2018 Season - UK Episode Discussion

[Red Ranger 1]

Well, the idiot brigade's handling of Karen has really worked.I suppose I should at least note that Colby was kept out of it this time, and that we're used to Dean making stupid decisions and Willow going along with it. Mind you, on past behaviour, I wouldn't have been at all surprised if Dean had managed to talk Colby around as easily as he did her.Not that he had any luck talking Karen round, or any reason to think he would.Hard to care that much about his being in danger at the end, especially when we then cut to a promo that shows exactly how he gets out of it.

I guess I should give Justin credit for respecting Tori's decision with regards Robbo and Jasmine rather than playing the heavy big brother.I can't say I'm that bothered about them getting together.I like Jasmine, I can take or leave Robbo, but they don't really strike me as a good match and I think I'd have preferred them to stay friends.(Not sure who Jasmine's rejected other than Robbo?Colby pretty much rejected her and she's never really noticed that Mason's interested in her.)

I'm kind of pleased that Roo's return isn't being treated as a cure-all and that she's having as many difficulties with Ryder as anyone else, whilst being rather easily taken in.The point remains though: He's not doing Raffy any good by stuffing up his exams.

[H&Alover]

I can see why Jasmine was in such  a flap, should she/shouldn't she date Robbo because he will be involved with Tori, even if it's not romantically, despite his reassurances things will be OK.  Not sure what you would call the Robbo/Tori/Jasmine situation, love triangle isn't really the right word but an interesting dilemma nonetheless. Irene  made a good point so you date him and it doesn't work out what would they have lost, but if you don't date him, you'll never know if it may have. At least Jasmine and Robbo sealed the deal with that kiss. 

Where we watching the same Jasmine Slade, I thought the way she was with Tori at the hospital was pretty unselfish  of her, asking after Raffy, getting her to go and have some time to herself as she could see how stressed and tired she was and not mentioning  the R word at all.  She told Mason how she really felt in confidence only for Tori to wheedle it out of him.  I guess like many med students Mason has another job and the gym shifts can be fitted round his shifts at the hospital and studying. We did hear however Willow is returning the favour he did her, by covering his shifts at the gym.

Oh so OK Karen didn't steal the car, it was driven by Barry!   Still as hyper as ever,  it may have been against the law as she is wanted by the cops, but she is his mum so of course Dean is going to hide her, abruptly dumping Ryder in the process.  Her condition, whatever it is, is really deteriorating at a rate of knots.  Still have a feeling it's bi-polar but something else in the mix too.  Yep that trailer did spoil the tension somewhat.  I know Willow, thank goodness she did turn up when she did and oh Chelsea was on hand to help her, was scornful of Karen's insisting she didn't know what had happened but I think she really didn't remember what went  on after she hit him. You could see by Dean's face he had finally come to the conclusion what people had been saying was true Karen needed a lot more help than he ever could give her.  That cannot have been easy for him signing the form for Karen to be psych assessed only for her, of course, to do a runner, at least it wasn't far and the scene on the beach was so sad for all involved.  Colby was very gentle with her and she let him lead her away. I hope she's just forgotten about and we get updates now and then.

I missed Colby's confession to Chelsea which I guess was about his part in Dean's accident and that Dean went to prison for him?  May not be wise as Willow suggested keeping quiet but look how that usually turns out!

Ryder may have lied about his exam going well, as he didn't even make an attempt at it,  but it's going to come out sometime, I thought John's words about how Raffy would feel having to leave him behind, school year wise, would have been a good incentive.  Can't decide if he made the decision then or when he got to school.  Not sure how long it's been but no-one seems to have noticed Ryder's gone missing along with a six pack of beer.  As an aside I'm guessing Coco wasn't doing computer studies.

Good to see Maggie back at school and she had a great welcome but it may have been just me but I got the feeling by the end of the day the shine had definitely gone off the job. Her first day back and she was already working late. She loved teaching, but she spent the whole day slogging through departmental paper work, didn't her stand in do anything? Not unsurprising she'd been locked out of the system, it's been a couple of months at least so for security sake that would be done. Liked how she was concerned about how Raffy being in hospital and likely to be for an unknown time and how that would affect her exam results.  Ben did look a little lost going back to an empty house but as Irene said they'd got used to a new normal now they have to readjust to their old normal.

