2020 Season - UK Episode Discussion

[Slade]

Marilyn must be really enjoying spending time with Grace.  A baby all to herself and no time with John.

Interestingly, crazy Jasmine's not been so crazy over the last couple of episodes and she has been better spending time with Robbo's parents.  I've actually found myself on her side.  Irene has been extremely annoying constantly calling Jasmine and even getting annoyed with her in her voicemails.  Irene knew Jasmine was safe so if she wasn't getting back to her it was because Jasmine didn't want to talk to her.  She should have just left it for a few days and it annoyed me when Irene and Colby went to retrieve her.

Tori has also been extremely annoying, again giving mixed signals i.e. the AVO and then wanting to go out of her way to talk to Jasmine.  She wants to help Jasmine then fine but Jasmine has an issue with boundaries and how is she supposed to rectify that if Tori has taken out an AVO and still wants to interact with her.  I was actually glad Justin had a go at Tori when she blamed him before he changed his stance.  I said previously that Jasmine needed to get away and it did seem to do her some good and I really didn't like the way Colby and Irene took her from the Shaw's and delivered her to the Diner, springing Tori and Justin on her.

Have to admit, this made me laugh.

Justin:"Colby called."
Tori:"What?  What did he say?"
Justin:"Jasmine's agreed to come back to the bay."
Tori:"Oh, that's good.  It's a good thing"
Justin:"Well, that depends on which Jasmine we're getting back"

[H&Alover]

21 hours ago, UK_fan said:

21 hours ago, UK_fan said:

 

   I didn't know Sam Frost was a RTV star before becoming an Actress, but she's been so fantastic since joining this show.

I really dislike Jasmine being called crazy... She's NOT crazy, just currently mentally ill and needs to deal with her grief about losing Robbo and their plans for the future being destroyed.   Baby Grace is the only part of Robbo she has left, she's not helped herself with her behaviour at times, it's been wrong, but she's just in a mixed up place right now.

Sam Frost has proved she can indeed act, her storylines certainly haven't been light hearted.  Not many reality stars/singers make the transition.   I've with you about the 'crazy' label someone has stuck on Jasmine. I think, maybe, they are doing it just to wind us up and we should ignore it. 

 

[Red Ranger 1]

Well, I'm glad that Irene wasn't in on Colby's plan to ambush Jasmine but that was about the only good thing about her.She does seem to have finally moved on from being overinvolved with teenage girls (no word on Bella's letter still, by the way) but her acting like she's the only person that can help Jasmine continues to grate, and her policy of barracking her to her face while showing blind loyalty to her behind her back isn't really helping.Colby still acting like the one that's going to solve this was equally annoying, so I was delighted when Tori and Jasmine told him to leave them alone.As for Tori, there are times in the last week when I've felt like she's the one that should be called crazy: She seems to have fixated on Jasmine as much as Jasmine has fixated on Grace.Her messages of "You can't contact me but I can come round and lecture you whenever I feel like it" and "You're not allowed to come anywhere near me or Grace so of course you can stop and chat if you see us" are spectacularly damaging: Frankly, she might as well withdraw the AVO if even she's not paying attention to it.It's like she's forgotten it was meant to stop Jasmine being inappropriate with Grace and is instead using it as a bargaining tool.I can't believe Justin is still being shut down by everyone after repeatedly being proved right: Irene and Leah looked at him like he was pond life again, but Tori and Jasmine's chat was a disaster.As for Jasmine, she definitely could do with seeing a counsellor, but she's not a danger to herself or others, and it increasingly feels like being in the farm and clearing her head was a lot better off for her than being dragged back to Summer Bay.Nothing's changed and she still wants to leave but she's lost her sanctuary.(Maybe she could call Olivia and go and stay in London, which is about as far away from these well-intentioned meddlers as she could get.)

I didn't have much patience with everyone continuing to baby Marilyn.There are times when it feels like she's made it to 50 without ever learning to look after herself: She's spent most of her time in the Bay either living with a husband or boyfriend or living with Alf or Irene. Even when she had her own place, she seemed to rely more on her lodgers than she should do.

