UK Episode Discussion

[Red Ranger 1]

I was annoyed to see Karl and Susan get back together once again but frankly they seemed to spend all their time together anyway so it's hard to tell the difference.Still don't know why he'd want her back though.Wish he'd gone off with Sarah.

Well, we've had a few weeks of the Turners now.Kind of going through cycles with them.Bailey's the one I'm least sure about, he's had a few likeable moments, notably the way he's given Rani a wide berth out of respect for Callum, but mostly he just comes across as sulky and seems to have a go at Amber far more often than is justified.I fully support Matt arresting Mason and letting Bailey go:He could hardly ignore catching Mason redhanded in the middle of a robbery but Bailey was only there because he was trying to talk Mason out of it, he didn't deserve to get into trouble for that.The one thing that I haven't liked about Matt and Mason is the childish way they keep butting heads and hopefully their conversation in the last episode means we've seen the end of that, although there's still Mason's involvement in the Lassiter's robbery hanging over them.Amber seems to have two different personalities, switching from being pretty caring and mature to just being a whiney generic teenage girl.Lauren I've liked up until the last couple of episodes, when I think she's been way too hard on Matt for a decision made with the best of intentions.

So, we've lost an awful lot of characters in the last couple of weeks.Can't say I'm that bothered about losing Rhys, he never really felt like part of the show:He moved into Ramsay Street for no other reason than that he was a regular and never really had a strong connection with any of the other characters, not even when he was dating Vanessa.Disappointed that we lost Priya just as she was starting to make things up with Ajay and that's another family unit shattered, although the effect it's having on Rani could be interesting if they keep Susan out of it.(Is she really going to be principal again?With that and her and Karl's reunion, it feels awfully like the show's determined to put characters back in the roles casual viewers expect, which is a shame after a period when they were actually taking risks, however much it made some fans uncomfortable.)

As for the more recent set of departures...Well, I'm sorry to see Sophie and Tasha go, they're two characters who seemed to get an odd level of hate a lot of the time but I liked them pretty much throughout their time on the show.Sophie's been particularly good since the car accident, even if it apparently wasn't enough to win round some viewers.As for Tasha...I'd never have thought two years ago that the show would have her and Andrew head off into the sunset together but in my mind that's what they were always meant to do and, after the slight fumble of writing their relationship recently, I'm glad it happened.Not sure about the two minute farewell speeches from Paul though, it felt kind of out of place and I wish the show had been brave enough to have them part company on bad terms rather than wimping out with a last minute reconciliation.

[stitch]

I have not watched Neighbours for many, many years but my interest has been piqued by the casting of Rebekah Elmaloglou and even more so by the returns of Lauren and Brad (who I shipped many, many years ago).

I watched Rebecca's first episode this evening and I can honestly say I've never felt more aware of my own mortality!

Seeing Rebecca, Scott Major, Stefan Dennis (whom my brother is named after!) and Melissa Bell - all people who I idolised as a child - so aged (and quite naturally so) makes me feel terribly old. I like to think I'm still eighteen but I'm clearly not. Where do the years go!?

I'm not sure if my nerves can stand up to another episode!

[Red Ranger 1]

I'm not sure how I feel about a lot of things that have happened lately.Bringing Steph back felt like a very unnecessary case of box ticking.It was obvious she'd be out of jail in under six years but she didn't really have any reason to come back to Erinsborough.Yet they brought her back anyway, complete with a crazed belief that Lucas would be waiting for her, and I can't say I've found her very sympathetic.I'm actually glad Max has finally been acknowledged and has custody of Charlie because I wasn't really happy with the way he was treated during their break-up.Disappointed at how easily she caused trouble between Lucas and Vanessa but at least they seem to be moving past it.

Paul continues to exist mainly to be nasty to people and cause trouble without any consequences whatsoever.Oh, I tell a lie, his punishment for bribing the council(and getting what he wanted)is having a new manager.Yeah, not convinced by that one.Apart from the fact that I keep wanting to call her Sophie, I'm rather liking Terese.Also liking Imogen and the developing friendship between her and Amber, who seems to have stabilised since she first came in, I'm liking the friendship between Amber and Chris as well.Bailey continues to be mostly annoying and it's frustrating that we're meant to believe that, for no readily apparent reason, Rani prefers him to Callum.Lauren's a bit annoying too, she always seems to act as if Matt's in the wrong even when she's doing the same things he was doing not so long ago.As for the rest of the Willises, Joshua seems a bit obnoxious and Brad is horribly miscast with Kip Gamblin playing the same part he always plays:The fact I wasn't that keen on Brad when he left and I'm not that keen on the part Kip Gamblin always plays is kind of two strikes against him.Add in the fact that he's being pushy towards Josh and neglectful of Imogen and I've not been won over yet.

