Episode guide: the full story

Episode 1 (series 6) 131

The former Hartley High students and Mr. Bailey arrive at their new school, but soon enough it turns out the kids out there are mainly bitches and jerks, who keep calling the new students rejects and utilize every occasion they get to bedevil them: they waterbomb them and lock Anita up in the toilet. Di Barnett, Hartly Heights High’s principal, considers those things to be jokes, which they aren’t of curse. She suggests one of the new students joins the students school council, which has to sort many problems instead of her.

Ryan starts hitting on a girl named Nikki as soon as he spots her busking on a street corner. But she doesn’t want him and treats him just like the others, as well as the fact that Hartley Heigts’ sports hero, Kurt, is constantly trying to hit on Nikki too. The guys both try to take Nikki out, meanwhile fighting with eachother. But Nikki feels she hasn’t got a say in who she goes out with anymore, and finds she isn’t interested in either of the guys.

The students at Hartley Heights have dealt with a lot less chapters of the science book than the rejects, and Les Bailey is correct when he says there isn’t enough time to catch up. After a lot of quarreling between principal, former principal and several students, catch up classes will be organised for students that are behind.

When Mel tells her dad she’s being called names and the like, he suggests she transfers to a provate school, but after some more consideration she decides to stay at Hartley Heights, as she isn’t good at making new friends.

Although Barnett prohibits it after an accident with a blader, when Kurt and his weirdo mate Dennis tell Draz about it, he decides to ride the Blade, an annual pretty hard blading course through the school, and he manages to break the record set by a legend years ago! Di leaves his punishment to the school council, which decides he shouldn’t be punished as the Hartley Heights students haven’t been quite fair to the so-called rejects. And due to the fact that Draz has beaten the record, the acceptation of the new students seems getting closer.

Episode 2 (series 6) 132

Kurt’s dad is a drunk, and Kurt tries to hide that from everyone. Therefore he hates it when Di Barnett approaches his dad, Barry, who’s played football at a very high level when he was younger, to coach the guys in their game. Nikki, whom Kurt wants to hit on, thinks he’s a weirdo, when he says things like that his parents are divorced, his mum lives overseas, his dad brought him up, and now he brings up his dad. When Nikki wants to go to Kurt’s place, he obviously starts making up excuses not to take her, so Nikki walks off angry.

Mai and Draz wonder what Mel’s dad Tony Black is doing in the Shark Pool, and he tells them Leo’s on the run and won’t be back for his personalised coffee mug, so he now owns the place. The Shark Pool will be reopened very soon, and it’s going to be a kids co-operative. Melanie, however, thinks she’s the boss, and orders Mai and Draz around all the time. When they tell her dad so, he has a word with her. Meanwhile Ryan has been doing everything to get Nikki the chance to sing at the opening of the Shark Pool, mainly because he wants to hit on her as well, and Tony has agreed with that after Ryan sucked up to him about his ‘fantastic’ magic act. When all the preparations are done, the Shark Pool reopens.

In science class, Anita burns a hole into a garment of Dennis’ with hydrochloric acid. She finds she doesn’t understand the subject at all, and tells Mr. Bailey, her science teacher, she’s dropping science. Then someone from the education department comes to Hartley Heights and offers Anita a modelling job for a poster to get more girls to do science. Anita takes the job, and Draz starts getting overexcited immediately, exaggerating about this job being a stepping stone and Anita having her own international company very soon. Her name hasn’t ven been used yet! Others, like Les and Mel, aren’t so glad with Anita selling others science while she’s not buying it herself, and they try to talk Neet out of it. Eventually, when Neet finds she doesn’t enjoy modelling either, she decides to quit it after all because it isn’t right. But later Di tells Les the department will now use a professional model and a set instead of a real-life classroom.

Episode 3 (series 6) 133

Gerard Albers arrives at Hartley Heights and he’s the new humanities teacher. When he sees Draz scolding at some Asian guys who don’t speak English well, he offers to give some extra lessons for those who don’t have English as their native language. Draz objects to that, and so Gerard decides to teach the class a lesson about prejudice. During a few of his classes, he dismisses certain groups of students, like those with blue eyes and those who are lefthanded. This bothers Melanie, who was in both these groups and doesn’t want to miss any classes. When Draz also tells Mel and Mai Gerard said he’s got voices in his head, which was nonsense of course, Mel talks to Di, who has a word with Gerard. But he says to Di if she still finds his teaching questionable after a week, they’ll talk again.

Nikki reckons if Ryan wasn’t interested in her, Kurt wouldn’t be trying this hard, and that he’s transparent.

