c120701

I suppose in the wake of Dale earlier in the year they didn't want another grief filled Pippa storyline. I was actually just watching that back today and it's amazing how much time they gave Dale's death onscreen, it just allowed it to breathe. It was three episodes really - the build-up, the death and then after the hospital all set on the same day.

It is interesting reading this thread how sometimes we look at the past with rose-tinted spectacles and now watching it back there were still characterisation issues way back when.

Could it be that the sound switched from mono to stereo? I seem to remember old tv guides from the 90s that used to say if something was in stereo.

They do that as butt cheeks grip the seats in the surf boats better than Speedos.

They've removed the step up to the bedroom and bathroom, meaning they no longer have to raise the whole back part of the set. That's the one Understandable, but I guess it did make the set that little bit more interesting and multi-level (even if it was only a few inches). It did. Having seen the set with it gone I also wonder if it was there so you could see the people at the back of the set clearly when people were in front as Spencer was barely visible at times. Removing the fourth bedroom door is also odd, they always need spares, but they've made it clear that there are only three now by having Spencer and Chris share.

You'd think they'd have cast a shorter actor too, it'll make scenes with Ada a nightmare to shoot.

The change to the Diner looks ridiculous, it's change for change sake. I can understand Irene having a new kitchen (just not redecorating her whole house) but the Diner makes no sense when it was such a good set, although maybe not for filming.

They've removed the step up to the bedroom and bathroom, meaning they no longer have to raise the whole back part of the set.

What about Michael (the father) - is he not allowed to be sad about the death of his son?

Well, it is a close community - it is only the Ross's circle who are in mourning, fairly naturally. Entirely reasonable for Sally to weep over the death of effectively her infant stepbrother, wouldn't you say? Exactly and this is Pippa & Michael's child, a couple which the community sees caring for other people's children to then have one of their own which died, they'd all be sad for them.

Because that's not their home.Their school's in Summer Bay, their friends and family are in Summer Bay, Irene's got her hands full with Nathan, and Pippa and Michael wouldn't even think of sending them away, as Pippa explained to Stephen back in the pilot when he suggested she send him back to sort out the budget problems. I also looked online, not sure what the allowance would've been in 1993, but in 2012 it was $622 a fortnight for a 14-17 year old so that'd be about $32K a year total for Fin & Damo, not that it was about money to Pippa.

That would actually cost them money as they get a foster care allowance for them unlike the other kids.

I'm not watching as I'm in the UK but I'm following this thread. Why did Pippa say no to Angel? Was it space? Money?

They were just laughing because you'd put that baby Olivia was breastfeeding her mother Chloe rather than the other way around.

Blimey, only 22 regulars died over 26 years, and quite a few weren't even in the regular cast at the time. That's not bad going considering the amount of lost at sea, lost in the bush and natural disaster storylines they've had over the years.

I think Brax's exit should be one of either the following after the Police close in on all his past law breaking: 1) He dies at the hand of a Police Officer, it would be a kind of justice, it means he can't come back, but it would reunite him with Charlie. 2) The net closes in on Brax but he can't find his way out this time and is taken off to prison.

Exactly, plus 1995 had the bush fire, 1996 the flood & the earthquake, I can't remember any key events from 1994 off the top of my head, only really Shannon & Curtis arriving.

I'm yet to find an actual reference on-screen as to whether they did marry, but they may well be added in the future if one can be found (same with the birth of their child). There was the line from Carly in 2000 where she talked about people marrying three times these days then apologised to Pippa as she realised what she said, but then she's always been credited as Ross so it leaves it all quite vague. The thing that surprises me too is actually how few births & marriages there have been over the years, there seems to be a good chunk of time between them in the early years.

Thanks Dan. Yeah, it was a nice little scene with Don, June, Sam & Seb. I think it was when June was trying to change the curtains/rearrange the furniture in Don's house. Then Don got a call with the news, then they try and work out how Sam & Seb were related to Rebecca's son. It's a shame Sam didn't stick around at the time as it was a lovely little family unit.

Fantastic feature, with some I'd forgotten about like Oscar Fisher. I also must have missed about Colin Broadhurst. Just one more definite for the list... Travis & Rebecca's son born in 2002 - when Sam was around for the sesquicentenary. Not sure if these were mentioned at time of birth but there's Pippa's baby girl, although I'm not sure if we know if she was Ian & Pippa's or fostered. Also Ollie Phillips.

So was Irene brought back purely to cover Debra Lawrance's maternity leave? Imagine if Debra hadn't been pregnant, the show may have been very different over the last 20 years.

I think it is just her later returns that make us forget how she was portrayed as gradually becoming more tired with life in Summer Bay and the situations she and her kids found themselves in. Her returns show just her best moments, giving advice and just cracking on, business as usual with the housework with little effort.

She's the second longest serving current cast member and gets top billing if Alf doesn't appear in the episode, otherwise she's second credited.