Previously
- Nick clashes with Brad, as he tells Josh he should make something of his life
- Nick accepts Paul and Karl's offer of the job/research centre and says he's moving to Erinsborough
- Susan and Sheila decide to pit themselves against one another in the festival bake-off
- Paul tells Naomi that Nina Tucker is singing at the festival closing concert
- Georgia gives Nick the brush-off when he doesn't remember meeting her the first time
- Tyler is surprised to learn that Mark is rejoining the police force
No 24
Naomi is on the phone to Sheila, who is wondering where she was last night! Naomi insists she slept at home, while making amused faces at Mark. She ends the call and they kiss, just as Tyler is coming out of the bedroom.
TYLER: Morning, Officer.
Mark tries to talk to Tyler about his career change, guessing that he's unhappy about it because he's letting him down at the garage - but insists that Danni has said Tyler's job will be safe. Tyler asks why he's going back to the force.
MARK: Being a cop is what I do best. I miss it.
NAOMI: And don't forget your white knight complex.
MARK: And there's that. I'm sick of sitting on the sidelines watching cases being handled badly.
Tyler claims he's okay about it - whatever makes Mark happy. But when Naomi mentions that Mark can now concentrate on putting 'the Dimatos of this world behind bars', Tyler looks shocked!
Suite 1 Eclipse Apartments
Paul is holding a VIP event in his penthouse suite for festival and council donors. He's reading a story on the front page of the paper about how he's cut services for the aged to fund the festival, and looks seriously displeased about it - so he sends Chris, who is waiting on the guests, down to reception to get them to throw away every copy of the paper!
Among the attendees is Dr Nick, who tells Paul he's 'already schmoozed half of the room' as a result of the guests' donations to his cancer research centre. Enter Terese and Brad.
NICK: I can't believe my sister's still dragging round that same old tatty handbag.
PAUL: Oh, I'd hardly call that tatty.
NICK: I was talking about Brad.
Paul laughs. The Willises come over, and Terese explains they're late because Brad 'lost track of time' on his run.
NICK: You need to get yourself a new watch, mate. Maybe one you didn't buy on a Bali beach.
BRAD: Well at least it's not a gift from a drug company.
Georgia comes by, complimenting Paul on the food, and Dr Nick's eyes follow her to the other side of the room. Over at the buffet table, Georgia tells Brad she's here as the new hospital head of fundraising, but admits it's not her crowd and that she'd rather be doling out flu shots at the Community Centre. Brad says it's not his crowd either, and they raise a toast.
Community Centre
Karl is giving flu jabs to OAP extras, when he approaches a very familiar-looking lady. It's none other than Hilary Robinson, the cousin of Paul's father Jim, who was last seen in Erinsborough in 1990! Hilary sternly reveals that she and her friend Janice have been waiting for over an hour for their jabs, and need to get back to the retirement village for lunch.
However, Hilary admits, it has at least given them a chance to see the beginnings of the festival photo exhibition, which is in the corner of the centre, and appears to consist mainly of cast publicity shots from over the years! Karl says they'll be with Hilary as soon as they can.
HILARY: If we are late back, I will be adding it to my list of grievances.
Her friend Janice complains that they've spent hours to get here on public transport, and they haven't even been offered tea and a biscuit! Fortuitously, Susan arrives with some sample cakes, to do some taste-testing for her bake-off entries. Janice takes one, but Hilary declines.
Suite 1 Eclipse Apartments
Nick wants to make an official announcement about the opening of the cancer research centre, but Paul insists they should wait till the festival opens. Nearby, Chris is with Georgia, looking pensively at the buffet.
CHRIS: I am so hungry, I could eat my own hand.
Georgia encourages him to snaffle some of the buffet food, but he's worried about Terese seeing him!
GEORGIA: I'll keep watch. Scoff as many as you can. I'll let you know if she's coming.
Chris gets to work eagerly.
GEORGIA: Keep going. She's not even looking.
But it appears a vol-au-vent has gone down the wrong way, and Chris starts to choke! Georgia starts slapping his back, but it's not working - so she performs the Heimlich manoeuvre. The trapped food finally emerges, across the room and straight onto Paul's shirt! Paul looks distinctly unamused, as Georgia and Nick tend to a recovering Chris.
The Waterhole
Kyle and Nate are playing pool. Tyler walks in, on the phone to Dimato - asking if he can pay him back for the favour he did in installments, instead of working it off. It appears that Dimato has hung up on Tyler.