A job has been offered to Hilary, who’s just graduated from uni, but it’s in Melbourne, so she isn’t sure if she should take it. Ryan and Anita try to persuade her to do it, because it’s what she wants to do and because they’d like to have the place for themselves as well. Then Hilary sees a boy who’s had an accident, and gets extra concerned about her kids. When Ryan manages to get Nikki to join in a talent contest and doesn’t call her when he’s with her, she gets mad. Nikki wins and earns 250 dollars, but Ryan, who got taken away by the police during the first round, can’t make it to the final because he and Anita have to persuade their mother. Eventually Hilary does decide to take the job, but before she leaves she tells her son and daughter their father’s coming to look after them, which is a bit of a disappointment for the two. In the meantime Kurt ‘accidentally’ showed up when Ryan didn’t, and so Nikki likes Kurt more again.

All the students find Albers a bit confusing, except for Mai who thinks he’s a bit off the wall but cool. Albers finally explains why he divided the class: being lefthanded or blue-eyed is about the same as being non-Australian, as they’re both things you can’t help. Thanks to Gerard no one objects to the extra classes anymore.

Episode 4 (series 6) 134

Draz is drawling over a pair of boobs in a magazine, and when Les takes it from him and kind of makes a fool of him, Draz decides to pull a trick on Les in return. He attatches a poster of a nude chick on a board he knows Les will be using in class, but Les decides not to show his annoyance, and uses the photo for his class. This bothers primly Mel, so she walks out of the classroom and runs into Barnett who makes her tell the whole story. Barnett decides she has to give Les in to the department of education, and both Mel and Nikki, who’s chosen Mel’s side, are to tell their story. When Les talks to Mel and explains that he didn’t think over his deed very well, she withdraws her complaint. Les reconsiders his future and decides to take early retirement.

Draz and Mai get kicked out of the warehouse and move in with Anita and Ryan until they find another place. They decide to take it, but then Draz runs out on Mai by deciding to keep living with Neet. Mai tells Ryan, who doesn’t agree with it at all, and they work together to get Anita off the decision. Mai tells her Draz isn’t very fine to live with, and it turns out she was right: when Neet finds herself cleaning up Drazic’s mess, she asks him if he sees her as his girlfriend or his cook. When he doesn’r react at all, she pelts him with his dirty clothes and kicks him out of the house. He goes to Mai who’s furnishing the new warehouse, and asks her if he can move in there. She agrees when he confesses he got chucked out by his girlfriend.

Nikki takes Kurt out to celebrate her success in the talent contest, but when the pub boss wants to force Kurt into drinking champagne, Nikki feels embarrassed when Kurt throws the champagne onto the floor. Later he finally confesses to her he didn’t want to drink champagne because his dad’s a drunk and it broke up his family.

Episode 5 (series 6) 135

A new guy comes to Hartley Heights, and he’s in an electric wheelchair because he’s got Muscular Dystrophy, which means his mucles decay. From the moment of his arrival, he treats everyone who’s trying to be nice antagonistically. He does join the school newspaper staff when Mel invites him to, but is still suspicious. After a while, nevertheless, she tells him she likes him, mainly cause he’s the only person around on her wavelength. But later he tells her he loves her, and she doesn’t know what to do with that remark.

Anita and Ryan’s dad arrives to look after them; his girlfriend Sharon will follow later. Anita feels bad when she notices her dad is treating Ryan far less strict than her. Actually he’s treating her like a baby, and after a while she can’t put up with it anymore. Anita tells Nikki Ryan has been discussing her with his father, and saying macho things about their so-called relationship. Nikki fires him as her manager, and is pretty mad. Ryan reckons he’s copping his dad’s behavior too now, and it makes him see his dad is not treating Anita right, and the siblings decide to teach their old man a lesson. When he comes in, they give him a bib and milk and cookies, and say babbly words to him, while Anita films the action. Their dad realises he shouldn’t treat Anita and Ryan like little kids, and reckons they should draw up some ground rules.

The new warehouse of Mai and Drazic’s has got a higher rent, and so the two haven’t got money for food anymore. When at the Shark Pool they find some food that’s past its storage life but is still edible, and decide to take it home and use it themselves. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but they start exaggerating and taking home food that hasn’t gone past its shelf life as well, to the point of Tony Black missing it. The two manage to keep him off their backs by shamming untill Mai practically forces Draz to put a jar of dried tomatoes into his bag and Tony accidentally throws it on the floor and discovers it. Mai says she hasn’t got anything to do with this, and Draz gets fired and feels betrayed. Mai tries to appologise, but he won’t forgive her untill she confesses all to Black. He rehires Draz and gives them the chance to get meals for five dollars at the Pool.

