Previously on Neighbours
- Nicolette shows Wendy a dating app user profile with a pic of Andrew's tattoo, which Sandra was messaging
- Sandra claims to an astonished Wendy that Andrew is planning to leave Wendy to be with Sandra
- Later, Wendy tells a surprised Andrew that she knows he is having an affair
- Amanda insists to Jane that she didn't smash the 'Best Nanna Ever' mug that Byron gave her
- Jane tells Nicolette and Byron that they need to prepare for the possibility that Amanda is unwell
- Darcy swaps Karl's natural supplement pills for something else; later we see Karl feeling dizzy and faint
- Amanda tells Darcy that Karl has been speaking to her, and wanted to know if Darcy had asked her for money
- Having planted opioids in Karl's bag, Darcy tells Susan that Karl has been keeping a big secret from her
No 28
Darcy tells Susan that he found out Karl was addicted to opiates not long after he returned to Erinsborough. Susan is in disbelief.
DARCY: He was hiding it from you. He begged me not to say anything.
SUSAN: How was he able to work all this time?
DARCY: I offered to help. I prescribed some natural medicine to help wean him off the opiates. And, well, he assured me that he wasn't taking anything. He lied.
SUSAN: ... Is this why he misdiagnosed Vera?
DARCY: Mm- hm. When I discovered his mistake, I helped him cover it up. Look, I know that was probably a bad thing, but... he was just so vulnerable. But all it's done is turn him against me.
SUSAN: I need to talk to him.
DARCY: Of course you do. But he's not gonna be lucid.
Darcy tells Susan he'll just be a phone call away if she needs him, then leaves. Holly hides the bottle of pills as Holly comes in. Susan tells Holly that Karl was feeling unwell at the pub and has gone to bed, but doesn't say anything about the opiates...
No 26
Andrew is vehemently denying to Wendy that he has been having an affair with Sandra. He says she was flirting and wouldn't back off, so he told her not to come back to his self- defence classes.
WENDY: I saw you hugging her!
ANDREW: Look, she came to me. She thought she was being stalked and she was terrified, so I was just trying to be sympathetic.
WENDY: Andrew, do I look stupid to you?! I asked her, and she confirmed it!
ANDREW: What?! She's lying!
WENDY: You told her that you were laying down some groundwork for your future together before you left me.
Andrew can't believe what he's hearing.
ANDREW: Wendy... I swear I wouldn't.
WENDY: Yeah, well, you had me convinced. And you almost got me. Right up until this.
Wendy shows him the dating profile that Nicolette found with the picture of his tattooed arm on it. He looks at her, lost for words, as tears roll down Wendy's cheeks.
No 24
Jane, Sadie, Byron and Nicolette are having dinner. Isla is in her bedroom, we learn, having been given some antibiotics for her ear infection. Jane is telling the family some stories about Amanda.
JANE: One year, for her birthday, we went to the Dandenongs for Devonshire tea. The weather was terrible, but Mum insisted on wearing her finest dress, her highest heels.
NICOLETTE: Classic Nanna.
JANE: By the time we walked from the car to the tea house, we were all drenched. Dad thought Mum was gonna be livid but, oh no. No, she embraced it. She thought the mud on her dress made it a one- of- a- kind!
They all laugh, and Jane turns wistful and reflective.
JANE: Yeah, she loves the Dandenongs. It's one of the reasons why I do. The idea of her forgetting all these... these funny little memories... scares me.
BYRON: Mum, we won't know anything for sure until she's properly tested.
JANE: Yeah. And that will be a battle in itself.
Sadie says that Amanda's booked into the day spa tomorrow, so she can 'try and suss things out' then. Jane says it couldn't hurt.
No 26
Andrew is looking at the dating profile. He insists to Wendy that he didn't make it - he's not on any dating apps. He says someone must have gone onto his socials and used his pictures to catfish Sandra. He says he's going to report this to Ziva, the dating app, and contact Sandra to find out what she has to say about it. He rings her, but gets her voicemail, and asks her to contact him as soon as she can.
ANDREW: Wend... I love you. You know that. Do you honestly believe that I would just give everything up? Our lives that we built? Over someone that I barely even know?
WENDY (unconvincingly): You're right. I believe you.
