Loveday Writing

Harry tells Ainsley that he doesn’t want to have a baby, he thought he did and that having a baby with Geri might fill some of the emptiness he’s been feeling, but admits that’s not a good enough reason to have one. Ainsley thinks he’s just saying this to her so she’ll marry Simmo, but he reinforces his feelings by telling her that even if her “uterus was 100 percent available” he’d be saying the same thing, as she’s been uncertain about many things, but Simmo is the one thing she’s sure about.

Ainsley comes downstairs to have Liz do her hair and make-up, but Liz ends up breaking down about her fling and rejection of Geri. Liz ultimately ends up admitting to everyone that she cheated on Stuart, which leads to the reveal that Heather had an affair with her former boss, Pat.

Meanwhile conflict arises between Simmo and Ben when Simmo invites Bec to the wedding. Ben tells Simmo that inviting Bec is a bad look but Simmo calls him out on making his wedding day about him. Simmo punches Ben and Ben punches back, resulting in them both having bloody noses.

When Heather sends Liz and Harry outside to stall everyone while they tend to Ben and Simmo’s injuries, Simmo sees an uncertain look on Ainsley’s face and asks her if she’s okay. She then asks to speak with him privately upstairs.

Ainsley tells Simmo that he’s given her everything that she thought she wanted, and this is a conversation they should have had weeks ago. Ainsley admits that she’s been obsessing about a conversation her and Harry had about having a child together and she wasn’t sure why she was obsessed, but just figured it out. She admits that being a wife with five kids, out in the bush, isn’t for her, she also admits that she loves him and hates that she’s hurting him like this. Simmo asks her what’s freaking her out, the five kids, the life in the bush, or getting married, she admits all of it is. Simmo tells her that he loves her and only wants her to be happy, no matter what that means.

Later, as Liz and Harry are giving Ben’s toast to stall everyone, we hear Ainsley and Simmo having what appears to be very loud break-up sex. Afterwards, they come downstairs and announce to everyone that they won’t be getting married, but will still have the party.

Ben and Heather – Ben kicks off the episode with his narration, looking back on his wedding to Bec and praising Simmo for always being there for him, especially on his own wedding day even though his own love life (up until this point) was generally unlucky.

Ben and Heather work on their toasts, with Ben wanting to include a story about how Simmo pulled back his foreskin too far at camp and it got stuck, so he, Simmo and the teacher had to hike him to the local hospital, which was four hours away. Heather says no. When they call a night, Ben says he’s looking forward to meeting Ed and wants to make him feel welcome. Heather says he doesn’t have to make any kind of special effort.

Ben tries to make conversation with Ed, almost appearing competitive, throughout the day, before getting into a fight with Simmo after Bec shows up.

While Liz and Harry try to stall everyone by reading Ben’s toast with the foreskin story, Ben and Heather have a heart-to-heart. Ben tells her that Simmo invited Bec as a means to help him move on, Heather admits that maybe Simmo is right and this is the chance for him, Bec and Mia to be the family they were always meant to be, but Ben tells her they can’t because he still loves her. He tells her he’ll work as hard as he can for as long as it takes to get another shot with her.

At the wedding reception, Heather tells Ben that for the first time in her life she doesn’t owe anything to any man and she wants to keep it that way, making it clear she wants to stay single for a while.

Harry and Liz – There wasn’t much of a focus on Harry and Liz, other than Harry having to calm Ainsley down, and Liz admitting to cheating on Stuart, after he sends a wedding photographer as a gift for Ainsley and Simmo, with an emotionally moving card. Heather tells Liz that she really wants to live here, pointing out that she was only meant to be back for a couple of weeks yet she’s been here for months and she knocked back multiple job offers.

The episode and season ends with everyone dancing and having fun at the reception.

Overall, I didn’t feel this was the strongest finale as only a few things came to close and there weren’t that many future potential story arcs established. The Ainsley-Simmo story arc, unfortunately, came to a close. The fact that they didn’t get married didn’t surprise me, due to the doubts they were clearly feeling and showing in the previous episode, however I’m unsure if they are still together, I hope they are. In all honesty the relationship was rushed, so if there is another season, it will be interesting to see whether they are still together.

The Ben-Heather story arc came to a close with Ben making it clear he still loves her, but Heather ultimately deciding to stay single and Ben accepts this. The Liz story arc is still open, with her not having decided if she’s going to stay in Australia and she’s yet to tell Stuart about her affair with Geri. Harry unfortunately didn’t find love again this season, I thought there was hope for him finding happiness with the Geri story arc and was disappointed when it became about Liz, especially as there’s been no indication of Liz being bisexual or gay in the previous seasons, but this was also addressed as Harry pointed this out to her.  I honestly felt that Harry didn’t get the spotlight enough this season. The only potential story arcs I saw for the next season was whether Ainsley and Simmo would stay together, Liz making a decision, and Heather’s journey as a single woman.

Overall I felt that this season was interesting but not as strong as the previous season. I felt that most of the story arcs were compelling but inconsistent, and the writers seemed unsure of where they were going with them. There was no sense of closure or new beginnings in the final moments of the finale. That being said I have enjoyed reviewing this season.

Stray Observations:

-The narrators this season:

• Episode 1 – Ben
• Episode 2 – Harry
• Episode 3 – Heather
• Episode 4 – Liz
• Episode 5 – Ainsley
• Episode 6 – Heather
• Episode 7 – Harry
• Episode 8 – Ben

-According to Ben, Simmo accidentally landscaped the wrong yard on one occasion.

-Lachlan didn’t make an appearance this season. Narratively speaking, there was no reason for him to and while I love Hugh Sheridan, I did not like Lachlan in the slightest. I’m glad that Ainsley got rid of him for good.

-Manju didn’t make an appearance this season.

-According to Heather, Chooka has 14 eskies full of ice.

Best one liners and interactions:

• “How far can we take it, do you reckon, in terms of rudeness?” “What’s the story?” “It’s a foreskin story.” “Yeah, too far.” (Ben-Heather going back-and-forth, working on the toasts)
• “There is only one sanctioned breakdown and Ains has dibs on it.” (Liz to Harry as she’s breaking down)
• “You had your turn in the tulips in 2017.” (Ainsley to Heather when she tries to get Heather to reassure Liz)
• “Well I enjoyed the upstairs more than the downstairs. Pat’s a hard worker. She landed a few terrific shots, but it just wasn’t for me. Still glad I did it, no regrets.” (Heather to the group on her fling with Pat)
• “As we say at B&S Construction, bugger the paperwork, let’s get on with the party!” (Simmo to the wedding guests)