This episode is truly a work of art and covered everything.  We started with a monologue from Paul Robinson (written by Jason Herbison) and images and clips from the past and present, leading us up to the moment of this beautiful, nostalgic, hopeful, happy and sad finale.

“Ramsay Street: It’s just an ordinary street in an ordinary neighbourhood where extraordinary things tend to happen.  All that history.  But what does it mean if most of the Street is no more?  Are the Kennedy’s really going to be left behind?  Time is running out for everyone.  With familiar faces, everything old is new again.  If the residents have learned anything over the years, it’s you never know what’s around the corner.”

Paul Robinson

They then presented us lots of different opening ‘Neighbours’ introduction titles, taking up from the beginning to present day.

The Kennedy’s

We began with Susan, out on the Street to pick up the paper, saddened by all the For Sale signs surrounding her, with Benson Boone’s beautiful, haunting ‘In the Stars’ lyrics.  Arriving back inside, she was greeted by Mal, Karl and Harold discussing Izzy and Shane and going through the History Book.  Harold asked to leave the book in Karl and Susan’s care and asked Susan to write an introduction.

Mike and Jane

Mike took Sam for a tour around his old neighbourhood, where of course, they bumped into Jane.  She then took Mike for a tour round the inside of all the houses where they reflected on the lives they lived on Ramsay Street: Mrs Mangel’s objection to their relationship, Mike moving in with Clive and Daphne, who he considers his heroes, their respective relationships with Bronwyn and Des and their friendship with Scott and Charlene – complete with flashbacks.  They wonder how Scott and Charlene have managed to go the distance when nobody else has.

There were three things here that really stood out for me.  One was simple but one of those clever little Neighbours details.  The first thing Mike noticed at the Kennedy House was that the massive pillar in the middle of the house had vanished.  Jane’s comment that someone must have realise the house would stand up without it, really made me laugh.

The other was the way that this tour round Ramsay Street allowed us as viewers to have the chance to say goodbye to each house in turn and reflect on the stories, moments and people they have each given us.  

And finally, at the Rodwell House, Jane and Mike remembered one of the most pivotal moments in Jane’s history – when Helen and Charlene got her all dressed up in one of the most hideous 80s dresses of all time, put some contact lenses on her and some make up and suddenly, she was beautiful – no longer Plain Jane Super Brain.  In some wonderful writing, in present day, Jane loses a contact lens and has to put her glasses on.  Mike is more endeared to her than ever in her glasses, explaining that he has always thought she was beautiful – glasses on or off.  No, you’re crying!

Clive’s Despair

Actually, Clive was crying.  Well, drinking, to be more accurate and seeking Paul’s advice on how to get over the one you love.  Paul wasn’t able to help.  In came Nicolette to make things worse by revealing that Jane was spending the day with Mike.  She is committed to her character to the bitter end, that one!  This sent Clive tearing over to the Street to confront them, although how he got there is a mystery, as he could barely stand up.  Also, how Paul and Melanie got there so much later than him when he arrived on foot and they arrived by car, is also a mystery!

Clive threw some threats and waved a broken lamp around with Paul and a newly arrived Des attempting to intervene.  Thankfully, Harold was on scene and hosed them down.  It was left to Melanie, Susan and Terese to counsel Jane, Harold to support Clive and Paul to lend an ear to Mike.  It’s not entirely clear where Des was.  He seemed to switch scenes!  I found it hard to concentrate, as I was half expecting them to all burst into a Neighbours rendition of Summer Nights!

My only true disappointment here was that this was a moment that perhaps Terese could have met Mike.  I was so desperate for the finale to give us one Mike and Terese scene, just a fleeting line, introduction or look… just something as a nod to Rebekah and Guy’s history as doomed lovers, Sophie and David on Home and Away.  Just something!  It would have been amazing.  But alas, it wasn’t to be.

Paul and Terese #Praise

However, Terese was distracted, still trying to decide what to do about River Bend.  During one of their emotionally charged conversations, she finally took the plunge and kissed Paul.  Although he kissed her back for a moment, he then pulled away and ran off!  No!!!  What’s wrong with you?!