I'm really enjoying Kate and Mason as a couple, I'm glad she's loosened up and recognised her feelings for him and despite his shady side he seems a decent kid.So what happens?Mark flipping Brennan turns up.Why, for goodness sake?Yes, I know his death was rather ambiguous but who cares, it doesn't make any difference whether he's dead or alive, even Kate didn't seem to be upset for very long.Yet now we're meant to believe she's been carrying photos of him around for years.He was a very dull character and I never found their romance particularly convincing so I'm not sure why it's being revisited.

[Slade]

Since their arrival I've come to the conclusion that for the most part I don't like either of the two new families.

With regards to the Turners. Don't like Matt at all. I think he should have been sacked from the force and he's lucky not to be facing any criminal charges. I'm so sick of his holier-than-thou act, considering he isn't perfect. This whole stubbornness thing with refusing to stay at number 30 if Paul buys it off Lucas just shows he is putting his personal pride ahead of his own family. Bailey is a wet blanket. Amber is just annoying. Although it was slightly amusing seeing her go after Chris (despite the fact she knew he was gay) I got fed up rather quickly with her pursuing Josh, which you could arguing was borderline stalking but I suppose it's OK when a female does it. And given what Robbo's done before, she's now falling for his I'm a changed man act although to be fair he is doing a good job. Lauren is extremely annoying. I find it hard to like at the best of times. Her relationship with Matt seems questionable too. Matt hid the stuff with Mason and Bailey from her. Lauren didn't tell Matt about Brad and now she kept her portrait of Brad too. Not only kept it but hid it away and wanted Amber to lie for her. I found it really frustrating when Matt used their days off to spend time with her and she agreed for them to look after Vanessa and Sonia's babies without checking with him first and just palmed them off onto him as some sort of test so he get used to being around kids again, because she couldn't just come out and tell him she wanted children. Mason I actually really like. I have to admit though he is very lucky himself not to be in a prison cell. Ironically, Lou who I couldn't stand before had actually been OK since the Turner's arrived and I quite liked him playing the role of grandfather. So just as he became likeable he upped and left.

Robbo I feel is shaping up to be a great short term character (obviously not sustainable for any storyline lasting more than a few weeks). The guy is a pathological liar and seems like a manipulative, borderline sociopath. I love the way he tries to wind Matt up, the way he's manipulating Amber and the way he's his actions having a direct/indirect impact on the Turners and Rebecchi's i.e. when Toadie had a go at Matt at the dinner party last week. Paul made a fair point in that any decent lawyer would have a reasonable chance at being able to get him off, considering he doesn't have a criminal record and Sonia lost her memory. As long as nobody gets hurt part of me wants him to be found not guilty just to see Matt's reaction.

With regards to the Williss, Terese is so annoying. I know it really doesn't help her having to work with Paul but at work she just seems like a moody cow. Even outside of work she doesn't interest me in the slightest. She reminds me a bit of how Priya was with Paul when she was the headmistress and he was on the school board. I couldn't see the point of Brad initially. I wasn't overly keen on the original Brad but at first, I thought this one for me is even worse. Perhaps it's got something to do with the fact that I wasn't a great fan of his character on H & A. And I didn't like the way he has that swagger about him. He also bothered me initially when Josh wanted to switch to the professional training instructor and his let his ego get in the way of his son's future. But I suppose him came good eventually and I hate to admit that he was right. And to be fair he has been OK as of late. Josh seems like another wet blanket. And the character seems completely and utterly useless. Don't find anything remotely interesting about him and at times it feels like he is devoid of genuine emotion. I really didn't like the way he flew of the handle with Mason when he briefly dated Imogen but to be fair if I'd seen a guy who had attempted a robbery less that three months after being released from a juvenile detention centre for committing a burglary in a compromising position with my sister, I don't think I would be too happy about it. I've really started to dislike Josh re this whole thing with Hudson. Granted Hudson is a cheat but he withdrew from the sponsorship and recommended that Josh take his place so what more does he want? Hudson's exposure or for to ruin his life or perhaps shouldn't be swimming again. Given that Hudson has been doing this since he was a child I'm not sure it's entirely realistic for him to completely stop swimming right away. Imogen though seems to be the exception. I really like her. She's intelligent, witty and lively.

