2022 Season - UK Episode Discussion

[Foellfan]

The Tane count suits me, haha!

I have to say I cheered when Theo screamed at his Dad to leave, seeing Leah under threat was the switch I think; with controlling and, in this case, volatile people like Dimitri, if you're in the situation you tend to put up with it for a quiet life no matter how much you hate it but when someone you love is in danger it changes that picture, you might have to but they shouldn't kind of thing.

Salvatore's performance is utterly chilling because you can see how almost obsessively blinkered Dimitri is but equally how cowardly he becomes when confronted i.e. when Theo hit him. It's everyone's fault but his own.

[H&Alover]

Two minds with one thought both times Red.  Was it just a casual drop in that Rose mentioned her and Xander's mum.   Also I feel the same about Rose, her and Xander have always been close, but now I think she feels pushed out because of Jasmine appearing. Xander and Jasmine have blood ties but Rose is 'just' a step sister and I don't mean that in a nasty way.  She couldn't stay away though could she.  Odd how a vacancy for a paramedic has just come up and now Rose wants to move to the bay and of course there will be an opening in Yabby Creek nick.   You do realise that the touch footy was a plot ploy it get Cash & Jas together don't you Red?

Tane's count has my approval too Foellfan.  

Not sure it's going to be as easy as Martha thinks it is, her condition could have deteriorated  a lot since she left so I hope Roo hasn't got her hopes up too much. 

Dimitri was on a losing streak with bullying Theo so he tried the persuasive method and nearly conned Theo he would be a changed man and that they would put it all behind them - yeh right.  It's good Leah & Justin caught up to him, but worryingly Dimitri seemed to have done his job and got Theo doubting if he had everything wrong.  But luckily Dimitri showed his true colours again when he was abusing Leah the next morning and Theo caught him at it.  He's cowered Cassandra  but Leah is a much stronger woman, also she had to live with that  guy who kidnapped her who did try and control her. He really hated it when he said Justin had been a better dad than he had ever been.  Any dad would not like that but he has lost all self control so no more pretence of his being the wronged dad and being misunderstood.  Didn't look good for Justin, though it seemed like a 'simple' punch which knocked him out.

It is a chilling performance from Salvatore, he hasn't even come across as an OK guy to others which would cloud their judgement of him. 

[Foellfan]

H&ALover, I like your style! You're right about Salvatore's performance, he really made it feel as if Dimitri's actually coming after you as the viewer! Watching Theo's indecision but then ultimately that simple confession, it actually brought me to tears. It's so difficult for anyone to confess to that, but especially a child about a parent and the fact that Leah was there to kick-start it was stirring.

[Red Ranger 1]

Justin really wasn't doing anyone any favours by keeping quiet about what Dimitri did, so lucky Leah was willing to come forward and also that Cash was on hand to do a bit of community policing: It does seem as though, a lot of wrong calls during the Anne stalking business aside, he's the best regular police officer we've had in a long time. Dimitri has just lost all grip on reality, convinced that there's a quick fix or that he can talk his way out of anything. But it looks like Theo's finally ready to talk.

I know Jasmine's the one we know, but it does feel as though she's making an effort yet Rose is taking everything she says the wrong way.I get the feeling Rose isn't just jealous of Jasmine's bond with Xander but also of her and Cash, who she seems to have developed a bit of repartee with and who she seemed disappointed wasn't joining them.

[H&Alover]

Luckily Irene made the right call  to let Leah know what she had seen/heard or it could have been a while before Justin was found.   She said to Cash  Dimitri wasn't the most friendly of guys. Of course he just managed to get hold of his phone and pick up so alerted Leah & Theo that something was wrong. Odd that it was twice  that Cash had seen and heard Dimitri having a rant, first to Cassandra, then Theo and lastly when he was trying to force Theo into his car.  I'm guessing there was another cop car called as it wouldn't have been a good idea to have both in his car to transport them to the cop shop.  Theo had mentioned before his dad hadn't touched his mum but then  he doesn't have to, he'd likely beaten her down emotionally over the years and now she's escaped from him he just can't handle it.  