Mel and Toadie’s Wedding

Toadie and Mel’s loved ones were preparing for their wedding, including Karl, who had been linking with the Ramsay Street Facebook Page in order to arrange a surprise.  Over in London, Beth Brennan and Flick Scully found themselves making friends and, bonding over Ramsay Street and everything the place meant to them.

With George Ezra’s ‘Green Green Grass’ as the soundtrack, which I can’t decide if was apt or wholly inappropriate – the lyrics being, “You better throw a party on the day that I die,” – Toadie and Mel joyfully got married amongst their family and friends.  Chloe caught the bouquet and Mel very beautifully included the kids and Sonya in her vows.  The guests were asked to share one word about what love means to them…

Susan: loyalty

Karl: devotion

David: unity

Aaron: My Boo (of course)

Wendy: patience

Paul: respect

Mackenzie: memories (RIP Hendrix)

The Great Migration

With all the love in the air and all the sorrow in her heart, Terese rushed away from the wedding with Paul hot on her heels.  They finally admitted they were still in love with each other but Paul was reluctant to pursue things, aware that he couldn’t change but didn’t want to hurt her again.  Terese revealed her word about love: acceptance.  She knows who Paul is and she accepts him.  They got back together!  Hooray!  I have held out hope all this time and I finally got what I wanted!  Joy!

After a phone call to Shane, who in a matter of moments went from being outside the hotel to post-sex with Izzy, Paul and Terese returned to their loved ones to reveal that the hotel was no longer being sold, Terese was not buying River Bend (presumably she’s remaining involved in the hotel now?) and they were staying put in Erinsborough.

This led to the rest of them doing some rather swift soul searching.  Leo very quickly decided to stay put.  Nicolette and Kiri got back together so she wanted to stay put.  And subsequently, that made David and Aaron’s decision for them.

Mike and Jane (again)

Des and Sam encouraged Mike to spend some time with Jane while everyone else was at the wedding ceremony.  While Jane believed that she was too damaged for them to be able to have a relationship, Mike was certain she was wrong.  He tells her more of his story – the breakdown of his marriage and how it affected him, his love for his daughter and his own damage.  He is certain that neither of them should give up on being happy.

A Minor Quibble

I am thrilled that Neighbours chose to use the finale to complete Jane’s story.  She has been in the show since its earliest days (albeit with a big gap) and by the very nature of her character, she has always been the character who didn’t step into the spotlight.  To let her shine so brightly is a beautiful thing, not to mention, to reunite her with Mike, her first love.  It’s just amazing.  And I love that such a huge star as Guy Pearce loves Neighbours so much and is so proud and respectful of the show that made him a star, that he would come back and give it everything he has, playing Mike again for these two episodes.

However, my only very minor quibble with this otherwise perfect episode (and I know my opinion isn’t going to be popular but hear me out) is that I feel that could have told Jane and Mike’s story with slightly less screen time.  I loved that the connection between them was still so strong.  I loved their tour round Ramsay Street.  I loved having Guy Pearce back and having Annie Jones be pushed to the front of the stage.  But all the extra detail between Jane and Mike could have been trimmed, even just a little, so that the rest of our beloved characters could also have their moment in the sun.  A lot of them were hardly seen and I don’t feel we got a proper goodbye to them.  Some of them got more air time in the lead up episodes – Chloe, for example.  But Aaron and David, Mackenzie… just to name a couple… I don’t feel, after everything they have given the show, really got the send off that they deserved.

And there were some returning actors that I hardly remember seeing, if I even saw them at all – like Scott Major (who also direction the episode) and Ben Hall (I think I spotted Ned kissing Yashvi at the end but otherwise, who knew he was there?!)  I gather that there was a moment between Ned and Beth that the UK audience didn’t get to see because Channel 5 cut it or because Channel 10 required more footage – I’m not sure which way round this was.  But anyway, that was just my two pennies worth.  It’s my blog, I’ll say what I want to!

Scott and Charlene: Home Sweet Home

Back to the Street and Mike and Des weren’t the only original faces back in town!  With so many of the old gang back, Paul had taken it upon himself to invite Scott and Charlene over for a visit.  But upon their arrival, the whole place was deserted, as everyone was at the wedding.  Naughty Charlene’s first instinct was to try and break into her old house, through the window, as she had when it belonged to her mother, allowing her and Scott to meet for the first time and he had tried to stop her – and she had punched him for his trouble!  They were later thrilled to be reunited with best friends, Mike and Jane.  Plus Harold and Paul.