Still thoroughly enjoying Paul. And he never fails to disappoint. Loved the way he tried to shaft Mason (even though I really like him) and the plan came unstuck and he had no choice other than to give him a glowing character reference in court. Loved the way after the sexual harrasement case was averted he had to go on the course and the stuff that ensued with Terese and Sheila. Then there was the way his plan was foiled to buy the premises of Lyn. There's also the dinner he had with Kate and the Turner's which proved to be a mini disaster and now he's trying to buy number 30 of Lucas. I really hope he gets it (but only if he give Lucas and Vanessa a FAIR offer) if anything it'll be worth it to see him have another one over on Matt.

Wasn't sure what to make of Holly at first but I think she's a great character and I've been really impressed with her acting ability. Have to admit I really enjoyed her constantly giving Susan the evils. Initially the writers seemed to portray her as the devil child but it became obvious she was missing her mum. I've tried to keep an open mind with regards to Izzy leaving her and going on a cruise with her boyfriend. Yes it's selfish and Susan was right when she said she was manipulative etc but she's looked after her for 8 or 9 years so I think a break for a a couple of months isn't exactly the worst thing to do - perhaps she should have checked with Karl first. But I think what's really turned it for me is the way she just agreed to give Karl full custody without even putting up a fight. Every time Holly looks sad or disappointed, I can't help but feel really sorry for her and this was especially true today. Really felt for her when she knew her mother was prepared to give her up so easily. I do actually really like the scenes with her and Karl and even today really enjoyed it when she and Susan had a talk to settle their differences. The fear now is if Karl does have custody then a few months from now Izzy's relationship doesn't work out and she decides that she wants Holly back.

My stance on Kate has gradually changed from simply not particularly liking her to really disliking her. I think she's sly, sneaky and selfish. She had already stuffed up Kyle's relationship with Jade when she kissed him and now she slept with Kyle behind Georgia's back. I accept that strictly speaking Kyle and Georgia were on a break but Georgia is supposed to be her best friend. If this is how she treats her best friend I would hate to see what she would do to her enemies. When Kyle wanted to come clean about everything at first Kate stopped him to save her own selfish skin. And it really frustrated me the way when Georgia was doubting herself re her relationship with Kyle Kate was disingenuously trying to be there for her. And now Georgia's going out of her way to help Kate not that she deserves any help from her. There's also the way she stuffing Mason about and I don't like the fact that because of her Mason and Imogen didn't get together. They are so much better together than Kate and Mason are. Really, really enjoy their scenes and I'm hoping something does happen with them obviously hoping that Mason and Kate breakup first and Mason and Imogen aren't a rebound thing. Wouldn't wish this on anyone but don't have any sympathy for her regarding her ovaries failing and not being able to have kids. And am not happy that we basically have to sit through a storyline of poor Kate, with everyone feeling sorry for her and being portrayed as the victim.

I quite enjoyed Steph's brief return. And I quite liked the role she played off the psychotic person trying claim a family that wasn't hers. I actually did quite feel sorry for her. I remember there was one scene where she was pouring her heart out to Karl telling him why she couldn't be with Charlie and Oscar and you can see by the look on Karl's face that he could sympathise with her too. I just hope she gets the help she needs and one day is reunited with her kids. I did actually really enjoy the scenes with her and Lucas and it made me think for a split second whether they should get back together. I will say that the storyline for me has reaffirmed that Lucas and Vanessa a right for each other and I do really like these two together so it will be interesting to see how they cope if there is a second child on the way.

[Red Ranger 1]

I really liked Holly's visit and was disappointed she didn't stick around longer.I was also disappointed that, after initially showing no interest in having Susan as a mother figure, she was suddenly pouring her heart out to her, it was rather nice having a character who doesn't instantly want Susan to be her mother.Slightly amusing that some viewers seemed to assume that meant she was going to be evil, insisting that she spilled the nail varnish deliberately when it was clearly an accident.

