Previously on Neighbours
- Kyle and Georgia look forward to their wedding day
- Karl and Susan are thrilled when their eldest son Malcolm shows up for a visit
- Mal reveals that his wife Catherine is pregnant with their first child
- He asks Karl and Susan to move to London permanently to see more of the baby
- Karl and Susan give serious consideration to Mal's request
An unknown location
An ornately bound book is opened. We see from the title page that it's 'Ramsay Street - A History' by Harold Bishop. A hand turns to the centre of the book, where a page is headed 'The Kennedys'. The next page has photos of the Kennedy family, including one of Karl, Susan, and their kids Mal, Libby and Billy standing outside No 28. It's captioned '1994 - the Kennedys arrive in Ramsay St.'
Ramsay Street
We fade from the picture to the same spot outside No 28, with Karl and Susan standing there in the present day.
KARL: Twenty years of Ramsay Street. Can you believe it?
SUSAN: No! In some ways it feels like a lifetime ago. In others, it's as though no time's passed at all.
We flash back in time to Susan, Mal and Billy walking out of the house, on their first day in Ramsay Street. Karl is managing the removal men, and Libby is by the car.
SUSAN: Well what do you reckon, Lib? Think you'll cope?
LIBBY: Who are we asking? Me or you?
Back in the present, Karl observes that a couple of decades in one place is a long time.
KARL: Maybe it's long enough.
SUSAN: Maybe.
Lassiter's
Kyle and Georgia are checking out the honeymoon suite, which looks suspiciously like Susan's old flat - and which has already been prepared for their arrival after the wedding. Georgia goes down a checklist of things to do, and asks if Kyle's spoken to Brennan about being a stand-in best man. He admits he has, but is sad that Chris can't do the honours.
Sheila turns up with Georgia's dress - the right one this time. Georgia wants to try it on, so Kyle says he'll make himself scarce so as not to attract bad luck.
SHEILA: Oh, it's more than bad luck. Auntie Beryl, she dropped dead the night before her wedding. And that was right after Uncle Bert just caught a mere glimpse of her dress.
KYLE: Right. Well I'll leave you to it. I like my fiancées alive.
Kyle says he has to call Honga, his notorious best mate from Frankston, to remind him what time the ceremony is. He kisses Georgia, then leaves the suite so she can try on the dress.
Lassiter's Complex
Outside Harold's Store, Karl is telling Lou about the 20th anniversary of the Kennedys' arrival on Ramsay Street - and also about Mal's request that he and Susan move to London. Karl recalls how excited he was to be moving to Erinsborough from a small country town.
We get another flashback, of Karl and Susan setting up Karl's doctor's surgery in the complex.
In the present, Lou remarks that they moved into the 'nosiest street in the world'.
KARL: We got used to it.
LOU: Yes, you certainly made yourselves at home alright. Too much at home sometimes.
We get a flashback to Karl and Susan taking a naughty skinny-dip in the spa at No 22, only to be interrupted by an unimpressed Cheryl Stark, Lou's late partner. Karl inadvertently throws his undies in Cheryl's face, much to Susan's amusement!
We then leap forward in time to another skinny-dipping incident in the back yard of No 24, by the pool. This time, Karl and Susan are interrupted by Harold Bishop , and Karl has to take cover behind a large beach ball while Susan rushes behind a bush.
HAROLD: Oh, Karl, not again!
KARL: Sorry, Harold.
HAROLD: And how are you, Susan?
SUSAN (from behind the bush): I'm good thanks, Harold!
Back in the present, Lou recalls Karl's musical exploits. We enjoy another flashback to a much younger Karl playing 'Free as a River' in what was then Lou's Place pub, having been introduced by Lou, while Susan and Libby laugh along.
Further quick flashbacks, played out to 'Free as a River', include Karl in his lycra cycling outfit; Susan being unimpressed by Karl's chicken-rearing phase; Karl and Susan kissing in the car, to be interrupted by a horrified Zeke Kinski and Ringo Brown; and Karl dressed in drag, as Susan and Lyn Scully laugh along.
Back in the present, Lou says Karl's embarrassed himself so many times that he should stay in town, to try and salvage his reputation!
