Recap
Toadie hires Connor to answer his telephone at work.
Rachel introduces Stingray to her father's turtle and, no, that's not a metaphor. Stingray thinks Rachel's 'pretty cool,' whilst Katya tells Susan she's lost her parents and she won't let Susan take her brother and sister away from her.
No.28
Katya tells Susan that her father's final moments should have been with her, and Susan stole them. Gobsmacked, Susan says there was no time to call her...Alex woke, spoke and died. Not bad for a day's work. Susan tells Katya that she was in her father's thoughts, and he wanted the kids and Susan to be in each others' lives.
SUSAN: You're Zeke and Rachel's sister. You're my family now.
KATYA: I didn't fit into my own family; why would I ever fit into yours?
Katya strops off leaving Susan a little bewildered.
Number 26
Stingray is watching the TV when Janae comes in and turns the TV off; he has a lot on his mind and she wants him to snap out of it - he's out of jail now and needs to stop moping! They trot into the kitchen, and he tells her that he's thinking about Rachel and Zeke and how he's lucky compared to them.
But he admits he wasted a year - missed his exams, study, and his dreams of going to film school. Janae gives him some very mature advice - you can choose to be down or you can choose to be happy.
Janae says he can get into film school - choose to do it and take some action! Action of the Lights! Camera! variety. Janae knows he can choose happiness and he agrees...he can give it a shot. She flicks him on the head again for fun, and he throws a plate at her.
Ramsay Street
Stingray is shooting a film in Ramsay Street on whether or people are happy in suburbia, and Janae is the star. Through the eye of the camera, Janae admits that she doesn't need a guy to make her happy...she became happy with herself first and that attracted Boyd. Really? I thought it was the advice that Janelle gave which did it. Not that I agreed with her advice, but it did seem to work...
Scott films Toadie coming out of his house ready to go to work. He asks if he's a Happy Chappie, and Toadie's face says it all - no. Not right this moment in time, anyway. Stingray and Janae tell him that they're making a film so he can get into Film School, and the big question they're trying to answer is: Happiness - A Choice or a Gift?
TOADIE: That's a fallacy. It always gets taken away. It will for them (Ned and Elle saunter up the path) once rabbit season stops, it will for you (Scott) when you get smashed down by corporate reality, and it will for you (Janae) once your looks fade. See ya.
Ned and Elle refuse to play to Scott's camera.
No.28
Susan is telling Zeke that she and Rachel have chosen some items for the funeral (looks like songs on a CD), and maybe he'd like to choose something, too? Zeke keeps his monastical vow of silence and eats his muesli. Susan is wearing a dressing gown.
There's a knock at the door.
Scott & Janae to collect Audrey and Dahl to look after whilst Susan and the kids are away. What about Cassie? Poor neglected sheep.
Ah - Scott's going to feed Cassie and the Turtle in the back yard. Phew.
Zeke won't talk to Scott, and Susan gives the kids food for the animals and money to buy more if needed. Don't let Janelle get hold of that, kids. Janae tells Susan that Scott's making a film to get into film school. This year. Yes, this year.
Rachel walks away in the background, so there's something going on. Never let it be said that I can't spot a plot device at fifty paces.
Scott says that the film's about happiness - most people are sad because they choose to be...cue camera panning to Zeke. Poor kid.
Rachel's back and Katya's gone. Her things are gone, too, which is a perfect reason for Susan's second bewildered look of the ep.
Cut to later.
Susan's dressed in a new outfit but then I suppose she would have bought something new, her husband dying and all. Zeke's apparently dressed, but won't come out, and Rachel thinks he might be upset about Katya. Rachel says he might feel guilty - she does...they've been very hard work.
Susan admits to Rachel that Katya has no problem with her siblings - she has a problem with Susan herself. Katya feels like a stranger here. Cue her walking through the door. She didn't even knock - flippin' cheek.
Rachel runs to hug her and Susan approaches, too, and Katya says that although she's welcome here, she decided to go home. They also need to get a move on to the funeral, so Susan suggests that Rachel grabs Zeke. Plot Device number two: make space for a strained conversation.