I actually really like Matt, he's the sort of down-to-earth caring father figure that I tend to respond well to since that wobble with Mason at the start.He was pretty dogmatic about wanting to move out if Paul bought the place but he probably should have waited to see what terms could be offered before issuing a blanket decision.(I get that he might feel compromised having a known criminal as his landlord though.)Lauren I veer between thinking she's okay and finding her annoying.Mason and Amber I continue to like a lot, despite being frustrated at their stupidity.Bailey, aside from a few decent friendship moments with Callum(who I'm also in danger of going off if he keeps stalking Imogen), I still haven't warmed to, although he did act like a proper brother towards Amber for pretty much the first time ever this week when he was teasing her about her date.It's probably a false dawn though.

I started off liking Terese and not liking Brad, now I'm almost the other way round.I respect Brad for giving Hudson a second chance when other people wanted to write him off, whereas Terese's rows with Paul are starting to seem like a broken record and I'm actually on his side as much as hers, such as her trying to stop him sponsoring Hudson.And both of them are terrible parents to Imogen:I was disgusted with their reaction when they left her stranded because they ignored her phone call, neither of them were sorry at all.And Josh is the worst of the lot, a self-righteous, obnoxious little berk who thinks he's a paragon of virtue while getting Amber and Imogen to do his homework for him(a plot thread that seems to have been abruptly dropped).It feels like we're meant to be rooting for him and Amber but it's hard to see why when he treats her so badly all the time.

Not sure about bringing Robbo back, I appreciate the character's well-acted Jekyll and Hyde tendencies but it feels like we're just getting a retread of his previous storyline with Mason and Amber making exactly the same mistakes.Mason letting Robbo extort money out of him is a bit silly, just because he's got a video of him and Amber which would get him locked up if anyone ever found out about it.

I liked Kate and Mason at first but since they've got back together she's been treating him badly and showing him no respect so part of me thinks he should cut his losses.He said a while back that he should have made things work with Imogen instead of going back to her and I'm tempted to agree.Shame when Paul seems to have taken him under his wing and turned him into his protégée, although mostly-reformed bad boys working for Paul never seems to end well for them.Kyle and Georgia I can take or leave(whereas I never really liked Kyle and Jade)but Kyle and Kate seems to consist solely of random hook-ups and a load of angst for about the past three years so I'm not expecting much from it.

[Slade]

I was disappointed with how this storyline with Robbo has turned out in the end. Killing him off like that just seemed like a cop out. I really wanted him to have a trial and face off against the very people who he tried to bully and intimidate. I actually quite enjoyed the scenes leading up to the hit and run. I remember at the charity do when he went up to Sonia and was threatening her, you could see the look of fear on her face. There was also the way he tried to bait Toadie and was using Lucas's gambling addiction to squeeze money out of him. As always when it comes to things like this I didn't have a clue who did it but thinking about it, realistically it could only be Marty or Hudson as they were guest characters. I think what threw me of Hudson was the false alibi his former coach gave him. Part of me was actually hoping it was Josh because I found him so unbearable at the time and that would have been a good way to get rid of him.

About a couple of weeks ago I was this close to not watching the show anymore. The only characters I really had time for were Paul, Karl, Vanessa and Lucas. Still not liking the Turner's or Willis's with the exception of Mason and Imogen. With Vanessa and Lucas going there was even less of a reason for me to watch it. But I think with the inclusion of Georgia's cousin and Rhiannon, I'll keep watching for now.

I don't like Georgia's cousin. She seems manipulative, sly and sneaky. I don't think she's a nice person at all. And she obviously either has some sort of mental problem or personality disorder. However, as someone who cannot stand Kate, have to admit I am quite enjoying seeing her cause trouble, especially with Georgia blowing Kate out. If Kate thinks Georgia is being bad now can you imagine how she will be if she finds out about Kate sleeping with Kyle?

