2020 Season - UK Episode Discussion

[H&Alover]

Poor Bella, she was so sure she was ready, she'd made the first move when she kissed Nik and was fine and relaxed when he kissed her, she even went as far as giving her hair a good brush and put on some lip gloss.  Even when they went into her room and laid on her bed and started getting comfortable, but then she remembered Tommy.   Just as well Nik knew what had happened and backed off right away otherwise he may have thought Bella was teasing him.  He did the right thing calling Ryder even if he did get the wrong end of the stick initially.  Ryder didn't have much choice in the end but to call Colby and Willow who luckily put two and two together and realised that Bella meant she was wanting  to lose her virginity that very afternoon.  Would have been a reasonable assumption to make seeing the scissors and blood that Nik had tussled with Bella over them.  It was just as well Willow managed to explain all that to Colby before Nik turned up at the hospital so was able to tell Nik  it wasn't it his fault.  Agree baywatcher Courtney does play her very well, one moment we're shouting at her for being a brat, then laughing along with her then feeling her pain, that is good acting from anyone that we, the viewers, can have such a range of   emotions over them, not just booing or hissing them or loving them all the time. Taking pills was bad enough but cutting herself is something else.  Colby reluctantly accepted just seeing a counsellor is not enough, not that Bella was seeing her anyway, but that Bella needs more specialist help.  Will he need to pay for it? 

Not surprising Nik panicked - don't know how many other girls he's been with but to have one freak out like Bella did would have spooked any young man. Thank goodness Gemma talked sense into him and although he couldn't see her he cared enough to ask Colby to tell her he  called and that he was sorry and hoped she'd be OK. 

They were nice little scenes between John and Ryder, John showing his caring and wise side after showing his stubborn side  with Marilyn. Very thoughtful of him and Ryder cleaning up the bedroom so Colby wouldn't have to face it. 

If anyone could understand how Bella is feeling right now it's Leah although Douglas hadn't tried anything sexual with her. 

[baywatcher]

What a lovely idea to send Bella to equine therapy.  It wouldn't have been her if she hadn't been so anti the idea.  I really hope that it gives her the help that she so badly needs.  (Bullet the horse even got a guest credit ).

Ryder was still very off with Nik, who was having a really bad day 

Another nice chat between Gemma & John.

Footage was fantastic again.  It is such a joy to watch.

[Red Ranger 1]

I did enjoy Bella's scenes today.I'm glad she got a proper scene with Ryder and he told her that she's loved.She's avoiding Nikau but is stressing that he wasn't at fault.The therapy is an interesting idea, a way of helping Bella without her having to talk to people which isn't something she's prepared to do.Her initial inability to communicate with the horse was amusing and I loved that look of wonder and pleasure on her face when she was touching Bullet.

Nikau really isn't doing himself any favours at the moment.Part of me thinks Ryder was a bit harsh on him, but I found myself nodding in agreement with pretty much everything.As Ryder said, Nikau could have given some more thought as to whether Bella was actually ready or not, but didn't do anything wrong until he ran away from the situation with a whiny "The police keep picking on me." And he's still trying to run away and still behaving like a child who can't handle responsibility.That said, I don't think Gemma did any good by going in hard like she did. I liked the chat with John: Frankly, if he can manage to avoid the lecturing, he's probably one of the best people to talk to Nikau.

Sometimes the people on this show suck at keeping secrets.Bella tells Ryder she doesn't want Nikau knowing what happened and John says it's not his place to say, yet apparently he tells Irene seconds later when Marilyn and Gemma are in earshot, resulting in it getting back to Nikau.(To be honest, I think he probably should have been told, but still.)

[baywatcher]

Apart from Ari & Tane butting heads that was a really good episode.

