1989 Episode Discussion

[Dan F]

Well we've now reached 1989's episodes, so here's the thread for discussion.

Should the episodes continue as they have been (touch wood), then I believe the 1989 finale should be airing on 22nd July 2011 (though if I'm wrong I'm sure I will be corrected )

1989 Episode Guides can be found here if needed

[Ryan]

Very rough calculations of when imprortant things happen during the year obviously, spoilers herein.

October: Frank and Bobby's wedding, Bobby discovers who her mum is, we disover who her father is.

November: Bobby discovers her father, Floss and Neville depart, Rebecca#1

December: Dodge arrives. Phil departs

January: Marilyn arrives

February: Roo and Frank depart. Duncan is born. Tom and Alf are stranded.

[Old H&A Fan]

They have stuffed up the continuity in this episode I'm afraid.

• They left out the recap — instead we started off with an intro from the Macklin Development corporate video

• Did Phillip and Stacey break up "5 weeks" ago?? I could have sworn that was only a few episodes ago?

• Did the HSC results come out on Boxing Day back in those days?

Also, how does a conversation start off with "I don't think there is any point being abusive" like it does in the scene of Stacey discussing with Alsa the residential phase of the Macklin Development? It's as though they cut something out! Same thing happened after the first commercial break with the scene at the Macklin office where it starts off with Stacey saying "It's not here" when searching the filing cabinet. What's not here?

[Dan F]

As regards timing, the opening episode is set 3 weeks after the 1988 finale (and we'd already had a 3 week jump between 224 and 225 also, which accounts for the Stacey/Phillip timeframe).

Must have been easy putting together the Macklin Resort video - clearly just shots that were filmed for possible use in the opening credits (though the fisherman did make it in, despite him being seen in the credits only 11 seconds beforehand!)

[GameTime]

What's up with Stacey? She was totally out of character today.

As for Carly, she is a complete tool, incredibly selfish.

[alexx]

Very rough calculations of when imprortant things happen during the year obviously, spoilers herein.

November: Floss and Neville depart,

Lots to look forward to! I cant believe we are so close to that ^

[Skylover]

I still can't believe how quickly we went through the 1988 season and I remember when we were all saying at the beginning of this re-run that 89 would soon come around and it sure has! How weird to think that come July we will be entering the 1990 season (hopefully). I really hope the contract reasons won't come up again because the 1990-96 seasons have rarely been aired again from what I know. But the problem is, these contractual obligationsregarding Michael etc. won't just disappear so I'm really worried that we're not going to get to see these brilliant seasons.

It's such a shame that Floss and Neville leave, no matter what anyone says I absolutely love them and the scenes in their caravan have always been a highlight for me. Having said that, I find Floss a far superior character to Nev.

Anyway...I don't think there's anything wrong with the time frame, except in one of 88's last episodes Bobby refers to having lost her memory "a month ago" but that was after they'd skipped ahead in time, so it was more like 2 months ago I would have thought.

[alexx]

^I agree with you about Floss and Nev, I really enjoy their scenes together and I'm going to miss their banter! I'll particularly miss Floss though becuase of the type of character she is - I think they made a mistake getting rid of both of them, having said killing Nev off would have been awful for the characters and not the right time. The writers just seemed to run out of ideas with them pretty quickly.

[Skylover]

^I think it's a shame that in later years, Floss' character is just reduced to tarot reading, I know it played a part in her character very early on, but she was much more than that during her permanent stint. I think they were unique characters being travellers from the circus etc.

Celia's another character who will be sadly missed come the 1990 season. I do wonder if she was asked to leave or chose to herself. I didn't know whether I liked her at first, but I realised recently that her character, along with Lance and Martin, embody the entire community spirit feel of the latter half of '88. I don't know what it is, but there's just something magical about the interaction of these three characters in Hogan's Store.

Sorry, I've gone slightly off-topic. P.s. love your avatar Dan F!

[Ryan]

ES, I think we should add that we've no proof that Michael Ross is the cause of the problems and it may simply be coincidence. I'd certainly hope it would just be coincidence.

I think it's a stroke of genius putting Celia in the shop, she was a sort of peripheral character, but with her now in the centre it gives her gossip to feed off, and people will come to her.

And ultimately that's the problem with the McPhee's and why in todays show Colleen's still working in the diner at about 75 or something, is that if you are retired or unemployed so to speak, like the McPhee's, you'll probably spend a lot of time in your home or going on jaunts and it is almost like a game, guessing what bizarre situation they'll pop up this week to get the episode quota out the way.

Sort of waiting for Floss to pop in the diner so she can become a member of the three-diner club. Cookie to everyone who can name everyone in the club.

I always find the number can seem so close and then at the same time feel so far away. If we take a large event, say the Meg storyline, which because it happened 4,200 episodes ago seems a very long time away and very near the beginning of the show, so you think, yeah, that must be some time soon and then May 2013 feels a very long time away!