The return of Neighbours! Who’s going up the aisle? What’s Reece up to? Did everyone else get trapped in the well? NO SPOILERS

[MiddleClassProblem]

Welcome back to our wondrous show!

I’ve already watched it and ready to discuss!

As ever no spoilers here.

For spoiler sharing and discussion please head to the spoiler page: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/4789274-neighbours-spoilers-a-new-beginning?page=4&reply=129266259

I'm disliking the 'Paul snooping' storyline. Mostly because he doesn't actually have any reason to snoop. Reece isn't his rival, she's an investor in his business, he should be wanting to make her happy rather than constantly badgering her.
Today's episode was just stupid. What was he hoping to find in her room and why didn't he just go in when she was out rather than cause that fuss.

And also, I don't understand why Reece is keeping her search a secret so the Paul/Reece thing is even more irritating because there's no point to it.

The writing is all over the place at the moment. An older episode automatically played after the one I watched last week and it had such a different feel to it, it was like watching a different show. Are the writers the same I wonder? I feel like we used to have multiple storylines running at the same time but now it’s just one or two and not many characters on screen per episode. I can’t remember when I last saw Karl and Susan. I think there are a lot less characters in the show in general?
Despite all that I am actually enjoying it. I feel like it’s gentler / lower stakes if that makes sense? I watch it with my breakfast and morning cuppa and it’s quite a nice show for first thing in the morning.

Yes! I was thinking this - Paul could be helpful in the search, so why is it secret?

The less character things etc could be to introduce it to the US market without it being too many all at once. Maybe it will build?

I agree & feel exactly the same - you've summed it up perfectly.

Isn't Karl somewhere cos Holly was minding the truck stop place

Karl has gone travelling on trains with Harold, he seems to have been away for a long time.

Caught up now.

I wanted Andrew to be JJs dad. But also quite like there’s a shared history between Cara, Remi, Wendy and Andrew.

And what’s this link with that odd school woman, Mel and Eden?

im enjoying it but miss it being on normal telly!

Probably in England

Karl has gone travelling with Harold because in real life they began filming again in April but Alan Fletcher had a UK tour arranged in June so he had to come back here to do that. He is a great fun performer, I recommend his shows!

Does anyone feel a bit deflated that Andrew isn't JJ's father? I mean we built up for weeks (well actually it felt like months) just to get a negative match. Where's the storyline going to go now?

I agree with everyone else, this new Neighbours isn't like the old one we're used to, I wonder if flashback week will feel more familiar.

Also new head Nic doesn't look that different to old head Nic.

Yes - old Neighbours would definitely have Andrew as the father. (Or possibly Cara not the mother leading to another “switched at birth” story and Cara and Andrew having to track the other baby down.)

Cara looks ridiculously young

Paul's busybody behaviour is annoying. Wouldn't he be busy running a hotel

After a load of googling I have found an article about the actress that makes her 34.

And her son is meant to be 17, it just doesn't quite add up

Not quite as bad as Dili and Yashvi where the actresses are all of 11 years apart in age!

They do like to have only about 20 years between the parents and the kids though - means that the kids are teens (and so old enough to have dramatic lives) whilst the parents are still in their 30s (and so young enough to still be bonking the neighbours).

It does seem ridiculous with Cara and Remi - Remi is a doctor and in the middle of her first year residency when Cara got pregnant with JJ. Such a perfect time for a baby! I could just about accept a surprise baby - but not a planned pregnancy. Doctors just don’t. They are too tired!

So if JJ is 16/17
how old is Dex? I thought he was older? As they wanted the same sperm donor.

sadie prob couple years older than JJ?

Lying for 17 years could make him 16. Surely she'd need to be at least 40

Yes not 17. She would need some income and be a bit more mature surely

So who is JJ's father or is that storyline just over and done with now, which kinda makes it a little ridiculous to start with or is Andrew gonna become all father figure? Twist in the plot... It was a false negative?
Just what is the point to this storyline?

I think there’s going to be a link to the missing pages in the diary maybe? They seemed to be making a big thing of it today..

There’s another 16/17 year old that Andrew’s sample made?!

i quite liked the dynamic between JJ and Andrew. Hopefully a false negative!

Yes I agree! I'm thinking false negative or something, otherwise what was the point?!

Bet Wendy or Sadie switched the samples - just the kind of thing they'd do. I like the dynamic between Andrew and JJ too.