Episode 6 (series 6) 136

Mel needs some time to consider her feelings for Andrew. They get closer and closer and at once they kiss! But Melanie is the study type, so she wants to slow down until after the HSC. When she goes to Gerard to ask him what he knows about Andrew, Gerard says Andrew won’t be around for much longer than one or two years. Mel realises if she wants to spend time with her boyfriend she needs to do it right away, her HSC can wait. She invites Andrew, who told her about the magic of trees before, to go check out the ancient trees in Tasmania. Although Tony Black thinks his daughter is making a mistake, he gives her his blessing and Mel leaves.

The students have got an assignment, and Nikki goes to Mai and asks her to act like they’re having fun when she gets pursued by Kurt and Ryan once again, to get rid of them. Mai suggests they do the project together. When Di makes a fool out of environmentally aware Mai in class by pointing out she’s only used one side of a paper, Nikki figures out a way to take sweet revenge on Di. They follow her around and gather all her garbage for 48 hours. And they find a man’s underpants in a bin-liner, while Di lives alone! In class, when presenting their project, they point out the person whose litter they’ve gathered, should have handed in sixty percent of it for recycling! They don’t give away Di, but after class she asks them to never pull a trick on her like that again.

Kurt’s dad doesn’t show up for football training, and so Kurt takes over. Ryan and him are still quarreling about Nikki, and can’t quite stand each other, so Ryan walks away, claiming Kurt can’t teach him anything about the game. On his way, Ryan spots Kurt’s dad, sitting in his car. When he realises the guy is drunk, he drives him home and takes care of him till Kurt gets home. Kurt is really angry however, and threatens if Ryan tells anyone about the secret he’ll kill him presonally. Later Ryan teaches Kurt something about his dad: the guy has a problem, like everyone does. And it isn’t something to be ashamed of.

Episode 7 (series 6) 137

Drazic finds him and Mai a flatmate: Peter D’esposito, someone he used to go to school with. Mai doesn’t really like the guy from the start, mainly because he moves in at one o’clock in the night. But at first he’s alright: he cooks Draz and Mai brekkie and cleans the warehouse to make up with them for dropping in late. Unfortunately after that he starts treating Mai like some kind of slave, telling her to wash his clothes for him, as well as the fact that he uses all the hot water, eats all the food, and even tries to kiss her, but is stopped by her warning him he’ll end up like a soprano. D’espo tries to stir Draz and get him to dislike Mai, by saying Mai wanted to kiss him but he rejected her. Mai tells Draz his so-called mate isn’t alright. Eventually Draz chooses Mai’s side, the right one too, and kicks D’espo out. Who steals Drazic’s stereo on his way out...

Albers decides to let his students imitate a lawsuit in class, and put Arthur Philip on trial. Kurt plays Philip, and Ryan and Mai are both plaintiffs. Mai wants Ryan to confront Philip with his introducing alcohol in Australia, but Ryan, who knows Kurt’s secret, refuses to. When Mai forces him to do it anyway, Kurt walks out of the classroom never to return, but after a while he comes to his senses and makes Philip confess his guilt. Judge Draz doesn’t find that a smart move though, and charges him for stupidity!

Jeff Scheppers’ girlfriend arrives, and brings along a not so nice surprise for Ryan and Anita: they’ve got a half brother, James. Anita’s angry no one told her about this, but when her dad assures her he still does care about her, she comes to James’ christening.

Episode 8 (series 6) 138

James is crying all the time, and so Anita and Ryan don’t get enough sleep. Their school results are getting worse. Draz gets annoyed too, because Anita doesn’t seem able to find any time for him, because she’s got to babysit. When Draz appears to have a gift which makes James stop crying when he holds him, Draz offers to take the baby out so Neet can catch up on sleep. But Jeff and his girlfriend get mad at Drazic when he’s taken James to the Shark Pool, although his intentions were good.

Kurt decides he’s driving the car from now on, as his dad isn’t able to drive responsible. Kurt brings his dad to work every day, but when at once he forgets his suitcase, Kurt goes back to have the secretary give it to his dad. Logically, Kurt is really embarrassed and angry when the secretary tells him his dad was sacked a few weeks ago. He had his son driving him there every day so he could go into the pub straight away, lying all the time. Kurt can’t take this situation anymore, and his dad promises to get help, but Kurt can’t believe him.

At a parent teacher meeting, Albers points out Ryan and Anita’s marks have decreased over the past three weeks, and asks Jeff when he arrived. When Jeff says he arrived three weeks ago, Albers sees the connection. Jeff and his girlfriend decide to go back to Newcastle, as they came to help Anita and Ryan to pass their HSC, but are doing the exact opposite! Anita tells Draz she’s got time for him again.

Mai talks to Nikki who hasn’t been spending enough time on school work because she has to busk to earn money, as her parents are badly-off. She decides to write an article about students who haven’t got enough money, but it’s so obviously about Nikki that people start treating her like a poor person. Mai gets offers from local newspapers and radio stations who want to buy the article, and when she talks it over with Nikki they start rewriting the article. Meanwhile Albers has convinced Nikki to apply for a scholarship.

