2019 Season - UK Episode Discussion

[Red Ranger 1]

15 hours ago, D.B said:

Brody and Ziggy had no problems beforehand, and the affair only occurred because Brody was just bored of married life, I guess?

I don't think Jett met Raffy the last time he was here

To be fair, although they've reined Ziggy back considerably since then, a lot of us found her initial attitude towards Simone frustrating (even if it did turn out to be reasonably well-founded) and Brody and Ziggy were on rocky ground when Simone first showed up, thanks to Ziggy stirring things up between Justin and Willow and then blaming Brody for not taking her side.So...she wasn't exactly the perfect wife in the latter part of last year.As for Jett and Raffy, I don't think we saw them meet during his last visit to the Bay, but they did obviously meet off screen in Canberra near the end of last season.

Anyway, today! So, Dean did somehow make his way back to his alarm in time to get woken up by it, not that that actually led to him getting to work on time.Even though we only saw the tarpaulin, I guess that puts an end to any possibility of Ross having clawed his way out of a shallow grave.Dean's reaction possibly suggests there was a smell, although there could be many reasons for him feeling ill.

It's a bit weird to suddenly emphasise that Justin and Tori are Raffy's guardians after a year or so of John and Marilyn making all the decisions with very little consultation.But they do seem to have talked to the specialist, which removes my last objection.I guess if the trial's a success then they might revisit things, and events here increase my feeling that Mason really did jump the gun in telling Raffy about it, because she's now fixated on it as a magic cure-all, resulting in Ryder going into full-on well-intentioned idiot mode and deciding to score some drugs because that's totally the same thing.Self-medicating is never a good idea (just look at Dean), self-medicating with something that's illegal to possess is an even worse one.The fact that Ryder dismissed Raffy's worries about the dosage with a blase remark about getting more medicine (yeah, because overdoses are good, right?) underlined that they really don't know what they're doing.I was disappointed too that Dean had an opportunity to be the responsible one and instead put Ryder onto a dealer just because he needed someone to mind his car keys.(Given Dean was able to do some elaborate stuff while sleepwalking (but not put his shoes on), I don't think a barricade's going to help.)

Elsewhere, Mason and Willow could probably run the gym themselves since they did it before Robbo took over, but he's not made it easy for them... And time will tell whether Maggie going to the press will backfire, although is Simone even interested in a permanent position?

[D.B]

On 07/04/2019 at 15:31, H&Alover said:

 Ross behaviour who claimed he 'loved'  Bella when all he wanted to do was to keep control of her, don't forget he lied to her for five years that her mum had left them.   Colby, as I think someone suggested,  didn't drag Dean into any of it, Dean was just as much out for Ross' blood as Colby, but when they caught up with him was content with knocking seven bells of hell out of him, he had no idea it would end as it did, not sure even Colby did. 

I'm pretty sure that one could make a reasonable argument that Colby's pretty much done the same as Ross has done in terms of Bella. Remember when Bella went to the police station? She pretty much told them was Colby wanted her to say, and earlier scenes with Colby and Dean worrying about what Chelsea told the police left me with a strong indication that they kept Bella reporting to the police more to protect themselves rather than protect her. And now he's lying to her about Ross, allowing her to live in fear because he doesn't want to be ratted out on.

[English Invader]

8 hours ago, Red Ranger 1 said:

And time will tell whether Maggie going to the press will backfire, although is Simone even interested in a permanent position?

I was just thinking about that and it's only a matter of time before either Bella or Raffy find out about Simone's affair which will reduce the teacher-student relationship to "Please don't tell Maggie" and will inevitably affect the quality of Simone's teaching.  Maggie will eventually find out, as will the education department, and they'll save plenty of tar and feathers for her when it all blows up.  It's shameful that people entrusted with children's education can use their authority as a battleground for personal vendettas but that's the world we live in.

I don't think it even matters if Simone works there permanently or not.  The fact that Maggie hired someone who was having an affair with her son-in-law and who may well have pressured her students into lying for her (both of which having already come from abusive backgrounds) will not look good and the education department will have no trouble claiming she is incompetent at best, complicit in the scandal at worst.

[H&Alover]

D.B Michelle was an innocent woman trying to protect her daughter Ross was a low life scumbag.  I don't recall Bella telling the cops what Colby wanted her to say, she just told it as she saw it.  Could you in all conscience tell a 16 year old you don't have to worry about your abusive dad returning as he's dead because  you killed him.  In one way it'd stop her fretting about him returning but then she'd blame herself for letting it get that far.

Thanks for the explanation Dan F, the time line in the bay and what happened years ago can be played  fast and loose at times.  I'm guessing, although once again it hasn't been talked about on-screen, Martha knows about Alisa and Duncan and as mentioned before Owen & Ric.

