Continuing the dramatic end to last week’s batch of episodes, Lou lay unconscious at the bottom of the hill from whence he tumbled. Back in Erinsborough, Max and Harold discovered his mobile phone ringing from his front garden and resigned themselves to the fact that something was wrong. Following calls to the emergency services a search was mounted and Lou was eventually found within an inch of death. He was revived and brought to Erinsborough Hospital. During his period of unconsciousness, Lou experiences a warped dream about Valda, in which she lectured Lou on his stupidity in believing Trixie’s love for him. He later revisited this dream in hospital, causing him to shun Valda when she came to visit him in his room. Lou eventually confided in Harold the full extent of his financial troubles, making him realise the only possible way to counteract his debt was to sell off Nos. 22 and 30, the garage and the pub. Although some will scorn at Lou suffering another bout of financial difficulty thanks to his wheeling and dealing, it has been ‘welcome’ that his latest suffering has been also as a result of falling for a woman he loved, the first serious relationship since losing Cheryl eight years ago, and that with Trixie’s betrayal and the loss of Louise, he had reached an all time low which is unlike anything the character has ever experienced before. It remains to be seen how Lou will emerge from this latest disaster.

Life in the Kennedy family was also traumatic this week, with the competition between Karl and Susan hotting up as the latter turned up on a date at the pub with new fella, Brent, whom Karl had no idea was seeing Susan, as Brent had no idea Susan was Karl’s wife. However, following a competitive trivia night at Lou’s, the winning team of Susan and Brent enjoyed a slap up meal at Lassiter’s. The pair agreed to take things slowly for now, and Susan invited Brent back to No.28 for the night. The following day at the hospital, fellow doctor, Margaret, invited out Karl on a date. He declined at first, until Harold made him feel jealous by revealing Susan had had a man at the house the night before. Therefore, that evening, Margaret and Karl went on a date to ‘romance central’, otherwise known as Lou’s Place. Karl’s uneasiness at anything heavy with her was evident, and the date ended abruptly with Margaret storming out, telling Karl he was no better than her husbands in not wanting to commit and running a mile as soon as she got heavy. She suggested he stay out of the dating game until he was ready to be laid back and up for fun.

Romance was also in the air for Connor and Michelle as they rekindled their love by spending a night at Lassiter’s. The youngest Scully daughter bizzarely decided that Connor dressed in make up and accessories was a real turn-on, and made him check out at reception the following morning in his new look. He wasn’t, however, banking on running into Lori Lee, complete with child in the lobby. The look of shock and confusion was all too obvious as the realisation set in that the newborn baby Lori was holding was Connor’s daughter. Fortunately, Michelle didn’t seem too bothered by her old friend’s return, which was just as well seeing as she had just announced her plans to stay in Erinsborough to be with Connor. However, Connor wasn’t quite to accepting of the situation, confused and worried as to why Lori had returned with a baby he assumed she wasn’t keeping and without telling anyone. She stressed she didn’t want any relationship with him, but felt he deserved to see his child. It’s been a joy to see the story team at Neighbours revisit the Lori character, especially as the pregnancy was a plot device to write the actress Michelle Ang out of the show last year, making her return all the more surprising. The timing with Michelle Scully back for a guest stint couldn’t be better.

The revamped Scully house made its first appearance mid-week as Sindi returned to capture the family’s reaction at the new look. Valda was horrified to discover by a stirring Sindi that Lyn hated the portrait of her mother previously displayed in the lounge-room. However, both mother and daughter played the roles of overjoyed makeover winners for the cameras. Life for the eldest Scully child was drama filled this week, also, as Max took a rather energetic fall (should that be jump?) from a stool as he changes a light bulb. As yet, the purpose of this stunt has not made itself clear, other than to give Max a dodgy back for a few episodes. Whether the reason behind his fall will become evident later remains to be seen. However, Stephanie managed to persuade him to seek medical attention. Meanwhile, Gus continued his bizarre attempts at integrating himself further into the Hoylands by trying to mediate between Summer and Max, and defying Max’s authority over his daughter’s pleas for a puppy dog.