Classic Episodes on 5★

[Merlin]

Yes, you're right, c120701, Sally gave Miles some of the party food in the next episode, my memory's playing tricks on me!

[c120701]

If they were trying to suggest that gust of wind was Belle's spirit leaving the room, she was going in the wrong direction.

[beau_t]

I've got a copy of the script for Sally's final ep and that scene did originally include flashbacks - but I think the fact there'd been a fair few flashbacks used in previous weeks with the whole Milco reveal was probably one of the reasons we were left that more simple scene, which I do actually prefer on this occasion.

Does the script refer to specific flashbacks?

[Dan F]

Any mention of flashbacks in the script, unless a specific one for a storyline, would have only been a vague list straight off the top of the writers head - the final choice would instead be discussed and finalised in the editing stages. But just in the name of interest, the list mentioned in the script for the Summer Bay House scene (40 seconds worth) is:

The Milco Vote

Flynn's Death

Baby Pippa's birth

"I can't marry Brad"

Michael's Dead

Family conflict

As I said though, if the flashbacks did remain I imagine it would be very different to the list above. The scene originally ended with Miles coming in to fetch Sally saying "Hey sis, everyone's waiting for you" which was obviously a lead-in to the cut Caravan Park farewell scene.

There were also flashbacks scripted for the final scene on the beach, just after "You'll always be Mr Stewart to me, Alf. And this will always be my home" (where the random shot of the waves instead appeared in the final version) - they were just stated as "FLASHBACK TO: Scenes from Sally's past, showing fond memories of her life growing up in Summer Bay..." - which then led straight to Sally getting in the car and it driving away (without the "You'd better go love" and kiss from Alf)

[beau_t]

Any mention of flashbacks in the script, unless a specific one for a storyline, would have only been a vague list straight off the top of the writers head - the final choice would instead be discussed and finalised in the editing stages. But just in the name of interest, the list mentioned in the script for the Summer Bay House scene (40 seconds worth) is:

The Milco Vote

Flynn's Death

Baby Pippa's birth

"I can't marry Brad"

Michael's Dead

Family conflict

As I said though, if the flashbacks did remain I imagine it would be very different to the list above. The scene originally ended with Miles coming in to fetch Sally saying "Hey sis, everyone's waiting for you" which was obviously a lead-in to the cut Caravan Park farewell scene.

There were also flashbacks scripted for the final scene on the beach, just after "You'll always be Mr Stewart to me, Alf. And this will always be my home" (where the random shot of the waves instead appeared in the final version) - they were just stated as "FLASHBACK TO: Scenes from Sally's past, showing fond memories of her life growing up in Summer Bay..." - which then led straight to Sally getting in the car and it driving away (without the "You'd better go love" and kiss from Alf)

Ah thanks.

I never liked that random shot of the waves, seemed so obvious something had been cut. Having read that, I'm glad we didn't get flashbacks in the house, though I think we should have had some on the beach. Although I am glad we got the kiss between Sally and Alf instead, it seemed so right and natural, almost unscripted.

[Dan F]

Found one more flashback, in the scene from the night before when Steven was teasing Sally about going into every room in the Pilot and saying "Wooooow" - quick 10 sec flashback to the scene in question.

Interestingly there was also an additional short scene with Sally and Steven where he jokingly comes in the front door and strikes a karate post - "I've still got the moves" - before they talk about his breakup with Selina (think last we heard they were back together in 2005?), with Steven finding it funny that a talk he had with Sal's "imaginary friend" actually made him realise he has to move on with his life like Miles had.

Of course with it not making the final ep it's not really canon, so thankfully Steven and Selina are probably still together

[James Martin]

Dan, I remember at the time both yourself and Bevan (explaining why the cut happened) hinted we'd get to see the text of the cut scene? Is it possible we can four years on?

[Dan F]

Yes we were hoping to have the script on the Sally subsite, but Bevan had to follow protocol and give the official site first refusal before being allowed to send it to BTTB - of course the official site jumped at the chance and they published it instead. It wasn't until the following year that I received my own copy of the full script.

I keep trotting out stories about things that didn't make the cut of the 4000th episode and have often thought that I need to put it up on the site somewhere, so will put that on my to-do list along with these scenes from Sally's final ep (from memory I think there were a couple of minor changes in the Milco reveal ep too).

There is another change from Sally's final ep that would have been a great nod to tradition had it been kept in, but I'll keep that one for the site otherwise there'll be nothing left to read

[Ryan]

Of course with it not making the final ep it's not really canon, so thankfully Steven and Selina are probably still together

But if they had finally got married we would count it as canon.

[Red Ranger 1]

Was gonna say that Sally giving Miles a party bag in the next episode, which also has that nice scene of her buying him a meal at the surf club.("Why are you different from everyone else?"/"I don't know.I just am.")

Watched the first of today's episodes.Nice to see John in there, reminding us just how long he's been around.Oddly, despite it being generally accepted that he's undergone some sort of redemptive change, he didn't seem that different to how he is now.Mind you, that's possibly the only time he and Hugo were ever remotely pleasant towards each other.The banter between Hugo and Martha makes it feel unfortunate the way his character went in the end(not that Martha seemed to mind).I think I look on Xavier with more fondness now than I did at the time, despite some unnecessary backchat to John he did actually seem to be trying to be useful.And although it's not entirely clear, I think he and Kirsty did talk directly to each other, I remember it being queried around that time whether they ever did.Nice to get a bit of Jai and Annie, I think this is possibly the last episode where it looked like they'd get back together before she abruptly decided she'd rather be with Dexter or Romeo instead.(But hey, they still basically left together.) And a glimpse of Georgina Watson!

Although I can see why they showed the pilot, it is a shame that was the sole representative of 1988.I considered suggesting they put another episode up online but with it being two hours with adverts I guess it was the equivalent of four episodes anyway.I'm actually quite looking forward to the 2011 and the second 2012 episodes, with all eras represented I'm more forgiving of recent stuff turning up.Not so much 2010:Two episodes, plus a third online, dealing with the fallout from the disastrous year long mystery?Why not April's debut, to remind us how good she was before they messed her up?Or Marilyn's return?Or Tony and Rachel's departure?Or Miles saying goodbye to Rabbit?Or the finale?Or even Charlie, Angelo and Nicole at the race, which was a nice, light, stand-alone-ish episode?Ah well.Maybe next year.