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Year by Year > 1993: Episodes 1826-2070

Network Ten airdates: 11/01/1993-17/12/1993

BBC 1 airdates: 12/11/1993-20/10/1994

UK Gold airdates: 01/11/1999-06/10/2000

Number of episodes: 245

Regular Cast: Rick Alessi, Helen Daniels, Doug Willis, Pam Willis, Gaby Willis, Lou Carpenter, Philip Martin (second casting), Julie Martin (second casting), Debbie Martin (third casting), Michael Martin (second casting), Hannah Martin

Joining Cast: Annalise Hartman, Wayne Duncan, Cody Willis (second casting), Mark Gottlieb, Hope Gottlieb, Lauren Carpenter, Cheryl Stark, Darren Stark, Danni Stark, Brett Stark

Departing Cast: Benito Alessi, Cathy Alessi, Jim Robinson, Cameron Hudson, Phoebe Gottlieb, Stephen Gottlieb, Hope Gottlieb, Brad Willis, Beth Willis, Dorothy Burke, Toby Mangel, Bouncer

Notable Guests: Fiona Hartman, Jack Flynn, Jill Weir, Russell Butler, Bunny Lawson

The 1993 season is one of the show's most dramatic and memorable years - largely due to the excellent production standards of executive producer Sally Anne Kerr. The 1992 season had seen quite a few changes, and things would continue like this in 1993 as the series experienced a renaissance in Britain following a ratings dip in the early 1990s.

The 1993 series begins with the answer to the thrilling 1992 finale. Cameron survives his death threat from Heywood and agrees to be his lawyer. Beth and Hannah are rescued from the burning cottage behind Lassiter's, and the residents suspect that Michael could be responsible. Michael, on the other hand, is too busy executing his hate campaign against Julie. Of the many near-fatal 'accidents' that befall Julie (including making her believe she's going mad, and plying her with drinks) it is only when Michael drugs Julie and causes her to fall unconscious in the spa that people begin to suspect something's wrong. When the truth emerges, Michael is packed off to a detention center.

Shortly after the series return, baby Hope Gottlieb is born and placed in special care. Phoebe and Stephen get married in a marquee in No. 30's garden and their wedding day is finished off with Pam arriving from the hospital to announce that Hope is doing well. Dorothy Burke falls for education inspector Tom Merrick and accepts his offer of a move to the country - with Toby too. Bouncer retires at the beginning of the year, and sadly, only weeks later he dies of cancer in real life.

Believing that No. 26 is too big for just him and Helen, Jim decides to move out of Ramsay Street - to the outrage of the neighbours. They launch 'Operation Jim' in a bid to get him to stay through making Ramsay Street as un-desirable as possible to any potential buyers! In the end, overwhelmed by the solidarity of the residents, Jim decides to stay.

Lou, having hit 50 years, decided he needs to lighten up his life and enjoy himself - in a bid to get over Madge. However, Lou's new lady, Annalise, isn't the 20-something she makes out, and when her mother, Fiona Hartman, arrives we learn she is barely out of school.

Brad buys Beth a friendship ring, however, the young apprentice mistakes it for an engagement ring, and big-hearted Brad can't bring it upon himself to tell her otherwise! Before Brad knows it, wedding plans are being made. However, things turn sour for the Willis family when, first, Gaby and Pam invite Doug's estranged father to stay, and Brad meets a gorgeous blonde on the beach. Brad is quite prepared to put this 'episode' behind him until the girl rides into Ramsay Street on her horse a little while later - it turns out she is Lou's daughter - Lauren Carpenter. Lauren and Brad continue to meet in secret and make love on the beach - despite the wedding plans!

Helen's nephew, Wayne Duncan, arrives to teach at Erinsborough High and immediately catches the eye of a certain Gabrielle Willis. Around the same time, Jim and Helen are out in the car when they accidentally hit the car in front at a set of traffic lights. When the other car's occupant emerges, Helen and Jim are aghast to discover it's Jill Weir. Jill makes it clear that it's Jim she's after this time, and not Doug; however, Jim rejects her advances as he has another woman whom he's secretly dating. The entire Martin family and Helen are disgusted that Jim's new lady is non other than Fiona. They are further upset when Jim gives Fiona a pair of Anne's earrings. Helen cannot put up with Jim's carrying on any longer and moves out of the family home and into No. 32 with Julie and Philip.

Philip, however is in Sydney with Debbie, trying to track down Michael whom Rick has met while on a trip there with Cathy and Benito. It's interesting that this reference to, and filming in, Sydney was the first definite confirmation that Neighbours was set in Melbourne - as opposed to being in either of the two.

Jim, having suffered many heart problems over the last year, suffers another, fatal heart attack after playing in the garden with Hannah. Fiona walks in on Jim dying and briefly attempts to revive him. She dashes off to telephone the paramedics, but in doing so realises that this is her big chance. She seizes the opportunity and transfers all Jim's stocks and shares as well as savings into her account. She later returns to No. 26 with the newly arrived Rosemary Daniels to 'discover' the body for the first time. The family is devastated- especially since Jim was not on good terms with any of them before he died. Although the residents eventually piece together that Fiona's story does not tally, it is too late and she flees. We later learn she has died in a car crash with a new man. Interestingly, Jim's funeral was not seen on screen. The show skipped a few episodes where the wake would have occurred to account for the many past characters who would naturally return for the funeral - but whose actors were not available to record.

