Loveday Writing

During her shocked state (and walk down the street), Liz asks herself how Stuart can be buying property with a baby and a partner when it’s been less than year since they were declared bankrupt, and he didn’t show any interest in having children.

When the gang see Stuart in an adjacent car at an intersection on their way to another open house, Heather tells Harry to follow him. They follow him to another house, which again prompts Liz to ask how he could afford that house. Stuart then leaves and Heather asks Ainsley to go with her to the house to ask his partner questions, posing as local council employees inspecting smoke detectors. They find out that Stuart’s partner is a woman named Caitlyn, and isn’t actually his partner. She is married to another man, Nick, who Stuart works for and Stuart helps them out and they let him sleep in their unused garage. Meanwhile Stuart returns and sees Liz from across the street.

When Stuart comes over to see Liz, it’s revealed that he has been contacting her via email for months and she hasn’t responded. Liz later meets up with Stuart, having fish and chips in the park as it’s all Stuart can afford, and Stuart haphazardly apologises for delaying having children and suggests that Liz have their baby from embryos they froze prior to their marriage falling apart. Later when Liz visits him in his garage, he gives her paperwork that states he surrenders his paternal rights if she were to have their baby. She tells him that she would never have their baby without him, and only just stops short of telling him she still loves him. They kiss and hook up.

When she shows up to meet the gang at a house that Ben is keen on buying, Harry tells her that if she wants to have a baby that he is an option as well. Liz reveals to Harry that she doesn’t want to have a baby. After the open house, while the gang are out for drinks, Liz calls Stuart and thanks him for his apology and offer but declines, telling him that she doesn’t want to have their baby, and that she has grown as a person and has moved on.

Overall, I appreciated the focus on Liz’s past in this episode. It was established in the previous season that Liz was divorced, so it was good to finally meet her ex-husband and gain more of an insight into her past. This A-story was perfect in illustrating Liz’s character growth.

Ben and Heather – Ben and Heather’s subplot mainly revolved around Ben wanting to share a bedroom with Heather. Heather is characteristically resistant, however she eventually comes around. While there wasn’t much meat to this subplot, I appreciate that the writers have progressed their burgeoning relationship.

Harry – Much like the Ben-Heather subplot, Harry’s subplot was also minor. Heather has taken over Harry’s phone and is helping Harry be “out and proud” by signing him up to a dating app, and interacting with local real estate agent, Anton. Although it’s not clear to Harry whether Anton is interested, until he shows up to an open house on his own. Harry and Anton try hooking up, however Harry realises that he’s not a ‘hook up’ kind of guy, but unfortunately Anton is and things fizzle out between them.

I honestly felt for Harry in this episode, especially after all he went through in the previous season (something which Heather pointed out). However I liked the running gag of Heather and Ben trying to script responses to Anton’s messages for Harry.

Ainsley – Similarly with Ben, Heather and Harry, the focus on Ainsley was pretty small in this episode. As three months have passed since the events in the season 1 finale, Ainsley is in her second trimester. At one point, Heather and Ainsley go to an open house listed by Lachlan, where he tries to convince her not to go for the house as it has concrete floors and would be unsafe for the baby. He also tries to convince her to let him be in the baby’s life over the gang. Ainsley refuses to give into him, however Heather tells her that Lachlan is right about the house being unsafe for the baby, so they leave without seeing it.

Overall I felt that this was a solid season premiere as we had a time jump, which allowed for story arc and character progression. Despite looking at 25 open houses (or according to the episode title, 30, which probably would be about right considering the open houses that the gang both went to or mentioned), the gang still haven’t bought a new home for themselves. Hopefully that will happen soon.

I’m looking forward to seeing what the gang gets up to over the course of this newly released season.

Stray Observations:

-Ben and Liz using football analogies as part of their auction strategy was hilarious. Ainsley telling Ben that the strategy isn’t relevant to how successful they will be, when he asks her for her professional opinion was the cherry on top.

Best one liners and interactions:

• “You’re a company?” “Um, more of a collection of friends, or, um a consortium. I’m not sure of the collective noun, maybe a mob or a gaggle?” (Anton-Liz on the group buying a house together)
• “Some smug baby boomer outbid everyone again!” (Heather to Liz on the auction outcome)
• “You’re the only person alive who is comforted by a spreadsheet.” (Heather to Ainsley)
• “Oh, hot real estate guy! ‘Shame you left so quickly, should I interpret that as a lack of interest?’” “Does he mean interest in him or the house?” “Mate I’d go back with ‘still very much in the market’ winky face, open flame, eggplant emoji.” (Heather-Harry-Ben on Harry interacting with Anton)
• “We can spare half an hour for a bit of light surveillance.” (Heather to Ainsley on following Stuart)
• “First rule of sleuthing – always stay half an hour longer than you planned.” (Heather to Ainsley)