2019 Season - UK Episode Discussion

[Red Ranger 1]

On 12/04/2019 at 08:45, English Invader said:

She had been lied to about who her real parents were and raised by an irresponsible older sister (who turned out not to be her sister at all) who was into credit card fraud.  None of those things are very conducive to a stable home life.

That falls way short of my definition of abusive: Unsettled maybe, but I wouldn't say she was mistreated.We don't know when exactly Raffy's adopted mother died, but she was old enough to remember her and know what was happening at the time, and she seems to remember her fondly.Hope may not have been the most responsible guardian but she obviously loved her (she didn't know they weren't biological sisters either, of course) and Decker seemed to be keeping an eye on things so they weren't really left to their own devices.

Alf's episode count this week:Four, although he only appeared briefly without dialogue on Thursday.

As I speculated, no follow-up on Raffy learning of Tori's pregnancy, which I hope we get next week.More surprisingly, no follow-up with Jasmine.Perhaps not that much of a surprise that, apart from Irene who's very much Team Jasmine, most of the town don't really want to get involved.Brody was annoying again:I'm not sure if he was trying to pick a fight with Ziggy, over-identifying with Tori or both, but there was no reason to jump down her throat like that.I do accept that Tori didn't set out to harm anyone, but she did ignore the consequences her actions would have for others, despite them being pointed out to her repeatedly.But I guess it's to be expected that her family would look on it as a glass half full situation.

I'm not entirely convinced of the practicality of Martha's care packages, but I suspect the main aim was to take John and Marilyn's minds off things, and in that it succeeded.She is definitely feeling like part of the community now.

More examples of Colby screwing things up for everyone: Did he seriously think that it would be better not to put Ross in jail where Bella would know he couldn't hurt her but instead leave her thinking he's still out there and could come back at any time? He's not going to make things better with platitudes about "He can't hurt you anymore" because that's what he said last time and it wasn't true then.He can't even get a simple thing like a confidential meeting right, instead dragging Bella along for no reason so she overhears and gets upset.Again, the overall impression is he really doesn't have a clue.

[D.B]

Now, this may be cynical of me, but I was expecting more backlash for Tori as a result from Jasmine's reveal, and I was disappointed that there wasn't. It was a bit grating to see her celebrating it with actual good people and Brody (it pains me that I can no longer include him in that category!) when I think she ought to get a severe talking to, instead of a real lack of criticism other than from Jasmine and Irene, that actually might get her thinking about her actions (though mind you, Justin and Leah tried doing that to her multiple times and it hasn't worked), though I guess that it's not much of a surprise that Brody or Ziggy weren't that critical, or that Justin was now more accepting. Family usually looks out for each other. I wish we did see Raffy and Mason's reactions to it other than Raffy's initial exclamation on Thursday, and I love to see Mason begin questioning Tori on her previous decisions. So yeah, overall disappointing. 

The stuff with the packages for Jett and the troops was really the only highlight of the episode. I love that the older crowd are getting more scenes and storylines now, and I now love anything with Alf and Martha together, they work really well. I mean, they were married so I guess that is expected but still. 

Well, now we know what Bella said that made Maggie and Simone concerned, and even though you said it much better than I could Red, it's very much Colby's fault. he's seriously messed up the situation for Bella, the one he is supposed to do right by, and is allowing her to live in fear because of his own choices and him covering up his own crimes! Bella really deserves better than him, so I'm glad she had Irene to turn to, who is a much better person to look after her than Colby is. 

[Lunar]

7 hours ago, D.B said:

Now, this may be cynical of me, but I was expecting more backlash for Tori as a result from Jasmine's reveal, and I was kind of disappointed that there wasn't. It was a bit grating to see her celebrating it with actual good people and Brody (it pains me that I can no longer include him in that category!) when I think she ought to get a severe talking to, instead of a real lack of criticism other than from Jasmine and Irene, that actually might get her thinking about her actions (though mind you, Justin and Leah tried doing that to her multiple times and it hasn't worked), though I guess that it's not much of a surprise that Brody or Ziggy weren't that critical, or that Justin was now more accepting. Family usually looks out for each other. I wish we did see Raffy and Mason's reactions to it other than Raffy's initial exclamation on Thursday, and I love to see Mason begin questioning Tori on her previous decisions. So yeah, overall disappointing. 

Agreed. I'm actually surprised Ziggy was okay with it? I get she's family but with how she reacted when Justin gave Willow the 'pick me and cut off Dean' ultimatum, I thought she would've questioned Tori's ethics/morals at least a little...although I guess she's not close to Robbo (I don't think she's had any scenes with him from what I remember) so maybe thats why.