Marilyn's reaction was only what any mother's would be and this is Marilyn we're talking about.  Not saying it's going to make it any easier but we don't yet know where in Afghanistan he's being posted to, didn't he say his and the other troops role was to train up the locals to police the area themselves so more a peace keeping role?  I didn't see very clearly where John and Jett were, they could have sat on the bench, but still think Gina deserved a mention.  Loved the way John was with Marilyn, he's got to have the same fears himself, but managed to calm her down by telling her Jett didn't need to be worrying about them while he was away.  She did pull herself together and was able to give a him a calmer, though still tearful send off, very moving, I liked that Alf was there too. Sensibly Jett asked Alf rather than John, that would have been thoughtless,  about how his parents felt when he was shipped off to Vietnam.  Of course then there was a proper war going on and Alf having being conscripted had even less of a choice to say no.  Hopefully there will be a good signal out wherever Jett will be for emails and Skype so he, John & Marilyn can keep in touch whenever he's off duty, not to mention factoring in the time difference.  Of course as Alf said back in his time there were only letters which took weeks to get home and maybe if you were very lucky the odd phone call home, obviously any bad news letters/telegrams managed to be sent without delay. Although I do agree with John about Marilyn fixating on the horrible things still happening in Afghanistan, although as already mentioned we don't know where he's going, because then she'll know he's where it's happening on the other hand, going back to Alf's & John's time in the Army & Navy respectively no-one at home knew what was going on if they were in a war zone.  Did John serve in any conflicts? 

Oh Dean, at first I though he may have been dreaming going to dig up Ross but sadly not, whatever he's taking is not helping at all, making things worse in fact - poor guy, he really needs looking after.  Who knows how our brain operates when sleep walking, he was driving why did he need shoes? His half awake/half asleep kiss he managed to explain away as just that, no way would he want Willow dragged into what he's going through. May have been just me but I got the feeling when she was telling Jasmine about it a small part of Willow was hoping it was more than that.  Right from going to holding her side for a couple of episodes, her second op(?),  then holding her shoulder, yesterday Willow wasn't tenderly holding any part of her body. 

I shouldn't laugh seeing as illegal drugs are contemplated being used but I did have to  when Ryder asked Dean if he could get hold of 'what cows eat'.  As the old saying goes a little knowledge is dangerous and Ryder although being a very bright kid isn't using all his brain power.  Raffy seems convinced despite what Mason has said, now backing Tori and Justin, that trial will work but no guarantee that she'd (a) be suitable and (b) it would work if she was. Ryder truly wants to help Raffy and if drugs weren't involved well done him, for thinking of alternative meds. 

Maggie, at time of writing doesn't know Simone & Brody are having an affair, all she is concerned about is getting the best help she can for two pupils who need It and has tired of trying to convince a dragging their heels department of education to cough up enough money to pay for a teacher who can, well, teach them be it Simone or anyone else that ahs the necessary skills.

I realise Jasmine is not going back to work to avoid Tori but the longer she leaves it the harder it will be. Someone there will, if they are a caring employer  be sending someone round to check on her.   I can understand her concern over Robbo  with his past history.

Willow and Mason in the interim period of the old owners finishing and Robbo taking over did run the gym , but naturally Robbo and only good business sense, would have had his own password but maybe he should have let maybe John or Ben know what it is in case of emergencies.  Depending how long it had to be Sophia perhaps?

Irene is back and looked like she was being filled in on the latest goings on.

[D.B]

26 minutes ago, H&Alover said:

D.B Michelle was an innocent woman trying to protect her daughter Ross was a low life scumbag.  I don't recall Bella telling the cops what Colby wanted her to say, she just told it as she saw it.  Could you in all conscience tell a 16 year old you don't have to worry about your abusive dad returning as he's dead because  you killed him.  In one way it'd stop her fretting about him returning but then she'd blame herself for letting it get that far.

Okay, firstly, I never said that Ross wasn't a 'low-life scumbag'. He was. Obviously what Ross did was wrong, what he did to Michelle and he was wrong to lie to Bella about it, I never questioned that nor disagreed with that. But that wasn't the point I was making. The point I was making that Colby is lying to Bella about something he did that he should be in prison for, just as Ross did. Secondly, if Bella really did tell it 'as she saw it', then Colby and Dean would have faced charges for kidnapping and obstructing a police investigation into a murder. She didn't tell McCarthy the truth about what actually happened at the house, Colby and Dean sure as hell didn't want her to tell them the truth, so that left me with an impression that they made sure she knew what to say. Thirdly, yes in hindsight, perhaps  telling Bella the truth would done her more mental harm than good, but however, I feel that Bella deserves the truth, and Colby is refusing to give it to her for his own means. That is how I see it. 

[English Invader]

5 hours ago, H&Alover said:

Maggie, at time of writing doesn't know Simone & Brody are having an affair, all she is concerned about is getting the best help she can for two pupils who need It and has tired of trying to convince a dragging their heels department of education to cough up enough money to pay for a teacher who can, well, teach them be it Simone or anyone else that ahs the necessary skills.

I realise that and I am actually on her side but I think the department will ignore the fact that she is in the right and use the situation as an opportunity to get back at her for going to the press.