[Red Ranger 1]

Not for the first time, I’ve got an awkward feeling we’re meant to see Chelsea in the wrong even though she’s right, despite her sense of humour bypass. (I’m not entirely sure Willow was joking, anyway!) She seems to be less of an early Charlie/Kat type and more of a Georgina Watson pointing-out-to-the-borderline-corrupt-regulars-that-they’re-doing-it-all-wrong-and-being-ignored type. In fact, after today’s episode, it’s feeling increasingly as though Colby’s “black and white” talk is much the same trick Brax tried on Charlie, trying to bully Chelsea into adopting a “shades of grey” worldview so she’ll turn a blind eye to his and his friends’ wrongdoing. I wasn’t keen on the way Colby looked at her after getting Dean to sign the forms as if to say “See? My way worked”, especially since Karen had done a runner while he was leaving her unguarded to be nice to Dean. No harm done, I guess, but rules are there for a reason and Colby’s not smart enough to know when to break them. I’m that we’re meant to disagree with her being mean to Colby, but given that he’s got away with not just car theft but manslaughter, no reasonable person would think it was okay, despite the show trying desperately to present him as a good old boy. That said, I do kind of like them as a couple, but I’d rather Chelsea trying to keep Colby on the straight and narrow than him constantly making her compromised.

I wasn’t sure if Maggie’s bubble had been burst yesterday, as she ended up staying late with a pile of paperwork that doesn’t seem to be getting any smaller, while Ben was obviously having a hard time adjusting to only spending time with Maggie away from work. Oddly though, they seemed to swap over today, with Ben being more accepting while Maggie seems less than keen to leave him to go back to work. Coco was good value, especially her teasing Ben about having detention, but I hope we’re not going to have her visits to Raffy taking place entirely off screen.

Talking of which, it’s pretty bad luck that Brody’s screen slot gets cancelled a second time because of an entirely different family medical emergency. (The town really is cursed!) Leah and Ziggy’s idea was a nice one but they should have stopped it when Brody said rather than letting him get more and more upset.

[H&Alover]

I'm not excusing Colby for his past behaviour, for that is what it was his past, but he can't have been very old and he was obsessed with catching up with the people who took Bella. To be fair to him he did tell Chelsea the truth whereas Willow had been urging him to not tell her, but that never works out as has been seen plenty of times in the past.  He and Chelsea have very different outlooks, he can see things from others points of view and she doesn't seem to be able to. Well, his way did work as regards Dean he knew the right way to persuade him and while I thought the same that someone should have been with Karen, but it's a hospital not a prison so she could hardly have been chained to the bed and no-one could have stopped her leaving. Look how many people have slipped out before when an eye was meant to being kept on them.  Colby has told Chelsea about leaving Dean to take the wrap, but did he mention the guy who died?  Not sure even her being shocked at Colby's confession excused her swipe at him putting everyone's feeling before his determination to find his sister, that was cruel. Would her revealing what she knows to the cops solve anything now? All it would achieve would be Colby going to prison and losing his job. He's made some dodgy judgements but over all he's a good cop, it's just when he gets personally involved. I'm guessing Chelsea has never ever been in a position like that where she has had to, not break the rules, but having to use her conscience as to whether to not bend them a little.

That was sweet Ben cooking dinner but while he was chuntering away to himself Maggie had fallen asleep, which we the viewer, could have guessed as we didn't see or hear her.  Lovely he put her to bed, then later she woke up to find him  asleep.  She didn't look so keen to go to work the next day and Ben knows his wife enough to see it, but the way she was walking with her shoulders slumped said it all then when she got to school and slowly walked down the corridor to her office.  I hope she doesn't slog on just to prove a point but makes the right decision and quits.  Nice she still completed the form for Raffy's assessment (I think that what is was) for Marilyn to look over and sign. Yes Red, we should see Coco actually visit Raffy but good she was so positive about her exam.  No mention of Ryder though.

 Brody was pushing himself far too hard, trying to keep up with the foodies and wanting to please them, but something had to give and I'm pleased Ziggy ordered him home. Small thing but I'm glad he didn't yell at the staff he bumped into and made them drop all the glasses. Leah's blog hasn't vanished into the ether and  a good idea by her to put it on there without the stress of performing in front of a TV crew with all the rehearsals that that involves and their time costs money so would be a time limit.  They should have stopped the first time he faltered.

Raffy's being brought out of her coma, as we saw, but still fitting, but on a small plus side, she was able to speak.

 

[Red Ranger 1]

9 hours ago, H&Alover said:

it's a hospital not a prison so she could hardly have been chained to the bed

Why not? Isn't that what they normally do with someone who should be under arrest?

Episode count this week: Raffy was in two, but was comatose for one of them.

Well, it's good that Brody went back and did the vlog after a bit of a breather, and I liked his chat with Ziggy on the beach.I'm in two minds about Leah using the footage, it's a bit too personal, but if she gets permission from Brody first then I guess that's okay.Meanwhile, Maggie is honest with Ben, which is a good thing, even if she seems a bit confused herself.I guess after going through a life-changing experience you want your life to change.

