Dion

Back in 2019 it was planned for Gary to turn into the next major villain and as such he ended up being responsible for the Underworld roof collapse that killed Rana. Then he killed Rick Neelan, schemed to takeover Underworld, had rivalries with Adam over Sarah and Ali over Maria, and beat up Ryan. Finally, at the end of the year, Gary's treatment of Derek Milligan (his partner in the attempted Underworld takeover) led to Derek coming after him with a gun. Derek accidentally killed Robert, with Shona later getting shot in the crossfire when Gary and Derek struggled for the gun. And then, not long afterwards, plans changed for whatever reason (COVID perhaps?) and Gary went back to being what he was for most of the 2010s, a good guy, albeit very troubled. That being said, the specter of Rick's murder would pop up from time to time such as when Rick's daughter Kelly learned the truth in 2022. She eventually stayed quiet after a disastrous attempt to have Gary killed via a hitman. Frankly I'm surprised Gary and Maria managed to stay married for six years, I never bought them as a long-term couple, especially as the show has always telegraphed Gary and Sarah as star-crossed lovers even when they're with other people.

After tonight's episode I think it's clear that Cody has DID and that it was his alter who pushed Marianne and smashed Arlo over the head. Meanwhile. if they kill of Marty and Monique's baby, that'll be four dead babies for Marty - including the one Dawn miscarried back in 2020. I don't think it was ever revealed whether Marty or Prince was the father of that child but it would still count regardless.

It dates back to 1990 when Lucy had an affair with Tracy's brother Alan, prompting his divorce from Monica and a brief marriage between Alan and Lucy. Tracy absolutely detested Lucy and dug up whatever she could from Lucy's past to bring her down and eventually it came out that the baby Lucy was carrying was Scott Baldwin's rather than Alan's. On top of all of this Tracy was also sleeping with Scott. Lucy eventually lost the baby, and Alan divorced her to reconcile with Monica.

Ashley looks several years younger in that photo than he did on Neighbours, so I'm thinking it's likely an agency pic taken before the stylists at Grundy got a hold of him and did his hair better lol (coz he did usually have really good hair) Sadly it appears that he passed away in 2022. There doesn't seem to have been any formal announcement or articles about it but its been mentioned in so many forums that it appears to be true

The last two episodes have been two of the best the show has had in years, particularly the scenes dealing with the fall out of the paternity of Monique's baby. It is nice to see the show back to doing some soap opera rather than trying to be a dry and serious medical drama. The four-hander with Marty, Monique, Esther and Naz was particularly well done with it's one-shot takes, although it was a bit ridiculous to have several different combinations of them screaming at each other while the extras just carried on working lol. Meanwhile, I'm hoping that sleazeball pick-up artist Arlo is dead after Cody bottled him. Oh I liked Rachel's exit and it was nice that she was leaving in a good place mentally rather than basically running out on everyone, leaving lots of loose ends as she did in 1999, 2003 and 2016. It did feel really final this time, I think that's the last we'll see of her.

And Diana herself got usurped by Lesley as the tragic heroine pretty much once this story was over too.

I've forgotten most of the details, but it was just after Cynthia Watros took over as Nina in 2019. Long story short, recently resurrected Nikolas started gaslighting Ava (who was also still grieving Kiki) and she ended up in the mental hospital. Nina visited - perhaps to gloat, i'm not sure - but she ended up feeling sorry for her instead. Nina then discovered Valentin was behind the scheme to have Sasha pose as her daughter. Somehow Ava and Nina found out Nikolas was alive too, so teamed up to take revenge on both Valentin and Nikolas, which culminated in Nina exposing Valentin at their remarriage and Ava blackmailing Nikolas into marrying her. And since then they've been friends ever since, besides that brief period in 2024 when Nina realized Ava was giving her bad advice about her marriage to Sonny so that Ava could have Sonny to herself.

I do know of one friend that was learning how to pole dance for exercise as apparently its good for the core muscles. I actually could see Lucy doing that.

Gloria Monty had a habit of keeping characters on long after the storylines they were involved with were over. I think there wasn't any serious trimming of the cast until Wes Kinney took over. Now I know Brad isn't the most popular character around here but I did think it'd be interesting for Jade to defend him against Selina and perhaps explain why she and Yank didn't adopt him themselves (for example, could be that they didn't know about him til he was older and thought it'd be best to leave him with his adoptive parents). A visit from her sister might make Selina a bit more interesting too.

I think you're on to something there, see also teenage Laura on General Hospital.

There was Paul Walker (later of Fast and Furious fame) as Brandon Collins, Victoria's only actual high school age peer who was just used as a talk to for Victoria to obsess over Ryan. It's a shame Victoria never became friends with the world's most wholesome drug addicted pregnant teen that Cricket was helping during a brief storyline in between her lengthy ones with David Kimble and Michael Baldwin.

She had LASIK eye surgery on November 7th, 2001 - shortly after leaving the show (she was actually still airing til the end of the month) which may or may not have caused her to develop Dysautonomia. https://www.instagram.com/p/BMhcMy7gLtY/

No it was for a job in the Netherlands where they were developing some kind of treatment for...something. I wasn't really paying attention to whatever the drug was. The kids were to join them later I think, I'm not sure. Yeah what was the point of writing in Ngahuia's pregnancy just to kill the baby off like last time.

Yes please!

I'd love it if the show went to Disneyland like all of those ABC sitcoms started doing after Disney bought them. Though, probably wouldn't be able to top Ned and Lois at Coney Island.