ANDREW: ... You don't, do you?
Wendy doesn't contradict him. Andrew processes this sombrely, and then walks out.
No 28
Susan is looking pensive when Holly comes in. Holly says she's worried about Karl, but Susan dissuades her from checking on him before she leaves for work, saying that Karl is sound asleep and needs the rest. Holly asks what happened at the pub; Susan says Karl lost his balance and fell, but that he's okay, and encourages her to head to work. Susan promises to call Holly when Karl wakes up, and tells her not to worry.
As Holly leaves, Darcy arrives. He asks after Karl, then asks how Susan is holding up.
SUSAN: How do you think? The more I thought about it, the more upset I got that neither of you told me about this. I'm his wife, Darcy, and I feel completely blindsided!
DARCY: Fair enough, yeah. Umm... I was in a really tricky position. And now... so are you. We have to think about our professional obligations.
SUSAN: ... Yeah. Umm... what do you suggest?
DARCY: Well, I know you want to talk to Karl first. He's just gonna deny it. So I think the best thing is to tell Terese immediately.
SUSAN: No! No, not before I've spoken to Karl.
DARCY: I'm sorry, Susan. I have no choice.
No 26
Wendy emerges from the bedroom and finds Andrew rolling up a sleeping bag; he slept on the sofa last night. Andrew says he sent an email to the Ziva app security team, demanding to know who is using his images without consent.
WENDY: I see.
ANDREW: About time.
WENDY: You somehow think this is my fault?
ANDREW: It's your fault that you didn't at least give me a chance to explain myself.
WENDY: Yeah, well, I was trying to get my head around it.
ANDREW: I don't feel anything for Sandra, and you would know that if you just had've talked to me. But instead you let Nicolette get inside your head, and now here we are.
WENDY: Why are you being so defensive?
ANDREW: Why don't you believe me?
Ramsay Street
Nicolette is collecting the mail when she sees Wendy come out of her house, so goes over to chat. Wendy tells her how Andrew has responded to the allegations of an affair, and about his theory that Sandra is being catfished by an imposter. Nicolette wonders if Andrew is just telling Wendy what she wants to hear, but Wendy thinks he was genuinely upset and angry.
NICOLETTE: Yeah, I'm sure that *was* real. But do you think he's upset because he's innocent, or because he's been caught out?
WENDY: Everything's so messy. I mean, what if I'm the one who's blowing this whole thing out of proportion?
NICOLETTE: Wendy - this HotRod account was a real account, on a real dating app. Why would anyone want to impersonate your husband?
WENDY: I dunno. I don't know anything anymore.
Lassiter's Day Spa
Sadie is chatting to Amanda who has come in for a beauty treatment. We learn that Amanda was keen to study when she was younger, and had her sights set on a particular course, but just couldn't afford it, and nor could her parents.
AMANDA: My mother was never supportive of my dreams.
SADIE: Well, if it makes you feel any better, my parents *were* supportive, and I still struggled to pay for it.
AMANDA: Even so, I think it's a shame that somebody your age can't do what they want to do, because they can't afford it. I've always felt like that.
Sadie prepares to apply some kind of facemask, much to Amanda's excitement.
AMANDA: Make me gorgeous!
SADIE: Even *more* gorgeous!
Lassiter's Complex
Andrew bumps into Aaron outside the café. Aaron has been shopping for his holiday to Hamilton Island, and Andrew notes his swimming trunks with amusement.
ANDREW: You're not gonna get lost in these, are you?
AARON: Yeah, Hamilton Island's way too small to get lost on. Hey, you don't want to chuck a sickie and come along with me, do you?
ANDREW: Look, believe me, mate - I would love nothing more than to escape my house right now.
Andrew tells Aaron about Wendy thinking he's having an affair with Sandra, and the fact Sandra's seemingly being catfished by someone using his images. With Sandra having claimed she's being stalked, he's starting to wonder if the two things are connected.
Eirini Rising
Susan and Darcy have told Terese about Karl's addiction issues, and Terese has decided to implement a search of Karl's space in the office. Susan looks deeply uncomfortable.
No 28
Back at home, Karl has woken up and is surprised to find Susan is not in the house.