Since the episode aired, I have heard a lot of complaints about Kylie’s lack of dialogue.  Well, firstly, this is Queen Kylie we’re talking about!  But secondly and more seriously, re: my above comments, I loved that Kylie and Jason literally came back for a tiny cameo.  All we have seen since the announcement that Neighbourswas ending was out of date footage of Scott and Charlene in the 80s and none of the incredible work that the current cast and crew have been putting out every day since.  So, I thought it was a real tribute to the current cast that Kylie and Jason didn’t come in and make it all about them.  They could have.  Easily.  But they just came in, did their thing, added their own brand of magic on the side and let the rest of the cast shine.  And it was beautiful.

The Video

At the wedding reception, Karl gathered Toadie, Mel and the rest of the wedding party for his big surprise – a wedding video full of messages from past residents, wishing them well on their wedding day.  And what a joy it was!  There were messages from:

• Beth Brennan (Natalie Imbruglia)
• Naomi Canning (Morgana O’Reilly)
• Sharon Davies (Jessica Muschamp)
• Donna Freedman (Margot Robbie)
• Billy Kennedy (Jesse Spencer)
• Libby Kennedy (Kym Valentine)
• Joe Mangel (Mark Little)
• Stuart Parker (Blair McDonough)
• Tad Reeves (Jonathan Dutton)
• Flick Scully (Holly Valance)
• Steph Scully (Carla Bonner)
• Nina Tucker (Delta Goodrem)
• Lance Wilkinson (Andrew Bibby)

The video included Beth and Flick having gone for a drink and made the best of friends.  There is something quite wonderful about Beth and Flick meeting in the park and then going and getting drunk together to record a message for the wedding!  It was very funny, Beth acknowledging that she hasn’t got a clue who either Mel or Toadie are!  I heard that the Aussie version also included a video message from Sky Mangel (Stephanie Mackintosh); this was cut from the UK version.  A real shame.

While the video persuaded Toadie and Mel that they really cannot leave their home on Ramsay Street, I think I can speak for us as viewers when I say it is a real confirmation of the joy of Neighbours that so many people joined together to say their goodbyes to this show – including such big hitters as Margot Robbie, Jesse Spencer and Delta Goodrem and people who date back so far as Mark Little and Jessica Muschamp.  Absolutely amazing.

The Future of Ramsay Street Residents

Chloe had been fretting that she contacted Elly that morning but no response so imagine her surprise when both Elly and Bea turned up unannounced.  Elly and Chloe finally get together for good!  I am beyond thrilled!

Along with Terese, Toadie and Aaron and David, the Rodwell’s decided to stay put, leaving only Chloe’s house on the market.  With his deal having fallen through with Paul, Shane decided not to buy Chloe’s house. Instead, Mike decided to buy it and was also keen to see if there was a teaching position available at the local high school so that he and Jane could make a go of things.  Meanwhile, Clive decided to move to L.A. to start again.

Amy announced that she was pregnant by someone they all knew.  Well, Lance gave a cheeky wink in the wedding video.  But she also recently spent time with Joel, who turned up at the wedding reception, despite saying he couldn’t make it.  So, who was it, Amy?

Goodbye

In probably the sweetest moment of the whole episode and one of my most favourites, Susan sat down, ready to write her introduction to the History Book.  She stopped Karl on his way out and told him she loved him.  He returned the sentiment and headed back out to the party.  It was so simple but so lovely.