I was bitterly disappointed when Rhiannon went back to Mount Isa so I was over the moon when she came back. Personally I think she's awesome. And her bringing Jackson with her means hopefully she's going to be around for a little while at least. Loved the way she played Paul at his own game and blackmailed him. And I especially like how she has Karl and Susan wrapped round her little finger. Thought her moving in with them is a great idea as I think their household functions better when they have other people around. Love the way Karl and Susan can't decide who should put their foot down with Rhiannon and each time one of them tries they fail miserably. Even after all the stuff with Jackson going missing her saying she wouldn't forgive them, threatening to move out and the minute he was found and Jackson said it wasn't Karl and Susan's fault, business as usual with her.

Still find some of the scenes with Paul hilarious. There was one during the hunt for Robbo's killer where he looked at Mason when he realised that he was the one who sent Lucas the photo of Marty with his name. And then the way Paul was trying to cover it up afterwards using the old if I'm going down, you're going down with me line. Then as always there's the stuff with Matt. Matt paying for Rhiannon to fly down to Erinsborough to try and expose Paul's attempted bribe of the Councillor and even though Rhiannon blackmailed him, I loved the scene where Paul turned up with her at the police station, where Rhiannon announced she was withdrawing her statement and he had the smug expression of victory on his face and Matt failed again.

Not sure how much longer I can stomach Sheila for. Another person who I don't think is particularly nice. Surprisingly she actually made me feel sorry for Lou when she ruined his whole dating thing. Irrespective of what he was doing it was really none of her business and she should have stayed out. I didn't feel sorry for her regarding the whole business of her paranoia at being watched and really wanted that guy to press charges against her but Kate got her out of it with the letter and Sheila forked out for a replacement camera.

[Red Ranger 1]

I'm not fond of either Susan or Sheila.The way they ganged up on Karl to manipulate him into getting rid of his animals felt very selfish and meanspirited.Susan's initial lack of support over Karl standing for mayor, in which she once more treated him like a joke, was very distasteful.Similarly, not keen on Sheila pressuring Kyle into proposing to Georgia when I don't think they're anywhere near ready. She was also very nasty to Rhiannon without any real cause.I'm not sure about Gemma, who comes across as a manipulative bully but there's an odd hint that she's been damaged by her past.I'm not expecting her to become likable but maybe we will understand what's made her that way.

Got very mixed feelings about Rhiannon being back.At first she came across as way too frivolous and selfish, neglecting Jackson all over the place.She does seem to have settled down a bit although she's still not that responsible and it's a shame her cleaned up look didn't last long after Sheila belittled it.Plus there's the fact that she's got in the way of Mason and Imogen getting together when I really like their relationship.

Not sure about the way things have been left with Hudson.While Chris moping about the place was getting a bit wearing, it feels like an excuse to give Chris a boyfriend without ever actually showing him.

[Slade]

The paid parking was absolute genius. I absolutely loved the way Paul set it up, Lauren and some of the other business owners got annoyed, Paul gave Terese the job of managing Lasiters then Paul pinned the whole thing on her and promised to remove it in exchange for votes for him to be major of Erinsborough. Fair play to Terese for outsmarting him eventually though. The thing that annoyed me about the his whole election thing is that Matt coerced Karl into doing it purely out of his hatred and contempt for Paul not neccesarily because he really cared about how Erinsborough would be run. I kind of liked the way Susan gave into Paul's demands regarding the funding of the radio station much to Karl's dismay.

I'm disappointed Rhiannon has gone again. I thought with her bringing Jackson this was a way to integrate her into the show on a more permanent basis. And I did actually hope she stayed at the Kennedy's because I quite liked the dynamic with her, Jackson, Susan and Karl. The only positive thing I can say is at least it paves way for Mason and Imogen now.

When they first brought the Turner's and Willis's into the street I did wonder if the writers would eventually be looking to create some sort of affair with Lauren and Brad. There have been small signs with the portrait Lauren drew of him many years ago and the dreams she keeps having but it's only one way so far. Brad and Terese's relationship seems strong but I wonder if her new role will eventually cause problems that will create the conditions required for this sort of thing to happen.

Gem is a particularly unpleasant person. She manipulates Bailey because he found out about her fixing the vote to prevent Imogen from winning. She then manipulates him again to get him to illegally hack into Kate's emails then uses the infatuation that she helped fuel as a reason to cover her backside regarding Susan. And then there was the way she threatened and blackmailed Imogen when Imogen made a complaint about what she saw when Gem and Bailey were sitting on the bench. I though it was very brave of Imogen to publically announce she had an eating disorder and I liked the way Mason told her that at the dance.