Episode 9 (series 6) 139

Jeff has organised a housekeeper, Kath, to come look after Anita and Ryan, and when she arrives, she brings her daughter Sarah as well. The two are true Christians, and Kath is pretty strict towards her daughter, as well as having comments on Ryan and Anita. She thinks Anita isn’t good enough for Sarah to hang out with, that she would have a bad influence. Sarah goes to Hartley and joins Anita and Ryan’s class, but the students don’t like her cos she’s too polite to Barnett and a bit too smart, and because she’s a bit of a nerd. Sarah doesn’t quite fit in. When Ryan takes money from Kath’s purse to buy a pizza, Sarah tells her mum she took it to buy school books, and saves Ryan. Later Ryan tells Sarah he’ll give her twenty bucks.

A student has been stabbed, which makes Barnett very concerned about the wellbeing of the other students. When she sees Drazic, who’s been fishing, untangling his line with a knife, she goes mad and confiscates it. She hires a huge guy with a mafia look to search all the students’ bags, but he even confiscates rediculous things like a screwdriver, scissors and Mai’s nail file, saying she could hurt someone with it. That way, he would have to confiscate everything though, as the students could hurt someone with pencils, books and their bags as well! When Dennis doesn’t want the guy to search his bag, Di threatens to bar him from the school. Even though the students know why Barnett is doing this, they’re really upset. So is Albers, but no on can persuade Di until she sees herself how aggressive the bagsearcher is. He wants Draz to empty his pockets only because of the way he looks, and later when Draz points a water pistol at the guy, he seriously attacks Draz. Di decides to get rid of the guy again. Di realises she’s got to learn to trust her students.

In class Nikki says you shouldn’t do a job just to earn money, but to feed your soul. After class Kurt goes to her and reckons she’s lucky because she knows exactly what she wants to do. He isn’t really sure what he wants to do yet, but he tells her he’s serious about her. Later on he shows Nikki something that’s really important to him: animals that live in the sea. Nikki reckons if Kurt is so worried about, for instance, the dieing out of certain species, he should try and do something about that, for instance by asking if the sea aquarium needs any help. But Kurt doesn’t want any more disappointments, and so Nikki thinks he’s pathetic. Later, when he has gotten himself a job at the aquarium, she asks him out.

Episode 10 (series 6) 140

When Kurt is working at the sea aquarium, he sees a seal that’s swallowed a plastic bag, and it isn’t sure if it’s going to be alright. This makes Kurt realise how stupid people are that just drop their litter everywhere. In class he shows how serious he is about the natural environment, and when he’s watching Nikki sing and a guy drops a butt on the ground, Kurt tells him to pick it up and they almost get fighting. After that Kurt has comments on Nikki feeding the seagulls with junk food as well, and when they’re about to kiss he stands up to pick up a plastic bag. All of this really bothers Nikki, but when Kurt tells her about the choking seal, she understands.

A boy who’s in the same class as Mai keeps following her around after she stands up for him in class, and she thinks he wants to date her but she’s not interested, so she keeps walking away when he tries to accost her. But when the immigration authorities come to Hartley because they’re looking for the boy, who’s an illegal immigrant and is hiding, Mai gets concerned because they might kick him out of the country. The boy’s family couldn’t afford to get him a student visa, but he really wants a good education. Mai agrees to letting him stay at the warehouse for a while, as he’s broken in already anyway, but the immigration authorities pay a visit and catch him. Mai sees the boy once more before he’s kicked out, and they arrange to write.

Ryan tries to make an appointment with the boss of ICE Records, and when he meets the guy on a terrace he gives him a tape of Nikki’s to listen to, and arranges the guy will be at the same terrace tomorrow at seven if he’s interested. Ryan tells Nikki the guy is definately interested in her, although that isn’t certain yet. When Ryan and Nikki are at the terrace the next day, the guy doesn’t show up and Nikki’s mad at Ryan. Ryan actually expected the guy to pay for their food, so an extra disappointment for him is that he’s got to do the dishes all night.

Anita tries to involve Sarah in the things she does, but Sarah only ever studies, and her mum doesn’t allow her to go out and says Anita hasn’t got anything to do with that. Draz is really annoyed when Neet wants to ask Sarah to come see a movie with them, but Neet assures him she won’t be allowed anyway. She just wants to be nice to Sarah so she doesn’t feel left out. When Kath finally allows Sarah to go to the movies with Neet and Draz on a school night, Drazic tries everything he can to cause Sarah doesn’t want to go, and to make Kath reconsider her decision. But the only thing he reaches that way is that Anita’s annoyed.

When Neet and Sarah get home after having been at the Shark Pool a while, Kath tells them Sarah will never go out with Neet again, and is grounded for a month.