KARL: Well much as I'm going to miss being the butt of your jokes, it's our decision. I think the time's right.
No 30
Susan is visiting Toadie, to fill him in on Mal's proposal for her and Karl to move to London.
TOADIE: There's no way it's time! Is Karl the one who's pushing this?
SUSAN: ... Whatever we do it will be a joint decision. And we'll always be a part of your life - it doesn't matter where we are.
Toadie shows Susan the Ramsay Street history book that Harold put together, and which we saw at the start of the episode. He finds a picture of himself, in his school uniform with the mullet. It's captioned 'Jarrod - "Toadfish"'. Susan laughs.
TOADIE: I mean, look at that guy. I was a class clown with Australia's worst haircut before I met you. I am who I am today because of you.
We get some short flashbacks of Toadie as a teenager; Susan comforting Toadie after Dione's death; Susan and Karl smiling happily at Toadie and Sonya's wedding, as Sonya and Callum walk past; and Susan, Callum and Toadie fussing over newborn baby Nell.
Back in the present...
TOADIE: And the same can be said for anyone who's been lucky enough to get to know you.
We get a musical montage with more flashbacks - a shot of Susan's stepkids Zeke and Rachel Kinski; Susan comforting a sobbing Lyn Scully; Susan bidding her nephew Darcy Tyler farewell; Susan talking to a sad-looking Donna Freedman; Karl and Susan laughing and talking to Billy, as Karl suddenly wrestles him onto the sofa; Susan holding a lamb on Karl's father's farm; Karl and Susan looking after their dog Audrey as her health declines; and Karl and Susan looking proud and emotional at Libby's wedding to Drew Kirk, as the newlyweds kiss. We then see a younger Susan bidding a tearful goodbye to Malcolm; a Christmassy Susan handing a drink to Harold; and Susan giving a packed lunch to Toadie's cousin Scott 'Stingray' Timmins, who used to live at No 28.
STINGRAY: Thanks Suze. You're tops.
We see another flashback of Susan and Karl hugging Rachel; then, back in the present...
TOADIE: You and Karl have been like second parents to so many people here. And I want Nell to be able to say the same thing when she gets older. We need you.
SUSAN: Well, right now, Mal needs us more. I understand that you're upset, but Karl and I have to do what's right for us.
Lassiter's
In the honeymoon suite, Sheila gets a sneak preview of Georgia's dress, although we don't really see it. Kyle, however, bursts in at that moment, and does see it! Sheila screams and leaps into the middle of the room to block his view, while Kyle ducks behind the counter and Georgia darts into the bedroom.
GEORGIA: How much did you see?
KYLE: Everything!
Sheila reassures Kyle it's just a silly superstition.
KYLE: What about Great Auntie Beryl?
SHEILA: Oh, she was on her way out anyway.
But Kyle's worried he's just cursed his own wedding.
The Waterhole
Lou is trying to convince Karl and Susan to divide their time between Erinsborough and London, and have the best of both worlds - but they want to be settled, with a routine. Lou tells Susan she can't leave - he hasn't finished paying his debt to her for saving his life! Paul comes in, and Lou tries to get him to convince the Kennedys to stay.
LOU: They need this place. And we need them.
Paul jestingly remarks that the Kennedys have been making each other miserable for as long as he can remember, and they laugh. But then we get some flashbacks of some less happy moments - Karl kissing Susan, telling her he's a one-woman man; Karl kissing his receptionist, Sarah Beaumont; the revelation of his affair with Sarah, and as a result, The Slap™.
SUSAN (crying): Don't you touch me!
We skip forward in time to Karl's second dalliance, this time with Isabelle 'Izzy' Hoyland; followed by Karl saying to a horrified Susan...
KARL: I just don't love you anymore!
And later still...
KARL: Isabelle is having a baby, and I am the father.
Susan smashes a photo of her and Karl; then we cut to their famous row in the street.
SUSAN (crying): You have destroyed my happiness. I hate you. And I will never, ever forgive you.
Back in the present, Paul remarks that the Kennedys always end up back together, so they must be doing something right.
