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Weekly Reviews > Episodes 4249-4253 by Jamie

UK Broadcast: Monday, July 21st - Friday, July 25th 2003
Written by: Written by: John Davies, Ray Harding, Noel Maloney, Christopher Milne, Katrina Foster. Directed by: Tony Osicka, Ali Ali

Unhappy families, unfounded accusations and an Afro wig. Just a normal week in Ramsay St...

The main story of the week followed on from last week's major story of the robbery. We saw Lyn come around to the news that the baby is OK. She soon returned home to find out about Valda's disappearance. Darcy offered to hypnotise Lyn to help her recall anything about the accident. While under his thrall she was unable to remember anything of use, but instead started recalling repressed childhood memories of arguments between Valda and Lyn's "mother", Connie. When Lou received news that Valda could be at the auction of the old homestead, he went with Joe and Lyn to attempt to find and confront her. While there, Lyn received more memories of disharmony between Connie and Valda. Lou watched, wrenched between his promise of secrecy to Valda and wanting to help Lyn in her frustration. Joe suspected he knew something, but Lou denied all knowledge.

Shane Connor's acting was superb in the early scenes of the week, his grief over Lyn's predicament was very raw and real. Janet Andrewartha's performance was at its usual high level, but complaints must be made about the way this storyline is so contrived. Firstly, why would Darcy help in trying to catch the "real" Ramsay St burglar? Surely he'd want to cover his tracks as much as possible. Also the repressed memories "catch" does not ring true here, it just seems a desperate plot device to interest the viewers in Valda and Lyn while attention should really still belong more to the Kennedys, Ruby and Darcy.

Lou convinced Connor to testify against Ruby. She was questioned and arrested following confessions to the burglary of Harold's house the previous year. She later had a panic attack at Lassiters, due to the stress she was under as a result of the questioning. She was treated by Darcy in a stunning display of two-facedness regarding how he seemingly cares for her, yet at the same time he could have stopped her suffering!

This is the element of storylining that should have dominated the week, instead of Lyn's parentage. Ruby and Harold had genuine warmth and humour in those fleeting moments before her arrest, and watching Darcy at work was truly stunning as a double agent. Patrick Harvey played the tortured middle-man very well, caught in a tug of war between Connor's own conscience and Lou's vehemence that he testify.

Nina and Tahnee got into trouble for circulating the Afro Harold email at work; firstly Nina was fired by Chloe Lambert, but later Tahnee stepped in to rightfully take the blame! While this marks a turnaround in her character, it now seems she is to be packed off to boarding school for her sins. Speaking of Afro Harold, he liked the idea so much that he purchased a second-hand afro wig, with looks to wearing it for promotions at the Coffee Shop!

It seems a shame to be potentially losing Tahnee again now that her dubious morals seem to righting themselves. Hopefully we have not seen the last of the character. Delta Goodrem's acting is still passable, but she remains a mile away from the "good" cast and still lacks even the dynamics of lesser members such as the rest of "The Gang" or Stuart.

Max received word from Rosie that she had earned a holiday in Fiji and either Boyd or Summer could go. Of course there was real rivalry for the chosen spot and in the end, after Steph's advice, Max chose Summer as there was less schoolwork for her to miss and therefore have to catch up on. Boyd reacted very badly, and decided he wanted to go to boarding school.

Kyal Marsh's acting has really gone from strength to strength of late; he can even hold his own against onscreen sister Marisa Siketa. When informed of his father's decision, Boyd's reaction of steely-eyed icy glare was truly chilling. Sadly, the remainder of the week's story turned him yet again into Blandified Boyd, whining at everyone to let him go to boarding school. Hopefully we have not seen the end of rebellious, nasty Boyd. It would also be interesting to see a friendship develop between Boyd and Tahnee - he is supposed to be in her year, after all! Boyd is out on a limb: suspended between the senior teens' romances and friendships, and the childhood storylines of Summer. The fact that The Gang's years are so mixed does not aid his realistic inclusion into the group, so Tahnee would make an ideal playmate.

Minor stories included the continuation of the House of Trouser with no plot developments but some great comedy (Toadie: "Although she does have a goatee, I am not your mother"). Libby and Taj's awkward relationship continued, with him becoming more besotted during a media assignment. Gino got sued by an angry client, and enlisted Toadie as counsel. The Kennedys provided light humorous relief with the installation of a new burglar alarm which would not shut up! Nina and Jack shyly seemed to resume their flirting, but could a new girl in his life put a spanner in the works?

All in all a mixed week in Erinsborough, with minor delights often eclipsing the bigger storylines. That said, it was important to sit back and take stock of what has happened and what is yet to come with regards to both the Valda storyline and the robbery plot.

Notes: Ruby referred to her accomplices in Harold's robbery as being "Ben and Luke". Could this be a reference to script co-producers Ben Michael and Luke Devenish?