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Magic Moments > 2005 > The 2005 Season Premiere Episode 4631

Written by Graham Hartley, Directed by Gary Conway

The emergency services arrive at the pub and begin putting the fires out, while Toadie, Harold and Lou watch. Toadie tries to call Sindi but gets message bank. He asks Lou and Harold if they’re sure they didn’t see Stu and Sindi get out, but they didn’t. Toadie convinces himself that they’re safe. Karl then gets a call and asks if it’s Charlie…

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At number 26, Doreen suggests that someone phone Valda. Lyn begins to do it, but then realises that she has no idea what she’s going to tell her mother. She asks Steph to recount exactly what happened once again. Steph explains that they were talking, he asked to write a letter to Valda and he seemed happy. She says that they gave him some pills, which were possibly a little early. Michael’s ears prick up at this, but Doreen assures him that it was an hour early at the very most. Steph goes on to say that she stayed with Charlie for a while longer, and then suddenly she felt all alone in the room, and he had died. She starts to cry and Lyn hugs her.

Back at Lassiter’s, Toadie is still trying to ring Sindi, but getting nothing. He gets annoyed when he sees many of the rescue crew standing there and confronts Steiger, who’s leading the operation. He tells Toadie that they have to take things slowly as the whole building could be unstable. Steiger tells him that if he wants to help, he should just back off and give them some space. Toadie starts to get angry at this and Lou and Harold are forced to drag him away, as he shouts that Stu and Sindi are alive, but everyone seems to be giving up on them.

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At number 26, Charlie’s body is taken away. Doreen tells Steph to go and see Max at the hospital, but Karl assures her that he’s fine. Karl then tells Lyn that he’s unable to sign the death certificate, as there are many aspects of the case that aren’t clear. He explains that the body will be sent for a post mortem, and Doreen asks what the point of that will be. Karl says that he’s professionally obliged, as Charlie wasn’t due to die yet and may have consumed more than the correct dosage of painkillers that day. He then asks if Charlie ever expressed a desire to die before his time, but Lyn tells him to stop, insisting that her father died of natural causes.

At Lassiter’s, Lou asks Toadie if he’s heard anything, but he hasn’t. Steiger comes out and tells Toadie that they haven’t found anything yet, but they’re gradually getting closer to the cellar. He explains that all they can do it wait.

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The police are beginning their investigations at number 26 and Detective Skinner is asking Karl some questions. Karl explains that he would have expected Charlie to last a few more weeks, and that if he was given too many painkillers, he would have stopped breathing. Karl insists that it’s very unlikely that any of the family members would do anything like that. Steph comes back from the hospital and explains that Max is sleeping. She asks about Sindi and Stu, but Karl says that there’s no news. Detective Skinner apologises for the intrusion and Michael gets angry, saying that Steph gave Charlie a bunch of pills then put a pillow over his face. He storms out, while Steph protests her innocence and everyone looks shocked.

Toadie sees Steiger emerge from the burnt out pub and realises that they’ve found something. He asks him and Steiger explains that they’ve found a body. Toadie wants to see it and becomes angry when Steiger won’t let him. He asks over and over whether the body is male or female and Lou and Harold pull him back, and Steiger re-enters the building.

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The following morning, the rescue is still going on and a video camera is being fed into the cellar. Karl, Izzy and Toadie are waiting for news when Connor and Susan arrive. Toadie tells them that they’ve found a body, but it isn’t Stu or Sindi – he’s sure of it. Lou says that they can’t be sure of anything, and Toadie tells him to try to be positive. Connor wonders if maybe Sindi didn’t turn up at the pub last night, as she’d mentioned visiting friends, but Toadie says that both Stu and Sindi are in there, but they’re both safe. Susan wants to take Toadie back home, but he insists that he’ll stay. Steiger then emerges once more and apologises to Toadie that there’s no news. He explains that there are still parts of the cellar that they haven’t reached, so Toadie takes this as a good sign. Steiger says that the odds are currently down to zero. Toadie wants to help, insisting that it’s something he needs to do. Steiger reluctantly agrees, telling him to stick close by.

Meanwhile, a car pulls up at the site, and Paul Robinson steps out, surveying the scene.