Eirini Rising
As he searches Karl's desk, Darcy says it's for Karl's own good that they know what it is he's taking.
SUSAN: He's not here to defend himself.
Terese is going through the bin.
SUSAN: Oh, come on, Terese, seriously?!
We don't get an unbroken shot so can't tell for sure whether he planted them or not, but Darcy appears to find some tablets in Karl's desk drawers.
DARCY: Oxycodone (...) I'm sorry.
No 28
Karl is trying to ring Susan, but she doesn't answer, so he leaves a voicemail asking her to call him back. Holly comes in to check on him, but he's very disoriented after a long sleep and it isn't clear whether he remembers his fall last night.
KARL: Has Darcy been around?
HOLLY: Yeah. He was here this morning. Dad, are you okay?
KARL: Yeah... I need to get to Eirini.
Holly looks worried as Karl goes to get dressed.
Lassiter's Day Spa
Sadie's facial treatment has brought back memories for Amanda, of those she used to get when she was in Thailand, on the beach. Amanda asks Sadie if she's travelled much - she says no, beyond family vacations. Amanda recommends that she get out and see the world while she can, as it's 'life- changing'. Sadie says she'd like to go to Paris with Byron to see friends (presumably Haz and Mackenzie), stopping in Asia on the way.
But when Sadie asks Amanda's advice on which route to take, Amanda seems to have blanked out and forgotten the whole conversation.
SADIE: Singapore or Hong Kong?
AMANDA: What about them?
SADIE: Which do you prefer to fly through?
AMANDA: It's a very strange, random question to ask me!
SADIE: We were talking about travel.
AMANDA (with certainty): No we weren't!
SADIE (worried): You're right, umm... I was just thinking out loud.
Erinsborough Police Station
Andrew is talking to a colleague, and tells him to let him know if he hears anything. (About what isn't clear!)
Lassiter's Complex
Andrew walks into the courtyard, and runs into Aaron again. Andrew's had no news from the dating app company, who he says are 'useless'. But he's looked into Sandra's stalking complaint and apparently she thinks it might be her ex- husband. Constable Neyland looked into it, but the husband is interstate. Meanwhile, Sandra still hasn't responded to him personally - she seems to have 'gone to ground'.
AARON: Maybe *she* doesn't think she has. What if she's talking to you online - well, the fake Andrew? But the fake Andrew's saying, 'Hey, don't respond to any text messages I send you.' Know what I mean? She could think this is all part of your game.
Andrew looks a bit baffled by this, but says he'll try messaging her again! This time we see his phone - he tells Sandra she is being catfished and that he is not HotRod69; earlier messages say that the dating profile is fake and he's asked Ziva to remove it.
Eirini Rising
Karl enters the office to find Darcy, Susan and Terese together. Terese shows Karl the pills that Darcy supposedly found in his drawer.
KARL: Well, those aren't mine.
SUSAN: We also found opioids in your bag.
KARL: What?
SUSAN: We know you were still taking painkillers when we got back from overseas.
Karl grimaces at Darcy.
DARCY: Mate, you fell over last night. I had to tell them what I know.
KARL: Okay, I wasn't myself at the Waterhole, obviously. But I haven't taken opioids for weeks.
SUSAN: But you were taking them when we got home?
KARL: Yes. Okay.
SUSAN: And after you returned to work.
KARL: I had it under control. (to Darcy) What on earth have you been saying?
SUSAN: Karl, obviously something is not right. You just slept for 14 hours!
KARL: I was tired.
SUSAN: No. You're hiding a serious addiction.
KARL: No, I weaned myself off them! I had it under control.
Karl appeals to Darcy, saying he was aware Karl had moved onto only taking natural medicines. Karl says he must have had a bad reaction to something, but -
SUSAN: Karl, just stop! You've been lying to me this whole time! You kept working - you misdiagnosed Vera, who knows how many other mistakes you've made.
KARL: Oh, Susan, please - I swear I didn't... Terese?
TERESE: Oh, I'm sorry, Karl. When this was happening to me, you and Susan thought it'd be best for everyone if I stood aside.
KARL: Oh, no - don't do this.
TERESE: I'm sorry, I have to. I need you to step down - effective immediately.