[H&Alover]

Strewth it didn't take long for Irene to sort things out once she asked that reallynot to be asked question "So what's been happening?"  Leah wasted no time in filling her in, Chelsea leaving Colby days after their wedding, Robbo, getting engaged to Jasmine then dumping her after he found out about her knowing about Tori going behind his back and implanting their last embryo.  She must have decided a more straight forward approach was needed than the softly, softly one made by Jasmine, Justin and Colby.  It may not have quite the response they were hoping for but it was a response and Jasmine knows Robbo is OK, sadly Colby reluctantly had to tell her it didn't look like he was coning back.

Tori didn't quite get the 'hi doll' she was hoping for when she ran into Irene at the Diner, it turned very chilly, then got both barrels from Jasmine which must have been quite cathartic for her, won't have to hide away at home now.  Pretty sure Jasmine didn't know Raffy was sitting there who apart from Ziggy & Brody has had something kept from her again.   It was somewhat of a turn around from Ziggy going from pretty much slagging off Tori for doing what she did to later helping celebrate the happy news.  Have to agree Red I felt Brody was talking more about himself as regards going behind people's backs and keeping secrets.

I'm with Red, no way was Raffy abused  any shape or form.  Her home life may have been unsettled after her 'mum' died but before that she was loved and even if Hope wasn't the ideal role model she loved her, even after she found out she wasn't her sister  but her cousin.  Of course it hasn't exactly what you call a settled life with the Morgan's but she's still loved and protected sometimes too much for her liking. 

Say what we like about Simone and her affair with Brody she is good at her job, she has to go slow with each new pupil they've all got different problems so each need a different approach, if that means taking it slowly that's how it's got to be.  Admittedly no-one expected what Bella wrote down about Ross coming back for Colby.  It does put things into a whole new perspective and is outside Simone's field of expertise. Colby didn't 'drag' Bella to the school she told him she was going with him as he said he wasn't able to have lunch with her as he'd been called to the school, he couldn't lock her in the flat or ask someone else to look after her, she'd only have followed him.  Foregone conclusion she'd earwig, wouldn't you knowing the conversation was about you?  Was what she wrote meant to be confidential? 

Good to see Irene doing what she is so good at and what we haven't seen for a while looking after a troubled teen, calming them down, getting them to talk and persuading them to contact the person looking for them.  Again not excusing him but Colby is in a no win situation even knowing what is really troubling Bella how would she take the news the reason he is so sure Ross is never coming back to kill him is because he's dead and he killed him.  Would she be glad, relieved, sad as part of her still loves him or all three? I'm putting on my hard hat and ducking due to the bricks that will be thrown at me but I still think Colby didn't intend to kill Ross but was prepared to take him back to Yabby Creek, he'd lowered the gun after Dean talked him round but then, well we all know what happened then. 

I can't remember if Raffy has met/talked to Simone but either way  it's going to be interesting when they get together as teacher/pupil, that'll test Simone's professionalism helping her lover's/ex lover's sister. Going by the way Simone sent Brody packing at Salt when she was there with Maggie it's ex following her overhearing Ziggy's plans to use Diana's honeymoon voucher money to use as a deposit on a house.

Again shouldn't laugh as it's to do with drugs but the whole marijuana debacle was funny, Ryder sneaking off to the beach to do the deal, dealer asking if Ryder knew what he was doing, Raffy fretting about carrying it around at school, the wonky looking spliff and Ryder rushing about getting a light for it all fro nought as Mason turned up just at the right time.  After his initial rant he calmly told them the real risks of them trying anything like that.

Lovely idea of Martha's regarding the parcels making Marilyn and John feeling less helpless and letting Jett and his men know people at home are thinking of them by giving them reminders of home. Loved the kiss Alf gave Martha.

 

[Red Ranger 1]

Colby was such a jerk here, he actually made me feel sorry for Simone.So was Brody, for that matter, and in both cases it's pretty much their default personality at the moment.Colby really needs to take a long hard look at the damage he's doing to Bella rather than finding an outsider to use as a convenient scapegoat, it's his behaviour and their constant changing situation that has left her unconvinced by his "Everything's fine" mantra. Leaving the police is probably the best decision he's made in a while, even if I'm not convinced, or even sure, of his reasons for doing it.Unfortunately, by using Bella as an excuse, it's just one more thing for her to feel insecure about.

I did love the gag of Justin complaining about always having to fix Alf's boat: It does seem like he spends an awful lot of time working in that boat yard!

[D.B]

Okay, let me get this straight: Colby is now not only keeping the truth from Bella, leaving her in a state of fear and insecurity, but now he's refusing to let her receive help from an actual professional, keeping by his usual stance that 'we'll take care of this ourselves,' and then lashes out at Simone when she, in all fairness to her, was only trying to help her student, telling her not to make Bella more insecure when that's he's being doing this whole time! Brother of the year everyone! *Sarcastic clapping*. Honestly, I would be glad he's choosing to leave the police, if he wasn't just using Bella as an excuse and now has resulted in her leaving? That said, I'm not really sure about why he's making this choice. Really the only option I see before me is that he's leaving because now he got what he wanted; Bella. If that's true, then that's a disappointment, even now. Before when I used to like Colby and made excuses for him, I said before that he shouldn't leave because he wanted to help people. But obviously now, that seems farthest from the truth. On a side note, I think this is the first time that we've seen McCarthy (Who's being a much better boss than Colby deserves) in non uniform clothing. 