We were then led into the finish of the episode and indeed, the whole show, with a beautiful monologue from Ramsay Street stalwart, Susan Kennedy, the guiding light of the Street for so many years.  I have many favourite characters on Neighbours but Susan and indeed Jackie Woodburne will definitely be one of the central people I will miss each weekday.  As she narrated, she stepped out, into the party, where everyone was having fun.  She said:

“How do you begin to describe a Street?  Do you talk about the houses, the bricks and the mortar, the gardens and the trees?  Or do you talk about the people – the young, the old and everyone in between?  And where do you begin with the history, do you start with your own or those who came before you?  When we moved to Ramsay Street, the community was already here – the Ramsay’s and the Robinsons.  The stories from those early days are legendary and their legacy still lives on today.  There have been many families over the years of all shapes and sizes, some of them unexpected and friends who became like family, whether they were related or not.  Love has always been a central theme.  How many romances were born on the Street?  Things seldom ran smoothly, of course but they usually worked out in the end.  I think of all the people who never crossed paths who could have been great friends and all those who kept turning up whether we welcomed them or not.  The Street always has a way of bringing people back.  Then I think of the people who can’t come back, the people gone too soon.  How would they look if they were still alive today – if they’d been allowed to reach their potential?  So many people that were lost.  And then others, others who were just lost.  I think you have to acknowledge everything, celebrate it all – the good, the bad, because all of that makes us who we are.  Everyone deserves a place in the history of Ramsay Street, even those who watched us from afar.  Together, we have been the perfect blend.”

Susan Kennedy

During her narration, she observed all the partying, taking time to see:

• Lucy, Chris and the kids playing cricket (of course).  There had to be a cricket match in there somewhere.
• She saw all the happy couples like Aaron and David, Chloe and Elly, Nicolette and Kiri (what a beautiful rainbow family Neighbours has created).
• She saw new couple, Izzy and Shane, showing that Ramsay Street accepts everyone, really, no matter what.
• Scott and Charlene were up on the decking of their old house, observing all the fun as a nod to Ramsay Street’s rich history.
• As she reflected on lives lost, she imagined Harold sitting with Madge and Doug, Mackenzie enjoying the wedding with Hendrix and Sonya sharing the moment with her children (what amazing guest stars to be able to have, showing just how creative this show really is!)
• She even imagined Finn Kelly, a life that could have gone a different way (another amazing, fleeting guest star).

I think this is my favourite moment in the whole episode, beautiful commanded by the incredible Jackie Woodburne, who I have adored the second she stepped onto Ramsay Street when I was just a child.  And of course, I can’t speak for everyone but for myself and reading online, the line that references us, the fans, means so much.  I mean, I was holding it together through the episode until Susan started talking!  At the end of her reflection, she was joined by Karl (and Paul, Terese and Toadie) who asked her where she had been.

“I was home,” she said.

Cue the original Neighbours theme, as Paul, Harold, Mike and Jane joined Scott and Charlene on the decking, all having fun together and watching the party on the Street below.  Even Philip Martin came to join in the fun (sadly not in his butterscotch shirt!)  Despite her Dad’s protestations, Nell released one of the balloons, scattering confetti over everyone.  And they all cheer!  It finishes on one final shot of Karl and Susan.  What a perfect end.

The final credits run through (most of – thanks for editing them down, Channel Five – you take with one hand and… no, wait, that’s it) the old to new theme tunes, full of lovely photos of special moments from Neighbourshistory.

I am so devastated that it is over but Neighbours, you couldn’t have handled this with more grace, love, joy or dignity.  I am so excited to see what all of you do next.  And I truly hope that this isn’t the last we see of Ramsay Street and that sometime in the near future, the show comes back in some format.  For now, be proud of everything you have all achieved.

Name Drops: Jim Robinson, Helen Daniels, Bouncer, Mrs Mangel, Daphne Clarke, Bronwyn Davies

Arrivals: Des Clarke, Scott Robinson, Charlene Robinson, Elly Conway, Bea Neilson, Lauren Willis, Zara Greenwood, Ned Willis, Joel Samuels, Madge Bishop (a ghost), Hendrix Grayson (a ghost) Finn Kelly (a ghost), Sonya Rebecchi (a ghost), Doug Willis (a ghost), Beth Brennan (in London & on video), Flick Scully (in London & on video), Sharon Davies (on video), Donna Freedman (on video), Billy Kennedy (on video), Libby Kennedy (on video), Joe Mangel (on video), Stuart Parker (on video), Tad Reeves (on video), Nina Tucker (on video) and Lance Wilkinson (on video) 

Departures: Clive (moving to L.A.), Chloe (moving to Sydney)