Back at the hospital, I was hoping to see Ryder and Coco there for Raffy coming round, but given how crowded the room was, it's probably good they weren't there as well! Looks like Raffy's going to be all right from one perspective, but that the seizures are here to stay which is a difficult thing to cope with or for her and her family to live with.A shame we have to put up with Marilyn once again being less interested in what's best for Raffy and more in hanging onto her dolly.I'd love it if this did result in Raffy moving back in with the Morgans, but we've had so many false dawns this year that I'll wait until it actually happens.

[Slade]

And Jasmine was harping on to Willow about Robbo.  Again not empathising with the fact that Robbo went to support Tori.  She was going on and on and wouldn't shut up about it.  Even Irene got fed up of her.  My head dropped when Robbo said he wanted to give things a go and I couldn't believe the crap coming out of Jasmine's mouth whining about Robbo changing his mind.  Because it's not like she's ever done that before.  Let me think about that.  It's annoying because she's basically acted like a spoiled child who hasn't gotten her own way and then she gets her own way.

I really don't like Dean's mum but I do have some sympathy for her because of her mental illness.  It's not just a case of her only being a danger to herself as she's clearly a danger to other people and needs to be locked up.  Whilst I don't like Willow I was glad she stuck up for Dean with his mum.

I initially thought Chelsea was jealous of the 'bromance' with Colby and Dean and the Colby/Dean/Willow threesome.  Even though Colby is clearly the one in the wrong, I'm finding Chelsea's self-righteousness so tiresome I'm actually on his side.  Hopefully she will get fed up with him and request a transfer back to the city.

I feel bad for Raffy with her medical condition.  Surely it isn't as bad as that she can't go to school by herself or presumably Tori just meant until they get the epilepsy under control with medication.  And yes, Marilyn is being completely selfish again, like when she and John manipulated Raffy away from the Morgans in the first place.  It was absolutely infuriating seeing her more upset how Raffy potentially staying with her own family would affect her than how it could actually be better for Raffy living with two doctors and having more support readily available.

[H&Alover]

Has Karen been arrested yet or shouldn't they (the police) wait until she's fit enough to be interviewed/charged?

Leah did ask Brody if she could use the original film and offered to show him both versions and let him decide. It may help people who are going through a similar thing to see it, they then could offer up their relatives favourite dish.

Maggie is definitely not happy/satisfied with her current role, even Ben's suggestion she go back to just teaching didn't do it for her.  I guess like you said Red after going through something so life changing like cancer, being a principal or teacher wouldn't do it anymore.

Everyone ignored Tori's rule about there only being two round Raffy's bed. Not surprising she found it overwhelming. I haven't heard of post operative epilepsy before but it does exist.  May have been tough for Raffy and the others to hear, but I like Tori was open and honest with both prognosis that  It may be short term or worse case scenario long term.  The brain really is a complex machine, doctors still don't fully understand what goes on in there, it could be Raffy's heals itself, it's not unknown. Until they get the meds sorted it would be a case of her not being able to left alone for long periods, not going swimming on her own etc. It does make total sense for her to be at the Morgan's where as been pointed out there are two doctors - well one and a half - there are more of them so much easier to work out a timetable to keep an eye on her. Even if Marilyn & John were her parents/family, with the best will in the world, it would be exceptionally hard for just two people to cope with, they'd need outside help. All very well for the Morgan's deciding Raffy's future and where she'll be living after months of seemingly forgetting she is a  member of the family, but I hope they'll consult her she is isn't brain damaged after all so completely capable of deciding where she wants to be. Oh her memory is OK too. 

Alf's back as we saw when he caught Ryder with the bottle of grog.

 

 

 

 

[D.B]

I feel very bad that I feel like saying this, especially since it's one of the most iconic characters, but I am appalled with Marilyn's behaviour here. Before I've heard people talk about how she's been treating Raffy like a doll instead of an actual child and I wasn't so sure about it before, but now I get exactly what they mean. Her reaction to John's suggestion about the Morgans looking after Raffy was as if that was the most ridiculous thing in the world for a girl to be taken care of by her own family (two of them have actual medical experience and be very useful if something bad was to happen) just because she's being plain possessive. It's like she want's the Morgans to have nothing to do with Raffy and wants her all to herself. Are we suppose to feel sorry for her at the end?  Her behaviour is rather odd and unhealthy and the sooner Raffy goes back to her actual family the better. It's good to see Raffy awake, but it's awful to see that she's not out of the woods yet. This is going to be a very hard long journey for her. 