Not saying much about Brody's situation, which he brought on himself, other than he needs a kick in the teeth. 

18 hours ago, Lunar said:

Agreed. I'm actually surprised Ziggy was okay with it? I get she's family but with how she reacted when Justin gave Willow the 'pick me and cut off Dean' ultimatum, I thought she would've questioned Tori's ethics/morals at least a little...although I guess she's not close to Robbo (I don't think she's had any scenes with him from what I remember) so maybe thats why.

Exactly. Given Ziggy's usual moral stance (with Justin's ultimatum and when Olivia cheated), as well as the fact that before she did seem like very close friends with Jasmine, you'd think she'd would have been more critical of Tori's actions. But still. I'm guessing that news of a baby would overshadow that for some people I guess.

[Slade]

That scene where Irene was having a go at Tori in the Diner, Jasmine came in gave Tori a bigger serve, announced to everyone she was having a baby, Mason, Alf and Raffy were all watching was absolutely wonderful!  I loved the way Tori wanted Jasmine to keep her voice down not wanting the truth to get out.  Let's be honest though, Irene was right.  She kind of deserved that.

The reactions to the news afterwards were hilarious.  Particularly when Leah said it was nobody else's business.  Funny how it's nobody else's business because Tori is her friend (Although it would be a different story if she was fishing for information).  And when Marilyn took Jasmine's side because she's female and John took Robbo's side because he's male.  It was also funny when Ziggy was slating Tori and Brody really didn't like it and defended her  (not because Ziggy was slating his sister but obviously because of the affair with Simone).

I'm surprised Simone is still around TBH.  This has gone on probably longer than I would have expected.  It's a shame because when you exclude the affair she's having with Brody she does seem like a fairly nice person.  Although I'm not really keen on how close she's getting to Maggie given that she's been sleeping with her daughter's husband.

Justin is really cracking me up.  It seems to be a common theme where every time something is going on with Brody/Simone, he's sitting at the bar making funny facial expressions and asking Brody what he's doing.  I appreciate he's trying to look out for Brody/Ziggy but there comes a point where there's only so much he can do and it would probably be best to leave Brody to it.  If Simone is really trying to move on with her life though she should leave the bay.  It's really not fair her sticking around.

[Red Ranger 1]

Bella's comfort at her old house, which even the remains of a shallow grave out the back didn't entirely dispel, increases my feeling that, while not exactly idyllic and involving being looked after by a murderer (which she still is, of course), her life there was actually pretty happy, and Colby ripping her out of it was more for his sake than hers.I guess I should give Colby credit for not repeating the mistake and being with her on her terms. It's only a temporary solution of course: There's still the thorny issue of compulsory education to deal with even if she is 16.But that could be it for them until next week! Meanwhile, back in the Bay, Dean's unravelling, although the cliffhanger was poorly staged: You need to freeze frame it and do contortions to read what was on that envelope!

I'm not sure it was sensible for Irene to try and take Jasmine to task over Tori, although ironically, despite Jasmine taking it the wrong way, it did lead to an uneasy truce which, as much fun as it's been to see Jasmine laying into her, is needed if they're going to be working together.Jasmine's comment about not being as nice as everyone thought was instructive: I think it's surprised her how much anger she feels.

[Razabaza]

Did Colby and Dean burn the body of Ross?

[D.B]

Well to start off,  I have a question: does Jasmine know that Leah knew about Tori's secret? Because if she did, she's handling being around Leah much better than she is with Tori. That said, I'm glad that two have come to a sort of truce, because even though on one hand, I love Jasmine ranting at Tori and it must be irritating to having to be civil with Tori, who's still continuing to be unbearable, on the other hand, they do need some sort of cease-fire if they're going to work together. And honestly, I actually like Jasmine's anger in all this; before this storyline Jasmine has really been a bubbly all-around nice person, which I liked about her, but it's good to see this justifiable other side of hers. 

I didn't expect Bella to return to Ross's house, but the fact that she did, as well as the house isn't actually as bad as I expected, makes me think that despite that she was unknowingly held hostage by her psychopathic father and the fact that her mother's grave was literally in the backyard, which is just a terrifying thought, her life before Colby found her was actually alright for her.  But at least Colby acted like a good brother here, this time given her the patience she needs, I'll give him that. But now Dean is going to confess, if I am correct that McCarthy's name was on that letter, you really have to look close to see it, didn't you? Now I say that he is confessing is good, except that he didn't really seem fully aware of the situation.