The River Boys are back in town...

[TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross]

@SleepingStandingUp, @CurbsideProphet et al - we filled up a Home and Away thread. This is unheard of. So here’s shiny new one - I know there are only a few of us, but keep the faith.

#bloodandsand

I don't ever recall H&A doing Christmas like the UK soaps do. It's always summer in Summer Bay.

I remember them doing Christmas once; it was when Pippa and Michael were separated for a while, Pippa was trying to make it a normal family Christmas but Sally got upset and maybe ran away? This is decades ago, obviously.

Neighbours are much bigger on their cultural occasions.

Oooooh if today's was the last one until January what a cliffhanger with Raffy.

But, bloody Leah annoys me. She's a grown woman and a student counsellor and it didn't occur that it wasn't alright to tell Raffy's very personal story on her blog.

Leah is often shoehorned into storylines - when the Astonis first arrived there was the "Leah fancies Pa Astoni" ; Leah looking after Maggie and the family after her cancer diagnosis ; Leah advising Tori about parenthood and IVF; Leah advising Brody about his grief / memories about his mother and her cooking. As the resident therapist she really could have had a bit more sensitivity about Raffy. *overinvested

Yeah, it's an odd one I guess. Ma Astoni gets her own story lines, Irene not so much. Perhaps her and Leah could have a lesbian fling and get their own story?

Well, the Christmas break has given me the space to realise what a controlling manipulative creep Justin is. Why on earth is Willow still with him when she's bloody miserable all the time?

Yup. That.
I dint think he was this bad with the others? And I'm glad Tori called him out on it when he gave her the me or him speech initially. Grrr. Stupid man. He's 👊 well above his weight and Willow is super annoying

Anyone else think that the actress who is playing Raffy is just amazing with her current storyline?

Yeah. What's weird is notong after filming the initial scenes she did actually have an accident and ended up in hospital for a few days with a head injury. Her parents must be thinking how easily it could have been life mirroring art

She's a fab actress, although she reminds me of my niece looks wise so maybe biased haha. Def my favourite Morgan

I'm glad to get back to Alf and the flaming galar.

Mason looks like he's losing it again..

Robbo and Tori make such a better couple than Robbo and Jasmine.

Was just thinking that Jasmine and Mason would make a better couple too.

Yup, I agree.

I still can't imagine starting a relationship with a man who is helping another woman get pregnant. Very odd storyline.

Willow and Justin are another odd pairing

F having one with a random mate you have a weirdly intense relationship with when you've got a young girlfriend with no kids.

How has he never said look Jas, do you want kids, I'm getting on so what do you think would be time scales be? Can you see us doing this? I mean isn't that an obvious question??

And would you, asJas, not say look mate, I know you're broody but I wanna have your babies and we cna do it the fun way!!

The actor playing Raffy is actually the best actor they have on the show, although Dean has a lot more range than I gave the guy credit for when he first arrived in the Bay.

Chelsea is a personality vacuum, isn't she?

And has anyone else noticed how shrunken the cast seems to be? If the Morgans left, nearly all the storylines would collapse.

Yeah that's true Re cast.

Morgans x 5
Astonis x 4 - married to Morgan3
Alf and Co x 4- most of Leahs scenes involve Tori
River Boy and girls x 4 - Dean needs to get it on with Ziggy once she realises Brody is too boring for her
Irene
Jas and Robbo - without Morgan link would just be inappropriate love now awkward inappropriate love
Marilyn and John - basically in it for Raffy

Chelsea is very much a vacuum. Makes hairadvertbloke look even more of a doofus than usual.

Irene hasn't had a storyline for ages. Not sure why she turns up.

Dean, ah, I like young Dean

Where did Dean get all the money from? I've forgotten after the break.

Irene is having a v easy time of it with just a few shifts in the diner every week, plus Leah is just pottering about after Tori. They do need a new family / incomer to give things a lift.

Dean's Dad ace him a laid didn't he?

Yeah Dean is a grower and a much better fit for Ziggy than Broody.

Yeah Irene's house is pretty empty isn't it, you never see the girls there after than initial scene of moving in. Isn't Justin's gf technically living there? She must have at least one spare room, perhaps if Hair Advert ever finds his sister she could move in with Irene?

We've not had a teenage pregnancy for ages, perfect CocoPops should go away to camp and come back pregnant.

Well, when Tori has the baby there will be lots of scope for emergency hospital admissions, pnd, strife with Robbo over access, more hospital admissions Where She Will Probably Treat Her Own Child!

Having said that though, presumably the actress will be off on Mat Leave so how they’ll do all that is interesting. Oh I know, yet another coma and Robbo and Jas will have to look after baby. Or fight Justin over it.

Have set up my own drinking game bingo right there!

Dean is a grower

I've liked Dean with his adorable angry chihuahua routine since he first appeared. He reminds me of Simba trying to roar! Plus, I'm only 5' so I quite like a man who doesn't make me look like a hobbit!

I'm just waiting for Raffy & Ryder to get together - maybe they'll threaten Raffy's bright future with a teenage pregnancy. Possibly around the time that Tori goes off for a few months towards the end of her pregnancy because of some complications which mean she needs specialist care in a hospital "in the city". Maybe she'll come back without a baby, or with a v ill one, to discover Raffy's pregnant. Tori will offer to raise Raffy's baby so she can continue with her education but it'll soon become apparent that Tori is slowly loosing her grip on reality & thinks Raffy's baby is actually her baby reincarnated...

Willow and Justin have got engaged in real life recently. Pics of them celebrating in NY. For this reason at least you’d think they’d work better on screen. Didn’t he also date Phoebe irl? They desperately need an injection of ‘yoof’ members.