Susan comments that she and the kids couldn't decide on a song, but luckily Katya chose one and took it to the minister herself - a Russian Lullaby that her parents used to sing to them when they were together. Susan does her best not to look too put out, and Zeke comes out the room. Katya goes to take his hand but he deliberately ignores it and reaches for Susan.
They leave. Cue BewilderedSusan™ number three.
The Surgery / Law Firm where we find some Hilarity in rivers
Toadie comes out of his office, and Connor is balancing a pen between his nose and upper lip. Toadie asks where his 0900 appointment is, and Connor tells him he cancelled it because he knows Toadie didn't want to deal with it. Toadie's pleased, and Karl enters with a flyer of a play that Gino's doing.
He suggest to Toadie that as Ned's the leading man, he'd have some influence with Gino to change things, such as, well, you know, add a song? Toadie's concerned that Karl has written another song, and does it have the word 'river' in it?
The Scarlet Bar
Katya is hugging the two kids at a table. We didn't get to see the service? What's going on?
Karl tells Susan it was a lovely service, and Susan explains that Zeke still hasn't spoken. Her eyes are almost flirty. Should she be worried? Karl doesn't think so, but he'd like to 'have a chat' with Zeke before they go away, you know - act all fatherly towards him and prove that he's a good man again.
SUSAN: I think Katya would like the kids to herself for a while.
KARL: And what Katya wants, Katya gets?
Karl has noticed the tension, but Susan maintains that Alex's kids are her responsibility, and she's one of them. Ah but, says Karl, maybe it's not up to Susan to try harder.
Wow. More mature advice from Karl. What happened?
Number 30
Ned's on the phone and Elle stands by him. Maggie - someone in the play - has broken their leg, and Gino's desperate to find someone to take the role...and oh, she's the leading lady. Plot Device numero trois.
Elle says the role's huge, and there's no time to audition - it needs to be someone who knows the role inside out, someone who's already been helping the cast... Ned suggests that Elle tries out, and she looks shocked.
The Surgery
Toadie hands Connor some more work as Susan-cruise comes in with the kids to see Karl, who is conveniently saying goodbye to a patient. Even Karl mentions the good timing, so at least the production team picked it up.
Karl tells Zeke to come on through, but he's not keen. Susan tries to encourage him, and Karl promises a lollipop. What?! He's not seven years old anymore, Karl!
Katya is cross that they're forcing Zeke to talk when he doesn't want to, but Susan insists they need to know what they're dealing with. She also says that Karl and Zeke have a good father-son rapport, and as if on cue Zeke walks in. It's like he doing all this to pee Katya off and make Susan look good. Rock on.
Karl suggests that Zeke doesn't need an audience and Katya is annoyed - she's not a stranger. Well actually, love, you are. Sorry to be the one to break it to you. Rach placates her by suggesting that Zeke needs to talk to someone less close than them.
Surgery
Karl tells him that he doesn't have to talk - he could write or draw. And whilst he's there, Karl will assess him before his big trip - make sure he's okay.
The Surgery / Law Firm
Connor hands some work to Toadie, and makes a suggestion about a competition on the office, but Toadie tells him he doesn't pay him to think!
Susan sits with Rach and Katya and suggests she come on the family holiday with them. Katya will think about it, but is concerned how Zeke is.
RACHEL: Don't worry. If Susan trusts Karl, we should, too. They were married for...a hundred years?
Katya looks so peeved at this, and Susan suggests that Rach gets a coffee at The General Store for her and they'll join her in a minute. Poor Rachel, she keeps being sent away for the sake of plot. I'm transcribing this one:
KATYA: Interesting that you never mentioned your marriage to Karl to me before.
SUSAN: Why is that?
KATYA: Your ex-husband giving your new husband medical treatment...who ended up dead.
Susan looks horrified, but just then Karl and Zeke come out, and Zeke's apparently well, although still not speaking. That's probably because Karl never gave him the lollipop he promised. Karl asks to speak to Susan, so she suggests Katya and Zeke buzz off to join Rachel.
SUSAN: Thanks.
KATYA: No need to thank me. He's my brother.