Good to see Alf back and also good to hear that Quinn's been kept in the loop.

[H&Alover]

True that about Bella's letter and they still haven't run into each other?

I really do think Colby meant well, but the meeting was too soon, I mean  the same day she gets back to the bay, she would have been tired and still upset with them.   All this is more about Jasmine's fixation with Grace than Jasmine being 'banned' from seeing Tori.  People have, like when Ben had his breakdown, tried the softly, softly approach and the hard line approach neither of which seems to be working. Justin didn't appear to have much faith in Tori being strong enough to resist Jasmine's pleas/manipulations. Tori may be accused of being too soft on Jas but Justin is the opposite he goes at it like a bull at a gate.  Colby was going to be what, mediator?, a neutral bystander?  Anyways it was Tori more than Jasmine who told him to go.  What did Irene expect would have happened if they were left alone?  I'm on the other side,  I felt it was Jasmine who was blocking everything Tori  suggested, no I won't go for counselling  unless you tell me I can see Grace at some point along the way, which was the point of the AVO.  Tori stood her ground though, Jasmine needs to work everything through first, not enter counselling thinking, I'll do a couple then see Grace as a treat, then do some more etc.  To me that would do more harm than good. oWe all know Jasmine would never hurt Grace but it was her delusion she was Grace's mum and Tori was a bad mum that was worrying.  Was it me or was there out of kilter camera work every time we saw Jasmine?  To give Justin credit he didn't say "I told you so" to Tori when she said things didn't go well with Jas. Ok she's leaving - or that is what we saw her say, selling Robbo's business to boot, throwing Willow out of a job, but it is not going to solve anything running away, she's thinking she will be able to leave things behind but they'll follow her wherever she goes and she won't have the back up she's got now.   You know the only not getting their knickers in a twist over this is Grace - she's happy being with whoever is looking after her - far too young to have understood Jas' "I'm your mummy" chats. 

For a seemingly independent woman Marilyn can come across as very immature.  Her main problem - imo - is she needs to have someone to look after in some way,when she hasn't got that to do she feels at a loss. I can't remember if she has ever lived on her own or always shared with others but she has been travelling a lot, even became a different person at one time.  

I missed the reference to Quinn was that who Roo was on the phone to when Marilyn dropped in? Good to see Alf's come back for Ryder, I dare say Martha nudged him a bit there. 

 

[Slade]

Poor Marilyn.  She has to find somewhere to live whereas John is simply incapacitated from suffering a brain haemorrhage - Looking at the promo, seems as though Amber's presence continues to make Marilyn redundant.  I don't think John would do it but I would love it if he asked Amber to move in whilst Marilyn had to live in a caravan.

As mentioned, yet again Justin was right.  And once more, made out to be the bad guy for being perfectly reasonable and wanting to look out for his sister.  He was quite correct when he predicted she would be an issue and crazy Jasmine got all creepy, pretended to be Grace's mum and ultimately wanted to take Grace from Tori.  Then he tried to point out in that episode to Irene why the AVO was taken out, Irene just dismissed it because of her bias towards Jasmine and even Leah was disappointing, refusing to see why Justin thought it was such a bad idea.

Despite the fact that she's not all there, as Justin said, she was very manipulative.  Tori was an idiot for having the meeting with Jasmine without Colby present.  Jasmine is not interested in getting help because she doesn't think she is crazy.  And her entire motivation would have been purely because of Grace when it should have been about getting better.  Even Tori's language about simply dismissing Jasmine's behaviour as 'unacceptable' seemed toned down.  If they weren't 'friends' and she had done that Tori wouldn't be so accommodating.  I feel any help Jasmine receives should be about moving on from Grace.  Which is why I think she should have at least stayed at the Shaw's for a few weeks so whilst there's still actually a tie to Grace with Robbo's parents, at least some time away from people at Summer Bay would have helped and eventually she would start to move on.  I must admit, I had a wry smile when just after Tori finished talking to Jasmine, said to Justin in the Diner not to say I told you so and she warned she was about to rant, Justin rhetorically asked "Was it that bad?".