If the scandal comes out as I think it will, Maggie will only be able to plead "I didn't know what was going on in my own school" and hope for the education department's understanding and support in the matter which gives them the upper hand.

[Red Ranger 1]

9 hours ago, H&Alover said:

Did John serve in any conflicts? 

He said on Monday he was never in an active war zone, so if he did it was only in a support capacity.

15 hours ago, English Invader said:

I was just thinking about that and it's only a matter of time before either Bella or Raffy find out about Simone's affair which will reduce the teacher-student relationship to "Please don't tell Maggie" and will inevitably affect the quality of Simone's teaching.  Maggie will eventually find out, as will the education department, and they'll save plenty of tar and feathers for her when it all blows up.  It's shameful that people entrusted with children's education can use their authority as a battleground for personal vendettas but that's the world we live in.

I don't think it even matters if Simone works there permanently or not.  The fact that Maggie hired someone who was having an affair with her son-in-law and who may well have pressured her students into lying for her (both of which having already come from abusive backgrounds) will not look good and the education department will have no trouble claiming she is incompetent at best, complicit in the scandal at worst.

Simone's private life shouldn't really come into it as long as it doesn't affect her work: Obviously, if a situation like you suggested crops up, then that's another matter.Of course, as you say, it only takes one bureaucrat with a grudge to ring up the tabloids and say "You know that teacher Maggie Astoni was talking about?Well..." (How is Raffy's background abusive, by the way?)

Anyway! First day on the job and I kind of get where Simone was coming from, trying to break the ice, but I also find myself more than a little in agreement with Bella's sarcastic suggestion that they do something useful next time: Shouldn't Simone actually be helping her with the gaps in her knowledge, rather than asking what her first pet was called? And I realise Simone was only doing what Maggie asked her to but is Raffy going to get any of this support teacher help at some point? Talking of Raffy, Mason makes a belated stab at being the responsible adult in the situation and pulling her and Ryder up on their grass session, which probably would have led to Raffy getting stoned, and, as they observed, merely caused extra stress.

It seems a rocket from Irene was the best way to get a reaction from Robbo, although he pretty much did the minimum in giving Mason the information he needed and telling Colby to let Tori and Jasmine know he's alive.I'm glad too that Irene didn't take any prisoners with Tori and was flabberghasted by Tori's typically self-absorbed response: She knew full well that going ahead with the implantation would cause trouble, and so would getting Jasmine to keep it secret, yet she basically says "Well, it's not my fault if Robbo and Jasmine weren't strong enough to get over it"? I'm glad Jasmine gave her both barrels and shamed her, and I'm kind of glad Raffy was there and we got to see her reaction, although since that's her three episodes I guess that's all we're going to get.(To be fair, we did see her reaction the first time Tori got pregnant.)

[English Invader]

8 hours ago, Red Ranger 1 said:

(How is Raffy's background abusive, by the way?)

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.

[D.B]

Tori can go take a hike, and never return. That would very much please me. Even now, she still wants to talk to Robbo, after all of her actions have driven him out of town, and yet she continues to take no responsibility for it, as her conversation with Irene shows. Speaking of, while I love Irene's fiery side, I feel like her message to Robbo was a little harsh, because Jasmine isn't fully innocent here and Robbo is suffering. But apparently it worked, with Robbo finally calling, even if Colby and Mason got very little off him other than stuff for the gym (Which I have to add, fair game for Willow and Mason struggling to keep the gym up with Robbo gone AWOL). Now, I don't think Robbo is gone forever (or rather I hope), but right now, I completely understand why he feels like he can never return, I would feel the same. Meanwhile, did anyone else cheer when Jasmine called Tori's secret out to everyone at the diner? Because I did. Jasmine was completely in the right to be angry and expose her and I'm glad that she didn't hold back. 

More Morgans: It's a shame that Mason wasn't able to talk either Tori or Justin around to his idea. Had to laugh when Raffy kissed Ryder in the hall to keep him quiet about the drugs. While I love Ryder's caring boyfriend personality coming out, neither him and Raffy really thought the idea of self-medication through, so thankfully Mason was able to intervene. While I think that his initial reaction maybe was a bit much, considering that he unintentionally inspired the idea, I'm glad he talked calmly with them at the diner and I love him as a  protective brother. 

Can't really say much on Dean's situation, other than he is seriously not well, and tell Willow what's going on. He's not doing anyone any favours keeping it quiet, less of all Ben, who's been more 

Meanwhile, I loved seeing Maggie sticking it to the ed. department, though as others had pointed out,  if Simone's secret came out it probably would mean trouble. Actually, I did like Simone's scenes with Bella. Yes maybe she should have figured more about where she's at, but I guess that perhaps she's just trying to be easy with her for their first session. But apparently, from Maggie and Simone's worried looks at her file, not all is well. 

[c120701]

Why don’t they have an extra sitting at that reception desk they added to the school set?