Helen is bequeathed a life tenancy of No. 26 and moves back with lodgers Annalise and Wayne for company. Soon after, Helen discovers a love letter from Jim to Anne written following Julie's birth. It emerges that Julie was not Jim's daughter, but the product of a rape. When Julie tracks down her real father, it turns out he is dead, but his son, Roger Bannon Junior attempts to rape Julie. Disgusted, Julie returns to Erinsborough and tells Philips she wants a divorce. He moves into a suite at Lassiter's.

Brad and Beth's marriage is a sham - Beth having witnessed Lauren and Brad on the morning of the ceremony - calls it off at the very last minute - leaving a humiliated Brad and Lauren to continue their affair. They do so for a while, but stop out of respect for Beth when Gaby catches them on the couch at No. 22 when she shows a bemused Mr and Mrs Lim around the property! The Lims move into Ramsay Street for a little while, but not before a certain Julie Martin accuses them of having eaten Holly the dog! Such is P.C. in Neighbours!

Phoebe and Stephen take in a lodger called Russell to help pay the rent. But, Russell turns out to be suffering from a mental disorder and attempts to kidnap Hope. Unsure what to do, Lou and Stephen arrange for a gang of bikers to teach Russell a lesson, however they pick on the wrong guy, and Wayne is mistakenly beaten to a pulp! He survives, but when the gang leader is found murdered, Wayne is charge with manslaughter. He clears his name after a witness testifies.

A gas leak in the plant room of the Waterhole causes an explosion - and several of the neighbours are around at the time. Brad and Beth are trapped in the cellar and Stephen is crushed beneath the bar - looking for Phoebe's lost coat. Doug and Lou are also believed to be trapped in the bar - but it turns out they left for a burger seconds before. Gaby and Annalise are thrown to the ground outside and Gaby attempts - unsuccessfully - to enter the burning building. Phoebe is alerted to the blast by a newsflash on TV and she hurries to the complex with the rest of the neighbours. Stephen's injuries are severe, but not life threatening. He loses the mobility in his legs, and his memory. He improves greatly, but his recovery is hampered by the shock arrival of his brother, Mark who poses as a French chef, Marcel, at Lassiter's Restaurant. But, despite the healing process of his relationship with Mark (Mark spiked the drink of Stephen's girlfriend who is later killed in a crash) things get better and by the show's landmark 2000th episode he takes his first unaided steps in the newly re-opened Waterhole. Analysing their future, Phoebe and Stephen decide to leave Erinsborough and move to the neighbouring suburb, Anson's Corner to open a record store.

The 2000th episode also saw a return of Paul and Lucy Robinson as the residents celebrated Helen's birthday. Paul gave Gaby the manager's job of Lassiter's - believing that Philip was moving to Perth. However, Philip and Julie reunite and stay put. Julie's attempts to mend the marriage hit an embarrassing problem when she announces she wanted another baby! Lou was also infatuated with new arrival, Cheryl Stark and her wayward son Darren who was released from the same detention center as Michael. However, Lou and Cheryl's engagement doesn't mature to marriage, and they part - not least because Lauren can't stand Cheryl. Darren also causes trouble for Debbie by getting her involved in a petrol station robbery - but Michael escapes from the detention center with Rick's help and they manage to save Debbie's clean police record - but Michael gets a bullet in the stomach for his efforts. Lauren, depressed over Brad and Beth's relationship joins a religious cult, and she is so drawn in that she is almost raped by the group's leader. It's only when Lou manages to save her that she comes to her senses and re-assesses her life.

Brad and Beth do marry at last in the final days of the year and they make the move to Perth and a surprise visitor has arrived back in time to see the wedding - Brad's sister Cody (now played by husky voiced Peta Brady) who (several weeks in 1994) shocks the Willis family by announcing her marriage to an American, Drew Grover. They split, however, and nothing more is seen of Drew.

Gaby takes flying lessons and begins a relationship with her instructor, Jack. But, Cheryl also has her eye on Jack and when Cheryl's children, Danni and Brett, run away from boarding school they walk into Cheryl's new home and catch her on the couch with Jack! Christmas arrives and Helen is feeling Jim's death at this time of year. Gaby and Annalise decide to make friends and Gaby invites her on a flight out to the country and a picnic. Up in the sky, however, the plane begins to make groaning noises and loses power. In a thrilling climax, Gaby and Annalise's plane drops out of the sky and crashes through marshland. The plane's wheels break off and it nosedives into the ground - throwing the two girls forward. Gaby and Annalise are injured in the middle of the bush with no means of contacting anyone...

1993 Episode Summaries | 1993 Magic Moments | 1993 Opening Titles