't actively hostile towards him. But yeah, if Richie's joined the police expecting to be John McClane, well...wait until finale week, then he might have a chance. Richie suggesting he and Cash go for a run was more sensible than going to the shooting range and Cash was a bit dismissive: Despite his claim that he always runs solo, he's run with Remi and possibly Tane in the past.

[H&Alover]

Oops I'd forgotten about Angel.  Alf seems very worried  that he may have had  a black out while driving. He did have that tumour a while back.  As you said Red, just because there wasn't any damage to his car, doesn't mean it wasn't him, he, maybe, hit her not the car.  As I said before it may not even be a local yokel.    For him making that choice not to drive is right until the real culprit  is found, but on the other hand it would  make him more wary getting back behind the wheel again. 

Cash and Richie are so different and you don't always have to get on with a new colleague, but David, seemingly, has assigned Cash to be Richie's 'minder'.  He thinks it's quite amusing.   For all his eagerness Richie handled Alf just right when he came across him harassing Abby, just asked him to step away in a polite way. 

I got that Eden and Remi were excited about their new song, but this time round it was Remi overthinking it.  Cash was pressured into giving  his opinion with both Remi and Eden standing over him.  Justin did give a more professional opinion.  May have been my eyes deceiving me, but there was a guy who passed by in the background that looked the spit of Alf, it was his  hat.  But it couldn't have been as he was with Leah back at the house. 

 

Edited Thursday at 11:57 by H&Alover