Kyle and Nate come over and introduce themselves, recognising Tyler as Mark's brother. Mark then walks in in his new constable's uniform, and Tyler explains he's rejoined the force.
KYLE: Better watch yourself, mate, living with a cop. You leave a wet towel on the floor and he'll throw you into lock-up.
MARK: Hey. I heard that!
At the bar, Sheila tries to tempt Mark with a piece of her pecan pie - she's also after feedback in preparation for the bake-off, but Mark politely refuses. He tells Sheila she should take her pie to Toadie, revealing that he's been asked to judge the bake-off!
Back at Tyler's table, Kyle and Nate have left, and Mark asks how his work at the garage is going. Tyler snaps and accuses Mark of abandoning him to chase 'some crim'. Quickly realising that Tyler means Dimato, Mark asks him what's going on - but Tyler just tells him to forget it.
Community Centre
Karl has given Hilary her jab, and she apologises for being short with him earlier. Karl says he thought there was a dedicated community bus service from the retirement village, so is mystified as to why the pensioners had to use public transport. Hilary hands him her handwritten list of grievances!
HILARY: There used to be. Grievance Number Four.
Karl is outraged to learn that Paul has pulled funding for the community bus service in order to fund the festival. Hilary points out that the senior citizens won't even be able to attend the festival if they don't have transport to get there. Finally having succumbed to some of Susan's cake, Hilary remarks that it's lovely, and asks Karl who made them.
No 30
Toadie is working at the table, when Susan shows up bearing baked goods aplenty, ostensibly to keep him sustained while Sonya's away - a beef and mushroom pie, lemon meringue pie, and a coconut cream pie.
TOADIE: You know that I'm one of the judges in the bake-off, don't you?
SUSAN: No! Are you?! (!)
TOADIE: This is tantamount to bribery! You're trying to corrupt me!
Susan insists she's just being a good neighbour and that Toadie's under no obligation to eat any of it (while holding the lemon meringue pie under his nose!)
SUSAN: But how are you gonna say no to Mummy Susan?
Toadie looks disturbed.
Suite 1 Eclipse Apartments
Brad and Terese are relieved that Chris is okay, but Nick doesn't look particularly interested. Brad tells Terese he's heading off, just as Naomi arrives to see Paul. She asks for the Nina Tucker contracts, but Paul says he's handling it personally.
They discuss the article in the newspaper this morning about the OAP services being cut to fund the festival. Naomi insists that protecting Paul's reputation isn't part of her job description - she was hired to oversee the festival.
PAUL: Well if they don't like me, they're not gonna like the festival, are they?
NAOMI: What? You didn't become mayor for the people of Erinsborough. You're in it for yourself and the power.
PAUL: ... Is that honestly what you think of me?
NAOMI: Well yeah - me and everybody else!
Paul looks a little hurt, and Naomi says he should do something nice if he wants to improve his image, to show people he cares.
NAOMI: And change your shirt!
The Waterhole
Mark and Tyler come in, still discussing Mark's career change. Mark thinks Tyler mentioned Dimato before because he doesn't want to see Mark getting hurt again - but he insists Dimato isn't 'another Wes Holland'. Tyler admits he has been worried about Mark. Mark then asks him to keep an eye on Dimato's building from the garage - and to let Mark know if he sees anything dodgy.
MARK: The quicker I get this guy, the safer everyone'll be.
Suite 1 Eclipse Apartments
Dr Nick sidles onto the balcony to speak to Georgia, reminding her patronisingly that the Heimlich manoeuvre is no longer the preferred method of dealing with a choking incident.
GEORGIA: Well if you were in the room when Chris was choking, you would have noticed that I tried the preferred method and it failed to work.
NICK: Well in that case, you should have waited for me. As a doctor I've got far more experience in these matters.
GEORGIA: No - if I'd waited for you my friend could have died! And no offence, but if you're so experienced and you can't even see that, you must be pretty arrogant. Or stupid. Or most likely both.
Georgia marches inside, while Nick ogles her from behind.
No 30
Kyle and Toadie are busy stuffing their faces - Toadie having decided that by sharing Susan's pie-bribes, he's not technically breaking the rules! Meanwhile, Nate is on the phone. He's just received the news about Chris almost choking, and heads off to check on him. Toadie burps loudly as Nate leaves!
Sheila arrives then, with some 'leftover' pie of her own for Toadie! But she catches him and Kyle in the act of gobbling Susan's specialties, and immediately realises what's happened.