We get another musical montage of flashbacks - Karl proposing to Susan for the second time (we get a glimpse of Dahl the galah in the background); and then for the third time! Further clips of Karl chasing Susan around a maze (!): Susan throwing something at Karl; Susan and Karl kissing passionately; the pair holding hands; the pair ripping up their divorce papers; clips from the second wedding, and the third in London; and Karl telling Susan he's the luckiest man in the world.
We return to the present with a Karl-and-Susan kiss. Lou says Erinsborough has always brought Karl and Susan back together, but Paul says it isn't about the place - their history shows they can be anywhere, and all they need is each other.
PAUL: It's kind of sweet, in a sickening sort of a way. And just for the record - if you do move, I will miss you. Don't you dare tell a soul I said that.
Lassiter's Lake
Kyle is moaning to Georgia about having stuffed up their wedding by seeing the dress. Georgia says she doesn't believe in bad omens - in fact she's very calm about the wedding. Kyle's still moody, and when she probes further, he reveals that Honga's not coming to the wedding.
GEORGIA: Let me guess - he got arrested, again?
KYLE: No, not this time. He's not coming because he thinks you don't like him.
GEORGIA: What? Why would he think that? I love Honga! In small doses. Okay, really small doses. Okay, maybe he is a bit much. But I mean, the first time I met him he was handing out VIP passes to a gentlemen's club.
Kyle reveals that his and Honga's mums were in mothers' group together, so he's known him since 'before he was born'. Georgia reassures Kyle that he might change his mind, and that even if Honga and Chris aren't there, it will be the best day ever.
Kyle puts the wedding ring on Georgia's finger to double-check it fits, but accidentally puts it on her left hand. Realising this is bad luck too, he rushes to pull it off again - and whoops! It flies straight into the lake.
KYLE: Still don't believe in bad omens?
Ramsay Street
As they walk into the street, the Kennedys continue to wonder whether they're making the right choice by moving to London. Karl's keen, but Susan admits she's struggling with the idea that they might never see this place again.
SUSAN: Tomorrow I'm going to be the celebrant at the wedding of our neighbours, surrounded by a community that means so much to us, where we've made a difference. We've helped people. Even now, Nate needs us.
KARL: We can't be there for everybody. Sometimes you have to do things for yourself.
SUSAN: I don't know if I can just walk away. We've had so many good times here, Karl. So much happiness.
KARL: Not always. We've had some hard times too.
Another series of flashbacks - Karl and Susan running from a bushfire; Karl calling Susan to tell her he loves her as he's having a heart attack; Karl, Susan and Drew frantic as Libby's life is on the line in hospital; Susan slipping on some spilt milk, heralding the amnesia storyline; Susan running away from Karl in her pyjamas; Susan terrified during her multiple sclerosis diagnosis; Harold, Libby, Susan and Karl upset following Drew's death.
Back in the present, Karl says he thinks Paul's right - they'll be okay as long as they're together. They put their arms around one another and look at Ramsay Street.
Lassiter's Lake
Kyle trudges out of the lake in a wetsuit and snorkel! Hilariously, they've found numerous Right Prescription CDs in the bottom of the lake (!) but no wedding ring. Then Georgia suddenly finds the ring among the debris, and they celebrate. Kyle starts sneezing uncontrollably, and starts to worry he's getting a cold on the eve of his wedding. Georgia tells Kyle to go home to relax and warm up. He accuses her of thinking he's cursed too, and not wanting him to stuff anything else up. She insists otherwise, and he walks off with Bossy. But once he's gone, Georgia looks worried.
No 28
Susan and Karl come in; she has something to show him which Toadie made her promise never to tell him about! She removes a panel from one of the shelves on the wall to reveal a bare square of plaster. At the centre is the inscription 'TOADIE was ERE 97!' Underneath it, other hands have written: 'so was Billy', 'AND MAL', and nearby 'Libby'.
Around them, Karl and Susan are moved to see a raft of other signatures of kids who have lived with them over the years. Those that are visible are Libby's son Ben Kirk; Susan's niece Elly Conway; Susan's stepkids Katya, Rachel and Zeke Kinski; Joel Samuels; Lori Lee; Ringo Brown; Summer Hoyland; Dylan and Stingray Timmins; Sunny Lee; Taj Coppin; and (possibly) Ty Harper.
