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Magic Moments > 1997 > The 1997 Season Premiere Episode 2771
Written by Helen MacWhirter, Directed by Nicholas Bufalo
Ruth asks Phil what they'd do if they weren't fighting all the time and he kisses her only to be caught by Lance. Whilst talking to the neighbours, Harold accidentally knocks Lou into the pool who accuses him of doing it on purpose. Wanting to call Catherine, Mal horses around with Karl at the pub. Suddenly he slips and a wooden board lands on him, crushing his throat...
Karl and Darren surge forward to pull the board off Mal who is struggling to breathe. Karl gets Darren to call for an ambulance and diagnoses a crushed windpipe. Flustered, Darren warns Karl that Mal will die. He's a doctor, do something. After hesitating for a moment, Karl jumps into action and sends Darren to get a sharp knife as he's going to perform an emergency tracheotomy.
A dripping Lou follows Harold into number 24 to look for a towel and continues to accuse him of doing it on purpose. They bicker angrily and Lou attempts to provoke Harold into a fight, shaking water on him.
 . . . 
As Mal begins to drift out of consciousness, Karl orders Darren to get a straw from the bar so he can insert it in his throat. Darren worries about sterilising it but Karl thinks there's no time and after inserting the straw, he assures Mal the ambulance is coming.
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Lou continues to taunt Harold and Madge storms in asking what on earth is going on, yelling at them to stop. Susan follows with Louise to find out what all the noise is about and is highly amused by the scene unfolding. Throwing the towel at Lou, Madge suggests he goes home despite his protestations that the party's only just started. Dryly thanking the pair for making it a Christmas they'll always remember, Madge pushes Harold out the back door. Susan tells Louise that it looks like she's off home.
Lance is playing with his Gameboy in the kitchen of number 32 and Ruth enters tentatively through the back door. She makes small talk about his present but Lance is unresponsive so she tackles the issue of the kiss. She acknowledges that he was upset but what he said was pretty hurtful and Lance apologises. He adds that it is none of his business and he wants to drop the subject. Ruth asks if he'll at least come back to the party and he replies maybe later before storming off.
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At the Lassiter's complex, paramedics are wheeling Mal to a waiting ambulance. Karl asks Darren to take the ute to the Christmas party and pick up Susan to bring her to the hospital. Karl checks that Darren is safe to drive and Darren congratulates him on his good work. Dazed, Karl gets into the back of the ambulance.
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Back at the Christmas party, Madge prepares food and berates Harold for his appalling behaviour. He is equally ashamed at nearly hitting Lou and says that the incident revealed a side of himself he never knew existed. As Madge pushes the issue, Harold grumbles at having to be the man to turn the other cheek yet again. Susan returns with plates just as Philip steps through the front door dressed as Santa with a plate of minced pies. Harold comments on his lateness and he makes an excuse about the minced pies. Susan asks to use the phone to check on Mal and Karl because they promised to be there at twelve at the latest. Ruth arrives and passes when Phil offers her a minced pie. She's not up to food at the moment. Phil enquires after Lance and Ruth is unsure of the situation as teenagers rarely reveal what they're really feeling. Phil offers to talk to him but Ruth turns him down. Madge shouts over for Phil to go out back and then asks if Susan is coming who decides to try home again because she can't reach Mal or Karl anywhere. Madge, Ruth and Phil go outside leaving Susan at the phone but before she can redial, Darren turns up informing her there's been an accident with Mal.
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 . . . 
At the hospital, Karl jumps up when Darren bursts in with Susan asking where Mal is. Karl assures her he's fine. He regained consciousness in the ambulance, he was breathing and he's in good hands. The doctor comes out to see the group and tells them Mal's condition is stable. Susan wants to know how badly hurt he is and the doctor replies that there's only swelling around his airways which can be taken care of him. Susan asks if she can see him but is advised that he needs rest. She then wonders about brain damage which the doctor dismisses, subsequently informing Karl that he probably saved his son's life. If he hadn't acted quickly, Mal mightn't have even made it to the hospital in time. Karl goes out for air.
Susan walks out into the parking lot but decides to go back in and leave Karl who smiles to himself.
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Lance sits in the driveway of number 32, pulling on his rollerblades as Hannah comes over. She's left the party as it got kind of boring apart from Lou falling in the pool. Lance announces that he saw Phil and Ruth kissing earlier which Hannah seems ecstatic about, especially when he confirms it as full on romantic kiss. Lance adds that it didn't look like the first time they'd done it either but Hannah is sure she'd have known if anything was going on. Anyway she thought Ruth got on her father's nerves. Jumping ahead of herself, Hannah points out how exciting it would be if they married and Lance would be her stepbrother. Freaked out, Lance makes a sharp exit.
Phil helps Ruth clear up in the Bishops' back yard and asks to talk -- not just about Lance but what happened between them. They need to figure out what they're going to do about it. Harold interrupts and tells them to stop gas bagging before Phil suggests going somewhere for dinner tonight. Madge dumps plates in his hands and Ruth agrees.