OK Dimitri hadn't hit anyone before, at least not anyone who was bigger than him.  May have just been one punch but everyone who reads a paper knows how unlucky it can be, the person who is hit can hit their head on the ground and die from it.  Dimitri's plea he was 'scared' Justin may attack him was rubbish and Cash didn't buy it at all, he knows Justin and knows it's not his style. 

Theo still wasn't willing to open up to Cash, who must have reasoned Dimitri was the aggressor in the altercation.  

Justin was lucky his seizure wasn't too serious and of course he'd be in hospital overnight though you can understand why he'd not want to be there  and not maybe having to take any painkillers. 

I can see why Justin wasn't wanting to tell the cops about Dimitri's assault and Logan can't force him to,  any medical staff can't do that even if they know what happened.   He wanted to avoid making it worse for Theo and Leah if Dimitri turned up again, I don't think he knew then Cash had Dimitri  and Theo had them at the cop shop.(?)  Dimitri does keep bleating on about family and how families keep their problems to themselves but Leah has busted that tradition - he would have broken any code by doing what he has done.  

As said Dimitri's claim/boast he hadn't got a police record as he hadn't been done for hitting anyone was valid, but then Theo spoke out  "yes he has, me" - leaving them all gobsmaked. Naturally Dimitri will try and talk his way out if it by saying Theo is his son so of course he had to be disciplined for when he misbehaved, be good to see how that questioning will go.   At least Leah can report back to Justin and then the whole family

Thing is over the years Theo had 'grown used' to being disciplined by his dad, he may have even thought of it as normal. Dimitri  was mostly working - providing for his family - and only saw Cass and Theo rarely.  He may have heard Theo had been  naughty as kids are but came down on him a lot harder than other dads would have, until he grew older and found out other dads weren't like that.  He, as I said, saw it as his due but now Dimitri has gone too far and attacked someone he cares for and has looked after him despite their initial misgivings. 

Talking of Cash - apart from the odd cop floating about in the cop shop, it seems he is the only one working. 

Rose wasn't thinking that far ahead about her move to Yabby Creek was she - she was amazed there were only two holding cells - mind you it may be quiet  most of the time but we all know most of the action takes place in the bay and when it does WOW! Cash did pick up on what some of us did, she is feeling jealous of the bond that has grown between Jas and Xander, her and Xander  were close, even if not joined at the hip, they'd been brother and sister for many years.  That was a very fractious brekkie between them, Jas and Rose were in competition over it.  Maybe not the best idea he had by tricking them into the volleyball match - very competitive and increasingly violent - Roo got it completely wrong when she dropped by thinking it was a 'fun' game.     Who is Rose going to put her complaint for her smashed nose into - it can't be Cash.

Xander isn't sure he wants to take the position of paramedic, it's Jas that's pushing him.  She does go on overdrive when she gets fixed on something as we know. 

[Red Ranger 1]

I'm glad Dimitri was charged but at the same time, for the sake of history, I'm glad we did see a tiny flicker of humanity in him at the end. Maybe it's easier to follow the arc from his 2000s appearances than I thought: He was trying to be the father he thought he should be and left frustrated that it wasn't going the way he wanted it to.Well, he's officially handed Theo over to Leah and Justin now, so I guess that's progress. Cash continued to handle things well.

While I was amused by Jasmine's tough love approach to Rose's injury, Xander, the youngest having to act like the oldest, had to pull them both back into line.So Xander and Rose stay in the Bay full-time, not surprising given that they're regulars.It's probably smart that they have a bit of space rather than moving straight into the beach house.

Despite her trying to make out Alf's fussing, Martha looks increasingly frail, but at least she's committed to getting better. 

[CaptainHulk]

It's kind of timely the whole Poulos abuse arc airing, given a particular trial I'm not going to mention here...