SHEILA: Correct me if I'm wrong, but that looks suspiciously like Susan Kennedy's coconut cream pie! So, which one of you clowns is going to tell me what the heck is going on?
Kyle and Toadie look sheepish.
Suite 1 Eclipse Apartments
Paul is on the phone, pestering someone about securing Nina Tucker's appearance at the festival, when Terese shows herself in. Paul's all dressed up in a suit, and explains to Terese that he's going for a follow-up interview with a journo, after the article that appeared in the paper about the OAP funding.
Terese is dubious, as she says the journo in question doesn't like Paul, but Paul insists it's an opportunity to raise his profile. As they go down in the lift, he explains he's drafted a list of questions for the journo to ask which will lead to answers portraying him and the festival in the best possible light. Terese remains sceptical.
Community Centre
Hilary is looking at the gallery of past and present Erinsborough denizens, and sees a picture of a younger her. She looks emotional.
Karl comes in and thanks all the OAPs for coming for their jabs, telling them the bus he has organised for them will be here shortly, and to have more cake in the meantime. Hilary and Janice compliment him on having pushed the boat out for them. During the conversation, Hilary admits that she used to live on Ramsay Street years ago, and Karl explains how he lives there now.
KARL: I wouldn't live anywhere else. Being in a neighbourhood like this, your neighbours virtually become your family. Was it like that when you were here?
HILARY: ... I do have some fond memories, but like everything, there are things I'd rather forget.
Harold's Store
Sheila rushes in and confronts Susan about bribing Toadie with the pies.
SUSAN: Oh, I was just helping out while Sonya's away.
SHEILA: Oh, bull-dust. You were trying to find out his favourite recipes so that you would win the bake-off competition.
SUSAN: Did he tell you that?
SHEILA: He didn't have to.
SUSAN: Just out of interest, why were you there?
SHEILA: No reason. Just popped in.
SUSAN: Didn't happen to pop in with a pecan pie, did you?
SHEILA: ...
SUSAN: You did, didn't you?!
SHEILA: I might've.
SUSAN: Oh, you hypocrite!
SHEILA: Alright, Nigella - the oven mitts are off! You are going down!
SUSAN: We'll see about that, Mrs Beeton!
Susan smiles as Sheila huffs out!
The Waterhole
Kyle congratulates Georgia on saving Chris's life. Paul is nearby, about to head off for the interview with the journo, when Nick comes in. Paul notices that Georgia and Nick are giving each other funny looks across the room, and Nick explains Georgia told him he was arrogant earlier.
NICK: Told me to my face, didn't hold back either. I liked it. A lot.
Paul tells Nick not to bother pursuing Georgia - she's married to 'that', he says, pointing out Kyle, who burps on cue!
NICK: I've never let marriage stop me before.
PAUL: Oh, yeah, but it will stop her. Georgia is one of those loyal, faithful, down-to-earth country types. And she takes her wedding vows seriously.
NICK: The challenge gets better and better.
PAUL: You won't so succeed.
NICK: You wanna bet?
PAUL: Bet what?
NICK: Alright. If I can bed Nurse Brooks before my research centre opens, you owe me a full tasting menu, plus wine pairing at a five-star restaurant. I fail, I owe you.
Paul agrees, but says he's confident dinner won't be on him. Nick smirks in Georgia's direction.
Community Centre
Paul has come in for his interview with journo Jane Crozier. She immediately rejects his suggested question list, so he starts bragging about his photo exhibition instead, while standing in front of it as she takes pictures. He says the many colourful residents of Erinsborough have made it the best place to live in the world.
HILARY (to Janice): That's the creep who cancelled our bus service.
Paul then starts wittering on about the Ramsays and Robinsons, who feature centrally in the photo exhibition, and how he couldn't be more proud of his family. He then drags in Hilary and Janice, without even realising who Hilary is, for a cheesy photograph of him posing with the locals.
HILARY: Hello, Paul.
PAUL: Oh, Hilary!
HILARY: I'm his second cousin. And the victim of his budget cuts! Would you like a quote on that?
The journo starts snapping her camera eagerly at Hilary!
Unmissable Drama
- Dimato hopes Matt's 'pretty wife' doesn't mind losing her home
- As Lauren tells Matt they must do something, he apparently turns to drink
Erinsborough's Biggest Celebration Ever
- Lucas Fitzgerald and Vanessa Villante are back for the Erinsborough Festival
- Someone's getting their fortune told by Susan!
- Toadie has been spray- painted gold and appears to be posing as a statue