Olympic Cliffhangers

Every four years since 2000, the world has come together in Sydney, Athens and Beijing respectively for a fortnight of top class sporting entertainment and with Channel Seven in Australia having had the broadcasting rights to these events, the show has had to have taken a break for a couple of weeks. Obviously worried that viewers would drift off and never come back, this has meant 3 major cliffhangers with which to hook us with.

The Mudslide (2000)



Cliffhanger: Through the whole weeks episodes it had been raining, and the characters started dropping hints about their observations. Original character Ailsa was turning 50 and a party was planned for at The Beachside Diner. We actually have a real cliffhanger in this episode when Gypsy's stalker crashes her car in the poor weather and is literally teetering on the edge of a cliff. Shauna, Gavin and Gypsy manage to save her. Jade, Ailsa and Duncan are playing Uno at The Stewart House, one of two remaining sets, when Shauna overhears a conversation about the ground over her mother's house. She rushes to get them, but as they are about to leave the ground gives way and crushes the house. Alf is left digging to save his family.

Resolution: Eventually they are all found, but Gavin, Shauna's boyfriend and one of the rescuers gets his foot stuck and the house collapses on him and he dies, which is one of these great "someone dies" cop-outs. The twins get teased about their paranormal link. Indeed there is still some fall-out to this day as Alf hasn't found somewhere to call his own yet and the stress eventually leads to Ailsa's death.

Sarah's Seige (2004)



Cliffhanger: Over a year in planning, this was one complex storyline and one that was still going in some form almost two years later. It started with Dani and Irene talking about someone at Uni. and Dani writing some article in the Uni. newspaper. Felix then stared trying to scare Dani through various means, but when The Guv heard about this, she sent her henchman around and but Felix in hospital. Sarah, Felix's girlfriend then gave him crystal meths to make him better, but it killed him. Wanting to enact revenge she started a reign of terror which ends up with half the bay in Leah's living room. As Dani runs towards the house two shots are heard, but who is dead.

Resolution: Sarah shoots Noah, before turning the gun on herself and we return to Noah's ashes getting spread. Eve Jacobsen blames the Baysiders for Sarah's death and has two reigns of terror in attempt to get revenge, both which are probably pretty scary at the time, but actually on the face of it pretty unsuccessful. At least Sarah managed to kill someone meaningful. Eve's list is just littered with extras.

Rambo/Love Story/Blue Lagoon (2008)



Cliffhanger: A sweet and sour experience. OK, that's enough of the Chinese type jokes. For the first time in OC history, we don't have one huge cliffhanger, but multiple large cliffhangers. Firstly Rachel has been missing since midweek. Then we have Martha and Jack about to get remarried, when Martha's collapses due to the cancer. Elliot takes Geoff and Nicole out diving in an attempt to get revenge on Roman, he tries to kill Nicole. Geoff goes along and save her.

Resolution: Nicole and Geoff get washed up on an island, but survive and get together. Roman manages to overpower Elliot. Martha survives and Rachel is found, held hostage by Aden.