Number 30 where we find some Very Bad Dancing
Scott is filming Ned and Elle talking about happiness and what it means. Janae pops up behind the couple, and seems very happy to be the star of the movie! Janae asks Elle if love has bought her happiness, and eclipses everything else, to which Elle agrees. Even her father's brush with death, asks Janae? Oops.
ELLE: Someone's out to kill my father and here I am shouting out how happy I am from the roof tops.
Well, number 30's lounge, anyway.
Ned tries to reassure Elle - she might be worried, but she doesn't need to put her life on hold. Elle thinks she could be more considerate and caring, but Ned thinks that showing the dance routine will cheer her up - and Scott can film it! Yay!
Elle does the dance routine - and OW. Painful to the eyes, painful to watch, and apparently she has no idea...
No.28
Susan says Zeke's outside which has to be a good sign, but Katya hardly acknowledges her. Susan asks if Zeke drew anything as a way to express himself. Katya ignores her, and Susan asks her why she's not interested in what Zeke's doctor has to say. Simple answer - Katya doesn't think Karl's impartial where the Kinski's are concerned.
SUSAN: Are you seriously implying that Karl was somehow negligent in his treatment of your father, or that I betrayed Alex with Karl?
KATYA: Karl loves you, Susan, I saw it on his face.
SUSAN: No, Karl and I have a history... No, I'm not going to dignify that. I loved Alex completely, my devotion to your brother and sister is absolute. I am their guardian now, and if you have a problem with that, then maybe you don't care for them as much as you claim to.
KATYA: I'll leave you to it, then.
Cue BewilderedSusan™ number......oh, I've lost count.
The Surgery / Law Firm
Toadie and Connor are arguing over work, and Stingray films them from a corner. He says they're choosing to be unhappy because they're both "stupid, stubborn, morons." As Toadie and Connor argue, Scott intervenes, and films them as Toadie throws him out.
As he leaves, Scott yells that happiness is behind that desk. Connor and Toadie look uncomfortable about that.
No.28
Zeke is drawing someone crying next to someone else in bed. In his mind he thinks the following:
"Dad, when you get to heaven, mum will tell you something. And it's not something I'm proud of. When she was dying, I wished it was you. But I didn't really mean it. I just didn't want her to die, and then I forgot to cancel my wish... It's all my fault you're dead. I kill people with the dumb things I say. So, I'll never say anything again. Okay, dad? It's safer."
Scott bounces up and chats to him, but Zeke won't show him the drawing.
Number 30
Karl sings River of the Soul to Ned.
Janae, Elle and Ned clap, but he has another verse to go... But Ned says they get the idea, and doesn't he have to drive Susan and the kids to the airport?
Karl says he'll leave - and leaves a CD of the songs behind. Wow, it really is a Fletch concert.
Ned says goodbye to Karl, and Elle and Janae fall about laughing on the sofa. Elle wants to rehearse again, and Ned looks very dubious, whilst Janae tells him that she sucks.
NED: She'll get there.
JANAE: Elle is to dancing what Karl is to song-writing.
NED: But with a bit of practice she'll be...er...the worst dancer I've ever seen in my life.
Janae tells him not to let Elle audition - he has to tell her.
Outside No.28
Rachel doesn't want to leave without saying goodbye to Katya, but she turns up to wish them well. She promises to be here when they get back, and more importantly, Karl and Susan stand by the car together like proud parents.
Katya tells them she hopes they have a great time, and Susan says if she changes her mind they could meet up en route. Too compassionate, that woman. Karl gets the kids in the car in a fatherly way, you know, like they're off on a Sunday trip to a National Trust place or something. Katya says she'd be in the way, and she's bitter - she can't put that on the kids. Well, at least she has some common sense.
KATYA: They need quality time with their new guardian. Their new mum.
SUSAN: I want you to know that Karl gave your dad the best possible care.
KATYA: I know.
They drive off, and Rach calls to her sister that they love her. Katya says she'll be here for when they get back. She smiles and waves them off. Then has a look on her face which says "I'm going to murder you in cold blood."
Shock and awe!