[H&Alover]

What Dimitri saw on the video - btw was that proper police procedure by Cash - it did seem to bring an epiphany to him, hearing how Theo felt about his treatment and said he felt he wasn't the son his dad deserved.   Cash was very calm with him though he must have felt like exploding and letting him know what he really felt. Dimitri  was a lot more calmer when he saw them all the next day, he did seem to accept what he had done was wrong.   He's got to face an assault charge and child abuse charges, I guess he'll have report to a cop shop in the city under his bail conditions.   As I thought Theo blamed himself for not being the son his dad wanted and felt guilty and that maybe he deserved the abuse he got. He's got over the physical attacks but  it's going to take a while for him to get over that abuse.  Isn't Theo too old to be 'handed over' to Leah & Justin's care though.  I do hope we do get some update on it, hearing how Cass and the rest of the family takes the news.

Well the Jasmine/Rose battle got itself sorted in the end. There was quite a crowd there at the end.  I honestly don't think Jas meant to hit Rose as hard as she did, at least she - and Xander - got her to the hospital without too much argument.  Loved Jas' approach and it did look like it had resolved itself, Rose admitted she was jealous of Jas as it had been just her and Xander but she understood it had changed now and her Xander and JS  could be  brother & sisters.  Mind you it does look like they will be taking their revenge on Xander.   Be rather crowded if Xander & Rose move in the Beach House wouldn't it?

Not good news for Martha, her BP is up, chest infection is preventing the op, I think she has made light of it as she knows it could hold things up or even stop it happening if she gets too weak for the transplant.  Of course Logan just had to be on hand to treat Martha, but he doesn't faff about with the diagnosis and tells how it is.  Roo said she didn't blame Martha but there has to be a little niggle that it took her so long to decide. 

Of course we knew Mac's poker nights would go awry with Nathan telling her he had spoken to others about it.   Weren't the group supposed to be a select few who could be trusted? Nothing wrong with him visiting Salt, it is a bar/restaurant even if was out of his way.  He did seem very desperate and was that a line he spun her, as in the trailer Flick didn't seem to think Mac  would ever see the money again.  People have been known to get themselves beaten up to make it look good.  It had to happen he bumped into Ziggy and Dean on his way out so put him on his guard.   Her protests about money and having to 'juggle' things were getting her in right tangle and she's having to lie to more and more people.  How much money was she going to give Gerald that was enough it seemed that Nathan thought he would be able to placate the heavies. 

 I did wonder if Mac leased Salt from the Surf Club so if it all goes belly up they - the committee and Alf  as President - could be liable for any criminal charges for illegal gambling  because as  Mac is a tenant they are responsible for actions.  

 

[Red Ranger 1]

I’d forgotten for a moment that Cash lives there as well now, but the beach house should have two spare bedrooms: Even though the second downstairs bedroom got blocked off years ago, we seem to be back to there being three upstairs. (Irene had Chris, Nate and Olivia all living with her not too long ago, and I think there was a point where Willow, Jasmine and Bella were all there.)

Mackenzie is starting to look as though she doesn’t have a clue how to run a business, continuing to offer freebies to family and friends when she can’t afford, well, anything and even giving away much needed money to a complete stranger with a sob story. She really should have shut Nathan down and it’s a shame Dean didn’t turn up when he appeared injured. His story really doesn’t add up: Can he not find another poker night to go to, if that’s his only way of earning money? Mackenzie seems to be determined to make things hard for herself: Dean’s money might not have given her much leeway but every little helps!

Well, Martha’s quite right that this is her fault for pointlessly delaying the operation, even though everyone’s too polite to say so. Alf enabling her really didn’t help at all.

After all that time of Chloe avoiding Mia, she’s now hanging out with her all the time. I thought at first she was happy to do so, but now it seems like Mia’s smothering her as badly as she smothered Bella. Mia pushing Tane away as an alternative companion didn’t really help either.

Not sure what the need for the coffee cart is: Irene said the other day that the renovations were blocking one of the entrances, but as far as I can see there’s only two, both of which were used today? I’m guessing the work’s being done on the pier, meaning there’d have to be at least some access for Mackenzie and Logan to get in and out of their home, but the Diner’s lost the outdoor seating?

[pembie]

I haven’t really enjoyed or liked much of the show since Ari if I’m honest I like over the top stories  but If Ryder leaves to become a high Las Vegas card dealer I think that would be highly beyond silly