John found a way to get onside with Nik by joking about Ari  and he was able to offer Nik a different perspective.  It's good that John admitted he'd been mistaken about the whole Parata family and his helping Ryder and Nik resolve their differences has shown me that Good John is someone to have on your side.  Things seem to be getting better between him and Marilyn as well.

 at Bella being left behind.  Colby was so torn but Willow made him see sense.  I think Willow has been great through all of this.  I think Colby appreciated Nik coming to see him and what he said about Bella (and at least Nik will now know why he won't be getting a message from her).

Gemma had some good scenes.  I think she generally has a nice relationship with Nik.

I hope Mac is going to see Colby as a friend and this won't be the start of more will they / won't they.

[H&Alover]

Wonder where the idea of the equine therapy came from, wherever it was, it could work once Bella gets over being 'abandoned' by Colby.  Bullet, psychological choice there on Bella's part methinks and I don't think it was lost on Colby either, isn't going to be spilling any of her secrets. Her initial reluctance to work with Bullet, he's  a gorgeous boy, changed once she'd touched him and felt his gentle power, lovely scene, Steven is going to need a lot of patience.  Can't wait to see Bella mucking out!  She's going to feel even more isolated now she's had to give up her phone. 

Ryder was rough on Nik, but he feels somewhat guilty himself as he introduced them, encouraged them to get together, but as been said it was Nik doing a runner when Ryder said he was calling Colby.  Bik was thinking of  Colby as a cop not Bella's brother, seeing what his family has been through you can't really blame him. Very touching scene between Ryder and Bella, she easily let him hug her.  I felt she was avoiding Nik as she was embarrassed about what happened and not about him personally.  Hope Nik and Ryder can make their peace.  

Ryder kept quiet and John tried but was ganged up on by Marilyn and Irene a tough couple to keep a secret from.  Once again embarrassment on Bella's part, not wanting Nik to think she was even more  of  a freak  than he already thought she was which he doesn't. Nik chucking his job in is not the answer, but currently he's in no mood to listen.  Uncle Tane echoed what Gemma said, he can't keep running away, he needs to take responsibility for things he does.  

OK what have they done with the John of a few weeks ago and who replaced him with a  more insightful, thoughtful one which is the one I like.   He 'knew' he needed to talk to Gemma about Nik and even calmed them both down when they had their row in the juice bar.  Although completely different circumstances they both lost their spouses very suddenly and had a teenage son to take care of.   Jett had let's not forget had been a bit of a rebel, took John and Gina both a while to get him on their side. Doesn't help that Nik doesn't like Ari so Gemma doesn't have him as back up as Nik won't listen to anything he says. 

[630si]

I feel sorry for Nik because I think he needed some sort of confirmation from Bella that he didn't do wrong by her and he didn't get it. Remember he doesn't know her story fully so I can imagine his confusion would've been off the scale. In todays episode though he seemed to relax a bit more and it seems John, of all people, has helped talk him round. He demonstrated his maturity again by visiting Colby and leaving a message for Bella. Which I thought was a nice thought. I really like this Parata family.

Gemma's grief for her husband is starting to bubble beneath the surface a bit and I honestly found myself choked up a bit at the scene in Marilyn's house when Marilyn offered her ear to Gemma after Nik apologised.

I was going to say who is this John and what's he done with the old John but Ryder gave a perfect explanation of the two types of John, good John and grumpy John!

Also, Mac is clearly very confused too because turning up at Colby's like that is unfair on him and will only give off mixed signals. Plus it seems she's at risk of playing Ari like a fiddle. Not a good look.

[Dan F]

5 minutes ago, 630si said:

I feel sorry for Nik because I think he needed some sort of confirmation from Bella that he didn't do wrong by her and he didn't get it.

I was waiting for that too. I know there's others who have disagreed and criticised his running away, but I really felt for Nik through those eps.

Particularly when he came face to face with Colby, and then struggled to hold it together when he realised Colby didn't blame him after all.

Nik and Gemma, and their relationship, are great additions in my opinion.