I felt a great amount of sympathy for Karen and Dean, but most of it was for Dean. Karen, despite me feeling sorry for her mental illness, was way out of line with what she did and said to Dean there. I'm glad he broke out of the control she had on him and, with Colby and Willow's help, gotten her the help she needs for her deteriorating state, as well as the fact that, as Slade pointed out, she's a danger to herself and others, so it's good to see she's now taken care of. Willow was a very good friend to Dean, but then again, she always is. The argument between Chelsea and Colby... I was conflicted.  On one hand, I do agree with H&Alover that Colby has a more grey-ish outlook to life than Chelsea given his past, and while he's not perfect (then again who is?), he has shown himself, in my opinion, a good guy and less corrupt than previous before him. On the other though, Chelsea was pretty much in the right, and Colby's actions that night can't just be ignored. But still, I'm glad they got it past them and you've got to give it to Colby, he was honest with her and told her the truth, not just keep it hidden. 

The blog stuff with Brody and Leah was nice, though I'm not too sure about her using the footage since, as Red says, it maybe would be a bit too personal. Maggie clearly isn't happy with all the extra work, but I guess she wants to just continue it to get a normal hold of her life after all she's been through. I understand that.

[Red Ranger 1]

Well...I continued to have no sympathy for John and Marilyn, so it's a bit frustrating that I suspect from Irene's reaction that we're supposed to.I'm not sure Tori needed to apologise to Marilyn:Maybe she should have been kept better informed, but spouting some stuff she half-read on the internet isn't helpful.I suppose I should give Marilyn a little credit for accepting the Morgans' decision rather than trying to pressue Raffy to stay with them again, whilst John just sulked a lot, which was disappointing given he seemed accepting of the idea last week.I can't even sympathise with them being left out of the decision making process, given that they talked Raffy into staying with them without consulting her family and then got her to break the news to Justin, and no-one seemed bothered about how much it upset him.

Meanwhile, Robbo finds his loyalties torn already.I don't think I'm being biased in saying that I think he should stick to his arrangement with Jasmine.Unless there's a real emergency, you shouldn't let someone down just because you get a better offer later.Maybe he should curtail his plans a bit, and try and get back earlier to check on Tori, but she isn't going to be told anything that can't wait, and Justin and Mason are at the hospital if she needs someone there for support.

Ben was a bit too belligerent in his initial reaction to Maggie, it did seem like the plans were more in the abstract rather than "This is what I'm going to do next week." I did like that we got a scene between him and Justin, their friendship has been forgotten a bit lately. Maggie didn't seem too happy about having to shelve it all so maybe they do need to sit down and have a proper talk about what she wants and when and how she wants it.

[H&Alover]

Are we forgetting it was the Morgan's who initially asked Marilyn & John to look after Raffy way back when the syndicate was after them, then just as she settled back home, she had to move out again because of Brody's ex druggie gang being after him, then Robbo was being hunted by the River Boys. It was agreed all round it was more settled at Marilyn & John's the better for her to concentrate on her school work.  I don't remember there having been that many times them asking her over for lunch/tea with them, stay over night.  Of course I'm forgetting evil Marilyn & John are keeping her prisoner and apart from being allowed out to go to school she's not allowed any contact with her family - has there been any formal agreement between J&M and the Morgan's?  Are they paying John & Marilyn to look after Raffy? Raffy herself referred to John & Marilyn as her 'family' it was Marilyn she turned to and asked advice from when she first had feelings for Ty, not Tori, her half sister, and Marilyn she turned  to for comfort when Ty came out again not Tori.  For a while now Marilyn & John have been seen as Raffy's guardians especially those at SBH.  The Morgan's have for how ever long it's been  left Raffy's care to them so no wonder it's coma as a shock, more to Marilyn I feel,  they want to 'take her back'.  Reminder to the Morgan's too she's a human being not a commodity and I'll ask again is Raffy going to be asked her feelings/opinion on the adults decision?  I did feel she looked a tad wary over Marilyn's behaviour and how keen she was to get her home, Marilyn would go over the top and wrap her up in cotton wool and not let her do anything. She needs to be treated as normally as possible. Everyone's emotions are still up in the air so Tori did well by ushering Marilyn and John out of the room before admonishing Marilyn for getting her facts wrong.  Marilyn is going to feel it more than John I think but I hope if Raffy decides to go back home she'll accept it.

The very thing Jasmine was worried about happened - Robbo had to cancel their date to go with Tori to the ultra scan  and he as he promised he would was going with her. I wouldn't call it  a better offer, it was brought forward because there was  a problem so of course he'd want to be there. Rather awkward moment between Jasmine and Tori earlier.

Justin gave Ben good advice about talking to Maggie about what he had seen written and he actually took it.  He did come across rather snippy about there being no mention of him in her future plans but seeing as they had spent so much time together recently it would surprise him, but as usual with them they did talk about it later.  There is really only Coco to think about as Ziggy is now married and has a life of her own.  But considering she's only just got the the news her cancer has gone, doesn't mean she can off travelling to far away places, she'd have to get the OK from her oncologist, take all her meds with her, then there is the six monthly check up to take into account so would have to have check into a hospital that has the facilities to do them.