Many weeks ago, viewers saw a dark, unnerving side to Paul Robinson when he revealed in a secret video diary entry that he would one day get his revenge on Erinsborough. It appeared that his plan came one step closer to reality this week when David revealed to him in secret that the council had discovered a rapidly rising water level in Erinsborough West that would drown that part of the suburb within ten years! Paul however admitted he knew about the impending disaster and even showed a plan for a new look Erinsborough, based around the wetlands that would be formed following the rising water. When David enquired as to where Ramsay Street was located on this new map, Paul pointed to the middle of the largest of all the lakes. Before long the news spread throughout the residents, and all seemed resigned to their fate. All except Harold who wouldn’t accept the words of one investigation, and demanded more research be done.

Harold’s worries continued this week with the arrival of the first respondent to his advertisement for new staff. However, Gabrielle Walker who came through the door knocked Harold for six with her near identical appearance to Kerry. It took a while for Harold to compose himself, but Gabby left the interview feeling downhearted and sure that she’d not secured the job. However, Harold came to his senses and offered her the post, assuring her she seemed perfect for the General Store. The following day, after a particularly distressing few hours worrying about Sky and Boyd, Harold inadvertently called Gabby ‘Kerry’. Knowing that something had been up from the beginning, Gabby demanded to know who this Kerry was that she reminded Harold so much of. Although he explained that she was his daughter and that she meant the world to him, Harold did omit to tell Gabby that Kerry was dead! So imagine her shock when Paul later walked into the store and almost stopped dead in his tracks. When Gabby inquired as to why everyone was so shocked to see ‘Kerry’ in the flesh, Paul had to break the news to her that she was in fact shot dead fifteen years previously.

To see Linda Hartley back in the show alongside Ian Smith’s Harold is something that would have been laughed off as being totally inconceivable a few years ago, and even now it’s hard to believe that such a surreal plot has been woven. However, it works, and all the more because of the story threads involving Kerry’s legacy that have been developed since Sky and the Bishops reappeared in 2003.

Boyd’s supposed schizophrenia showed no signs of abating this week, especially when he continued to be plagued by confusion. Following a pleasant day out of the hospital with Sky, he was spurred into idea of running away with her. Scared for his sanity if he stayed under surveillance in hospital, Sky agreed and they set off together leaving friends and family concerned. Max who had just returned from his month away on the oil rig was frantic with worry when he found out not only was his son a supposed schizophrenic, but that he has been allowed to escape from care in hospital. It later transpired that Sky and Boyd were hiding out in an abandoned house in Erinsborough, and were discovered quite by accident when Dylan and his newly arrived ex-con friend Roo went round to the property to clear it for Paul. Roo’s short temper gave Boyd a fright which sent him into a fit of unconsciousness and he was rushed to hospital. Further tests concluded that Boyd did not in fact suffer from schizophrenia, but that any effects similar to such a mental illness were actually being caused by a large brain tumour. An immediate operation was set up to remove the tumour, but the size of it, likely to have been increased by the Human Growth Hormones Boyd was injecting, caused complications and he very nearly died in theatre. In recovery the medical staff revealed Boyd was in a clinical coma to allow his brain time to rest and recuperate, and that it would be days before he woke up.

Finally, Gary and Susan’s new relationship came to a sudden halt when Sindi was relieved of her moral obligation to inform Susan of her past with Gary by Stuart, who inadvertently used the voice activated dialling on his mobile phone to call Susan’s answerphone as he was in the process of explaining the situation to Connor and Toadie. Meanwhile, aforementioned Irishman was in a quandary of his own when his “friendship for sale” on an auction website was won by a supposedly terminally ill young boy who wanted to hear ‘Danny Boy’ sung to him like his mother used to. Connor was asked to perform the song on his tin whistle in front of a gathered crowd at Lassiter’s, only to discover that it was in actual fact a set-up by Lou to get revenge on the ‘Carol’ internet dating scam from last year!

Notes: Linda Hartley is now credited as Linda Hartley-Clark.