As always, can't stand Kate. She has been particularly annoying this week (and as of late) the way she constantly gave Kyle and Georgia the evils re their engagement. And when she tried Sheila's engagement ring on previously and couldn't get it off. And then we are subjected to the writers making the whole thing about her and the fact that she has now fallen in love with Kyle, can't take the fact that she can't have him so has to move in with Paul.

I really enjoyed today's episode. Even though I can't stand Gem either, I loved the way she printed off a copy of Kate's email and slipped it in with the pile to be read at the engagement party. One scene I found quite amusing was when Toadie and Sonia gave Kyle and Georgia the present that Sheila gave them for their engagement, Sheila spotted it and they made up a story of how they liked it so much they decided to buy another one as a gift but they all new it was a lie. I was so excited during the whole scene with the speeches as I guess we all knew what was coming. And I think it's absolutely brilliant Kate is finally exposed like this. So sick of people thinking that the sun shines out of her backside so hopefully everyone will see she's not as nice as she makes out. I think another thing that's really good is that when Kate and Gem had a showdown in the classroom Kate made a remark about Georgia finding out Gem's true colours which is now ironic given what's happened. Again I have to stress that Gem showed a particularly nasty side - she was prepared to humiliate her own cousin (supposedly one of her best friends) like that not only to get one over on Kate but more importantly because she wants Georgia all to herself and doesn't want to share her with Kyle. If she really cared about Georgia should would have confronted Kyle and Kate privately and given them some sort of ultimatum. I did actually feel sorry for Georgia as she's a really nice person and already has relationship trust issues given what happened with Scotty. And she didn't deserve to find out like that. I also think it's unfortunate given that Kyle and Georgia seemed happy and it will probably be a long time before she trusts him again. But in terms of collateral damage it's worth it to see the all the flack Kate gets for this. Nobody is going to believe she didn't print that off maybe with the exception of Chris. I'm sure Kate will know that Gem was behind it but hopefully there's no way Georgia will forgive her even if Kate does manage to convince her that Gem planted the email. My main regret is that I will now have to wait until the new year to see what happens next.

Although he won't be happy that it's his niece, I think in terms of of the cunning, underhand way Gem's outing of Kate was executed, Paul would have been proud....

[Red Ranger 1]

I did warm to Rhiannon as the storyline went on although she largely seemed to follow the same character arc as her first stint, starting off rather cartoony and gradually becoming more mature and three-dimensional.Her parting with Mason was one of the best I've seen in a long time:He obviously cares deeply about her and Jackson but not enough to be a husband and father, and Rhiannon recognised that and accepted it.It's a pretty positive exit all told.And it does leave the way open for Mason and Imogen:I loved that Imogen was the one who level-headedly helped Mason realise that doing the right thing doesn't mean doing what people want you to do if your heart's not in it.

Also cheering that Callum and Josie finally got together.It was a bit abrupt and poorly timed but, even though I was disappointed we didn't see Josie after the kiss, the way Callum was running around excited about it all was nice to see.I was concerned that Callum was going to come back from China having changed his mind about her but I don't think that's going to happen anymore.

I'd really love it if Josh and Amber's latest break-up was permanent but it feels like we're meant to see them as a Meant To Be couple solely because there's no-one else in the street for either of them. Josh is an arrogant berk most of the time and treats Amber badly yet it feels like we're meant to think that because he's focusing on his swimming that's okay.

I've never really been able to get behind Kyle and Georgia and I do find Georgia annoying at times(it seemed unfair that she suffered no consequences for breaking her contract with Paul just because one of Paul's friends died and he was in a forgiving mood).I would still prefer Kyle with Kate but I don't think the show would be brave enough to go there since they seem determined to present Kyle and Georgia as some sort of golden couple.I'm glad Gemma blew the lid on their liaison, mainly because it's been hanging around in the background for months without any real progress.The way Gemma's storyline is being dragged out is a bit contrived, with characters veering between being suspicious of her and defending her as the plot demands.The way Imogen opened up to Sonya about being blackmailed over her bulimia but inexplicably failed to identify Gemma as the blackmailer was particularly contrived.

[haaf14]

I find Neighbours quite boring now there isn't a storyline that interests me.