Ooh, rough gig. Mac advises Ryder to sack his GF.
But Mac’s savage comment – which will resonate with anyone who has worked in hospitality or retail on the side – is sufficient justification for me.
We’ve only been together for a few minutes when I notice my first gripe of the night: Mac is dressed in jeans.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to jeans, but Mac is exhausted and recovering from two hospital stays, so why isn’t she wearing elasticated pants?
Every night, I run home so I can spend as much time as possible in my jarmies.
Ziggy is babysitting Mac as she mopes around the house, which is understandable considering that her boyfriend, Ari, dumped her for an old fling, they’re both living together, and Mac was pregnant with his child, which she kept hidden from him until half the town found out because they were in the hospital at the same time.
Mac explains, “I can’t stop thinking about why Ari is able to be happy with Mia when I’m here alone.”
And just like that, she’s back to her old self. Home and Away is a classic example of a show that does not focus on mental health.
In any case, in Mac’s absence, Ryder has been holding down the fort at Salt.
The love between Chloe and Ryder is sickening.
The evening is essentially a montage of them having fun in different places. In front of Grumps, in the doorway of the Parata’s home, next to the pickles in the cool bed.
When Mac summons Ryder and promotes him to 2IC, they take a brief breather.
His first task, however, is to fire Chloe, his girlfriend
“I want this place out of here as soon as possible,” Mac says.
Ryder responds, “I just don’t feel comfortable firing someone without a valid reason.”
Chloe stays with the Paratas, and it’s a little strange seeing her with them. Mac is still unaware that Ruder and Chloe are dating.
Mac says, “It’s not up for debate; either follow my instructions or I’ll find a 2IC who can.”
Ryder seeks help from Grumps.
“Well, your employer won’t be able to fire you…
But whatever you do, you’ll have to live with the consequences,” Alf says.
Ryder does not carry it out, but he does inform Mac that she has been shot.
When Mac arrives at work, Ryder admits, “If you go upstairs, you can see that I haven’t shot Chloe.
As a result, Mac strikes with the “fast and painless” punch.
Let the repercussions begin.
Mia confronts Mac after Alf and Dean tell their lines.
“I understand you have an issue with me,” Mia says, “but you don’t take it out on my daughter.”
Since the insults must be PG even though the themes aren’t, she drops in “your sister is a nightmare” as she passes Dean on her way out.
Ryder is having a hard time dealing with it all and confronts Mac, bringing up the subject of “unfair dismissal.”
Mac replies, “Oh please Ryder, you know she’s a casual,” which is the best line of the night and something that anyone who has worked in hospitality or retail can relate to.
But Mac, here’s some advice. Rather than firing them, never roster them on again, and the unwelcome employee would be forced to resign and find new employment.
Then there’s Amber dropping the “L” bomb, Dean ignoring it, battling, and reuniting, which takes up an hour of my life that I’ll never get back.
Amber says, “I love you,” as he waxes lyrical about how happy he is and how “I have it all.”
Dean just looks blankly…which is fine. He was taken off guard, and they’ve only been together for a few days, but Amber makes it into a huge deal, complete with tears – or at least puffy red eyes that show she’s crying – because her character is meaningless if she’s happy.
But, after a cup of tea (literally, since we’re back in the 1950s watching Call The Midwife), she settles down, and her and Dean’s relationship returns to normal.
Then there’s Justin, whose insanity continues to astound me.
They’ve run out of pills because he’s been taking them too much.
He calls another medical centre and asks whether he has an appointment to get a prescription because his doctor doesn’t have an appointment for a week. Is he a hermit or something?
The producers make a point of showing us how he keeps his new prescription on top of the fridge, as if this were something that will be really important in the future.
Justin signs up for the surf comp, which is full speed ahead under the capable hands of Roo and Dean because he has to constantly prove to his son that he’s dad of the year.
Then Justin is suddenly struck with a bout of pain and knocks back an entire packet of pills. He’ll almost certainly overdose, putting his chances of competing in the surf competition in jeopardy.
Meanwhile, since the police are non-existent, Leah continues to prosecute Susie on her own. We all know where this is heading – Leah is going to become obsessed with taking Susie down for defrauding them of $90,000 – so I’m not going to talk about it until she hits peak Jasmine levels of insanity.
However, Justin says something noteworthy to Leah, stating that it could be “healthier if you let it go,” which is a little rich coming from a man who refused medical attention and is now snorting pain relievers.