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In the burnt out Coffee Shop, Harold, Lou and Izzy are checking the damage. Izzy is trying to be positive, suggesting that they rise from the flames and start again, like the phoenix. Harold says that he preferred The Coffee Shop as a name. She says that she wasn’t suggesting that they change the name, but just use it as a good opporunity for a facelift. Harold says that she never ceases to amaze him. Just then, Paul is shown in by some of the emergency workers. He says hello to Lou and Harold and comments that this is shocking homecoming for him.

At number 26, Lyn is wondering about funeral arrangements and whether they can make any when the body hasn’t been released. Doreen calms her down, then there’s a knock at the door. It’s Detective Skinner again, who explains that the body will be released later that day. Steph comes out from the kitchen and asks if that’s the end of the matter. Skinner says that it’s not, as Charlie had a high level of painkillers in his system and pillow fibres in his system. He asks Steph for the details of what happened with the pillow once again. Steph gets upset, saying that she can see how it might have looked to Lyn and Michael, but she was just trying to move him so that he looked more comfortable. Lyn starts having flashbacks, seeing Steph leaning over Charlie…

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At the Coffee Shop, Paul is telling Lou, Harold and Izzy about how he realised that he had to come back to Australia and turn himself in, so he did, and got three years in prison, during which time he read the classics and completed a teaching degree. He says that turned his life around and came out the other end a better man. Izzy says that she can’t believe he was ever that bad, but Harold says that there was room for improvement. Paul explains that since prison, he’s been working as a property developer. Lou says that he spent some time in prison recently, so he can understand. Paul thanks him and says that he feels like he owes the community and wants to fund some kind of temporary pub and coffee shop, as they were the heart and soul of Erinsborough. Lou, Harold and Izzy happily accept his offer.

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In the cellar of the pub, Sindi starts to come round and realises where she is. She starts screaming and notices Stuart’s hand above her. She tries to reach it and manages to force herself out from under the wreckage a little to reach out to him. Stu then begins to come round too and she asks if he’s ok. Sindi is worried as she’s finding it hard to breath and she doesn’t want to die. Stu assures her that they’re going to be ok. He tells her he loves her and they’ll be fine.

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At number 26, Skinner is questioning Doreen in the lounge room, while Lyn listens in from the kitchen. Doreen tells Skinner that his investigation is inappropriate and misplaced, as Charlie’s death now, rather than months of pain, was actually a blessing. She says that he shouldn’t be hounding poor Stephanie. Skinner asks about Steph, and Doreen says that she’s the salt of the earth. He asks her if it’s possible that Charlie just decided to slip away and take a few too many pills. Doreen isn’t sure, but Skinner then presses her, saying that he’d have needed someone to help him. She becomes angry with him, saying that even if she did, there’s nothing wrong with that. Skinner leaves, saying that Steph should get herself a lawyer. In the kitchen, Steph comes in and finds Lyn sitting at the table, saying that she saw Steph with the pillow over his face. Lyn runs out in tears, while Steph looks shocked.

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At Lassiter’s, Lou and Harold tell Susan and Connor that they should get going, as there’s no hope now. Connor still isn’t sure that Sindi’s in there and decides to go home and call all of her friends. Susan calls out to tell Toadie they’re leaving. The rescue crew are moving wreckage, when Steiger tells everyone to clear the site, as it’s about to collapse.

In the cellar, Sindi and Stu can hear the commotion and she starts screaming for someone to help, as debris falls on top of her. She can suddenly see her phone…

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Outside, Toadie is walking away in shock, when his phone rings and Sindi is relieved to hear his voice. She says that they’re trapped in the cellar. Toadie is thrilled and rushes over to tell Steiger. Sindi’s phone cuts out, but she tells Stu that it’s ok, as she got through to Toadie. Sindi then becomes alarmed when Stuart fails to respond…

Read the next episode in this sequence, Episode 4632

Notes: This episode used a different, one-off recap tune and debuted a new set of opening titles, which repeated the style of 2004, but used all new shots of the characters. This episode also saw Steph's surname finally changed to Hoyland in the closing titles, six months after she married Max.

Comment: Easily one of the finest season premieres Neighbours has produced. It managed to answer some questions from the finale, whilst presenting several new ones and leaving plenty unanswered. A fantastic start to the 20th anniversary year.

Summary by Steve