SUSAN: Oh, wow! I knew Toadie and Billy had written on it, but I had no idea about all these others.
KARL: Maybe Toadie told them about it.
SUSAN: Or word spread from one to the other as they came and went. Don't you think there's a reason, that no matter what's happened to us, we end up back here? It's where we belong, Karl. It's home.
Another musical flashback montage begins - Karl and the three kids throwing a surprise party for Susan; the unveiling of Helen Daniels' painting of Mal, Billy and Libby; Karl and Susan kissing in the garden; and Karl making a speech to his neighbours in the street.
KARL: I couldn't stand this neighbourhood when I first moved here. But seriously, I was wrong. What we have here is precious. There isn't a person here I couldn't count on.
We then flash to Susan and Karl watching some fireworks.
SUSAN: This is exactly where I want to be. Here with you.
And finally we return to the present, with Karl and Susan hugging. Mal comes in.
MAL: You've made a decision.
KARL: Yeah. Yeah, we have.
No 30 / No 26
Georgia and Kyle speak on the phone.
GEORGIA: Hey you. You'd better have your feet up.
KYLE: I do. Gran's even made me soup.
GEORGIA: Good. Because I'd like my husband fighting fit.
KYLE: Husband. That sounds so weird. In a good way.
GEORGIA: Well you'd better get used to it.
KYLE: The next time we see each other, we'll be getting married.
GEORGIA: Yeah. I can't wait. I really can't.
KYLE: Goodnight. I love you.
GEORGIA: Okay. I love you too. Bye.
Georgia's busy packing an overnight bag, and tells Toadie about Honga thinking she doesn't like him.
TOADIE: Yeah. No-one likes Honga except for Kyle.
But Georgia reveals she's going to Frankston tonight, to try and convince Honga and his girlfriend Narelle to come to the wedding after all. Toadie wishes her luck, and says he'll see her at the wedding. Georgia leaves.
The phone rings - it's Susan. Toadie hopes aloud that she's changed her mind about moving to London.
No 28
Toadie and Lou have joined the Kennedys to celebrate Karl and Susan's decision to stay in Erinsborough. Toadie jokingly warns Mal not to try and take Karl and Susan away from them again, and the Kennedys promise they'll visit Mal and the family as often as they can. Karl teasingly tells Toadie off for writing on the wall.
KARL (to Susan): I can't believe you kept that from me.
SUSAN: Well, if you remember, when Toadie first moved in, you didn't like him very much. We didn't want to give you an excuse to chuck him out.
KARL: I still don't think I like him very much now!
SUSAN: Well I think we can forgive him for writing on the wall all those years ago, because it helped convince us that this is our home.
KARL: Yes, and it always will be.
As they pour glasses of champagne, Paul turns up.
PAUL: I was just wondering, if you are selling up, I wouldn't mind making an offer on the place.
LOU: Sorry to burst your bubble, sunshine. They're not going anywhere.
SUSAN: We changed our mind. We realised in the end that this place just means too much to us.
KARL: Yeah. Not to mention the people. That's what makes it special. Give the man a drink - come on Paul, stay and celebrate with us.
PAUL: Thanks, I will, yeah.
LOU: Well I think this calls for a toast, hmm? To good neighbours.
TOADIE: Hey-hey!
PAUL: To good friends.
They all clink glasses and smile. The camera pans past the group to the picture of the Kennedy kids hanging above the fireplace, and then onwards to the square of plaster on the wall - where a spotlight reveals that Karl and Susan's own names have mysteriously joined the other signatures, along with a heart.
Georgia's car
Georgia wakes up in her car in the morning, and is frustrated to find her phone battery dead. We cut to a shot of the car in a parking bay by the sea. A caption appears on-screen - '7.30 am, Frankston Carpark, Day of the Wedding.' Georgia looks worried.
Unmissable Drama
- Georgia panics as her car fails to start
- Sheila welcomes a male and female wedding guest at the honeymoon suite
- At No 26, Kyle gives another female guest a big hug
- Everyone's taking photos, and preparations for the ceremony are underway
- A suited Kyle receives some news which prompts the words 'You are kidding me!'