[Red Ranger 1]

I kind of like that after everyone patronising Jasmine and assuming they thought they knew what was best for her, it was Willow's bluntness that finally got through Jasmine's defences, even though ironically it seemed to benefit everyone apart from Willow. Unfortunately, any good work was undone by Tori's ridiculous behaviour in the second half.I winced at her approaching Jasmine near the beach but it would have been okay if she'd just had a quick chat and then given her some space.But oh no, she actually has to bring Grace round for a visit while incredibly keeping the AVO in place even though she isn't even paying attention to it herself. Honestly, this whole "You can't approach me but I can approach you" attitude is probably doing a lot more harm than good.

Hah: Take that, Marilyn! When she was talking about John not being independent enough for her to leave, I was mainly thinking that it's actually Marilyn who isn't very independent.Even when Amber got John the emergency watch (and I like to think she knew it'd put Marilyn's nose out of joint), I was still expecting Marilyn to find an excuse to stick around until she found somewhere.But no, it's time for her to walk out that door. The motel's a bit more high class than a caravan but it'll do.

Ryder not wanting to go to the funeral did come out of nowhere somewhat, although the promo gave us a bit of an insight, and he's obviously trying to avoid discussing it but he's forgotten how stubborn Alf can be...

[H&Alover]

Everyone has tried all methods to get through to Jasmine and she has, it seems to me anyway, just agreed with them to get them to shut up.  Talking of which when Willow was having her rant, all Jasmine had to do as with all the calls/texts rom Irene was to have answered just one to say "I'm OK, I just need some time alone". It was Tori telling Willow what was going on that brought it home to Willow that she didn't know what the hell was going on with her house mate, though Irene could have easily filled her in.  Jas' sudden out of the blue announcement she was selling the gym really got Willow bent out of shape, not surprisingly, wouldn't be just her losing her job but the rest of the staff.  She certainly gave it to her with both barrels, completely ignoring Irene's pleas to wind her neck in,  like others in the bay Irene has her really annoying traits at times and this was one of them.  Of course Jasmine has been through a real rough time, she's lost her husband and 'lost' her baby which would have been 'her' reminder of Robbo.  But as Willow reminded her, Tori has lost the father of her baby and her brother, which did give Jasmine a jolt.  Could add Grace has lost her dad, though she is too young at the moment to know this.  Tori can't seem to help herself approaching Jasmine, but at least this time it worked as Jasmine was in a more receptive frame of mind and agreed to the mental health plan - well for now.  Was that part of her agreeing that she bring round Grace on a supervised visit?  Was her doing that breaking the terms of her own AVO?   Jasmine seeming so positive didn't extend as far as a decision on the gym so not surprising Willow wasn't as happy as Irene.   Hence her going out on a girls night out with Amber + Ziggy and Mac which as we saw ends up getting pretty lively. 

Was John using the rip the plaster off quick method with getting Marilyn to go that very night?   He could have let her stay one more night.  Marilyn was right, as I mentioned before, about how John would cope if he was alone at night  and fell. But now thanks to Amber that problem has been solved, Marilyn is on John's list of people to call should he have a fall, hence him telling her to keep the keys.   Does Amber's duties include shopping for John, cooking his meals until he is stronger and more confident on his feet, salads are one thing, hot nosh another. Amber is very professional in her job but very much  a party girl - I hope she is fully sober when she sees her patients the day after the night before. 

Good luck with trying to shake off Alf there Ryder, where do you think you got your stubbornness from?   Something to do with Evan's friends wasn't it and no Justin - nothing like your experience. 

[Slade]

The minute Marilyn's accommodation was at stake she was determined to stay and support John.  I do have to admit, I did feel a little bit sorry for her when she departed.  Objectively, I still think it's a risk John living on his own as if he has another stroke he might not have the presence of mind to activate the watch Amber gave him to alert someone.

I thoroughly enjoyed Willow being out of shape.  It was absolutely wonderful, especially towards the end of that episode.  Whilst I agree with what she said to Jasmine about Tori and felt someone needed to say it, it's a shame she wasn't keen on being this honest before when she knew Jasmine was getting obsessive and how she was conducting herself on the internet forum,  just as Jasmine's behaviour was becoming more problematic.  Now that her job is on the line she's worried for Tori and wants Jasmine to see things from Tori's side.