Karl glares at Darcy, who gazes back in silence.
Lassiter's Complex
Andrew spies Nicolette across the courtyard, so comes over to have a rant at her.
ANDREW: Hey, it might be hard for you to get this through your head, but not everyone does the wrong thing.
NICOLETTE: Would you really be this worked up if you had nothing to hide?
ANDREW: I am worked up because you are getting in Wendy's ear!
NICOLETTE: Okay, first off - she came to me as a friend, so I'm not gonna apologise for listening to her.
ANDREW: You're not listening. You're feeding her paranoia! I mean, HotRod69? Come on! I would never do anything like this.
NICOLETTE: Okay. I hope that's true, because whatever's going on, she deserves better. And she has done for a while.
ANDREW: Just stay out of my marriage.
As Andrew stomps off, Nicolette gets her phone out. We can see she's already had two messages from HotRod69 on the Ziva app, asking how her day's going. Nicolette replies, suggesting they meet up...
Eirini Rising
Karl apologises to Susan for not telling her about his addiction. He says he was ashamed and embarrassed - he thought he was managing it.
SUSAN: But you didn't trust me to help you manage it better?
KARL: But that would've put you in a terrible position here with Terese.
SUSAN: What about the position I'm in now? For weeks you've had this... this agenda against Darcy. Did you not think to just tell the truth?
Karl tells Susan he'd do anything to fix this, but Susan says she needs time to get her head around everything.
KARL: I know, I know... Can I just ask, what part did Darcy play in finding the -
SUSAN: Karl, *no*! I can't do this.
She walks off, leaving Karl looking frustrated. At this point, Darcy appears.
DARCY: I honestly tried. I tried to talk Terese around, but she was hellbent on searching your office.
KARL: I can't deal with you right now.
DARCY: I just wanted you to know.
But Karl is already walking away, looking haunted.
Harold's Café
Amanda is having tea with Sadie, and feeling good after her beauty treatment. Byron and Jane come in, and Sadie gets up to talk to them. She says they had a nice time together at the spa, but admits that Amanda had a moment where 'it was like a switch went off' and she forgot their conversation. Byron thinks they need to get her tested. Jane says she has an idea that came to her after sharing stories about Amanda last night.
Jane approaches Amanda and sits down with her. Amanda sings Sadie's praises, saying she is 'very talented' as a beautician. (Sadie and Byron, who are within earshot, smile at one another!)
JANE: How would you feel about taking a trip to the Dandenongs?
AMANDA: Like old times?
JANE: Yeah. I'm feeling sentimental, and... well, who doesn't love a scone?
AMANDA (thrilled): I would love that! That's just a wonderful idea.
Jane smiles, finally feeling she's making headway.
Ramsay Street
Andrew drives into the street and finds Wendy waiting outside the house. He gets out of the car and gives her an update - Sandra is still not returning his calls, and Andrew thinks she must be convinced that he's the person from the app. He says he thinks the catfisher and Sandra's stalker must be the same person.
WENDY: I don't know what I'm meant to do with that information.
ANDREW: Wendy, I'm telling you because I've got nothing to hide. Look, I want you to know everything.
He goes to give Wendy his phone, saying he wants her to look at it, as he needs her to trust him. But at this point, Nicolette turns up.
NICOLETTE: They agreed to meet me.
WENDY: Who?
NICOLETTE: HotRod69, whoever that might be. I messaged them and they've agreed to meet me today at the tram.
ANDREW: Well, that was a stupid idea.
NICOLETTE: Was it? Cos if someone else shows up, it proves it wasn't you. But if no one shows up...
ANDREW: If no one shows up, it's because you got involved when I told you to butt out.
Nicolette starts to get shirty with Andrew while Wendy tries to be diplomatic - but unseen by any of them, somebody who we can only vaguely see, due to extreme close- up, is watching from the end of the street with binoculars!
Coming up on Neighbours
- Taye is cosplaying as a Frenchman and sending pics of himself when Krista and Leo turn up at the Piano Bar
- Andrew has assembled a war council comprising Wendy, Nicolette, Sadie and Cara to catch the catfisher
- Aaron meets a guy while relaxing by the beach on holiday; they each admit they're here alone