[630si]

I completely agree about Nik and Gemma I have immediately warmed to them and their story. I think they've been written well and the actors have really good rapport with each other. It's very believable. I'm finding myself becoming a bit of a cheerleader for Nik because Gemma is doing a great job with him on her own given the circumstances she's found herself in and she's raised a decent guy.

[Red Ranger 1]

I dunno.Maybe if Nikau had actually stuck around then he wouldn't have found himself on the outside? Frankly, it seems like he knows pretty much everything about Bella's situation so I'm not sure there's any excuse there. We saw a better side of him today but he needs to control his temper so I'm glad Gemma was firm with him.Even though she didn't exactly do a stellar job with him on her own yesterday, dragging Ari into the mix was only going to make things worse.So ironically it's John, who does actually have decent form at dealing with volatile teenage boys, who manages to pull him back into line and I'm glad that he and Ryder have cleared the air.Ryder's talk about Good John and Grumpy John summed him up perfectly.Despite Marilyn trying to take responsibility for Gemma, I can't help thinking that while she's given the Paratas a lot of practical support, giving them somewhere to live and helping Gemma find a job, John is actually a lot better at the emotional support!

I'm trying not to judge Ari too harshly, because from what we've seen of Tane he may well have very good reason for considering him a bad influence, but turning him into a scapegoat for Nikau behaving irresponsibly seemed like a case of avoiding responsibility himself more than anything else. He's increasingly feeling like another "Do as I say, not as I do" type.

Am I too hard on Colby because I don't like him? To a point but crikey, he seems incapable of getting it right with Bella. He either sticks to his guns and refuses to consider he might be wrong, or bows down and tries to make her happy even if it's the wrong thing to do. Ever since she came in he's had a succession of people having to drag him firmly onto the right path, from Chelsea to Mackenzie to Willow and even Dean. I really hope we don't now have Bella disappear for weeks and then come back "cured" (or worse, not cured). We need more steps after her sitting dejected in the driveway.Mackenzie turning up at Colby's was indeed frustrating.

Edited June 2, 2020 by Red Ranger 1

[j.laur5]

4 hours ago, Red Ranger 1 said:

I dunno.Maybe if Nikau had actually stuck around then he wouldn't have found himself on the outside? Frankly, it seems like he knows pretty much everything about Bella's situation so I'm not sure there's any excuse there. We saw a better side of him today but he needs to control his temper so I'm glad Gemma was firm with him.Even though she didn't exactly do a stellar job with him on her own yesterday, dragging Ari into the mix was only going to make things worse.So ironically it's John, who does actually have decent form at dealing with volatile teenage boys, who manages to pull him back into line and I'm glad that he and Ryder have cleared the air.Ryder's talk about Good John and Grumpy John summed him up perfectly.Despite Marilyn trying to take responsibility for Gemma, I can't help thinking that while she's given the Paratas a lot of practical support, giving them somewhere to live and helping Gemma find a job, John is actually a lot better at the emotional support!

I'm trying not to judge Ari too harshly, because from what we've seen of Tane he may well have very good reason for considering him a bad influence, but turning him into a scapegoat for Nikau behaving irresponsibly seemed like a case of avoiding responsibility himself more than anything else. He's increasingly feeling like another "Do as I say, not as I do" type.

Am I too hard on Colby because I don't like him? To a point but crikey, he seems incapable of getting it right with Bella. He either sticks to his guns and refuses to consider he might be wrong, or bows down and tries to make her happy even if it's the wrong thing to do. Ever since she came in he's had a succession of people having to drag him firmly onto the right path, from Chelsea to Mackenzie to Willow and even Dean. I really hope we don't now have Bella disappear for weeks and then come back "cured" (or worse, not cured). We need more steps after her sitting dejected in the driveway.Mackenzie turning up at Colby's was indeed frustrating.

But Colby is only young himself and he basically is no more mature than most people his age in real life especially when dealing with a very mentally troubled young  girl.