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In Mal's hospital room, Susan strokes his forehead gently as Darren jokes in the background that he sure knows how to scare a bloke. He decides to go to the pub and make sure everything's cleaned away, saying that they shouldn't have been mucking around. Karl reminds him it was an accident and Darren offers to go and tell Libby who is at Madeline's. After he's left, Susan tearfully says that she can't imagine what Mal went through today...or Karl. He admits being terrified operating on his own son. The first thing he thought was what if he made a mistake but then he went onto autopilot. For the first time in a long time he felt like a doctor again and it felt good. Susan pulls him in for a hug.
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At number 26, Helen warns Hannah not to tease when Phil returns home. Immediately Hannah jokingly asks if they've set a date yet after their pash and embarrassed Philip accuses her of telling tales. Helen smugly comments that Ruth's a lovely girl and she always knew they'd be right for one another. Debbie bounds into the kitchen in time for Hannah to tell her that Phil and Ruth are getting married. Phil dismisses it and Debbie is relieved. It's bad enough she's there nearly every day without living with her. The girls continue to rib their father but he refuses to be pinned down and reminds them it's between Ruth and him, no one else.
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Lance comes home where Ruth is cooking his favourite for dinner. They both admit to doing some thinking and Ruth wants to discuss what happened earlier. She points out that the kiss wasn't planned and she hasn't been hiding him but when pressed she admits to being keen on him. Ruth just wants to make sure that Lance is okay with him and he unenthusiastically replies that he is. A little shocked by his response, Ruth tells him they've agreed to take things slowly. Lance grudgingly adds that he'll go along with whatever she decides and won't come between her and Phil. Cheering up, he suggests having an old fashioned video night with her, Anne and the dog but she's made other plans. When she reveals she's offered to meet Phil for dinner, Lance accuses her of feeding him a line and snaps that she couldn't care less what he thinks.
Over at number 28, Susan answers the door to Darren but says he's too late as Billy and Libby have gone to the hospital to see Mal. Darren announces that it's actually Karl he's come to see and gives him the keys to the ute. There's an awkward silence and Susan goes to tidy up Mal's room leaving the two alone. Darren mulls over what happened and acknowledges that although he gave Karl a kick start, he made all the right moves. Karl points out that sometimes you're lucky causing Darren to reply that sometimes you're not. He thinks he understands now the position Karl was placed in when Cheryl had her accident. He did the best he could. Karl smiles and shakes Darren's hand, offering him a drink.
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Harold visits Lou at number 22 who when pushed, offers an apology, agreeing to forget the incident ever happened. Harold says he's been discussing it with Madge and they need to end their fighting altogether. Lou agrees but jokes that it won't be easy after thirty odd years of bickering. The pair agree they won't have to be the best of mates. After a brainwave, Lou suggests a game of cards between themselves, Madge and Marlene as a kind of peace offering. Harold is skeptical but Lou is sure it'll be fun and decides they should go and tell Madge the good news.
Phil and Ruth make small talk at the Coffee Shop before Ruth says she's been doing some thinking. Phil replies that he has to but lets her go first. She tells him that she doesn't think it's a good idea if they keep seeing each other. She's been talking to Lance and he obviously wouldn't be able to cope with it. Phil asks what happened to the lady who refused to let her kids run her life and Ruth muses that she's probably just trying to be a little more sensitive. Visibly disappointing Phil, she adds that maybe the kiss was down to Christmas cheer and obviously lying, he agrees that it's for the best. They raise their glasses to the remaining good friendship.
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Lou and Harold arrive at the Bishop house with the announcement that they've decided to put the past behind them and be friends. Madge doesn't believe it and is equally surprised when Harold tells her of the card game planned. Lou chirps that he'll see her then and leaves Harold alone with a bemused Madge.
Ruth returns home deflated and informs Lance of what happened -- she and Phil are going back to being friends. She agrees that they can go back to being a family, just the three of them and Lance takes back what he said before about her not thinking of her childrens' feelings. Without responding, Ruth decides to go for a soak in the tub.
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Nightfall has descended upon Ramsay Street and Ruth is making herself a drink in the kitchen when the phone rings. She rushes to the hallway but at number 26, Phil decides to hang up before she answers and stares ahead pensively.
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Notes: To mark the new season, a brand new set of credits is introduced featuring the Ramsay Street residents against a white background. Mal has been removed pointing to his later departure while Lisa Elliot has been added.
Comment: A nearly faultless season premiere which also sets the tone for the proceeding year. The drama of Mal's accident is unrelenting and the influence it has upon Darren provides a truly touching moment even if the quick wrap up of Mal's injuries is a little disappointing. Elsewhere, as with the previous episode it is wonderful to witness a Christmas in Ramsay Street.
Summary and captures by Jay
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