Justin has been quite amusing through this whole thing with his reactions although this time he didn't argue too much with Tori when she wanted to talk to Jasmine again as I think he's accepted Tori is going to do what she wants and he just can't be arsed.  What I've found interesting is some of the close-ups of Jasmine's face through the last couple of episodes.  Almost implying that she's disturbed.  Have to agree with Justin's scepticism regarding her getting help.  Unfortunately it's all still motivated by Grace.  If Tori were to cut off access from Grace, Jasmine wouldn't see any reason to get help.

[Red Ranger 1]

Well, that was certainly a lively night out.Whilst it's not a very good reason and doesn't exactly show her in a good light, Mackenzie does at least have a reason for not liking Amber, whether it's jealousy over her hooking up with Tane or just a case of repaying someone in kind.But it seems like Amber was rude towards Mackenzie as soon as they were introduced and has just carried on from there without her doing anything to prompt it. A clash of personalities perhaps, but it was still strange to see Amber turning it around and acting as though Mackenzie's the one that took against her for no reason.Good that Willow told Amber about her sexuality by the way, and that Amber returned the favour from last week by taking it in her stride.

I don't think Justin deserved to be snapped at but Ryder was tightly wound and I think Justin understood that.It's actually a nice touch that Ryder is worried about no-one at the funeral knowing him: The lazy soap cliché would be to have Evan buried in Summer Bay with Ryder, Alf and Roo as chief mourners and act as though he didn't exist until he came to Summer Bay, so it strikes a note of realism to point out that the months he spent there were only a tiny fraction of his life and there'd be people who've known him for years.But yeah, Ryder would probably have regretted not going so it's good that the all-nighter with Alf did the trick.

[H&Alover]

Just what is it that Amber has against Mac, is it just the fact she's got her own business and had a different upbringing to them?  Is Amber assuming daddy brought the business for Mac, which he did, but not in the conventional  way.   Mac is really rubbish about concealing her feelings towards Tane, Amber has now  noticed it, but she is a smart cookie,  Willow and Ziggy both seem to have twigged too. I was thinking when Amber was trying to fix Willow up with a bloke in the club she doesn't know about her change of sexual preference.  Not that she needed to but at least now Willow has filled Amber in it'll stop her trying  to fix her up with random blokes.  What is driving Amber to act so wild when she's out on the town, she was happy enough to feel that guy up but when he wanted to try it on with her she flipped so hence Tane stepping in and him getting thrown out.   Have to say they all looked remarkably fresh the next day, apart from Ziggy's black eye, seeing as it was only  a few hours earlier that they were leaving the club.  Pretty good of Tane stepping in for Ryder at the last minute, he'd sobered up pretty quick too,  shows he can be responsible. I'm guessing Ryder did leave a message for Mac, it was very short notice.  Ziggy will have some clever explaining to do to Dean about why she got a black eye from Amber.   Nice to get a mention of Karen, Dean seems to be visiting on a regular basis.   Colby and Bella were mysteriously not at home. 

Justin had the luck to have had his dad with him for many years, whereas Ryder only had Even for a few weeks a month at most so Justin, although he meant well, couldn't understand.  I'm glad Ryder finally revealed why he didn't want to go, at most funerals the people there are family or friends of the family and would know you and you'd know them.  They wouldn't know Alf or Roo either but that's besides the point.  It'll be a great chance, not ideal certainly, for Ryder to find out more about his dad when he was younger, things Evan didn't have time or maybe the inclination to tell him.   The guys and gals will have plenty of tales about his dad, some amusing, some embarrassing.  Leaving it to another time wouldn't be the same, as they wouldn't all be in the same place at the same time. I reckon there will be a couple of guys who knew about Ryder.

Good point Slade about John not having the presence of mind to use his alarm, not only that if he has another stroke he may not be able to use it, last one affected his right side and the watch is on  his left hand. 

No warning - unless I missed it - about there being flashing lights in yesterday's episode, I thought that was a requirement?